Bishop defends plans for study trip in Spain

THE Bishop of Llandaff has defended a decision to charter an aircraft to take more than 100 clergy to Spain for a fiveday study session.

But some members of local congregations are unimpressed and say they will stop putting money in the collection plate.

A statement issued by the Church in Wales said the Llandaff Diocese was embarking on “an ambitious Year of Pilgrimage to reinvigorate its work and worship as part of the Church’s 2020 centenary celebrations”.

In 1920 the Church in Wales was disestablished and ceased to be a state institution.

To launch the programme, Bishop June Osborne has announced that the next “Clergy School” will take the form of a pilgrimage, with priests from more than 100 churches travelling to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain – the location of the shrine of St James the Apostle, which for many centuries has been the destination of pilgrimage routes known as The Camino.

Bishop June said visiting such a significant site of Christian pilgrimage in May 2019 would represent confidence in the future mission of the diocese.

“We really value and appreciate the hard work of our clergy and know that such an uplifting project will benefit both them and the people they lead and serve,” she said.

“I recognise that such a bold initiative is likely to raise eyebrows but it does represent an injection of hope and confidence – and joy – for the present and future of the Church in Wales. Our focus in Llandaff is using pilgrimage as a means of spiritual renewal, as well as a practical demonstration of our work within a modern Wales.

“This exciting venture is different and ambitious, and I am sure our priests will return refreshed and renewed, ready to work with their congregations and communities towards the centenary and beyond.”

A spokeswoman for the Church in Wales would not say how much the trip would cost, but said it would be “within budget”.

Llandaff Clergy School is held every three years.

The decision to fly clergy to Santiago de Compostela has been criticised on the Ancient Briton blog – a site which often carries stories critical of the Church in Wales.

In a posting, the anonymous author of the blog wrote: “June thought some may find it bizarre to go to Spain when we have so many magnificent pilgrim routes here in Wales. Spot on. As clergy become thinner on the ground with lay leaders taking up the reins, how kind of Jolly June to treat those remaining to a jolly in Spain. Paid for by savings on stipends?”

One comment beneath the story on the blog said: “My vicar showed me this ad clerum [a statement to clergy] from Dear June.

“It says that a special fund exists to pay for this jolly, and that she is going to charter a special plane to take them all out to Spain on this jolly.

“If there is enough money in the pot for the diocese to hire aeroplanes for clergy holidays in Spain, then they obviously don’t need my meagre weekly contribution or the annual amount I give to support a well-known parish music foundation.

“I think that cash will be directed to more deserving causes.”