Comments on: Vatican allows Anglican dress-up

By: Bosco Peters

Bosco Peters — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:31:38 +0000

Joanna Trollope's book The Rector's Wife has a strong thread in relation to the CofE clergy varying income according to their role. I understand the differences are even greater in TEC. NZ still follows the concept of offering oneself to serve through the church and being provided a living allowance (stipend) that may vary 20% for say a bishop on the understanding that the costs of a bishop's living varies about this much. The concept continues here until both you and your spouse die. You have credit cards with titles on them??!! [The idea is almost worth a blog-post all of its own!] I do hope, Mike, that your bank has it as The Rev. Mr. Peatman and never as merely Rev. Peatman!!! LOL

By: Mike Peatman

Mike Peatman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:26:13 +0000

Actually not all clergy are paid the same. In the Church of England a Diocesan Bishop is paid roughly twice what a parish clerge is paid and the Archbishop of Canterbury gets about 3.5 times a ’standard’ stipend. The last review suggested this should rise to 3.75 times.

However, I totally agree about there being so much nonsense with titles and regalia. I still keep a credit card with ‘Mr’ on it for holidays, even though the bank insisted I change my account to Rev, as they couldn’t cope with paying in cheques to a Rev into an account called Mr. Oh well.

By: Dane Falkner

Dane Falkner — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:19:13 +0000

I don’t read blogs regularly, yet I find yours is the one I read often and it is great posts such as these that really put a smile on my face and makes me recognize your a good soul.

I am very envious of something, yah even coveting it, and that is that I don’t know how you have time to do so much! You write great content (really great content) on your blog and you constantly have meaningful tweets that seem to appear around the clock. Do you have a small army doing all this work or are you getting a little divine support?

Keep up the great work!

By: David Keen

David Keen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:37:42 +0000

The sad thing is that you’re right. A few years ago I got a letter from one of my bishops which specified the terms of address for senior clergy, to make sure that we used the right titles. I didn’t know whether to laugh or set fire to it, until I realised he was deadly serious.

Mind you, I find people 20 years older than me calling me ‘Father’ plain weird.

By: Richard Catterall

Richard Catterall — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:32:22 +0000

Bosco, I am delighted your sense of the sublime and the ridiculous is alive and well and visiting your webpage. As a (RC) friend once quipped when a collection of denominations were gathered to rehearse for an ecumenical Easter drama hosted by the local Anglican Church: “The Vatican is always ready to help out some of the newer franchises”.

By: Bob Holmes

Bob Holmes — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:28:41 +0000

Enjoyed the Roast! Your whit is smart and funny without being overly arrogant or bitter. After all, Pompous is as posturing dictates.

Your very distant cousin,
Bob

By: Anita Brown

Anita Brown — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:36:58 +0000

With all respect to our Roman Catholic family and thankful for our kindred relationship, when did Anglicans become subject to Vatican rule?

By: Peter Carrell

Peter Carrell — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:56:16 +0000

Holiness Ven Rev Canon Grace Right Your Archdeacon Most Grace (please delete what does not apply so as not to be irritated) Bosco

Do you think extension by analogy might apply?

For example, if I went over to a PO, might I be able to attend meetings of Roman Ministry Educators as one having the status of Ministry Educator (retired)?

Also, I was wondering about the pension payable when one is retired in this way?

By: Susan Mulledy-DeFrank

Susan Mulledy-DeFrank — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:59:47 +0000

I love your humour (or humor.) It is interesting how prayers of reconciliation work out. Much humour is needed.

Christ’s Peace to a world full of laughter.

By: Anne Tanner

Anne Tanner — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:54:29 +0000

Having a sense of humor (sorry, humour) will get you in trouble, too. I enjoyed this.

By: Ernest

Ernest — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:01:15 +0000

I must admit your post has made me laugh, not that I recognise anyone described here.

Having arrived in the CofE in the last two years, I have led a sheltered life, only one service of confirmation at a Cathedral, and no visits to High Church services to date.

However, recalling my former younger life as a member of the RCC, I believe that I might remember one or two, who were attired in this way.

My take on it is quite straight forward “If is isn’t broke, don’t fix it.