DESPITE no fewer than 36 ordinands in the diocese of London this Petertide, the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Revd Richard Chartres, wants yet more. In fact, one of the two specific goals of the diocese of London's Capital Vision 2020, launched last year, is to increase the number of ordinands by 50 per cent.

So when the diocese last month invited all those young people who were considering the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood to the Wren Suite, in St Paul's Cathedral, the Bishop and the Diocesan General Secretary, Andy Brookes, joined them.

The young people had come from a number of vocational schemes around the diocese, where they were exploring their calling and considering future ministry. Some of them were already working as pastoral assistants.

They were welcomed by the Bishop, followed by the Revd Paschal Worton, who spoke about prayer and relationship with God. Mr Brookes then explained how the aim of doubling the number of young people involved in the local Christian community, as well as doubling the number of ordinands, together fitted into the wider aims of Capital Vision 2020.