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Obituary: THE REVD JOHN PERCIVAL PAYNE

by
04 July 2014

Stephen Savage writes:

THE Revd John Payne, who died on 21 June, aged 65, had a notable, if brief, ministry at St Hilda's, Cross Green, Leeds, to which he came after Nottingham University, Cuddesdon and a first curacy at Tilehurst.

By February 1976, St Hilda's Clergy House had been empty for almost two years, and the diocese, pursuing what some regarded as a mistaken policy towards inner-city parishes, was trying to close several churches across the city. Morale at St Hilda's was low. The little flock was looking for a shepherd when there appeared a man sent from God whose name was John. Everything changed.

Fr Payne brought inspiring leadership, youthful energy, enthusiasm, and faith in the future. His "style" was absolutely right for St Hilda's: thoroughly Anglican and Catholic. His preaching was robust. His conducting of the liturgy was exemplary, helped by a strong speaking voice and fine singing. Much that he set in place remained in regular use, tweaked and enhanced, maybe, but hardly changed, for the next 30 or more years.

Fr John visited in the parish indefatigably, being seen daily with his list of names and addresses, going around visiting the sick, the troubled, the bereaved, and the lapsed. He would go out late at night and in pouring rain. The regular congregation increased. He recruited many servers, and started a girls' choir. There was a daily mass. All feast days were properly observed, in style. He demonstrated what a parish might expect of its priest, setting a standard of parochial ministry which should be the norm.

He was an enthusiast for the Church Union, and for Catholic Renewal. He attended the Loughborough Conference, and its themes were the subject of many a sermon.

He established good relationships with young and old, being a friend to all. He enjoyed going into the school, and, like his predecessors, found it to be a valuable source of pastoral contacts, which, of course, he followed up. He also met the people of the parish when he was walking the dog, and visiting the Cross Green Inn. He was a people person, and was instantly recognised as the parish priest, as he invariably went out in cassock and biretta.

It was a happy time, of real progress and upbuilding in every aspect of parish life. We wanted him to stay longer at St Hilda's, but St Hilda called him, first to St Hilda's Priory, Sneaton Castle, in February 1979, and later, as school chaplain, to Whitby. He also served as an incumbent in two parishes, a convent chaplain, chaplain and head of a school Classics department at Thirsk, and an Anglican chaplain in Italy.

His was a distinctive, varied, and effective ministry. His time at St Hilda's, Leeds, was special for him, and for the parishioners.

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