JACK NOBLE went up to Bristol University to read History on a
partially funded Naval scholarship. In his first term, his life
changed course dramatically when he came to faith and discovered a
vocation to the priesthood almost simultaneously.
An interview with his Navy liaison officer left the latter
unsurprised by Jack's change of direction: "Apparently, a
remarkable number of military candidates discern a vocation to
ministry." Jack did, however, have to repay the support funds the
Navy had provided.
After graduation, instead of training as a helicopter pilot,
Jack spent a year as a parish assistant in south Manchester, before
embarking on ordination training at the College of the Resurrection
in Mirfield. Now in his third and final year, this summer he will
be ordained to a curacy in Ruislip.
He may not be flying helicopters, but he has had opportunities
to travel on placement: to Codrington College in Barbados; and to
Zimbabwe, where one of the Mirfield Fathers runs a charity for
orphans. When he cancelled his subscription to Navy News, Jack
started reading the Church Times. Now, a regular grant
from the paper's Train-a-Priest Fund helps to support Jack's
training.
"College can be quite isolating. When I see the TAP contribution
listed as part of my own income, I have a sense of the support
network of the whole Church: that all sorts of people in parishes
are prepared to commit themselves financially to supporting my
vocation. So, when the Lent push comes through, I'm very
grateful."
HOW TO GIVE:
We take cheques, postal orders, cash, and charity cheques. But
many of our readers find that the simplest way to give is by means
of the online giving page: http://www.hymnsam.co.uk/train-a-priest.aspx
. Donations can be given securely, and in just a few
moments.
Please send other donations to our Norwich office: TAP Fund,
Church Times, 13a Hellesdon Park Road, Norwich NR6 5DR.
(For an acknowledgement, please enclose a stamped addressed
envelope.)
Gift Aid enables UK taxpayers to increase their donations to TAP
by an extra 25p in the £1, at no additional cost to themselves, by
making a simple declaration of eligibility. You can do this on our
online donations page, or, if sending a cheque, by using the form
that appears on page 6 of this week's paper.
SPREAD THE WORD:
Please encourage other people to give to TAP, too. A colour
leaflet can be downloaded by clicking here (PDF, will open in new window)
and distributed to potential donors.