First Eco Church named
THE first parish church to be given an Eco Church Gold Award is St Catherine’s, Burbage, in Leicester diocese (above). The scheme, launched earlier this year, celebrates churches that can demonstrate how they are caring for the environment in five areas, including the management of buildings. St Catherine’s has energy-efficient lighting, and a rectory with a garden for meditation and contemplation.
Officer appointment to boost BAME ordinand numbers
ROSEMARIE Davidson-Gotobed has been appointed the Church’s National Minority Ethnic Vocations Officer. She will work across the Ministry Division and the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns / Mission and Public Affairs. A consultant in cross-cultural understanding and racism, she has worked as racial-justice co-ordinator for the London Baptist Association. She will be working to “significantly increase” the number of BAME people training for ordained ministry.
Help urged for Welsh traditionalists
THE election of the first woman bishop in the Church in Wales (News, 4 November) underlines the need for the appointment of a male bishop to minister to traditionalists in her diocese, Credo Cymru, the traditionalist grouping, has said. The code of practice that accompanied the Church’s legislation enabling women to be bishops states that diocesan bishops should make “all reasonable provision for appropriate sacramental episcopal ministry” for those unable to receive the ministry of women bishops. An explanatory note said that the Bishops decided not to provide for “specific alternative episcopal ministry”. This means that Canon Penberthy will be expected to ask one of her male colleagues to assist her.
Former staff of Christ’s Hospital arrested
POLICE have arrested three former members of staff at Christ’s Hospital, a school in West Sussex, on suspicion of historical sex-abuse against pupils. The three men, all in their 60s, were arrested in connection with abuse alleged to have taken place in the 1980s and early 1990s. A spokesman for the school told The Sunday Times: “Christ’s Hospital takes its moral and legal obligation to safeguard pupils very seriously. The school is aware that arrests have been made in relation to some non-recent allegations and is co-operating fully with police investigations.”
Cardinal Nichols calls for ‘bold’ prison reform
A NEW document on prison reform — The Right Road — was launched by the Roman Catholic Church last week. Cardinal Vincent Nichols told the parliamentary reception that society was “failing prisoners, and prisons are failing our society”. He called for a “bold and serious program of prison reform”, warning of over-crowding and “despair”. It came on the eve of the publication of a government White Paper outlining a £1.3 billion investment in new prisons over the next five years, and 2100 extra officers — levels that are still below those in 2010.