Last week I sent an open letter to the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, following his epiphany letter which promised a more accountable church.
I finished that letter by saying: “if your commitment to becoming an accountable church is more than ‘fine words’, you should have no problem answering my questions.
“If you refuse to answer these questions, then we will know for sure that despite these latest ‘fine words’, no action will follow and your words at epiphany are as hollow as your words have been over the years.”
Guess what: one week on, and Cottrell has opted not to respond.
The opportunity remains: Archbishop Cottrell, will you act on your words and promise of accountability or not?
And in the past week, the BBC revealed that Cottrell had described Tudor as Rolls Royce priest of whom his church should be proud. I don’s see any comment on this from The Church Times (we recall the Church Times/Paula Vennells close connection. And is Lord Chartres’ wife “big” in The Church Times hierarchy? Ditto Rev Gillean Craig, as its tv reviewer, accused of groping a teacher Jackie Stonor at a school in East London?
I believe we have in Gavin Drake one of the greatest reformers in centuries. He reminds me of Martin Luther in his battle inter alia against indulgences.
At a time of maximum corruption at the head of the church, when the clergy – excepting one brave Bishop – suffers from corporate lockjaw, we have in Gavin Drake truly a man of God, of integrity and truth, who applies his brilliant intellect, like a surgeon’s knife, to expose layer by layer, the Great Lie that now characterises
the Church of England.
I wish to add a few pertinent words about Richard Chartres and Gillean Craig. When Chartres’ appointment as Bishop of Stepney was announced, Gillean Craig drove me and his churchwarden, a very kind lady, to a large church in Stepney for a service of welcome for the new Bishop. Suddenly, there appeared before us, prancing about the altar a figure clad in a veritable Joseph’s Multi-Coloured Dreamcoat. “He looks like Beelzebub,” whispered the churchwarden.
After the service while men in sharp casual gear dispensed wine and nibbles, Gillean Craig introduced me to Richard Chartres. A very few words were exchanged. And then, as if plucked from a Christmas cracker, he delivered a mantra suited to my needs:
“DON’T STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
STANDING UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS IS THE WAY OF DEATH,
BUILDING A CASTLE THE WALLS OF WHICH
ALWAYS FALL INWARDS.”
Thus ended my meeting with Chartres.
Soon afterwards I started to receive false demands for rent arrears from my housing association. Even an Eviction Notice. No arrears were due. I had a complete bank record of payments. Eventually I complained to the President of the Housing Association of what I termed fraudulent arrears demands. Y the Saturday of that week, I was completely vindicated. No arrears. Rent Roll lost. Apologies.
But on the Friday, I was summoned by a breathless Gillean Craig to a kangaroo court at which he subjected me to the most intense psychological abuse imaginable, in defence of the housing association President, who happened to be Richard Chartres.
Within minutes my life had been shredded and my career prospects reduced to ground zero. I was subjected to a series of threats to my livelihood. Gillean Craig’s conduct was vile, unprofessional, partisan, uncaring and dishonourable. My life in London lay in tatters. Next day I drove to Northumberland and bought a property. This enabled me within 2 years to relocate northwards and escape Gillean Craig’s evil clutches.
Of course, I was very low down among the wines and spirits in comparison with friends of Chartres and his crony Craig. I was not of the stature of such giants as Martin Sargeant upon whom Chartres lavished such boundless praise, and who worked from Chartres’ office in the Old Deanery. Sargeant even rented a flat in Gillean Craig’s very own Rectory.
And besides, Chartres was a close friend of Prince Charles. Now no-one can fault Charles’ judgment of friends. Though there was Peter Balls. And Jimmy Savile whom Prince Charles appointed as Adviser to the Royal Family on Strategy.
No, compared to such luminaries as Sargeant (who had already done bird before his Chartresian elevation) I must have presented as a very worthless and objectionable individual – who stood up for his rights.
To me Gillean Craig played the bully and thug. At the end of his kangaroo court, I was smashed to pieces, betrayed, and in tears. But a new life and career would open in Northumberland.
And the worm turns.
Thank you for listening.