In Spite Of Myself

[poliphilo]

The guy from church with the sensitive problem came round yesterday morning. I had hoped I'd have something to tell him, but I didn't- so I embarked on another round of calling ecclesiastical bods and speaking to secretaries and answerphones- and getting more and more irate- and (hopefully) not letting it show.

There was a time when the clergy were easy to get hold of. There was a big house within walking distance and you went and knocked on the door and....But I'm being unreasonable. There just aren't that many clergy these days- and those there are are run off their feet. It's not their fault.

Eventually- but by now it was late afternoon and the young man had gone- they started ringing me back. Nice people, helpful people- and I was able to arrange a meeting for this Sunday.

This is so weird. I'm not even really a Christian and here I am beavering away on the Church's behalf like a righteous gentile or something. And this stuff I'm involved in now isn't kid's stuff. It has the potential to draw me in deep.

I'm thinking of calling this journal A Priest In Spite of Himself.

Comments

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I once had a friendship with an old woman who was nearly blind and housebound and alone. She and her husband had been quite active in the Methodist Church in their young years, but as a carping old woman, sad and lonely, she couldn't get any ministers to come regularly to her--I called several churches in the area, explained her relationship to the Methodists, and some would come one time and then, feeling I suppose that their duty was done, never returned or called again.

So your care of this person who needs someone badly is especially moving to me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

When I was a priest I had a list of old and housebound people I used to go visit on a regular basis.