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Father Colin Patey

25 Jun, 13 tweets, 3 min read

Day 5 #OfGodandMe
While I was Vicar of Grimethorpe, I heard and read a lot about #IgnatianSpirituality. I wanted to know more so I spent 8 days at St Beuno's in N Wales. The daily sharing of my experience of prayer with my retreat-giver was life-changing.
1/13

My love for Scripture was enriched by a renewed sense of God speaking with me through his Word. This was both consoling and challenging. I walked on the water and sank, with Peter as I felt that my life, faith, ministry were shams, play-acting. The Lord rescued me.
2/13

The eight days, and subsequent reading, retreats (including a 30 day experience) & courses changed both my own prayer life, & the way I accompanied others. They gave me the foundation for discernment through an attention to the path of the Lord's consolation.
3/13

My C of E ordination anniversary was 29 June & Peter seemed close to me throughout my ministry. The first 8 day retreat reinforced this . This impetuous lover of the Lord often got it wrong, but the Lord still trusted him (and me), and entrusted much to him (and me!).
4/13

I longed for the C of E to return to communion with Peter's successor, the Bishop of Rome. Increasing division over matters of faith, discipline & order made this more important to me. I became anxious about the "party-politics" of General Synod elections.
5/13

In 1988 I moved to hospital chaplaincy work in Leicestershire. I had always loved visiting hospitals from the time when I had sung around the wards at Christmas as a choirboy, and sometimes went with the vicar to play the harmonium or electric organ on Sundays.
6/13

I loved the hospital work and providing pastoral & sacramental ministry there. It brought together my original medical interest with my Christian ministry. Care of the wonderful NHS staff was a vital part of my role. However, the local C of E provided new challenges!
7/13

In North & West Leics in the 80/90s there were a couple of parishes where the vicars took what they described as a "non-realist" view of God. They liked religious practice as therapeutic, but had stopped believing in the reality of God. I found this deeply disturbing.
8/13

Around this time I visited a Church on holiday where the vicar distributed communion in a way I found very irreverent, dropping the consecrated bread on the floor repeatedly, and stepping on it as he went. This scandalised my whole family who knew the care I took over this.
9/13

These events, and the increasing polarisation in the Synods made me ask where truth could be found. Scripture, certainly, but where was the authority to interpret it? Did not Jehovah's Witness claim their faith was totally scriptural, and they denied Christ's divinity!
10/13

The desire for communion with Peter's successor grew ever stronger. Cyndy & I talked, prayed, agonised. The decision for both of us seemed inevitable. Cyndy moved before I did, and was received into the full Communion of the Catholic Church in March 1994.
11/13

Tomorrow:
I make the second of the two great and good choices of my life.
12/13

Summary of today:
That sinking feeling. Lord, help me, save me.
13/13

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More from @FatherColin1

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

27 Jun

Day 7 #OfGodandMe
A bit before my ordination, the Bishop asked me to take up a post as a prison chaplain. A new prison was being opened near to an existing one, and the local parish wouldn't be able to cover both. With some trepidation I agreed.
1/13

Somewhat to my surprise, the next 12 years were Incredibly fulfilling. I worked in open male, and closed female prisons. Once I'd got over the initial shock of working in a very unfamiliar environment, I had a deep sense of being in the right place. I met Jesus anew here.
2/13

Christian friends prayed that I might take Jesus into the prison. No! He was there first! "I was in prison and you visited me." I needed to care for the staff too. Most prison staff are professional & caring
3/13

Read 13 tweets

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

26 Jun

Day 6 #OfGodandMe
Yesterday I dealt with some of my unease with life & ministry in the Church of England. My experience of #IgnatianSpirituality taught me that God leads us through consolation rather than desolation, so I was wary of acting out of my desolation.
1/12

As Cyndy moved towards reception into the Catholic Church, I often accompanied her to Mass, while continuing my Anglican hospital chaplaincy. I grew increasingly aware that I shared the faith of the Catholic community. I wanted what Cyndy was finding. I felt at home.
2/12

The Catechism of the Catholic Church was published about this time. I read it from cover to cover - not what it was designed for! This is what I believed. Once Cyndy was received, I couldn't wait much longer. So I made the second great and good choice of my life.
3/12

Read 12 tweets

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

24 Jun

Day 4 #OfGodandMe
My C of E Ordination was in Durham Cathedral, between the shrines of Ss Bede & Cuthbert. My first curacy was on S Tyneside in a mining parish with estates built to house overspill from Jarrow. My vicar worked hard & expected his curates to do likewise.
1/13

All but three years of my ministry have been in mining & former mining areas. I came to love mining folk & their sense of community. I am aware of the debt our country owes them for their contribution to our prosperity over the years. Sad that is often unrecognised.
2/13

I had fondly imagined that the sight of me in a dog collar and my carefully pondered apologetics would bring people to faith. It didn't happen! But I gained much from the hard work and daily prayer of the parish.
3/13

Read 13 tweets

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

23 Jun

Day 3 #OfGodandMe I went to Uni to read medicine. I found the highest Church in the city with lots of smells & bells, and, vitally, faith in the Eucharistic presence of Jesus. I heard #GregorianChant for the 1st time. Beautiful. I met the #Angelus Prayer & the #HailMary.
1/11

Here, too, I heard a homily which had a profound impact on me. The vicar talked about Mary's words at the Wedding in Cana: "Do whatever he tells you." Since then these words have hit me at times of uncertainty & decision. They led me to make my 1st confession.
2/11

Confession is quite rare in the C of E except among very devout and very High Church people. Its regular practice gave me a sense of both my sin and God's forgiveness. For me it was also a matter of obedience, like Mary's Fiat and her call to the servants at Cana.
3/11

Read 11 tweets

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

22 Jun

Day 2 #OfGodAndMe
I ended yesterday with by questioning whether there was more to the #Eucharist than my C of E Confirmation Preparation had indicated. As my teenage years progressed the question began to be answered by a series of events. I still see God's hand in them.

1/11

One of my closest friends at grammar school was a practising Catholic. We were drawn together by a common love of music and by the fact that we were among the very few in our year who practised any faith. We both played the organ in Church from time to time.
2/11

One day my friend invited me to try the organ at his Catholic Church. As we entered the Church he genuflected. It was the first time I had seen anyone do this. I asked him what he was doing. He pointed out the tabernacle and shared his faith in the #Eucharist.
3/11

Read 11 tweets

Father Colin Patey

@FatherColin1

21 Jun

Day 1 #OfGodandMe
I was brought up as an Anglican. My mother worshipped regularly in the local Parish Church. Initially I went to Sunday School. My only memory of this is the song which was taken during the collection every week which started "Hear the pennies dropping"
1/9

When I was almost 8 I joined the Parish Church Choir. The main services were Morning & Evening Prayer. I can date my lifelong love of the #Psalms from this time. I didn't understand every word of the 16th century English, but the imagery and passion inspired me even then.
2/9

My love of music grew at this time. I played both recorder and piano. Music has enriched every part of my life especially my faith life. I have been exposed to many sorts of music. I don't like them all equally, but all have enriched me in different ways.
3/9

Read 9 tweets

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