Tony recalls his first pastoral encounter in 1980 when he had been called to carry out a funeral for a twin that had lived less than two hours. “I remember accompanying her mum to the chapel of rest to look at her baby, and the raw grief of that situation was palpable.
“People might not be overtly Christian but they have suffered a massive trauma, and they just want you there to sit beside them, to listen, and to pray sometimes. Pastoral ministry is a great privilege. Whether it’s the closure of the pits or the day- to-day pastoral situations of visiting the sick or being alongside people who have had a tragedy. It’s all the same.
“People can come into the Cathedral with a great amount of brokenness, anxiety, pain. A lot of what I do is sit, listen and pray. Some will come back and some won’t ever come back. But so be it.”
The Church of England has come a long way in the last four decades – there have been undoubted improvements in people’s understanding of diversity and inclusivity.
Great piece in @yorkshirepost Canon Tony Macpherson talks about the changing face of the church as he leaves Wakefield after four decades – Yorkshire Post. Last service this Sunday 10.00 @WakeExpress @LeedsCofE @nickbaines https://t.co/6V2vVdUtKj
— Wakefield Cathedral (@WakeCathedral) July 23, 2019