Our Chaplains

I have loved walking and exploring from an early age. My sense of adventure was inspired by a New Zealand teacher who was a keen sportsman and mountaineer. I grew up in the mountains of South India where my parents were missionaries. I am now nearing retirement from full-time parish ministry in the Church of England. My first experience of pilgrimage was walking to Canterbury along the North Downs way in 2001. One of my companions inspired me with tales of the Camino. I was able to experience it for myself in 2006 during a sabbatical. I joined the CSJ and, following their advice, walked from Ponferrada. Since then, I’ve been again on the last stages of the Francés and the whole Primitivo in two stages, these latter pilgrimages in my son, Rob’s, company. He’s a great walking companion and fluent Spanish speaker. I’m married with four sons and eleven grandchildren.

I am a keen ecumenist and interfaith practitioner, believing deeply in the necessity of living with diversity, especially in these days when people, societies and nations are retreating into themselves, threatening to divide humanity and destroy the planet. My experience of the Camino is of a wonderful opening up of diverse peoples to each other and a richness to be treasured. Many find pilgrimage is a transformative experience and can mark a transition in their lives. I am unashamedly Christian and convinced of my lifelong calling to ordained ministry. But I love meeting different people and being open to their own integrity and identity. I look forward to exploring pilgrimage well into my retirement and to offering hospitality to arriving pilgrims in Santiago, giving back something of the welcome I have been shown along the way and on arrival.

I am currently Rector of a large rural benefice in Norfolk, England, situated mid way between Norwich and Kings Lynn and not too far from Walsingham, one of the UK’s loveliest pilgrimage destinations.

I serve seventeen parishes, the largest of which has a population of just over 1,000 and the smallest just 8, and we have the care of nineteen medieval church buildings(!). 

I have recently become involved in promoting pilgrimage in Norfolk, and have visited the great pilgrimage centre in Vadstena, Sweden, to widen my knowledge of pilgrimage leadership, Spirituality and hospitality. My love of pilgrimage stems from walking many Caminos to Santiago. Between year 2000 and 2005 I walked over six thousand miles of pilgrimage, on seven journeys beginning at different starting points (St Jean Pied de Port (once in summer and once in January),  Lisbon, Bury St Edmunds (UK) via Paris, Toulouse, Pamplona and Zamora.

The life-changing and life enhancing benefits of walking a pilgrimage cannot be underestimated, and the Camino to Santiago has a powerful legacy of prayer; paths which have been tramped by millions, praying as they walk, giving even those who least expect it a sense of journeying with God. The value and importance of people along the way who are able to offer kindness, a listening ear, companionship, prayer and encouragement is enormous as any pilgrim will tell you. Arriving in Santiago this is perhaps even more important, which is why the chaplaincy is such a worthwhile ministry and I am delighted to be involved. I look forward to hearing pilgrim stories and helping pilgrims unpack the over abundance of emotions which can often overwhelm on arrival in Santiago, as well as offering prayer ministry and Holy Communion.

Now that my children are almost grown up, my hope is that my pilgrimage walking will resume, and perhaps we will walk as a family one day. Much has changed since I walked my Caminos twenty years ago, but much remains the same; the journeying with God, the ground beneath our feet and the resonance of the prayers of ages past will continue to draw me, and countless others, back time and time again.

I look forward to meeting you, pilgrim friends.