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St Mary's Clergy Letter - March 2011
About a year ago, I think, I was finding it hard to get cover for a Sunday Mass at St Mary’s whilst I was away, and I asked Derek Rawcliffe if he’d oblige.
On my return one of our parishioners wondered who the little elderly chap was who presided at the Holy Communion service that day. He could barely be seen
over the pulpit lectern! That man of course was a person small in stature (like St John of the Cross, as Derek often pointed out!!) but large of heart and
of the profoundest personal spirituality and depth.
Derek, ordained priest in 1945, died, aged 89, at the beginning of February. He died “with his boots on”- actually he was probably wearing trainers… but
the point stands- Derek lived his Christian vocation to the very end of his days. Former Archdeacon in the Philippines and one time Bishop of Glasgow,
Derek washed up on the shores of St Aidan’s in Harehills where I spent 4 years ministering alongside him as curate.
Derek’s diary was fuller than any full time clergy person – he was a man of prayer and commitment to the social Gospel. I doubt if it could be said more
of anyone I know that “he lived his faith”. He died with his trainers on… diminutive in size and modestly dressed in worn jeans, trainers and usually an
old coat over an ancient sweatshirt, Derek quietly supported anyone who came to him who needed his help. These were usually people who for all kinds of
reasons lived on the margins. He gave generously to everyone who asked of him. He supported asylum seekers and homeless men and the occasional woman! He
never tired in his support of the most damaged and difficult of people whose needs attracted them to him like moths to a flame.
He was an example to all older people- many is the time in an older people’s home I’ve pointed to the elderly gentleman in the “Age Concern” Poster on their
notice board and said “that’s Derek Rawcliffe who is probably older than many of you but who shows by his life that age is no barrier to Christian discipleship.
Often as we get older our society and perhaps that little inner voice (our own or perhaps belonging to the one with the pointy tail!!!) tells us our mission
is over - but Derek showed by his life that however young or old you are Christ has a mission for you which is of value and is as authentic as anyone else’s
however young or old they may be. On the night he died he’d been to mass as was his daily custom and had just returned from a meeting of Churches Together
which he tirelessly supported.
Which is not to say he was perfect. If you are thinking that if age does not disqualify me from the radical demands of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, personal
weaknesses and imperfections do, then you need to bear in mind that Christ chooses real people like you and me, old and young, with all our failings and
weaknesses. Derek and I often argued bitterly about differences of belief and differences of missionary approach. Derek had some very literal and simple
Biblical beliefs which I often found very hard to accept were relevant to our modern context. Empathy with different viewpoints was not one of his qualities!
We shared so much in common however – and clergy in particular have a tendency to being opinionated and arrogant- convinced that our personal interpretation
of the God’s Truth is identical with God’s absolute truth, and this can lead to intolerance and a temptation to not be over generous in giving space for others
to express their views and giftings. We all enjoy the limelight and are loathe to share it with others
I like to think of Derek as a real Saint- not like the plaster cast saints who convince no one and can’t give hope to real people in the real world- but like
the real people living lives of total commitment of what they’ve got to the mission of making the hope of Jesus Christ real in real lives in the real world.
Thank you Derek for all those arguments we had - but thank you also for the love that you never tired to make real- and thank you to God for the gift and
example of such a long life of service and Christian action. We have many older people in our churches in Middleton living full lives of commitment to
Christ - let’s pray for them and that the Lord will send more labourers like Derek into his vineyard.
May he rest in peace and rise in Glory!
Every blessing- Andy
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