A novel by a friend

 

My friend Rhidian Jones has written a novel that depicts the trials of one Anglo-Catholic family as they try to reconcile their differing opinions on women in the priesthood. His new book “Cycling On” is published by Lulu, and is available both as a traditional book and an e-book.

After serving as a vicar in the Church in Wales before his reception as a Catholic layman, Rhidian Jones is well placed from both clerical and lay standpoints, as well as being a canon lawyer, to realize the importance of the conversation surrounding women in the clergy. The anecdotal story within “Cycling On” examines this issue through a fictional tale about the Goodchild family.

Each character highlights a new facet of the book’s women-in-priesthood debate – a debate that threatens the family’s unity throughout the course of the plot.

“My book is not only about issues but also about inner journeys of faith,” Jones says. “There are serious issues but there are also amusing anecdotes. Minute observations made and the enigmatic style of the narrative bear a resemblance to Barbara Pym and Iris Murdoch. Hopefully, readers will gain an insight into clerical life.”

An excerpt from “Cycling On”:

“A number of clergy and lay people from the diocese attended Mortimer Goodchild’s lecture on the role of canon law in the life of the Church, at the University law faculty in Freeland … In his lecture, Mortimer stressed the importance of having sound rules in order to ensure the efficient running of the Church and to avoid the possibility of scandal. He explained how the law was developing all the time to assist the Church in its sacred mission.”

“Cycling On”

By Rhidian Jones

Softcover | 5.83 x 8.26 in | 109 pages | ISBN 9781291224214

E-Book | 109 pages | ISBN 9781291650952

About the Author

Rhidian Jones served for several years as an Anglican vicar in Wales. He has a longstanding interest in Anglican and Catholic worship and liturgy and in canon law. His other publications include a spiritual anthology of poems and collections of devotional readings in Welsh.

New book on Canon Law

My friend Rhidian Jones has just had the second edition of his book The Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England : A Handbook published by Continuum. It costs £45.

My own knowledge of Canon Law is a mixture of the Corpus Juris Canonici that preceeds Pope Benedict XV's codification of 1917 ( a few years ago I went to a splendid series of lectures at Blackfriars on the development of medieval canon law), miscellaneous pieces of historical knowledge as a medievalist and practical knowledge from my days as an Anglican Churchwarden or as a tolerably well informed Catholic.

Rhidian's books appears to be an ideal digest of much that one would need to know in either communion, providing quick reference and accessibility to the current canon law of both churches. The entry for every canonical term gives its definition and the law relating to it in each canon. There are cross-references throughout to assist in making further connections.

He also includes terms not easily translated across the two canons, and some common terms from the Eastern Catholic Church,whilst the appendices contain changes to the Universal law of the Roman Catholic Church which are outside the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

In this second edition the contents have been revised significantly: of the 466 entries 80 have been updated or added.

Catechesis in Welsh

My friend Rhidian Jones, as his name suggests, is Welsh, and a Welsh speaker.* Like me he is a convert to Catholicism and now based in Oxford.

Apart from his work as an author on Canon Law - and more on the second edition of his handbook on that subject in a few days - he is anxious to encourage the use of the Welsh language in devotional life, both in the Catholic Church in Wales, and in assisting those interested in the Ordinariate there. He is keen to remind his fellow Welsh speakers of their Catholic heritage, symbolised by the restored shrine of Our Lady of the Taper at Cardigan, and to encourage the use of the rich tradition of Welsh hymnography in the Catholic tradition, stretching back to the middle ages.

Our Lady of the Taper

There is more about the history of the shrine here.

He has recently produced an English-Welsh bilingual booklet Church Teaching on the Eucharist/ Athrawiaeth yr Eglwys ar yr Ewcharist of quotations from Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church about Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for use by parishes and individuals. One Welsh parish is already using it as its Lent devotional book this year.

It costs £2.00 plus p&p, and if readers are interested I can supply Rhidian's e-mail address.


* Despite many happy holidays in Wales in my youth my knowledge of the language is virtually nil. However I am assured by another friend that my name translates in Welsh as Sion Pen Gwyn.