Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Holy Orders: Candidates

Thursday 28 April 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Church of England saw a 14% increase in candidates presenting for ordination in 2020 compared to 2019.
  • Clergy often highlight the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus as the most rewarding aspect of their ministry.
  • During the pandemic, clergy faced increased demands and provided support for spiritual and material wellbeing.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Religion & Faith
Context

No specific background context provided other than the Church of England's interest in increasing the number of candidates.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to increase the number of candidates entering Holy Orders.

Answer from Andrew Selous

In 2020, we saw the largest number of people presenting for ordination in a decade, following a sustained commitment by the church to increase vocations, especially from global majority heritage candidates and women. There was a 14% increase in 2020, compared with 2019, and although the pandemic has caused a temporary reduction, we believe that the numbers will soon return to pre-pandemic levels.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps or mechanisms not detailed; only mentions increase in numbers without explaining how it was achieved.

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Q2 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Religion & Faith
Context

No specific background context provided other than the questioner's interest in understanding what motivates clergy.

Question

What do clergy say is the most rewarding aspect of their ministry, and might that be used to encourage others to take Holy Orders?

Answer from Andrew Selous

Clergy deserve our thanks for all they do to promote spiritual and material wellbeing and especially for what they did during the pandemic, which massively increased demands on them. To answer my right hon. Friend's question, many would say that the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus in teaching worship and in service to others inspires them, and what a privilege it is to be present at the most significant moments of a family's life, whether that be baptism, marriage, comforting the dying or a funeral.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Does not provide specific ways this could inspire others; focuses on praise for clergy efforts during pandemic and general descriptions.

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