Kevin Diamond

On the road to selection

For Kevin Diamond, one of a team of six Bishops' Selection Secretaries based at Church House in London, there is no such thing as a typical week - as his varied role includes circulating information on candidates, training assessors, and attending 12 Bishops' Advisory Panels per year in various parts of the country.

Before a potential priest comes across Kevin or one of his colleagues, though, they undergo a long discernment process.

'You'll probably want to start talking to people in your church and your diocese,' Kevin advises, 'and when you've moved through all of that - which can take anywhere from probably 12 to 18 months - and your bishop would be happy to let you go further you would then move into the national selection process and that's where I would get involved.'

All of this commences with discerning a calling for ordained ministry - which Kevin agrees is not as simple as, to draw a sporting parallel, Beckham getting a call-up from the England manager.

'Hopefully at least there will be beginnings of a call from God rather than from the England team,' he laughs, appending that this inner sense of calling must then be analysed by leaders in the local church and diocese so that a searching question can be asked: 'Can they see in you someone who can be a priest?'

In 2006, a total of 715 people attended a three-day Bishops' Advisory Panel, and there was a recommendation rate of 83 per cent; Kevin was responsible for coordinating the applications of 177 of them, and last year in particular witnessed first hand the diversity of those putting themselves forward: 'People who might be full-time mothers or fathers even; people who are doctors; you may have people who are youth workers; you may have students.

'I've had a coffee bar worker who came to Bishops' Advisory Panel wanting to be a priest; I've had builders, teachers, retired people, lecturers - the whole gamut.'

From Kevin's point of view, there's definitely no general template for the individuals wishing to be part of Church of England: The Next Generation: 'Just people who are open to give of themselves and allow God to use them.'

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