The Right Rev'd Timothy Bavin (C. 1949-54)

Timothy Bavin attracted a surprisingly large audience and began with an amusing imitation of Bishop Tutu deprecating an over-fulsome introduction. I shan't attempt to summarise his talk, constructed with the artistry of an English scholar and delivered with the devout fluency of a man who has been preaching episcopal sermons for twenty years. When he joined the Anglican Benedictine Abbey near Alton in 1997, he was No 6 in the Order. Twelve years later he is still No 6, as the thirteen others who joined subsequently did not complete the various stages of becoming a monk. In the Community website there is a photo of him.

He looked much the same, slim and lithe though grey-haired and afterwards he greeted me warmly. He said he'd recently received a copy of the Pelican, which had revived many memories.'