James Allport

Thank you. This is wonderful.

Current level of energy...

City I like: Gothenburg
City I love: Chichester
City I think is overrated: Brighton
City I think is underrated: Gloucester
City I feel most myself in: Oxford
City I still need to visit: Rome
City I dream of living in: Seattle
Most inspiring city today: Kyiv
Favorite city of all time: Cambridge

Sunset even making our scrubby trees rather glorious tonight. #tinyjoys

Strength and courage. Anyone juggling priest school, job and family is an absolute hero.

Blessed Joseph, pray for us.

The church remembers him today. I think of him as the patron saint of second chair leaders - the gentle wise voices who problem solve and get things done. His prayers help me as I try to be half as good a dad as my own Dad. He made stuff, and didn't break stuff.

I flirted with St Thomas, because his feast is my birthday and I'm good at doubt. But on a whim I chose Joseph of Nazareth, Jesus' step dad. And what an inspired nudge that was.

Thread: When I was confirmed, a childless 20-something, my parish priest asked me if I was going to take a confirmation saint. I didn't know what that was. For Anglicans, it's a bit niche even for those of us in the Catholic corner of the big tent.

Pinkish white blossom on a tree against a pale blue sky.

Daffodils clustered around a slightly tired concrete street sign saying Langdale Avenue.

Pink blossom on a tree with a very ordinary house in the v I'm background.

Spring springing... #tinyjoys

Oh...

As Honest Bob Jenrick tours the country repeating far-right conspiracy talking points about “two-tier sentencing”, here is the letter his own government sent to the Sentencing Council last year approving the very Guidelines he now claims are evidence of “two-tier Keir”.

The man is a fraud.

Wonderful 48 hours at Douai Abbey. Feels apt to share this photograph of their beautiful blessed sacrament chapel - the altar is dedicated to Jesus Christ the prince of peace.

Andrew Davison on sacraments is excellent.

Can you post the list? I'd be more than happy to post you anything on it I have on a long and Ill-defined loan...

Back to work after half term. Ecclesiastes at the Office of Readings was, erm, bracing... #trainoffice

Ongoing Coup | Attorney General Kris Mayes YouTube video by Arizona Attorney General's Office

Who had "Arizona's attorney general accusing a sitting president of staging a coup" on their 2025 bingo card? Less flippantly, this is very well said indeed. youtu.be/jrE0DOEcbRE?...

Ah, tricky to immobilise so no wonder it hurts. I would take as much codeine as your GP will let you. They're likely to be pretty conservative prescribers.

Are you in a boot? Where on your foot is the fracture? Good splintage is worth a lot in reducing pain but there's also sometimes just a period when taking lots of analgesia is the right thing to do. Prayers for healing from here too.

Presented without comment. www.ft.com/content/a7c9...

Very strong...

Most splendid of cats...

Excellent commuter sunrise this morning. Happy Monday everyone.

We’ve been watching Wolf Hall, a fascinating study of how the fragile male ego of a fickle, greedy despot creates a culture of deep cruelty and mistrust, where everyone lives in fear of saying the wrong thing. Thank goodness we’ve moved on from those times.

Leopard: I will eat your face

Bank analysts: Our baseline assumes no face-eating

Leopard: Chomp chomp chomp

Here, I always would if praying the modern language Common Worship office, but not if saying/singing the Book of Common Prayer office.

This could win a Pulitzer

Happy birthday Basil!

This morning I submitted my tax return. In the prevailing climate it feels important to say that I'm proud to pay the tax I do. I'm incredibly fortunate to do the job I do, and under no illusions that it was public infrastructure that makes that possible. So I'm happy to pay my share.