Name; John Hadley

Place of birth; Hitchin, Hertforshire

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 17^th March 1947

Where do you live and work at the moment? Narborough,where I am parish priest; but I also work in Birmingham, teaching at Oscott College, and in Nottingham, where I do some work for the Diocese

What made you want to become a priest? A host of different reasons in the time leading up to my Ordination. Principally, I think it was something that I felt I had to do for my own salvation, and hopefully for the benefit of many other people too.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? Being able to talk to people and help them to understand that God calls all of us to blessedness; being with people in times of joy and sorrow, and helping them to find God in their lives.

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? The sheer amount of work there is to be done – and the realization that I am never going to be able to say that I have finished, or succeeded in what I am trying to do.

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? Stop people quarrelling and fighting, and get them all to work together! Isn’t it wonderful that we aren’t God, and don’t have the responsibility that comes with power!

Which living person do you most admire, and why? No particular person – but in my time I have met many people who have quietly looked after their relatives, in very demanding circumstances, for many years with scarcely any complaint. Their efforts are heroic, and I believe they are living saints.

What is your most treasured possession? I find this difficult to answer. What would I least wish to do without – my ability to talk to people and listen to what they say, to appreciate their kindnesses and get upset when they are angry or troubled. It’s not a possession, but far more important than anything that I ‘own’. As with many people, I have a great fear of ‘losing my marbles’. and of becoming blind.

Who would you have play you in the film of your life? Heaven forbid!

What is your favourite smell? I have a very poor sense of smell. Depending on circumstances, different smells might have an importance – cooking, for instance, or spring flowers. For me, sights and sounds are much more important. My favourite place (outside family, friends, and work places) is probably the Eden Project. My favourite sounds – depending on circumstances again – would be Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, and many others including Francis Poulenc (‘part monk, part guttersnipe’); but above all, Rachmaninov.

What is your favourite word? Ask those who listen to me!

Which four people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Immanuel Kant was noted for his charm as host, and always ensured that his guests left the table in laughter, believing that laughter helped digestion. I might leave it to him to invite the other three . In other circumstances (not for a meal), I’d like Kant to invite Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, provided that there was no poker in the room (and preferably no coal fire either).

If you could go back in time, where (and to when) would you go? I don’t think I could do without the comforts of the modern age!

How do you relax? A good long walk.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? I’ll leave that one to others.

Where would you most like to be right now? Since the Test Match starts today, I’d like to be there.

Place of birth; Swansea, South Wales

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 24^th March 1969

Where do you live and work at the moment? I am parish Priest of Corpus Christi, Clifton in Nottingham and Chaplain to the University of Nottingham

What made you want to become a priest? I wanted to bring the presence of Christ into people’s lives, by celebrating the sacraments, preaching the Gospel and trying to be a good imitator of Jesus himself.  It was a bit of an ideal to live up to, but I am still working on it!

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? Being with people at the most precious times in their lives and being close to them and the Lord in them; like being with them in the joy of a birth of a baby and at its baptism, journeying gently with someone who is dying into the life that the Lord promised us.  What a privilege!

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? Living and working in a world that often closes its heart and mind to the possibilities of the power of the Gospel to free, heal and transform life.  It can be frustrating.

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? Being God, I cannot be God for a day since this is inconsistent with my being since “I am”; so perhaps I could become God for a day using my power.  Then having become God for a day (which is silly since I cannot “become” since “I am”,) I could then tell you, if were God of course, which “I am not” – then again I could let the sun shine everywhere with great love so everyone has a nice day.

Which living person do you most admire, and why? My mother, because she has taught me the reality of self-giving love in her life, which I try to imitate.

What is your most treasured possession? My ordination cross given to me by a friend; it had been a priest’s cross for about 100 years.

Who would you have play you in the film of your life? Daniel Craig

What is your favourite smell? Roast lamb and potatoes with rosemary

What is your favourite word? Perichoresis

Which four people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Tony Blair, St Ignatius of Loyola, the woman caught in adultery (from John 8), Hilda of Whitby

If you could go back in time, where (and to when) would you go? Jesus’ tomb just before the resurrection – I have always wondered how God did it!  (It’s one of my questions I’m going to ask him when I die!)

How do you relax? By not thinking about work.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Surviving seminary

Where would you most like to be right now? The Sea of Galilee – I have just come back from there and think the land in which Jesus lived is a wonderful country.

Place of birth; Glossop, Derbyshire

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 8/8/53

Where do you live and work at the moment? Our Lady of Lincoln Parish, Lincoln

What made you want to become a priest? The determination not to waste my life

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? Helping bring Christ into people’s lives

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? Not being able to choose where I live

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? I would be too gobsmacked to do anything

Which living person do you most admire, and why? Aung San Suu Kyi for her courage

What is your most treasured possession? My diary

Who would you have play you in the film of your life? George Clooney of course

What is your favourite smell? A bluebell wood in spring

What is your favourite word? Yes

Which four people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Helen of Troy, Aristotle, Shakespeare, St Francis of Assisi

If you could go back in time, where (and to when) would you go? To the Dark Ages to find out what was going on.

How do you relax? Walking – preferably in the Derbyshire Dales

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Forgiving sins

Where would you most like to be right now? In the gardens of the Villa Melzi on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.

Place of birth; Derby

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 5^th December 1973

Where do you live and work at the moment? St Peter’s Leicester and I work as Vocations Director throughout the Diocese.

What made you want to become a priest? I heard God’s call to be a priest when I was around 11 years old and this was then reinforced after retreats at the Briars and discovering the amazing truth that you don’t have to be old to be a priest!

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? Having God as a boss and the variety of people, challenges and events that I encounter every day.

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? Having to get up early in the morning (celibacy & not being a millionaire are not a patch on this)

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? Change the planetary weather system so that we all have equal amounts of rain and sunshine & cunningly slip 100 Billion pounds into Derby County’s Transfer Budget!

Which living person do you most admire, and why? John Major. Quite simply the finest ever Prime Minister that our nation has known.

What is your most treasured possession? A crucifix that my mum & dad gave to me for my first communion in 1981 which is always on the wall behind my bed.

Who would you have play you in the film of your life? Hans Moleman (from the Simpsons).

What is your favourite smell? Creosote, sounds dodgy but it’s quite innocent. Apparently my dad said that’s it has now been outlawed (yet another draconian application of the law by New Labour) but fortunately he bought up all the stock from Focus in Belper!

What is your favourite word? Pantry.

Which four people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Caroline Langrishe (Antiques expert from Lovejoy), Elvis (King of Rock n Roll) Princess Diana (Princess of our Hearts) & Ace Ventura (Pet Detective).

If you could go back in time, where (and to when) would you go? To the moment when Roman Abramovich was five years old and I’d post him lots of random Derby County memorabilia such as video’s, annuals and a scarf so that he fell in love with the Rams at a very early age… “you reap what you sow”!!!

How do you relax? Cinema, Musicals & Plays, TV, Reading, Eating out, & Sleeping past midday on my day off.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Having the ‘courage’ to answer God’s call to be a priest.

Where would you most like to be right now? Scuba Diving in Dahab Egypt!

Name; Joe Wheat (middle name Thomas, Confirmation name Benjamin)

Place of birth; the fair city of Nottingham (born in Netherfield and grew up in West Bridgford)

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 18^th June 1975

Where do you live and work at the moment? The Diocesan Youth Service, based at the Briars, Crich in the lovely county of Derbyshire

What made you want to become a priest? A nagging feeling that it was what God wanted me to do (I think that is what a vocation is – a nagging feeling that God is calling you). Also the example of two priests; one who was chaplain to our 6^th form, drove a white Ford Fiesta XR2, wore a leather jacket and cadged fags off us on the river bank, and the other who worked like a Trojan and played rugby at the weekends. They both showed me that is possible to be a priest and still be a human being.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? The sheer variety of the ministry. In a parish, you can be in the school in the morning, hear confessions at midday, celebrate Mass with parishioners, go visit in the hospital, meet with architects about the new parish hall, sit and chat with someone who wants to become a Catholic, pop into the youth group, lead prayer with the Union of Catholic Mothers and anything else in-between. Fantastic!

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? Not being able to marry and have children.

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? Crush all weapons and then re-direct the money spent on arms to sustainable aid and relief in the form of free, high quality education for all.

Which living person do you most admire, and why? There’s a few; Bruce Springsteen (3 hour concert at his age), Tony Benn (one of the few politicians with some integrity remaining) and Pope Benedict (for proving his critics wrong)

What is your most treasured possession? My guitar and a fob watch and Albert chain my Grandad gave to me.

Who would play you in the film of your life? Leonardo DiCaprio.

What is your favourite smell? Food. Any kind. At any time. If not that, then the world after a really heavy rain storm.

What is your favourite word? Fantastic.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Eric Clapton, Julia Roberts, K.D. Lang, Bill Bailey, Isaac Guillory, my friend Maz.

If you could go back in time, where would you go? The deep south of America to the land where the blues was born, to the crossroads to meet Robert Johnson, just after he sold his soul to the devil in return for the gift of the blues.

How do you relax? Glass of red wine, a good book, TV or a CD playing loud.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Project Arusha – helping set up a project to enable young people who have just finished 6^th form to go and live and work in Tanzania and gain experience of a different culture.

Where would you most like to be right now? Tanzania – Ngorongoro crater, with friends, at the safari lodge, watching the sun set over the elephants, lions and giraffes in the crater, a glass of Tusker beer by my side.

You can leave comments and questions for future ‘guest priests’ and suggest priests you would like to see here in the future by leaving a comment below.

The guest priest this week is……Fr. Chris Thomas!

Fr Chris Thomas is Priest of Corpus Christi, Clifton in Nottingham and Chaplain to the University of Nottingham.

Name; Christopher Paul Thomas

Place of birth; Swansea, South Wales

Date of birth (if you are happy telling us!); 24^th March 1969

Where do you live and work at the moment? I am parish Priest of Corpus Christi, Clifton in Nottingham and Chaplain to the University of Nottingham

What made you want to become a priest? I wanted to bring the presence of Christ into people’s lives, by celebrating the sacraments, preaching the Gospel and trying to be a good imitator of Jesus himself. It was a bit of an ideal to live up to, but I am still working on it!

What is the most rewarding thing about being a priest? Being with people at the most precious times in their lives and being close to them and the Lord in them; like being with them in the joy of a birth of a baby and at its baptism, journeying gently with someone who is dying into the life that the Lord promised us. What a privilege!

What is the most difficult thing about being a priest? Living and working in a world that often closes its heart and mind to the possibilities of the power of the Gospel to free, heal and transform life. It can be frustrating.

If you were God for a day, what would you use your power to do? Being God, I cannot be God for a day since this is inconsistent with my being since “I am”; so perhaps I could become God for a day using my power. Then having become God for a day (which is silly since I cannot “become” since “I am”,) I could then tell you, if were God of course, which “I am not” – then again I could let the sun shine everywhere with great love so everyone has a nice day.

Which living person do you most admire, and why? My mother, because she has taught me the reality of self-giving love in her life, which I try to imitate.

What is your most treasured possession? My ordination cross given to me by a friend; it had been a priest’s cross for about 100 years.

Who would you have play you in the film of your life? Daniel Craig

What is your favourite smell? Roast lamb and potatoes with rosemary

What is your favourite word? Perichoresis

Which four people would you invite to your dream dinner party? Tony Blair, St Ignatius of Loyola, the woman caught in adultery (from John 8), Hilda of Whitby

If you could go back in time, where (and to when) would you go? Jesus’ tomb just before the resurrection – I have always wondered how God did it! (It’s one of my questions I’m going to ask him when I die!)

How do you relax? By not thinking about work.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Surviving seminary

Where would you most like to be right now? The Sea of Galilee – I have just come back from there and think the land in which Jesus lived is a wonderful country.