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!); 18th 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 6th 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 6th 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.
September 10th, 2010 at 6:56 am
i first saw julia robers on the movie pretty woman. she is really very beautiful`”*
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