It's good to see you posting again, Padre. I hope all is well with you professionally and personally.

Ah, burning vestments - that reminds me. When I was younger, the priest in the local Anglican parish (St Mary's Mornington) was, unlike you, well disliked. He had the pastoral approach of the Cray brothers - you were either with him or agin him, and if you were agin him you'd better watch your back. The priest before him had been the "typical" pastoralist, visits to old folks and the sick, the welcoming and inclusive type, a nice guy, so having this new fellow turn up with his "business-like" attitude was a bit of a shock for the folks, including my mother who was involved at the time with the Girl Guide movement and, by extension, with the church.

One Sunday, a neighbour of Mum's was at church, and the priest's surplus caught fire from a candle. He didn't notice it immediately, and was told about it by someone in the congregation. Apparently he put the fire out somehow, but it was accompanied by a lot of swearing and unseemly cursing. This shocked the people in the church, most of whom were older.

There appeared to be little sympathy for him, and he left soon after. Not sure if the two were connected!