Death of Rev Canon Charles Richardson from St John the Evangelist, Goose green

[maria68]

Hi does any one know what has really happen to this priest?

We been ping to midnight mass on Christmas Eve for the last 7 years at least because we love his service and his energy and that he always had something special to say without being an extra long one...

This year for our surprise he was missing :( nothing was the same! In the end I asked and been told he past way quite quickly last month... But how strange he was not mention on all the service!? How? Why? They they asked to pray for the people who died they didn't say a thing or at moment...

I was so shocked and so, so sad! Left with a feeling we will not be doing this again without him....

Please if anyone know anything more, I really apreciate, he wasn't old and such a caracter... He will be missed dearly!

Thank you in advance! xxx

[Roundabout]

TRY / Gov.uk / births and deaths:

[missteak]

Subject to inquest so not really up for discussion at the minute and possible legal issues if discussed.further details when appropriate I would expect.bookmark this thread.

[dimples]

I felt the same about father Charles and he featured heavenly in our lives for quite a few years but was aware that he had left the church at goosegreen quite some months ago and like you only discovered through a friend he died in November , totally gutted ! God bless him such a lovely lovely man

[indya]

Dimples and Maria I have PMd you

[missteak]

If you are a churchgoer, Then once this I public, you need to ask the church itself some serious questions.

[indya]

missteak Wrote:

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> If you are a churchgoer, Then once this I public,

> you need to ask the church itself some serious

> questions.

Already happening missteak

[alice]

http://www.stjohnseastdulwich.org/

mentioned here

[Webster]

I have been thinking of him with sadness over this Christmas season. I would have liked to pray for him by name at Midnight Mass because he was such a big part of our church life for so long and has only recently passed away. It seems the church has clammed up to protect itself regardless of the needs of those who grieve.

[concernedparish]

this was him. Coroner has confirmed. RIP.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/man-dies-in-cliff-fall-27369/

This is being covered up.

[missteak]

This needs to be public. If you are a parishoner, you need to push for answers

[alice]

certainly missteak but through the proper channels. why does it need to be public? unless 'in the public interest'

[yankeedoodle]

I wouldn't say the church has "clammed up" about this--he has been mourned quite openly, and remembered by name

in prayers each Sunday since his disappearance a few months back. His death was announced in the church at the

end of November by the Bishop of Woolwich who kindly came and took the service that day. That same evening

there was a short memorial service and lighting of candles in the church. It is only since his

funeral two weeks ago that he has not been personally named in the church service prayers--although I know

all who knew Father Charles will still be keeping his name in their prayers. The assistant priests, the

churchwardens and the entire congregation are doing a marvelous job of carrying on and holding together.

[Dilcam]

At one time I knew Charles Richardson well and was very involved at St John's. Photograhs of him are, of course, no longer prominent on the St John's website but in the most recent photo, which was also on the Area Deanery website, he simply looked very sad, almost like a light had gone out. I certainly had my differences with him but I hope he now rests in peace. There is reference in this thread to the visit of the Bishop of Woolwich to St John's to announce the death to the congregation. Personally I found the silence from the Diocese between Charles Richardson's disapearance and his death a very sad thing - no one was told anything about why he had disappeared, where he was etc. After 16 years gone in an instant and no one was told anything. Disappearance a mystery, death a mystery. I do feel incredibly sad for the congestion at St John's - it must have felt so traumatic. I do wonder if the Bishop of Woolwich and his colleagues at the Diocese of Southwark will seriously ask themselves if they could have handled this better.

[loobylou]

As a regular, but no longer frequent, member of the congregation, I feel incredible sadness about this. Charles helped me and my family through some truly bad times. He was always there for us. I didn't go to church this Christmas because I knew he wouldn't be there, and I'm so sad that he died. I didn't know until today that he had died. I hoped he would be back with us.

[nigelnigel]

He hasn't been mourned openly because his funeral wasn't open to the congregation, and there's been no memorial service at the church apart from a short prayer service on the day his death was announced. When a loved one dies you inevitably ask why, and the lack of information leaves people feeling upset and angry, which is normal. I guess a lot of people felt personally close to him because of his position, so the institutional silence following his disappearance and death must be very painful and doesn't seem the best way of handling this tragic event.

[Mustard]

This is so terrible. Surely there will be an inquest into a sudden death?

[missteak]

alice Wrote:

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> certainly missteak but through the proper

> channels. why does it need to be public? unless

> 'in the public interest

I cannot post what I know to back this up I am afraid. We shall have to see how the church reacts. If at all.

[alice]

very unlikely

[missteak]

What do you mean " very unlikely "?

[alice]

sorry missteak - I was responding to previous poster about inquest and hadnt seen yours - we must have posted at the same time.

[missteak]

OK.I am going to leave this thread now. He was a decent chap.this is a very sad outcome.

[concernedparish]

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/man-dies-in-cliff-fall-27369/

He was removed from public life 6 months before he jumped (fell).

Cover up. What is being hidden?

[missteak]

Please, no roumour monging- this can lead to the wrong conclusion. He was a decent fellow and not deserving of anything scurrilous .

[alice]

asking admin to close this thread.