The very word 'reverend' inspires solemnity。

To be a priest is to dedicate one's life to quiet prayer and spiritual contemplation。 Isn't it？ Fergus Butler-Gallie reveals what it's really like to become a priest in the twenty-first century。 Find out why black really is slimming， how to keep a straight face when someone is inadvertently hot-boxing a funeral， and which royal-themed biscuit tin can best contain a very loud personal alarm that no one knows how to switch off。 Spot a sweet old lady trying to pay for a taxi with coinage from fascist Spain？ Congratulations， shepherd， she's your problem now。

Behind the daily scrapes is an all-too-human love letter to the Church of England， and the amazing variety of people who manage to keep it going， providing a listening ear， company and community at a time when so many people desperately need it， as well as a reflection on what it means to follow a spiritual path amid the chaos of the modern world。