Father King’s Conversations: Michael Robertson

5 August 2009

Father Robert King, the Catholic Chaplain to the University of Bristol and Clifton Diocese Vocations Director, continues his weekly podcast series exploring faith and culture today (5 August).  A new episode of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ is online every Wednesday only on cliftondiocese.com.  Father Robert is in conversation with leading thinkers and local people who enrich our lives through their cultural work.  Today Father Robert concludes the series by speaking with Father Michael Robertson.

Father Michael Robertson is our Parish Priest of St Bonaventure's in Bishopston, Bristol.  He talks about his spiritual journey from Scottish Episcopalianism to Catholicism via a period of atheism. An atheism inspired by the existentialists Jean-Paul Sarte and Albert Camus. With a refreshing frankness Father Michael explains how he went to Mass at Clifton Cathedral one Sunday morning in search of good music in the absence of a paper to read. Feeling welcomed he discovered an adult take on faith. One that supported his then reading about religion and subsequent curiosity and has kept him at Mass ever since.

Father Michael explains his passion for cinema. More than a distraction on his day off, cinema challenges him to consider ideas and their complexity. His thirst for knowledge is further reflected in his love of reading and conviction that it's important for a priest to dedicate time to theology. As a parish priest he sees his Sunday homily as his opportunity to encourage an openness to ideas and attentiveness to the Gospel in the context of today.

Father Michael is a well read and cultured man with a deep sense of compassion. A compassion reflected in his theology and take on cinema.

People have a renewed interest in religion and this gives him hope.

You can listen to our podcast in the multimedia panel on the right.  Today's is the concluding episode of the series and as special bonus you can watch the conversation using the cliftondiocese.com cliplayer below.  And don't forget that last week's episode is still online.

Father Robert King