"I know what it is to take on a job and to be told constantly 'You have a hard act to follow'," said the Rt Rev'd Dominic Walker Bishop of Monmouth, speaking at the induction of the new Vicar of Abergavenny Rev'd Mark Soady

"Fr Jeremy had many great gifts and you too have many, but different gifts – your experience in psychiatric care, in politics and as an army padre, a parish priest and a university chaplain have equipped you with experience and insights that will serve you well in your new ministry," added Bishop Dominic.

Rev'd Soady's induction coincided with the religious celebration of the Epiphany - the arrival of the Wise Men - and in recognition of this the Bishop drew inspiration from W H?Auden's Christmas oratorio For the Time Being in which the three visitors to the stable explain why they followed the star - to learn how to be truthful, loving, how to live and how to be human.

"Mark, you are being authorised and commissioned this evening to be a wise man who himself is a follower, and who will lead others to follow the Child of Bethlehem," said Bishop Dominic.

"Your task is to be a follower who will lead others to be followers of Jesus. You task will be to proclaim the truth of the Christian faith, and sometimes to wrestle with others to apply that truth to life today.

"Your task will be to encourage people to discover life and how to have it more abundantly and to learn how to live as disciples of Jesus. Your task will be to build a community of love – a community that loves one another and shows their love for God in their care for the poor and suffering. Your task is to celebrate the Eucharist and to teach people how to live eucharistically.

"You arrive in Abergavenny on the day that we celebrate the Wise Men arriving in Bethlehem. You bring you own gifts – not gold and frankincense and myrrh – but gifts of healing and pastoral care, a concern for the world, gifts of leadership and efficient administration, a ministry of encouragement and a great capacity for work.

"I am sure these gifts will be warmly received and used in the ministry which I shall entrust to you,"?he said.

Following the service, which was attended by local dignitaries and representatives of local groups and followed by a reception at the Priory Centre, Rev'd Soady enjoyed a busy weekend, preaching at five of the eight services being held in the group of churches.

During his sermons he posed the question 'would Abergavenny be worse off spiritually, morally and socially if the church was not here'.

"My ministry as your vicar is to facilitate you in living your lives as Christian disciples. I will do that through preaching, teaching, administering the Sacraments and, God willing, by example,"?said Rev'd Soady.