A retired head teacher from Constantine has been licensed as an Assistant Curate by Bishop Tim Thornton at a service in Constantine.

Terry Axe, who was the head teacher of Budock School until it closed in 1990, was ordained by Bishop Tim in September at a service at Constantine Church.

Bishop Tim said: “It was a privilege to be with Terry as he |was ordained as a deacon. The service was joyful and many |people came to support Terry and renew their own commitment to |the values of service and loving others.”

Rev Axe said: “I’ve always had a sense of vocation which was focussed into my teaching and working in schools, so in many |ways this has been a natural progression.”

As a teacher, Mr Axe had been the youngest head teacher in the country at one point and later oversaw the successful merging of three primary schools in Falmouth into St Francis School, where he remained as head teacher until retirement.

“It was always a case of did I go into teaching or the church, but a door opened for me into |teaching and I took it. I loved being part of Budock School and then |St Francis. Bishop Michael once suggested that I was like a priest without a collar, which I suppose |I was.

“St Francis was a bit like a parish in many ways. After I retired I spent time talking with Bishop Michael, Bishop Tim, the Archdeacon and initially my parish priests Rev David Stevens and latterly RevStewart, all of whom were very supportive. This confirmed my belief that I might be of some use in Constantine, and so I went forward for ordination.”

Rev Stewart Turner, parish priest, said: “It is a great privilege to be able to help someone like Terry to fulfil his calling. The Ordination Service was totally wonderful and something that is very rarely seen in a parish church.

“I very much look forward to working with Terry and developing his ministry with our church and the parish of Constantine.”