When I was a teenager, in Warrington, a local Anglican priest committed suicide. As someone who was about to convert to Roman Catholicism, and was even considering a priestly vocation, this shocked and moved me deeply. How could someone whose life was meant to bring comfort to others be so desperate as to be unable to find comfort himself? But it was not just the issue of ending a suffering life (or the question of sin and salvation involved) but the disgrace. Shame was in the air and as little as possible was said about the affair in the community – although there were whispers that the priest concerned might have been “one of those … queer”.