`I have always seen myselfas a parish priest, and hopefully, a good one. As Bishop, I see myself continuing in that role but on a wider basis.' When the Right Reverend Ewen Ratteray was consecrated Bishop of Bermuda just two months ago, he scored a number of firsts -- he was the first Bermudian -- and the first black -- to be elected to the office, and his consecration was the first to be conducted in Hamilton's Anglican Cathedral by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

For Bishop Ewen (as he wishes to be known), the historic service on May 19 was also a personal homecoming; This was the church in which he had been baptised, confirmed as a young deacon and, less than two years ago, installed as Archdeacon (again, the youngest ever appointed).

In his first interview since his consecration, Bishop Ewen says his most urgent priority is to bring "unity and civility'' to his church, "so that we can concentrate on the job we have to do here without the anger, suspicion and disruption that has recently surrounded the Anglican church in Bermuda''.

He cites South Africa's President Nelson Mandela as a shining example of how a spirit of goodwill and the desire to heal can work "miracles''.

"I think his amazing reception on his visit to England shows what is possible -- rather than wallowing in the past, Bermuda should take note of this. It is very distressing to look at the problems of violence and drugs that are facing Bermuda today and to realise that these things are not being addressed because we are now so politicised and divided.

"Some things,'' he emphasises, "such as drugs and violence are far bigger than politics. The common good must be given priority. So often in Bermuda, egos get in the way of concerted action, but certain problems should be above politics. Solving them is the most important thing and we should even be careful about expressing our religious views. For example, I am sure the phrase `the church against drugs' means well, but it would appear to exclude people who are Moslems, or Jews. There may not be many of them here but they certainly have a stake in our community, something to give, and they need to be embraced. The problems facing Bermuda are not about the UBP, or the PLP, or Christians -- it is about all of us who are part of the Bermuda community becoming part of the solution.'' In this connection, Bishop Ewen says he would like to see the church take on a greater role in Bermudian affairs. Noting that although around 16,000 people were listed as Anglicans in the 1991 Census, he admits that active membership of his church is, in fact, far less than that.

"In places like Africa and the West Indies, the Anglican church is seeing dramatic increases in membership and the church is flourishing. I think this is because the church has been much more involved in peoples' lives -- in things like schooling, health care and in terms of social and political involvement. Back in mediaeval times, the church did everything -- education and healing were part of the church's work -- and I have seen for myself that in Africa and the West Indies, the church is still like that -- very, very involved.'' He believes that apartheid in South Africa would not have ended when it did, had it not been for the very active involvement of the church.

"Archbishop Tutu was so heavily committed to ending it, his place in the history of all this is absolutely firm. I think,'' he muses, "that in Bermuda, we don't really like to get involved. It is too messy!'' To advance this idea of involvement, Bishop Ewen would like to see a closer relationship with another province.

"I think this is essential because we are part of the universal church and part of a bigger whole, so we need to express that and to be seen as being part of something that is bigger than Bermuda. This could be mutually beneficial -- not just what we can get out of it, but also what can we give? I believe there's a tendency to think that because we are so small, we have nothing to give, except, perhaps, money. We do have a little more of that than some countries. And, in some ways, I believe our comparative affluence seems to have a negative impact in terms of our spirituality.'' He says that great interest has been expressed in closer links overseas: "I got this from `brother' bishops in the West Indies and in Canada.'' Another of his aims, he says, is to establish closer relationships with the leaders of all the other churches in Bermuda.

No stranger to controversy and, in some circles, sometimes criticised as being inflexible in his views, Bishop Ewen will not be drawn on any specific plans for the Anglican church here.

"Certainly for the first year or so, it will be business as usual while I settle in.'' He points out, however, that change is inevitable. "If we are going to grow, then change must take place. We can't expect things to stay the same, for ever and ever, amen!'' Noting that he selected Arnold Hollis as Archdeacon "because he was the most appropriate person'', Bishop Ewen says he is hopeful that he will prove an effective choice.

"It's essential that we work closely together, as a team, as there is much to be done.'' In September, the new bishop plans to start a series of two-day weekend visitations to each parish. "On the Saturday, I would like to spend time with church wardens, vestry members and as many of the sick and shut-ins as I can, and on the Sunday, to preside and preach, to try and get to know people and to listen to their concerns. Within the next year, I hope to cover the whole of Bermuda, as I think it's very important to do that. I don't want to just waltz in on a Sunday. I also want to get time to see the clergy, but I think the parish visits should be separate.'' Another focus of his concern will be Bermuda's young people. "They are not the church of the future -- they are the church of today and we have to find a way of making them more fully a part of us. I don't feel we should think of our children as a future asset, but rather as a present asset, recognising their aspirations and their needs.

"Overall, I think we tend to under-use their assets and those of older people as well, both of whom have a great deal to offer the community. We need to tap into that. So often, we simply don't know what people can do until, or if, we give them the chance to try. There is too much separation of groups within the church, with the idea that the young need this approach, the middle-aged need that approach, and the older people, something else again, so we need to think more in terms of the church being the family of God in which there are babies, right through to the elderly, all living together. I think we sometimes go over the top in making young people feel different when, really, all they want is to be accepted on their own merits. All too often we are condescending to teenagers, telling them to get their hair cut, or put their shoes on, or whatever -- but if we go on and on in this negative way, we run the risk of driving them away.'' Admitting that he has still not become used to his new title ("that phrase, `the bishop' has obviously always meant someone else to me, so it's hard to realise that I am now that person''), Bishop Ewen says that one of his difficulties was that he was given an unusually short period in which to accustom himself to the fact of his election.

"One good aspect of that, of course, was that I didn't really have much time to sit and think about the enormity of the task and what lies ahead. The decision that the Archbishop (of Canterbury) would come here in May to perform the consecration meant that everything had to be arranged in quite a hurry.

That was also a plus,'' he smiles, "as I didn't have time to get scared!'' In what was arguably the most auspicious and high-profile event in the history of Bermuda's Anglican church, Bishop Ewen was conse crated, resplendent in red and gold, in the Anglican Cathedral on May 19.

"No, I wasn't nervous on the day. In fact, I felt quite calm and peaceful. It was a little dreamlike and extremely moving. But I have found a way of not being overwhelmed by emotion -- an absolute necessity for anyone in my sort of job -- and that was a good thing, as there were a few moments that would have undone me. I couldn't allow myself to think of all my parishioners, family and friends who had gathered there. Also, I couldn't allow myself to think about departed relatives, especially my mother and grandmother for whom it would have meant so much. So I had to detach from all that, and concentrate on the service -- otherwise, I'd have been a blubbering idiot! I must say that the Archbishop of Canterbury was very warm and supportive during his entire visit here, and my wife got on very well with Mrs. Carey.'' As it was, the most emotional moments for him occurred when his family participated in pivotal parts of the service.

"I asked for Jennifer (wife), Alexandra and Matthew (children) to bring the communal bread and wine to be blessed. Sadly, my other daughter Janine, was away at university, but my brother Stanley (Dr. Ratteray) presented me with the Episcopal Ring on behalf of the family.'' In addition, the Bishop's Pectoral Cross was presented by church warden Brenda Bridgewater on behalf of St. John's Church and the Pastoral Staff, made by David Nisbett, was the gift of St. Monica's.

"Kris Stapff of Walker Christopher made the jewellery especially for me and that was nice as I performed his marriage service about two years ago. So I shan't be going anywhere without carrying Pembroke about with me and that is very special, a group of people for whom I have a great love.'' He explains that this participation is not a part of the consecration service in Britain.

"I picked that up in America, but I thought it was a nice idea. I felt it important that the people closest to me and those who gave gifts should be part of the service.'' The man who spent 19 years as a parish priest in the north of England before returning here to become Rector of Pembroke Parish 16 years ago, says it never crossed his mind that, one day, he might become Bermuda's bishop. "I have always seen myself as a parish priest, and hopefully, a good one. As Bishop, I see myself continuing in that role, but on a wider basis.''