Ordination of Priest at St John’s, Malone

Monday September 8th 2014

The Rev Roderick Smyth was ordained priest to serve the Curacy of St John’s, Malone at a service in St John’s, Malone, on Sunday September 7.
Ordination group.

At the Ordination of the Rev Roderick Smyth are, from left: The Rev Canon Robert Jones, rector, St John’s Malone; the Rev Cally Hammond, preacher; the Rev Roderick Smyth; the Rev Clifford Skillen, Bishop’s Chaplain; the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy; the Rev Canon William Taggart, Registrar and the Ven George Davison, Archdeacon of Belfast. Photo: Arthur Macartney.

Roderick was ordained by the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy. Preacher at the service was the Rev Cally Hammond, Dean Director of Studies in Theology at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

Roderick is a former chorister in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, and was also a Bass Lay Clerk while studying Music at Queen’s University, Belfast. He served as parish organist in St Gall’s for 20 years.

He is married to Rosemary and they have a son and daughter who both live and work in London. For 33 years Roderick worked in education, and before ordination was Head of Senior School at Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College. He has also been an examiner with CCEA.

During his theological training Roderick undertook parish placements in Knockagoney and St George’s, both Belfast, and in St Mark’s, Dundela.

Ordination of the Rev Roderick Smyth.
The Rev Canon Robert Jones, rector, St John’s, Malone; Bishop Alan Abernethy and the Rev Roderick Smyth. Photo: Arthur Macartney.