Originally from South Africa, Fr Cecil was an Anglican clergyman in the area before his reception into the Catholic Church. He combined his part-time studies for the priesthood with working for a local funeral director, and has now been appointed chaplain at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital. The feast of Sts Peter and Paul on 28 June saw the ordination of Christopher Miller at St Wulstan’s, Wolstanton, also by Bishop David. Fr Christopher now returns as curate to the parish of St Peter, Leamington Spa where he has served as a deacon for the past year.
The first weekend of July was a busy one for the Archbishop as he ordained Paul Smith at St Ambrose Barlow, Hall Green on Saturday 5 followed on the Sunday afternoon by Andrew McCann at St Augustine, Solihull. Fr Paul is appointed to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redditch and Fr Andrew remains at St Augustine’s where he spent the last year as deacon.
The following weekend Bishop William Kenney presided at the summer’s only double ordination as Robert Devaney and Bernard Garratt were ordained together at St Chad’s Cathedral. Fr Robert is from Dorridge parish and spent many years as a schoolteacher before taking up his studies at the Beda College in Rome four years ago. He now takes over as Assistant Priest at St Austin’s, Stafford. Fr Bernard is from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire and was previously an Anglican clergyman. He remains in the area in his new appointment as Assistant at the Immaculate Conception parish, Bicester.
Finally, on the 19 July a crowded Church of the Holy Souls, Acocks Green witnessed the ordination of John Peyton by Bishop Philip Pargeter in the parish where he has lived all his life. A former industrial chemist, Fr John was well known in the Archdiocese through his work for the Legion of Mary. He is appointed as Assistant Priest at St Patrick’s Dudley Road, where he will also serve as chaplain to the City Hospital.
We congratulate our new priests and assure them of our prayers and support as they embark on their new ministry. Seven ordinations in a single summer is an occasion for celebration, but not for complacency. It truly was an exceptional year – it may be some time before we have as many again, so we all need to keep up our prayers and our efforts in fostering vocations to the priesthood. May the ordination of our new priests inspire many others to consider their own vocation, and may it reassure us all of the continuing action of God’s grace in the Church providing us with pastors for the future.
