Roderick Wright
Encyclopedia
Roderick Wright was a former Scottish
Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles
from 1990 to 1996.
on 28 June 1940, he was one of four children of a working-class merchant seaman
. His father, Andrew, came from Eriskay
, and his mother from South Uist
, both islands in the Outer Hebrides
. Roddy Wright, as he was known to family and friends, was educated at St Gerard's Secondary School at Govan
. He began training for the priesthood
, aged 14, at Blairs College
in Kincardineshire
, and then from 1958 at St Peter's Seminary
in Cardross.
After he was ordained
a priest
on 29 June 1964, his first pastoral
appointment was at St Laurence's Church, Drumchapel
, Glasgow
(1964–1966), followed by St Jude's Church, Barlanark
, Glasgow (1966–1969). He returned to Blairs College as spiritual director (1969–1974). His next appointment was as an assistant priest at Our Lady and St Mun's Dunoon
, Argyll
(1974–1976). For a short while, he acted as a chaplain
to the United States Navy
base at Holy Loch
. His last three appointments before his ordination the episcopate
were as priest at St Mary's Church, Fort William
(1976–1980); St Michael's Church, Ardkenneth, South Uist
(1980–1986); and St Anne's Church, Corpach, near Fort William
(1986–1991).
Episcopate
He was appointed the bishop
of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles
by the Holy See
on 11 December 1990 and consecrated
at St. Columba's Cathedral
in Oban
on 15 January 1991. The principal consecrator
was Luigi Barbarito, Titular Archbishop of Fiorentino
, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
to Great Britain
. The principal co-consecrators were Cardinal Thomas Winning
, Archbishop of Glasgow
, and Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh.
, Oban
, on 4 September 1996. Kathleen MacPhee, a divorced mother of three who worked as a nurse in Fort William
, vanished at the same time leaving her youngest child with relatives. There was concern among local people, including Frances Shand Kydd
, the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales
. Wright had advised Shand-Kydd before her reception into the Roman Catholc Church in 1994. The following weekend, a former parishioner of Wright's came forward to say that she had become pregnant by him and given birth to a son in 1981.
Wright resigned as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles on 19 September 1996 and renounced the office of bishop.
Wright registered as unemployed and was spotted looking for work in the Jobcentre
in Kendal
, Cumbria
, England. He alluded in his autobiography that Jobcentre staff had leaked information about him. Wright married MacPhee in a civil ceremony in Antigua
in June 1998.
. Het suffered in his last months from liver cancer
and died on 23 May 2005, aged 64.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles
Bishop of Argyll and the Isles (Catholic)
The Bishop of Argyll and The Isles is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles in the Province of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland....
from 1990 to 1996.
Early life
Born in the Kingston district of GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 28 June 1940, he was one of four children of a working-class merchant seaman
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
. His father, Andrew, came from Eriskay
Eriskay
Eriskay , from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is connected to South Uist by a causeway which was opened in 2001. In the same year Eriskay became the ferry terminal for...
, and his mother from South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
, both islands in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. Roddy Wright, as he was known to family and friends, was educated at St Gerard's Secondary School at Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
. He began training for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, aged 14, at Blairs College
Blairs College
St Mary's College, Blairs was from 1829 to 1986 a junior seminary for boys and young men studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood....
in Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
, and then from 1958 at St Peter's Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Cardross.
Ministry
PriesthoodAfter he was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 29 June 1964, his first pastoral
Pastoral care
Pastoral care is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation, or to persons of all faiths and none within institutional settings. This can range anywhere from home visitation to formal counseling provided...
appointment was at St Laurence's Church, Drumchapel
Drumchapel
Drumchapel , known to locals and residents as 'The Drum', is part of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, having been annexed from Dunbartonshire in 1938. It borders Bearsden to the east and Clydebank to the west . The area is bordered by Knightswood and Yoker in Glasgow. The name derives from the...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(1964–1966), followed by St Jude's Church, Barlanark
Barlanark
Barlanark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is east of the districts of Shettleston, Budhill and Springboig, north west of Baillieston, west of Swinton and Springhill and south of Easthall, Wellhouse and Easterhouse.-Name:The name Barlanark is an apparently hybrid Gaelic-Brythonic...
, Glasgow (1966–1969). He returned to Blairs College as spiritual director (1969–1974). His next appointment was as an assistant priest at Our Lady and St Mun's Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
, Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
(1974–1976). For a short while, he acted as a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
base at Holy Loch
Holy Loch
The Holy Loch is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
. His last three appointments before his ordination the episcopate
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
were as priest at St Mary's Church, Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
(1976–1980); St Michael's Church, Ardkenneth, South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
(1980–1986); and St Anne's Church, Corpach, near Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
(1986–1991).
Episcopate
He was appointed the bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles
Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, in the Province of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh....
by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
on 11 December 1990 and consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
at St. Columba's Cathedral
St. Columba's Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Columba in Oban is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and mother church of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles...
in Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
on 15 January 1991. The principal consecrator
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
was Luigi Barbarito, Titular Archbishop of Fiorentino
Fiorentino
Fiorentino is one of the 9 communes or "castelli" of the Republic of San Marino. It has 2 245 inhabitants in an area of 6.57 km².- Geography :...
, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The principal co-consecrators were Cardinal Thomas Winning
Thomas Winning
Thomas Joseph Winning was a Scottish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Glasgow from 1974 and President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland from 1985 until his death...
, Archbishop of Glasgow
Archbishop of Glasgow
The Bishop of Glasgow, from 1492 Archbishop of Glasgow, was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Glasgow and then, as Archbishop of Glasgow, the Archdiocese of Glasgow...
, and Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh.
Resignation and marriage
Wright disappeared from his home next door to St. Columba's CathedralSt. Columba's Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Columba in Oban is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and mother church of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles...
, Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
, on 4 September 1996. Kathleen MacPhee, a divorced mother of three who worked as a nurse in Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, vanished at the same time leaving her youngest child with relatives. There was concern among local people, including Frances Shand Kydd
Frances Shand Kydd
Frances Ruth Shand Kydd was the first wife of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
, the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. Wright had advised Shand-Kydd before her reception into the Roman Catholc Church in 1994. The following weekend, a former parishioner of Wright's came forward to say that she had become pregnant by him and given birth to a son in 1981.
Wright resigned as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles on 19 September 1996 and renounced the office of bishop.
Wright registered as unemployed and was spotted looking for work in the Jobcentre
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus was a government agency for working-age people in Great Britain. The agency was formed when the Employment Service, which operated Jobcentres, merged with the Benefits Agency, which ran social security offices, and was re-named Jobcentre Plus on 1 April 2002...
in Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. He alluded in his autobiography that Jobcentre staff had leaked information about him. Wright married MacPhee in a civil ceremony in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
in June 1998.
Death
In 2002, Wright and his wife emigrated to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Het suffered in his last months from liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
and died on 23 May 2005, aged 64.