Penodi offeiriad ac eiriolwr o Dde Affrica yn gaplan Prifysgol Bangor
Mae offeiriad o Dde Affrica wedi ei benodi i ymuno ag Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Deiniol ac Eglwys Gadeiriol Sant Deiniol ym Mangor fel Caplan Prifysgol a Chymuned.
Mae Archesgob Cymru, Andrew John, wedi penodi'r Parchedig Neville Naidoo i weithio ochr yn ochr â chydweithwyr o enwadau eraill o fewn tîm caplaniaeth Prifysgol Bangor, i arwain gweinidogaeth myfyrwyr y Gadeirlan, ac i ehangu gweddill gweinidogaethau cyfiawnder cymdeithasol yr Ardal Weinidogaeth ar draws dinas Bangor.
Mae Neville wedi bod yn offeiriad yn Esgobaeth Johannesburg, De Affrica, ers ei ordeinio yn 2013. Mae ei yrfa ym maes datblygu cymunedol ac addysg yn ymestyn dros 35 mlynedd, yn bennaf mewn ysgolion, eglwysi a sefydliadau dielw. Mae Neville yn ymgyrchydd angerddol ac mae wedi treulio llawer o'i yrfa yn eiriol ar faterion cymdeithasol, megis ymwybyddiaeth HIV / AIDS ymhlith gweithwyr rhyw yn ardal golau coch Durban a darparu cymorth bugeiliol the Street Childrens Forum, The Deaf Association, The Quadraplegics Association, ymhlith eraill.
Ers 2021, mae Neville wedi bod yn gweithio mewn canolfan encil ieuenctid Catholig yn mentora grŵp o oedolion ifanc sy'n dod o gefndiroedd trawma ac amddifadedd cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Yn ystod ei gyfnod fel caplan, roedd yn perthyn i Gaplaniaid Sefydliad Cenedlaethol Ysgolion yn Ne Affrica a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar rôl esblygol caplaniaid mewn addysg a'r angen am ddatblygu canolfannau gofal rhyng-grefyddol a thangnefeddus mewn ysgolion a phrifysgolion.
Magwyd Neville yn Fethodistaidd, ond tynnodd ei gariad dwys tuag at y sacramentau ef i'r traddodiad Anglicanaidd. Derbyniodd Neville ei radd BA mewn Celfyddyd Gain ym Mhrifysgol Durban-Wesville a gradd mewn diwinyddiaeth yng Ngholeg Awstin Sant. Astudiodd hefyd yng Ngholeg y Diwygiad.
Mae Neville yn briod â Brendon, athro, sydd wedi gweithio yn Ne Affrica, y DU, Kuwait, a Saudi Arabia. Maent wedi byw gyda'i gilydd yn Johannesburg ers 20 mlynedd.
Meddai Neville, "Mae wedi bod yn freuddwyd gen i erioed i weithio mewn cymuned brifysgol ymhlith myfyrwyr a staff wrth wasanaethu'r gymuned ehangach hefyd. Mae'r cynnig i ddod i Fangor i weithio yn gyffrous iawn. Mae Brendon a minnau wedi bod yn edrych i adleoli i ddinas newydd, ac roedd y cyfle i wasanaethu Esgobaeth Bangor a'r Eglwys yng Nghymru yn gyfle rhy dda i'w golli.
"Mae mentora wastad wedi bod wrth galon fy ngweinidogaeth ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda myfyrwyr a phobl Bangor i feithrin eu ffydd a'u helpu i dyfu yng nghariad Crist."
Wrth groesawu Neville i Ogledd Cymru, dywed Archesgob Cymru, "Rwy'n croesawu'n fawr benodiad Neville ac yn gweddïo ei fod ef a Brandon yn mwynhau eu bywyd a'u gweinidogaeth yma ym Mangor.
"Mae myfyrwyr yn chwarae rhan bwysig ym mywyd sgiliau unigryw Bangor a bydd Neville fel offeiriad a chaplan yn cynnig cyfleoedd newydd a chyffrous i'r weinidogaeth gyda myfyrwyr a staff Prifysgol Bangor. Mae Eglwys Gadeiriol Sant Deiniol mewn sefyllfa berffaith yng nghanol y ddinas i groesawu a chefnogi pawb sydd angen cariad Duw, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen yn arbennig at weld sut y bydd gwaith gweinidogaeth Neville yn ffynnu yn y cyd-destun newydd hwn, er budd y Brifysgol a'r gymuned ehangach.
"Gweddïwch dros Neville a Brendon wrth iddyn nhw ddechrau ar eu bywyd newydd ym Mangor."
Dywedodd y Canon Siôn Rhys Evans, Is-Ddeon Eglwys Gadeiriol Deiniol Sant Bangor, "Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at elwa o brofiad caplaniaeth helaeth Neville wrth i ni geisio adeiladu ar weinidogaeth lwyddiannus Côr yr Eglwys Gadeiriol i adeiladu cysylltiadau pellach â'r Brifysgol.
"Bydd angerdd Neville dros gyfiawnder a'i sgiliau gweithio ochr yn ochr â phobl sydd wedi cael eu gwthio i'r cyrion gan gymdeithas yn ein helpu i adeiladu ar waith hanfodol banc bwyd y Gadeirlan i wasanaethu'r rhai mwyaf anghenus yn ein dinas."
Bydd Neville wedi'i lleoli yng Nghadeirlan Sant Deiniol a bydd yn gwasanaethu ochr yn ochr â thîm gweinidogaeth y Gadeirlan. Bydd gwasanaeth gosod Neville yn cael ei gynnal ddydd Sul 1 Hydref 3.30pm ar yr un pryd ag y mae Archddiacon newydd Bangor a Meirionnydd yn cael eu gosod yn eu stondinau yn yr Eglwys Gadeiriol.
South African priest and advocate appointed chaplain of Bangor University
A priest from South African has been appointed to join the Ministry Area of Bro Deiniol and Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral in Bangor as University and Community Chaplain.
The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, has appointed the Reverend Neville Naidoo to work alongside colleagues of other denominations within Bangor University’s chaplaincy team, to lead the Cathedral’s student ministry, and to broaden the rest of the Ministry Area’s social justice ministries across the city of Bangor.
Neville has been a priest in the Diocese of Johannesburg, South Africa, since his ordination in 2013. His career in community development and education spans over 35 years, primarily in schools, churches and not for profit organisations. Neville is a passionate campaigner and has spent much of his career advocating on social issues, such as HIV/AIDS awareness amongst sex workers in the red light area of Durban and providing pastoral assistance to the Street Childrens Forum, The Deaf Association, The Quadraplegics Association, amongst others.
Since 2021, Neville has been working at a Catholic youth retreat centre mentoring a group of young adults who come from backgrounds of trauma and socially and economic deprivation. During his tenure as chaplain, he belonged to the National Institute of School Chaplains in South Africa which focused on the evolving role of chaplains in education and the necessity for developing interreligious and peace making care centres within schools and universities.
Neville was raised Methodist, but his profound love for the sacramental drew him into the Anglican tradition. Neville received his BA degree in Fine Art at the University of Durban-Wesville and a degree in theology at St. Augustine College. He also studied at The College of the Transfiguration.
Neville is married to Brendon, a teacher, who has worked in South Africa, the UK, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. They have lived together in Johannesburg for 20 years.
Neville said, “It has always been my dream to work in a university community amongst students and staff while serving the wider community too. The offer to come to Bangor to work as is very exciting. Both Brendon and myself have been looking to relocate to a new city, and the opportunity to serve the Diocese of Bangor and Church in Wales was too good an opportunity to miss.
“Mentoring has always been at the heart of my ministry and I look forward to working with students and the people of Bangor to nurture their faith and help them grow in the love of Christ.”
Welcoming Neville to North Wales, the Archbishop of Wales says, “I warmly welcome Neville’s appointment and pray that he and Brandon enjoy their life and ministry here in Bangor.
“Students play an important part in the life of Bangor and Neville’s unique skills as priest and chaplain will offer new and exciting opportunities for ministry with Bangor University students and staff. Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral is perfectly positioned at the centre of the city to welcome and support all who need God’s love, and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing how Neville’s ministry work will flourish in this new context, to the benefit of the University and the wider community.
“Please do pray for Neville and Brendon as they begin their new life in Bangor.”
Canon Siôn Rhys Evans, Sub-Dean of Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral Bangor, said, “We’re looking forward to benefiting from Neville’s extensive chaplaincy experience as we seek to build on the Cathedral’s Choir’s successful student ministry to build further links with the University.
“Neville’s passion for justice and his skills working alongside people who have been marginalised by society will help us build on the vital work of the Cathedral foodbank to serve those most in need in our city.”
Neville will be based at Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral and will serve alongside the Cathedral ministry team. Neville’s installation service will take place Sunday 1 October 3.30pm, the same time as the new Archdeacon’s of Bangor and Meirionnydd are being installed in their stalls in the Cathedral.