Penodi offeiriad newydd ar gyfer eglwysi Môn
Mae gwyliau ar hap i briordy hynafol Cymreig wedi arwain at benodiad annisgwyl i un o glerigwyr mwyaf profiadol Cymru. Mae'r Canon Huw Butler wedi ei enwi fel Arweinydd Ardal Weinidogaeth newydd Bro Seiriol ar Ynys Môn, ar ôl canfod y swydd wag yn ystod saib ym mis Medi gyda'i wraig.
Bydd Canon Huw, sydd ar hyn o bryd yn gwasanaethu fel Arweinydd Ardal Genhadaeth yn Esgobaeth Llanelwy, yn dechrau yn ei swydd newydd yn y Flwyddyn Newydd. Bydd yn goruchwylio sawl eglwys yn rhan ddwyreiniol Ynys Môn, gan gynnwys Biwmares a’r Priordy hanesyddol ym Mhenmon.
Daeth y penodiad trwy gyfres annisgwyl o ddigwyddiadau, pan ymwelodd y Canon Huw â Phenmon yn ystod gwyliau ym mis Medi gyda'i wraig Pat. Ar ôl bod yn bresennol mewn gwasanaeth yn y bore a chanfod bod swydd Arweinydd yr Ardal Weinidogaeth yn wag, teimlai fod rhaid iddo wneud cais.
"Roedd yn rhywbeth yr oedd yn rhaid i mi ei ddilyn," meddai Canon Huw. "Roeddwn wedi ymweld â Phriordy Penmon flynyddoedd yn ôl ac roeddwn yn edrych ymlaen at ddod i adnabod y safle Celtaidd hardd hwn yn well. Cefais fy synnu o ddarganfod bod gan Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Seiriol swydd wag a'i bod yn chwilio am Arweinydd Ardal Weinidogaeth newydd. Fe es i wasanaeth Boreol Weddi fore Sul, dan arweiniad parchus a sensitif arweinwyr addoli lleyg, ac o ran diddordeb, penderfynais edrych ar y proffil ar wefan yr esgobaeth.
"O ystyried fy mhrofiad, fy noniau a'm personoliaeth, cefais ymdeimlad dwfn iawn efallai mai fi oedd y person iawn i gyflawni'r swyddogaeth hon.
"Wrth i mi fyfyrio ar fy nhaith ffydd, mae'n eithaf rhyfeddol cydnabod pa mor aml mae Duw wedi fy nal yn annisgwyl. Mae cael fy mhenodi yn Arweinydd Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Seiriol, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, yn rhyfeddol"
Ychwanega'r Canon Huw, "Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ddod i adnabod yr holl gymunedau ym Mro Seiriol. Mae'n gyfle cyffrous i weld lle gall yr Ysbryd ein harwain ni gyda’n gilydd mewn gweddi, dysgu a chenhadaeth wrth i'r blynyddoedd nesaf fynd rhagddynt!"
Mae'r penodiad newydd yn golygu y bydd y Canon Huw yn dychwelyd i ardal Bangor lle astudiodd Beirianneg Electronig ym Mhrifysgol Bangor yn y 1980au cyn dilyn gyrfa yn y weinidogaeth. Yn ystod ei hyfforddiant diwinyddol yng Ngholeg Mihangel Sant, Llandaf, datblygodd ddiddordeb arbennig mewn ysbrydolrwydd Celtaidd yn dilyn pererindod i Iona.
Trwy gydol ei yrfa yn y weinidogaeth, mae'r Canon Huw wedi gwasanaethu mewn gwahanol leoliadau ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys Llanilltud Fawr, a elwir yn ganolfan hanesyddol Cristnogaeth Geltaidd, ac yn fwyaf diweddar yn Ardal Genhadaeth Alun ger Wrecsam.
Croesawodd John Harvey, Archddiacon Môn y penodiad "Mae gan y Canon Huw gyfoeth o brofiad mewn gweinidogaeth yn yr Eglwys yng Nghymru yng ngogledd a de Cymru, ac edrychwn ymlaen at ei weld yn dod atom i arwain cam nesaf bywyd ein Hardal Weinidogaeth."
Bydd dyddiad trwyddedu ar gyfer swyddogaeth newydd Canon Butler yn cael ei gyhoeddi maes o law.
Ynglŷn â Huw
Magwyd y Canon Huw ym Mhengam, pentref glofaol yng Nghwm Rhymni yn ystod y 1960au a'r 1970au. Bu ei dad yn gweithio yng Nglofa Britannia. Astudiodd Huw Beirianneg Electronig ym Mhrifysgol Bangor, lle datblygodd gysylltiad cryfach â'i ffydd Gristnogol wrth fynychu'r Gaplaniaeth Anglicanaidd.
Ar ôl graddio ym 1984, dychwelodd Butler i dde Cymru i ddilyn gyrfa fel peiriannydd electronig. Priododd Pat, a chawsant ddau o blant, Eliese ac Adam. Ar ôl wyth mlynedd mewn peirianneg, dilynodd ei alwad i'r weinidogaeth a hyfforddodd yng Ngholeg Mihangel Sant, Llandaf, lle bu'n byw gyda'i deulu. Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, datblygodd ddiddordeb dwfn mewn ysbrydolrwydd Celtaidd tra oedd ar bererindod i Iona.
Ar ôl cael ei ordeinio yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf, bu Butler yn gurad yn Llanilltud Faerdref ger Pontypridd. Yna aeth ei yrfa ag ef i sawl plwyf yng Nghymru: yn gyntaf fel Rheithor Grŵp Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd ger Rhuthun, yna fel Rheithor Llanilltud Fawr, canolfan Gristnogol Geltaidd hanesyddol. Yn ddiweddarach daeth yn ficer Llai, Yr Orsedd ac Is-y-coed ger Wrecsam, gan wasanaethu cymunedau â nodweddion ôl-ddiwydiannol a gwledig, gan gysylltu'n ôl â'i dreftadaeth lofaol.
New priest appointed for Anglesey churches
A chance holiday to an ancient Welsh priory has led to a surprise appointment for one of Wales' most experienced clergy members. Canon Huw Butler has been named as the new Ministry Area Leader for Bro Seiriol on Anglesey, after discovering the vacancy during a September break with his wife.
Canon Huw, who currently serves as Mission Area Leader in the Diocese of St Asaph, will take up his new position in the New Year. He will oversee several churches in the eastern part of Anglesey, including Beaumaris and the historic Penmon Priory.
The appointment came about through an unexpected chain of events, when Canon Huw visited Penmon during a holiday in September with his wife Pat. After attending a morning service and discovering the position of Ministry Area Leader was vacant, he felt compelled to apply.
"It was something I simply had to pursue," said Canon Huw. " I had visited Penmon Priory many years ago and was looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with this beautiful Celtic site. I was surprised to find out that Bro Seiriol Ministry Area had a vacancy and was seeking a new Ministry Area Leader. I attended a service of Morning Prayer on Sunday morning ,led so reverently and sensitively by lay worship leaders, and, out of interest, decided to look at the profile on the diocesan website.
“Given my experience, gifts and personality, I began to feel a very deep sense that I may be the right person to fulfil this role.
“As I reflect upon my faith journey, it is quite astonishing to recognise how often God has taken me by surprise. My appointment as Ministry Area Leader for Bro Seiriol, I have to say, seems particularly surprising!”
Canon Huw adds, “I am looking forward to getting to know all of the communities within Bro Seiriol. It is an exciting opportunity to see where the Spirit may lead us together in prayer, learning and mission as the coming years unfold!"
The new appointment marks a return to the Bangor area for Canon Huw, who studied Electronic Engineering at Bangor University in the 1980s before pursuing a career in ministry. During his theological training at St Michael's College, Llandaff, he developed a particular interest in Celtic spirituality following a pilgrimage to Iona.
Throughout his ministry career, Canon Huw has served in various locations across Wales, including Llantwit Major, known as a historic centre of Celtic Christianity, and most recently in the Alyn Mission Area near Wrexham.
The Archdeacon of Anglesey John Harvey welcomed the appointment “Canon Huw has a wealth of experience in ministry in the Church in Wales in both North and South Wales, and we look forward to him coming among us to lead the next phase of life for our Ministry Area.”
A licensing date for Canon Butler's new role will be announced in due course.
About Huw
Canon Huw grew up in Pengam, a mining village in Wales' Rhymney Valley, during the 1960s and 70s. His father worked at the Britannia Colliery. Huw studied Electronic Engineering at Bangor University, where he developed a stronger connection to his Christian faith while attending the Anglican Chaplaincy.
After graduating in 1984, Butler returned to South Wales to pursue a career as an electronics engineer. He married Pat, and they had two children, Eliese and Adam. After eight years in engineering, he followed his calling to ministry and trained at St. Michael's College, Llandaff, where he lived with his family. During this time, he developed a deep interest in Celtic spirituality while taking a pilgrimage to Iona.
Following his ordination at Llandaff Cathedral, Butler served as a curate in Llantwit Fardre near Pontypridd. His career then took him to several Welsh parishes: first as Rector of Llanbedr D.C. Group near Ruthin, then as Rector of Llantwit Major, a historic Celtic Christian center. He later became Vicar of Llay, Rossett and Isycoed near Wrexham, serving communities with both post-industrial and rural characteristics, connecting back to his mining heritage.