Welcome to Father Stuart

Thursday, 4th October, 2007

Just under a year ago, St Georges Church, Whyke bade farewell to their much-loved rector, as he left to take over a new parish. So it was with great pleasure that they watched his replacement, Father Stuart Cradduck, being formally installed by Bishop John Hind this week.
 
(click on photos to enlarge)

Father Stuart was born and bred in Whitehaven, Cumbria, where he lived until he was 18. After a gap year, he moved to Chichester to study Religious Studies and Teacher Training at the West Sussex Institute of Higher Education (latterly Bishop Otter College and now Chichester University). However, he did not enjoy the course, and changed to study music and teaching instead. It was later discovered that he is dyslexic. Although he was unaware of it at the time, his dyslexia played a huge part in his decision to change courses, as he found the essay-writing difficult.

He was deeply involved with the college chamber choir and orchestra, and is a talented singer as well as playing the French horn. During his time there, a young flautist, Laura, was auditioned by him. In 1999 they married, and now have two young children.

At the end of his second year, he passed his selection conference for training to be a priest, a vocation for which he had felt a calling since he was very young, and after graduating with a BA in Music & Education Studies he attended Cuddesdon Theological College (part of Oxford University).

He was ordained Deacon in Portsmouth Cathedral in 2000 and became a fully-fledged priest there in 2001. He was assistant curate in the Havant area until 2003, when he transferred to St Albans Cathedral, where he became minor canon and chaplain for young people. He was very involved with the youth groups there, and numbers rose dramatically under his care. When the Precentor of the cathedral left, he also took charge of the choral services.

He was also responsible for the success of the St Albans Festival Pilgrimage. In 2004 this consisted of around 30 people walking and singing as they went. However, by 2006 the route had been changed, and the event was being attended by almost 3,000 people, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, and in 2007, they were visited by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

He has always maintained links with the city of Chichester, and was advised by friends when St George's went into vacancy. After being recommended for the post by Bishop John, he was interviewed by the churchwardens, and accepted by them on behalf of the congregation. He said "I am very very happy to be back in Chichester again".