St. Macartin's Cathedral
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
The Curates' Page
(Last updated 4th February 2015)
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Rev. Rob Clements BA, M Sc, M Th
Parish Curate
Parish Curate
Rev. Rob was ordained to the Priesthood on Sunday 8th September 2013 in the Cathedral.
Prior to taking up his position as a much-needed additional curate, Rob wrote:
It is with great joy that we anticipate joining the ministry of St Macartin’s. I have been greatly impressed by the vision of the Cathedral and hope to bring something to its life and witness.
Before embarking on the ordained life, I worked in the community sector. In Belfast I was a youth worker for eight years, working in Willowfield Parish as a detached youth and community worker and then in Lowe Memorial Presbyterian. In 2004 I worked in Seattle as the director of programme planning and development for a large non-profit called Seattle Goodwill offering community education for disadvantaged adults. In 2008 we moved to Dublin where I worked in Drug and Alcohol services while completing a masters in equality studies through the U.C.D. School of Social Justice.
I am happily married to the wonderful Julie and have two beautiful children, Sophia and Gideon. I enjoy film and music, travel and good food (who doesn’t). I’m also an avid football follower. The church drew me in because it is God’s plan to transform the world. That dream of God’s shalom is why we do what we do.
Rev. Rob's Ordination
Rev. Rob was ordained to the Priesthood by the Bishop of Clogher, the Right Rev. John McDowell, at a service on Sunday 8th September 2013, the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Rob was born in Belfast, studied Politics at Queen’s University Belfast and went on to study Equality Studies at University College Dublin. Before ordination Rob worked in Drug and Alcohol Services, Adult Education, and in Youth and Community Work. He met his wife Julie in Belfast; they lived for four years in Seattle, USA before returning to Ireland to live in Dublin. They have two young children: Sophie and Gideon. He recently served as Intern Deacon at Rathfarnham Parish, Dublin as part of his Masters in Theology degree from Trinity College Dublin.
The opening hymn at the ordination service was "Praise My Soul the King of Heaven". Rob was presented for ordination by six sponsors: Mrs Julie Clements, Mr Alistair Craig, the Rev. Anne Taylor, the Rev. Gillian Wharton, Mrs Helen Coalter and Mrs Jennifer Johnston. The Rev. Ngozi Njoku, Rector of Garrison, Slavin, Belleek and Kiltyclogher, read the first reading from Isaiah chapter 61. Psalm 145 was sung by the choir, and the Rev. Alistair Warke, Diocesan Curate, read the second reading from the Acts of the Apostles chapter 8. The Gradual Hymn was "Come to Us Creative Spirit, and the Dean read the Gospel from St. Luke chapter 9.
The preacher was the Rev. Ted Woods, Rector of Rathfarnham Parish in the United Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. The Nicene Creed and the Rite of Ordination fol-lowed the sermon. After the ordination litany, which was sung by the Precentor, the Revd Canon Noel Regan, all joined in singing the Veni, Creator Spiritus. The Ordination Prayer with the Laying on of Hands followed, when the Bishop and Priests laid hands on the candidate. The Bishop then presented Rob with a Bible and the congregation greeted the newly ordained Priest. The Bishop introduced the Peace and the Offertory hymn was Will you come and follow Me.
After Holy Communion was celebrated the Bishop gave the blessing, Rev. Clements said the dismissal and the closing hymn was "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah". All in attendance were invited to the parish hall after the service for refreshments.
Rev. Rob was ordained to the Priesthood by the Bishop of Clogher, the Right Rev. John McDowell, at a service on Sunday 8th September 2013, the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Rob was born in Belfast, studied Politics at Queen’s University Belfast and went on to study Equality Studies at University College Dublin. Before ordination Rob worked in Drug and Alcohol Services, Adult Education, and in Youth and Community Work. He met his wife Julie in Belfast; they lived for four years in Seattle, USA before returning to Ireland to live in Dublin. They have two young children: Sophie and Gideon. He recently served as Intern Deacon at Rathfarnham Parish, Dublin as part of his Masters in Theology degree from Trinity College Dublin.
The opening hymn at the ordination service was "Praise My Soul the King of Heaven". Rob was presented for ordination by six sponsors: Mrs Julie Clements, Mr Alistair Craig, the Rev. Anne Taylor, the Rev. Gillian Wharton, Mrs Helen Coalter and Mrs Jennifer Johnston. The Rev. Ngozi Njoku, Rector of Garrison, Slavin, Belleek and Kiltyclogher, read the first reading from Isaiah chapter 61. Psalm 145 was sung by the choir, and the Rev. Alistair Warke, Diocesan Curate, read the second reading from the Acts of the Apostles chapter 8. The Gradual Hymn was "Come to Us Creative Spirit, and the Dean read the Gospel from St. Luke chapter 9.
The preacher was the Rev. Ted Woods, Rector of Rathfarnham Parish in the United Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. The Nicene Creed and the Rite of Ordination fol-lowed the sermon. After the ordination litany, which was sung by the Precentor, the Revd Canon Noel Regan, all joined in singing the Veni, Creator Spiritus. The Ordination Prayer with the Laying on of Hands followed, when the Bishop and Priests laid hands on the candidate. The Bishop then presented Rob with a Bible and the congregation greeted the newly ordained Priest. The Bishop introduced the Peace and the Offertory hymn was Will you come and follow Me.
After Holy Communion was celebrated the Bishop gave the blessing, Rev. Clements said the dismissal and the closing hymn was "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah". All in attendance were invited to the parish hall after the service for refreshments.
From left: Ewan Richmond (then rector's Churchwarden), Dean Hall, Rev. Rob Clements, Bishop John McDowell, Rev. Alistair Warke (then Diocesan Curate), and Brian Rutledge (then People's Churchwarden).
Rev. Rob found himself and his family on the receiving end of clerical attention on Sunday 4th May 2014, when Julie and he presented their baby son, Gideon, for baptism by Dean Hall. This is a still from the video footage taken during the ceremony.
New: Scroll down for Rev Olivia Downey
Hello, and it’s good to be back! Although it has been just over two years since I was
on placement with you last, and even then it was only for three weeks, I still feel a
sense of ‘being home.’
Many of you will be aware that I am a Fermanagh girl; growing up, my home parish
was Aghadrumsee, and many long nights I spent in the Cathedral Halls when I
served as secretary to Clogher Diocesan Youth Council many years ago.
A lot has happened since then! I went to England and studied at the University of
Surrey where I graduated and qualified as a nurse. Specialising early on in
cardiology I worked in Chichester, West Sussex until returning in 2006 to continue
my career in cardiology nursing at Belfast City Hospital.
However, for some time, even before leaving England, I was aware of a familiar yet uneasy sense within me. I was sixteen when I first felt God calling me to ordained ministry, a sense of call that never quite left me despite a very happy and successful nursing career. As a teenager I felt deeply inadequate to even consider this path. Some years later the feelings of inadequacy remained, but my experience of walking with God over the years had made me realise that we are just the vessels, it is he who works through us.
On 14th September last year I was ordained as a Deacon in the Diocese of Tuam. In many ways it has been a long, and at times, difficult road to this point that I now find myself completing my final year of training among you. However, it has also been a time that I have known God’s provision, grace and faithfulness like no other; John 15:16 says:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that
you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so
that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
I don’t think you can argue with that!
I am genuinely delighted to be with you and to be working alongside the Dean and Rev. Rob. I very much doubt that the next six months or so will be dull. I look forward during my internship to getting involved in Cathedral life as much as possible and to getting to know as many of you as possible. I will be completing my dissertation during the next few months; this is the final written work required for my training. I would be very grateful for your help with this but more about that soon!
During my time with you I will endeavour to do and be the best I can, but please be patient with me as I most likely will make some mistakes. Please hold me in prayer as I will you, and I pray as we travel this part of our journey together that we may be a blessing to each other. God bless you.
on placement with you last, and even then it was only for three weeks, I still feel a
sense of ‘being home.’
Many of you will be aware that I am a Fermanagh girl; growing up, my home parish
was Aghadrumsee, and many long nights I spent in the Cathedral Halls when I
served as secretary to Clogher Diocesan Youth Council many years ago.
A lot has happened since then! I went to England and studied at the University of
Surrey where I graduated and qualified as a nurse. Specialising early on in
cardiology I worked in Chichester, West Sussex until returning in 2006 to continue
my career in cardiology nursing at Belfast City Hospital.
However, for some time, even before leaving England, I was aware of a familiar yet uneasy sense within me. I was sixteen when I first felt God calling me to ordained ministry, a sense of call that never quite left me despite a very happy and successful nursing career. As a teenager I felt deeply inadequate to even consider this path. Some years later the feelings of inadequacy remained, but my experience of walking with God over the years had made me realise that we are just the vessels, it is he who works through us.
On 14th September last year I was ordained as a Deacon in the Diocese of Tuam. In many ways it has been a long, and at times, difficult road to this point that I now find myself completing my final year of training among you. However, it has also been a time that I have known God’s provision, grace and faithfulness like no other; John 15:16 says:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that
you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so
that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
I don’t think you can argue with that!
I am genuinely delighted to be with you and to be working alongside the Dean and Rev. Rob. I very much doubt that the next six months or so will be dull. I look forward during my internship to getting involved in Cathedral life as much as possible and to getting to know as many of you as possible. I will be completing my dissertation during the next few months; this is the final written work required for my training. I would be very grateful for your help with this but more about that soon!
During my time with you I will endeavour to do and be the best I can, but please be patient with me as I most likely will make some mistakes. Please hold me in prayer as I will you, and I pray as we travel this part of our journey together that we may be a blessing to each other. God bless you.
Rev. Olivia Downey (Parish Intern)