Robin Roy Snyman
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Canon Robin Roy Snyman is a priest in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, who served as Dean of Kimberley and Rector of St Cyprian’s Cathedral
, and afterwards was Vice-Provost at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Port Elizabeth. He was born at Waterval Boven
, in what is now Mpumalanga
in 1934.
His first posting, in 1957, was as an Assistant Curate at St Saviour's Anglican Church in East London, South Africa
, going on to serve in a similar capacity at Grahamstown Cathedral in 1960. He then served at St Leonard's, Heston, in London from 1964.
Returning to South Africa, Snyman was instituted in 1966 as Rector of the Good Shepherd Parish in East London.
He was appointed as Chaplain at Rhodes University
, Grahamstown, in 1968.
, in the Transvaal, in 1971. He served as Mayor’s Chaplain there in 1976.
In February 1978 Snyman made controversial remarks concerning Bishop Tutu
just prior to his taking up his position as General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches
. It has been said that Snyman’s “description of the kind of person the Church needs” in fact described Bishop Tutu “through and through.”
and was installed as Dean and Rector of the Cathedral on 9 June 1978. He was to serve St Cyprian’s Cathedral
in Kimberley until the early 1990s. During this time he was appointed Vicar General (1979 and other occasions when the Bishop was out of the Diocese). He served under Bishops Graham Chadwick and George Alfred Swartz
.
He was also Priest in Charge to the small parish of St Hubert’s Hartswater
, and served as a Chaplain to the South African Defence Force
, at a time when sizable groups of conscripted soldiers would attend services at the Cathedral on a weekly basis. One of them was moved to refuse to carry arms after a service at St Cyprian’s in the later 1980s (as revealed in a sermon at the cathedral in August 2009).
Snyman was Warden to the Sisters of the Community of St Michael and All Angels in Bloemfontein
(the Community had strong historical ties with Kimberley, through, inter alia, Sister Henrietta Stockdale), from 1986.
Fr Snyman was Archdeacon of Kimberley from 1988.
He retired end of January 2001.
of the ordained ministry of Fr Roy Snyman was celebrated in a service in the Cathedral in Port Elizabeth. A lone bagpiper piped the people into the service. The Port Elizabeth Oratorio Choir joined the Cathedral choir to ensure music befitting the occasion.
Old Boys Association. He has been a member of Rotary
from his days in Germiston, was President of a branch of the organization in Kimberley, and has been involved in the organization in Port Elizabeth. In 1999 he was made a Paul Harris Fellow.
Eccelsiatical honours include being made an Honorary Canon of Kimberley Cathedral (1992) of Bloemfontein Cathedral (1997) and of Port Elizabeth (2008).
.
St Cyprian's Cathedral, Kimberley
The Cathedral Church of St Cyprian the Martyr, Kimberley, is the seat of the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman, Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It became a Cathedral when the Synod of Bishops gave a mandate for the formation of the new Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman in...
, and afterwards was Vice-Provost at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Port Elizabeth. He was born at Waterval Boven
Waterval Boven
Waterval Boven is a small town situated on the edge of the Escarpment on the banks of the Elands River above the 75m Elands Falls on the railway line from Pretoria to Maputo in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Hence the name which means "above the waterfall" in Dutch...
, in what is now Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
in 1934.
Early career
Snyman was educated at Boys’ High School, Pretoria, going on to obtain a Licentiate in Theology through the Church of the Province of South Africa.His first posting, in 1957, was as an Assistant Curate at St Saviour's Anglican Church in East London, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, going on to serve in a similar capacity at Grahamstown Cathedral in 1960. He then served at St Leonard's, Heston, in London from 1964.
Returning to South Africa, Snyman was instituted in 1966 as Rector of the Good Shepherd Parish in East London.
He was appointed as Chaplain at Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
, Grahamstown, in 1968.
Germiston
Fr Roy Snyman was appointed to the post of Rector and Regional Dean at St Boniface Church GermistonSt Boniface Church Germiston
St Boniface Church Germiston is located at 133 Meyer Street in the city of Germiston, which in turn is in the province of Gauteng, South Africa. It is the mother church of the Anglican Parish of the city, which also includes the chapelries of St Mary and St John in Lambton, and St Mark in Rosedeep...
, in the Transvaal, in 1971. He served as Mayor’s Chaplain there in 1976.
In February 1978 Snyman made controversial remarks concerning Bishop Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
just prior to his taking up his position as General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches
South African Council of Churches
The South African Council of Churches is an interdenominational forum in South Africa. It was a prominent anti-apartheid organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé and Frank Chikane....
. It has been said that Snyman’s “description of the kind of person the Church needs” in fact described Bishop Tutu “through and through.”
Dean of Kimberley
In 1978 Snyman was invited to be Dean of Kimberley as successor to Fr T.S. StanageThomas Stanage
Thomas Shaun Stanage was Bishop of Bloemfontein in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa from 1982 to 1997.-Biography:Stanage was born in Ireland in 1932 and was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford and Cuddesdon College .He was ordained deacon in 1958, priest in 1959 and bishop in 1978 and went...
and was installed as Dean and Rector of the Cathedral on 9 June 1978. He was to serve St Cyprian’s Cathedral
St Cyprian's Cathedral, Kimberley
The Cathedral Church of St Cyprian the Martyr, Kimberley, is the seat of the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman, Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It became a Cathedral when the Synod of Bishops gave a mandate for the formation of the new Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman in...
in Kimberley until the early 1990s. During this time he was appointed Vicar General (1979 and other occasions when the Bishop was out of the Diocese). He served under Bishops Graham Chadwick and George Alfred Swartz
George Alfred Swartz
George Alfred Swartz was the ninth Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman. He was born on 8 September 1928 and died in retirement in Cape Town on New Year’s Eve 2006.-Education:...
.
He was also Priest in Charge to the small parish of St Hubert’s Hartswater
Hartswater
Hartswater is an agricultural town serving the northern section of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The town was laid out in 1948...
, and served as a Chaplain to the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
, at a time when sizable groups of conscripted soldiers would attend services at the Cathedral on a weekly basis. One of them was moved to refuse to carry arms after a service at St Cyprian’s in the later 1980s (as revealed in a sermon at the cathedral in August 2009).
Snyman was Warden to the Sisters of the Community of St Michael and All Angels in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
(the Community had strong historical ties with Kimberley, through, inter alia, Sister Henrietta Stockdale), from 1986.
Fr Snyman was Archdeacon of Kimberley from 1988.
Port Elizabeth
Upon his retirement from his post as Dean of Kimberley in 1991, Fr Roy Snyman went to Port Elizabeth as Vice-Provost and Rector at The Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin. In 1996 he was appointed Chaplain to the Prince Alfred's Guard Regiment, Port Elizabeth.He retired end of January 2001.
Third Order of the Society of St Francis
Fr Roy Snyman has for long been a member of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis and served as Guardian to its Africa South Region from 1995. He is also an Associate Chaplain of St John.Golden Jubilee
On 7 December 2008 the golden jubileeGolden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
of the ordained ministry of Fr Roy Snyman was celebrated in a service in the Cathedral in Port Elizabeth. A lone bagpiper piped the people into the service. The Port Elizabeth Oratorio Choir joined the Cathedral choir to ensure music befitting the occasion.
Other Appointments and Honours
Snyman is an Honorary Life Member of the Pretoria Boys High SchoolPretoria Boys High School
Pretoria Boys High School, also known as Boys High or PBHS, is a public, fee charging, English medium high school for boys located in Brooklyn, Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa....
Old Boys Association. He has been a member of Rotary
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
from his days in Germiston, was President of a branch of the organization in Kimberley, and has been involved in the organization in Port Elizabeth. In 1999 he was made a Paul Harris Fellow.
Eccelsiatical honours include being made an Honorary Canon of Kimberley Cathedral (1992) of Bloemfontein Cathedral (1997) and of Port Elizabeth (2008).
Author
Snyman is the author of various articles in church periodicals and magazines, and of a book Travelling along the Anglican Way, published by the Church of the Province of Southern AfricaChurch of the Province of Southern Africa
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, known until 2006 as the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, is the Anglican province in the southern part of Africa, including dioceses in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Saint Helena, South Africa and Swaziland...
.