Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell has paid tribute to Canon George Boyd, 88, the first priest to be ordained for the diocese, who died on Tuesday.

Bishop Devine said Canon Boyd would be remembered as ‘first and foremost a family man.’

“That may seem a strange description for a priest but the canon’s life was devoted to the families of the parishes in which he served,” he said. “To so many families he was a member of the family a father, grandfather and yes a great-grandfather. He loved to tell children about their family tree, about their grandparents and other relations who were no longer with us and who many of the children had never known.”

Bishop Devine said it was for these reasons that the canon would be mourned across the diocese.

“The priesthood can be a lonely place but not for priests like Canon Boyd,” the bishop said. “He enjoyed the love and devotion of so many families and all will be grieving for him today. For they have lost a very special and favourite member of their family.”

The Very Rev George Canon Boyd was born on the July 3 1924 in Mossend. He was ordained by Bishop Edward Douglas into the priesthood alongside his brother Patrick, a White Missionary Father in Africa, in the Cathedral in Motherwell on the May 24 1948. Canin Boyd was first priest to be ordained for the new Motherwell Diocese that was erected as a Suffragan See of Glasgow Archdiocese on May 25 1947.

The canon served in St Patrick’s Wishaw from 1948-54, moving on to St Mary’s Coatbridge 1954-62 and became parish priest at St Aloysius Chapelhall in 1962, the youngest parish priest ever appointed at that time. He was transferred to St Thomas’s in Wishaw in 1969 and in 1978 moved to St Bernadette’s in Motherwell. His final appointment was to St Brendan’s in Motherwell in 1990. He celebrated his diamond jubilee as a priest in  2008 and he served at St Brendan’s until his retirement in 2009.

Canon Boyd was installed as a canon of the Cathedral Chapter in 1992.

He died at his home on Tuesday 22 January 2013.

—The vigil service for the reception of Canon Boyd’s body will take place on Sunday 27 January at 7 pm at St Brendan’s. His funeral will take place at the parish Monday January 28 at 11.30am.