Background
His father, Andrew, came from Eriskay, and his mother from South Uist, both islands in the Outer Hebrides.
His father, Andrew, came from Eriskay, and his mother from South Uist, both islands in the Outer Hebrides.
Roddy Wright, as he was known to family and friends, was educated at Street Gerard"s Secondary School at Govan.
Born in the Kingston district of Glasgow on 28 June 1940, he was one of four children of a working-class merchant seaman. He began training for the priesthood, aged 14, at Blairs College in Kincardineshire, and then from 1958 at Street Peter"s Seminary, Cardross. Priesthood
After he was ordained a priest on 29 June 1964, his first pastoral appointment was at Street Laurence"s Church, Drumchapel, Glasgow (1964–1966), followed by Street Jude"s Church, Barlanark, Glasgow (1966–1969).
He returned to Blairs College as spiritual director (1969–1974).
Foreign a short while, he acted as a chaplain to the United States Navy base at Holy Loch. His last three appointments before his episcopal ordination were as priest at Street Mary"s Church, Fort William (1976–1980).
Street Michael"s Church, Ardkenneth, South Uist (1980–1986). And Street Anne"s Church, Corpach, near Fort William (1986–1991).
Episcopate
He was appointed the bishop of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles by the Holy See on 11 December 1990 and consecrated at Saint Columba"s Cathedral in Oban on 15 January 1991.
The principal consecrator was Luigi Barbarito, Titular Archbishop of Fiorentino, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Great Britain. The principal co-consecrators were Cardinal Thomas Winning, Archbishop of Glasgow, and Keith O"Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh. Wright disappeared from his home next door to Saint Columba"s Cathedral, Oban, on 4 September 1996.
There was concern among local people, including Frances Shand Kydd, the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The following weekend, a former parishioner of Wright"s came forward to say that she had become pregnant by him and given birth to a son in 1981. Wright resigned as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles on 19 September 1996 and renounced the office of bishop.
Wright registered as unemployed and was spotted looking for work in the Jobcentre in Kendal, Cumbria, England. He alluded in his autobiography that Jobcentre staff had leaked information about him.
Wright married MacPhee in a civil ceremony in Antigua in June 1998.
He suffered in his last months from liver cancer and died on 23 May 2005, aged 64.