The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, will ordain a 22-year-old as deacon tomorrow (Saturday) – a year younger than that normally allowed in the Church’s rules. The Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, has given special permission for Dominic Cawdell to be ordained deacon – making him the youngest ever ordinand in the Church in Wales. He is one of thousands of people being ordained as deacon or priest in the weeks around Petertide; a traditional season of ordination.

The service at St Asaph Cathedral will see six people ordained as deacon and four ordained as priest.

Cawdell went to Argoed School and Alyn School in Mold, before studying Theology at Cambridge University. He underwent pre-ordination training at St Padarn’s Institute, the new Province-wide training organisation. He is a novice in the Oratory of the Good Shepherd, a dispersed community who take vows of prayer, celibacy and community life.

“Dom is one of a growing number of young people seeking ordination in the Church in Wales,” Bishop Gregory said. “These are changing times in the Church and this is recognised in the types of people God is calling to serve the church and his local communities. We’re experiencing more people from more backgrounds seeking to serve the Church through ordination, and some very talented candidates.”

Three other bishops will take part in the ordination service, including the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who was Primate of Wales before being called to serve the Church of England. He will preach at the service.

“I knew God wanted me to be a priest when I was 16 years old and I’ve followed that calling ever since,” Cawdell said. “While at University I became a novice in the Oratory of the Good Shepherd and I hope to become a full member in 2019.”

Once ordained, he will serve his curacy in Llay, a village near Wrexham on the English-Welsh border.