Phyllis on her ordination day 1964 06 10
Phyllis on her ordination day 1964 06 10 with others ordained same day
Phyllis Observer Dominion Douglas 1977
Hospital chaplain ca1996
Phyllis 2016
Phyllis and Ryan Fea 2019 06 (55th anniversary of ordination)
Phyllis 2021 06 10
Phyllis 2022 02 23
Phyllis and Rosemary 2023 06 10
Phyllis and Ryan Fea 2023 12 28
Phyllis and Pierre Goldberger 2024 05 24
Phyllis listening to her name being recognised 2024 05 24
The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Smyth is a retired ordained minister who spent much of her career developing and improving clinical pastoral care and training, initially in palliative care, and subsequently in all hospital environments. Her work and training have spanned the globe. She has held numerous leadership roles in hospitals and universities in and around Montreal, ensuring high standards of pastoral care for patients. Her dedication to pastoral care led her to many senior volunteer and committee roles with universities, hospitals, the Quebec government and church organizations. The Rev. Dr. Smyth has received numerous awards recognizing her leadership, expertise and care, including three honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees.
Alongside her work in chaplaincy, The Rev. Dr. Smyth has also been a pastoral charge leader in several communities of faith, and has provided supply ministry in many churches and communities. Prior to recognizing her excellence in pastoral care by many organisations, in 1977 The United Church Observer featured The Rev. Dr. Smyth, as the only woman “senior minister in a big city congregation” in the United Church. The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Smyth was also granted the right to provide sacraments to members of the Anglican Church in Canada by Bishop Russell (Quebec) in 1968, and has spent much of her life interacting with members of all faiths, including a deep and lasting connection with the Dominican Nuns of Quebec. She is a truly Ecumenically grounded faith believer and uniter.
On 10 June 2024, the Rev. Dr. Smyth will mark 60 years of ordination (10 June also happens to be her birthday!). Over the years, she has observed a critical need for practical, formal education among clergy and Canadian medical professionals in the area of clinical pastoral care (also called clinical psychospiritual care, spiritual care, and other variations). The Rev. Dr. Smyth feels that helping to defray educational costs would encourage those working in palliative and other medical environments to undertake this important training, and wishes to offer support through the Fund.
- Download donation form: Rev. Dr. Phyllis Smyth Fund donation slip
- Donate directly via CanadaHelps