Seminarian Nicholas Williams receives the Ministry of Acolyte

Nicholas, Williams, a student for the priesthood (seminarian) for the archdiocese received the Ministry of Acolyte at Oscott College on Tuesday evening. On the journey towards ordination, seminarians pass through three phases through three phases. Nick was admitted to the Ministry of Reader last year and, upon the recommendation of those concerned with his formation, he has taken the next step.

The Ministry of Acolyte

Those men admitted to the Ministry of Acolyte as part of their formation take on the responsibility of serving at the altar, assisting the priests of the Church, and distributing the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister (ordinary ministers being bishops, priests and deacons). The difference between an Acolyte and a server/extraordinary minister of Holy Communion you would find within a parish is twofold:

Firstly: Within a parish environment these ministries only apply to people within the boundaries of their parish. For an Acolyte the ministries are universal (can be performed anywhere the Church resides).

Secondly: Unlike parish ministries where the persons involved are normally in place for a fixed time and have to renew their promises, a duly instituted Acolyte retains the ministries for life.

Assisting the priests and deacons by sharing in their function

Ministries are always at the service of God and his Church. By taking on these roles, Nick has promised to assist the priests and deacons in caring for the faithful and assisting in the Divine Liturgy. These roles he fulfils in this ministry will one day, please God, come to their fullness with ordination.

A sign of hope in the diocese

Nick is one of five seminarians for our archdiocese. They stand as a sign of hope following the dark period of no students for the priesthood. Fr. Michael Doyle, assistant priest of All Saints Parish, Newport, was ordained o the priesthood last September – the first diocesan ordination for over seven years! These are signs of great growth for our diocese.

Please pray for our seminarians that they will continue to be attentive to the voice of the Lord in their lives, and that they will have the courage to take up the call that God has given them.

Many congratulations Nick! You are very much in our prayers!

Pictures of the celebration will be available soon.

Cathedral Hosts Service for Headteachers of Independent Schools

On Tuesday 30th September 2014, St. David’s Cathedral, Cardiff and the Archdiocese of Cardiff played host to hundreds of Headteachers of Independent Schools and Colleges of England and Wales for an Ecumenical Prayer Service.

Archbishop George Stack presided at Ecumenical Vespers in front of a full cathedral.  The homily was given by the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Inge, Bishop of Worcester.  Music was provided by Dr. David Neville and the Metropolitan Cathedral Choir of St. David led by Mr. Dominic Neville who were joined by the Chamber Choir of Uppingham School and their director Oliver Neal Parker.  Both choirs supplied a heavenly mix of chant and classical pieces lifting those present into the heights of prayer.

The opening piece was a rendition of John Dryden’s “What Passion Cannot Music Raise and Quell” set to music by 14 year old Laurence Long of King’s School, Rochester.  The piece had complex harmonies and was a delight to the ears of all present.  A testament to a talented young composer.  Archbishop George described the piece as “extraordinary” and “beautiful”.

The headteachers were visiting Wales for their annual concert, which was held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

View the photo gallery

Our Newest Priest – Fr. Michael Doyle

Yesterday, Saturday, 6th September, Archbishop George Stack, in the presence of the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese, ordained Michael Doyle to the Sacred Priesthood.

Fr Michael celebrates his first Mass at Our Lady and St. Patrick Church, Maesteg at 11am this morning. Tomorrow, he will celebrate Mass at St. Dyfrig’s, Trefforest at 7pm, and on Tuesday he will celebrate Mass at St. Mary’s in Newport.

Please keep Fr. Michael in your prayers, as he prepares to take up his new appointment.

Full story of the Ordination Mass to follow shortly.

Cardiff church celebrates 50 years

Wednesday 18th June was a joyous day for the people of St. Teilo’s, Whitchurch as they celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the current church.

The ‘new’ church was dedicated to St. Teilo on 18th June 1964 by Archbishop John Aloysius Murphy, the then Archbishop of Cardiff. It replaced a church that had been built in the 1920’s which was affectionately referred to as the ‘tin church’, after its red tin roof.

The parish, which includes Our Lady of Lourdes in Gabalfa, gathered at 11.00am, the same time as that first Mass fifty years ago, for a Mass of thanksgiving. It was an even more joyous occasion as some priests who had links with St. Teilo’s had come to concelebrate the Mass. These we Fr. Peter Marden, who was resident in the parish at Our Lady of Lourdes a few years ago, Fr. John Kelly who had lived in the parish when Archbishop’s secretary and Fr. Barry English who was brought up in the parish and was ordained at St. Teilo’s twenty-five years ago this week and so celebrates the Silver Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood.

Also present was Deacon Michael Doyle, who Archbishop George Stack recently announced would, God willing, be Ordained to the Priesthood later in the year. Two of the Archdiocese’s Seminarians, Robert James and Jonathan Stogdon, were also present for this joyous occasion.

Parish Priest, Fr. William Isaac gave an interesting homily, quoting from a booklet about the parish written by a late parishioner, Lottie Rogers, many years ago. In it the author mentions how Cardiff was a thriving town in the middle ages, but the reformation almost wiped out the Catholic faith in the area. Slowly but surely, it recovered and the first Mass in Whitchurch since the reformation was held in 1924, in an outhouse of the Fox and Hounds public house, still next door to the church. This led to the parish being founded in 1925 and the current St. Teilo’s church being built fifty years ago.

Greetings were also read out from priests, around the world, who had links with St. Teilo’s but could not be there on the day: from Canon Eddie O’Connell, who was Parish Priest until January 2014 and is now enjoying retirement in Ireland. Canon Eddie said he would always be close to St. Teilo’s and its people, and recalled how he was handed the keys to the church fifteen years ago from the late Canon Patrick Creed who had been Parish Priest at St. Teilo’s for 43 years. Canon Eddie reflected that he had now handed the baton of leading the parish onto new Parish Priest Fr. William Isaac; from Fr. Kelvin in Nigeria, who had been resident at St. Teilo’s in the early 2000’s while completing his studies at Cardiff University. Fr Kelvin said he considered St. Teilo’s his second home; from Fr. Allan Davies-Hale, who served as a curate at St. Teilo’s in the 1980’s and who said he would offer Mass for St. Teilo’s and its people; from Fr. David Hayman, who was a curate in the late 1990’s; from Fr. Jimmy Thomas and Fr. Ambrose Walsh who had both served at St. Teilo’s but who were not well enough to attend the celebration; from Fr. Chris Fuse, whose mother was a parishioner at St. Teilo’s; and from Monsignor Desmond Dalton in Ecuador, who served at St. Teilo’s in the 1970’s and was very interested to hear how St. Teilo’s had grown over the years.

Following the Mass the parish and visitors enjoyed a buffet lunch in the church hall, which had been built when the church underwent its last major refurbishment ten years ago.

There was also an evening Mass and refreshments so that those who could not attend the Mass earlier in the day could still be a part of the celebrations.

The celebration was the main occasion in a week of events to mark the Golden Jubilee of St. Teilo’s. Local churches and schools donated floral arrangements which decorate the church and a photographic display of life in St. Teilo’s over the last fifty years is on display in the church hall. Events earlier in the week were a Musical Celebration was held on Saturday and Ecumenical Service with local churches and congregations on Monday. Still to come is a parish barbecue on Friday and an Anniversary Cream Tea Party on Saturday. To conclude the celebrations the Abbot of Belmot, the Rt. Rev. Paul Stonham will preside at the 9.00am and 11.00am Masses on Sunday. At this Mass all current and former Altar Servers from St. Teilo’s will be honoured for their service to the parish.

Archbishop George Stack, who could not attend the celebrations this week, also sent his warm greetings in a message that was read out at Masses last Sunday. In it he said that, although he could not be present, he was close to the parish and its people in prayer.

Visit the Golden Jubilee Gallery

Cathedral parishioner begins 99th birthday celebrations with Mass at St. David’s

Archbishop George is pictured with Cathedral parishioner Anne McCarthy who began the celebrations of her 99th birthday at Mass in St. David’s Cathedral on Sunday 13 October. The Cathedral community joined her daughter Judith in sharing the joy of her long life of faith, love and dedication.

Ad multos annos!