Cardiff church celebrates 30 Years

by Stephen Bailey, Parishioner

The parishioners of St. Philip Evans celebrated the 30^th anniversary of the dedication of their church on Sunday 25^th October.

Mass was celebrated by Archbishop George Stack and current parish priest Fr. Gareth Leyshon. The children’s choirs of St. Bernadette’s and St. Philip Evans primary schools sang at the Mass.

A collage banner was presented to the church which was made by the two primary schools depicting our “Parish Tree of Life” – the supporting structure being the Archbishop and Parish Priest, the leaves the parents and children of the parish, and the height of the tree, our connection between heaven and earth.

Monsignor John Maguire, who was the parish priest at the time of the Church’s dedication, also attended the service and gave an address in recognition of the celebration.

After Mass, celebrations continued in the church hall where both St. Bernadette’s and St. Philip Evans school choirs sang a number of songs, and members of the Deaf Association signed the song “One pair of hands”. Parishioners were asked to bring food for the buffet lunch which followed the entertainment.

Thanks go mainly to Elaine Payne who is the chair of the Parish Advisory Council who made this all possible.

Weekly Welsh Language Mass moves time and location

As of this week the 9:30am Sunday Mass in the Welsh Language at St. Philip Evans, Llanederyn changes time and location.  Fr. Gareth Leyshon will now be celebrating the Welsh Language Mass on Sundays at 4:00pm at Nazareth House in Cardiff.  The new location is more central to the city.

Our man in the Holy See… but with roots in Cardiff

The Holy Father meets Nigel Baker, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See. Nigel’s roots are in Cardiff!
Picture by permission of L’Osservatore Romano

By James Campbell

I met Nigel Baker, our Ambassador to the Holy See, when in Rome for the dual canonisation of Popes John-Paul II and John XXIII.

From the outside, observing our new Holy Father over his first year as Pope, it was obvious that he was going to do thing differently from Benedict XVI. Pope Francis made the world know that he had made mistakes in the past and had learned from them. Here was a Pope determined to take an active part in world affairs for the benefit of all peoples, not just Catholics.

That was confirmed by Nigel who revealed that his Embassy was a much busier place with Pope Francis’s vow to use “soft power” to influence world affairs, be they from fighting poverty to opposing the violence of nations.

“The Holy Father has moved on the issue of children suffering sexual abuse in the church and has taken the line of zero tolerance?” said the ambassador. “He has co-opted key experts, women and victims, such as Marie Collins, co-opted on to Pope Francis’ commission on setting sex abuse policy, one of eight people — half of them women — who will help craft the panel’s scope and advise the church on best practices to protect children.”

The ambassador also mentioned the reforms of the much-criticised Institute of Religious Works, the “Vatican Bank,” and noted the bringing in of the Australian Cardinal George Pell, appointed to a newly created Secretariat for the Economy in Rome and charged with cleaning up the Vatican’s finances.

“Interest is huge and heads of state want to come here in Rome to meet Pope Francis,” the ambassador added, summing up the new strength humility and humanity brought in by Pope Francis.” Anyone wishing to know about the new approach of Pope Francis should regularly tune in to Nigel Baker’s blog at http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/nigelbaker/

Although much of his career was in South America before being appointed HM Ambassador to the Holy See, Nigel’s roots were in Cardiff.

He told me: “My great grandmother was the first female publican holding a licence in Wales (we believe). She ran the Rhymney Arms Hotel in Cardiff following the death of her first husband in 1919 in the great influenza epidemic (he had been a music hall impresario and had moved with the family from London to Cardiff to run one of the city’s music halls / theatres).

“She then married a British Merchant Navy captain and left Cardiff for the Far East, mainly Shanghai. She did not return until after WWII, having spent much of the war in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp after the capture of Hong Kong.

“My grandmother Freda Harris (her daughter) and Great Uncle Noel Harris were both born in Wales. My grandmother subsequently moved to London where she met my grandfather and settled down.

“My great uncle joined the Welch Regiment as a boy when my great grandmother left for the Far East, and served with them from the 1920s onwards on the North West Frontier, Far East, and in the UK until after WWII, rising through the ranks to Warrant Officer . I still have Welsh cousins to this day living in Cardiff (children and grand children of Great Uncle Noel).”

Ambassador Baker also has another connection with Wales since he and his wife Sasha have a five-year-old son Benjamin who is crazy about rugby.

Hopefully, Benjamin and his parents might be invited to the Millennium Stadium for an international and, with these Welsh roots, they can only support Wales.

Ambassador Nigel Baker’s blog can be found at  http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/nigelbaker

First Ordination to Priesthood in 7 years takes place

On Wednesday 2nd July at 6:30pm, Archbishop George Stack held the first ordination to the priesthood of a member of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in front of a strong congregation at St David’s Cathedral.

Rev. Bernard Sixtus was ordained to the Diaconate back in January and has since been working as the Diocesan Director of Religious Education for Schools. This ordination also marks the first priesthood ordination within the diocese in 7 years.

Among those present at the ceremony were Msgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Ordinariate, Fr Bernard’s Family and representatives from the Church in Wales parish Fr Bernard last served.

We wish Fr Bernard well as he continues his work within the diocese and takes on a pastoral role serving the parish of Usk.

Ad Multos Annos!

Dutch choir sings Mass at Cardiff Cathedral

On Saturday 28th June the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul had a different tone. The usual congregation was joined by 150 members of Gemengd Koor’s-Hertogenbosh choir from the Netherlands.

The group were visiting the U.K. to commemorate Armed Forces Day and offered their services to the Dean of St David’s Cathedral. Canon Collins took the opportunity and invited the choir to sing at the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul.

The Gemengd Koor’s-Hertogenbosh group is made up of men and women aged between 60-80 years of age with connections to the armed forces.

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

Archbishop joined by new Catholics to celebrate the birthday of the Church

The Solemnity of Pentecost not only marks the end of the Easter season within the Church, but also recalls the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and the Christian Church came to birth.  At a special Mass held at St David’s Cathedral this afternoon, Archbishop George Stack was joined by those new Catholics who were baptised into the Church or received into Full Communion with the Catholic Church at Easter to mark the celebration of Pentecost.

The Mass was both an intimate and memorable event.  In his homily the Archbishop recalled the importance of memory and re-membering in our lives, and remarked that the journey they have made to the Catholic Church is unique and important.  In a way their experience of the Holy Spirit in their lives bringing them to the Church has brought them to a profound relationship with Christ and his Church that is gradually revealed to us ‘Cradle Catholics’.

Following the Mass the Archbishop presented the new Catholics with a copy of ‘YouCat’, a synopsis of the Catechism of the Catholic Church compiled during the pontificate of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and some prayer cards.  Refreshments were served at the Cornerstone.

Congratulations to all the new members of the diocesan and Catholic family.

Photo Gallery: Mass for New Catholic 2014

Cardinal’s Master of Ceremonies to host training day for MCs and Senior Servers

On Saturday 5th July, Mr Paul Moynihan, MC to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will be visiting the Diocese to hold a training day for MCs and Senior Servers of parishes throughout the Diocese.  The day will begin at 10:30am at St David’s Cathedral, Cardiff and will be split between the Cathedral and the Cornerstone.

Paul is a very experienced MC and server from Westminster Cathedral.  It promises to be a great day with talks and practical demonstrations.  For more information or to reserve a place please contact the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies, Fr Mark Rowles on  01443 473710 or email parishof_maryimmaculate@yahoo.co.uk

Ordination to the priesthood

Wednesday 2nd July will be an historic day in the life of the Diocese of Cardiff with the Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev. Bernard Sixtus. He will be ordained for the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, the first such ordination in the Diocese. Rev.  Sixtus currently works as the Diocesan Religious Education Inspector for schools and will also exercise ministry in the parish of St. David Lewis and St. Francis
Xavier, Usk.

The ordination will take place at St. David’s Cathedral, Cardiff, at 6.30pm in the presence of Mgr. Keith Newton and former members of the Anglican Communion who are now members of the Ordinariate. It  will be followed by a reception in The Cornerstone.

Bernard Sixtus, his wife and family will continue to live in Abergavenny.  There is an open invitation for members of the Diocesan family to chare in the joy of this ordination of a new priest.

Mass for New Catholics

 

Sunday 8th June is the Feast of Pentecost, when we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles following the Ascension
of Jesus into heaven. Pentecost is traditionally regarded as the Feast of the Birthday of the Church. 

On this day Archbishop George will preside over a a special Mass of Thanksgiving at St. David’s Cathedral for New Catholics and those received into Full Communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil throughout the Diocese. Family, friends and sponsors are also welcome to participate in this joyful occasion. The Mass will be at 3.00pm and will be followed by refreshments at The cornerstone opposite the Cathedral.

A good way to celebrate Pentecost!