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Archive 2006
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News from Aberystwyth The Parish of Aberystwyth had a busy period of activities at the end of 2006, with celebrations featuring very much in these. On Sunday, 26 November fifteen young people were confirmed by Bishop Mark at the Parish’s 11 a.m. Mass. This was a great occasion. The Church was packed, and many relatives and friends had travelled long distances to share the joyful celebration of Mass with the young people. Bishop Mark spoke movingly of his hopes for the young people and earnestly asked them, and us, to pray for the Holy Father as he embarked on his visit to Turkey. He urged us all to pray more and to meditate on scripture so as to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives. Reflecting on the scripture passages for the day, he reminded us all that the Way of the Christian was by no means an easy way of life. Afterward the Mass he had an opportunity, albeit too brief, to meet with Parishioners in the Parish Hall. He and Edward Cotter, one of the confirmati, ceremonially cut a beautiful cake that had been baked especially to celebrate the confirmations. Thanks were paid to the catechists who had prepared the young people for this special day. The Parish were delighted to have Bishop Mark visit them – Diolch yn fawr iawn, Eich Gras. On Monday, 4 December in Morlan, Aberystwyth, Parishioners and friends came together to enjoy a Musical Evening to support the Parish’s Welsh Youth to Lourdes (WYTL) Group. Talented young artists entertained the large gathering. The first half began with the Choir of St Padarn’s RCVA School, who delighted us all with a medley of Welsh and English songs and carols for Christmas. Two beautiful and enchanting songs of praise from Kerala, India were then sung in Malayam by Rosamma Rejimon. We then heard Rebecca O’Donnell, a Year 10 pupil at Penglais School, and whose family has moved to Ceredigion from Australia, sing ‘I still call Australia home’ – which goes to show that it’s not just the Welsh who suffer hiraeth! Clapping hands is a key part of praising God in the Nigerian tradition, so we were encouraged by Louis Okoro to clap our hands to the rhythms of praise songs that he sang in Ibu, one of Nigeria’s main languages. A time of quiet followed which helped us attune to the poetry of Cyprian Kamil Norwid, read in Polish by Beata Szczepanowska. Eoin Mahon, a talented young musician, then closed the first half by playing a polka and an Irish reel on the fiddle, accompanied on the flute by his father, Will. After light refreshments and a chance to socialise, the second half began with a piano duet by Gwenllian Daniel and Catrin Woodruff, both pupils of Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, who represented Ceredigion in the Urdd National Eisteddfod in 2006 and won the first prize in the piano duet competition for secondary school competitors in Year 13 and under. “Ag Críost an síol” was read in Welsh by Anne Uruska. It had been translated from the Irish by Fr John FitzGerald O’Carm who had been a priest in Aberystwyth for many, many years before moving to Llanelli in 2004. The poem was read from Fr. John’s recently-published volume of poetry “Grawn Gwirionedd”. Gwenllian Daniel then accompanied Daniel Sweeney, a talented singer and an active member of CathSoc in Aberystwyth, as he sang two songs in English: ‘Anthem’ and ‘On the willows’. The evening closed with a short programme of lively and varied contemporary pieces played by Freefall, a group of very talented musicians from Ysgol Gyfun Penglais. The group played some well-known pieces and also performed their own compositions, which draw on a number of genres. They play percussion, brass and strings with confidence, humour and panache and their performance was a fitting finale. It was a great evening, eloquently and masterfully presented by Heddwen Daniel, Aoife Mahon and James Quan Thomas. Many thanks are owed to Anne Uruska and her team of helpers for organising such a wonderful event in aid of WYTL. To all the artists who gave of their time and talents, we say a hearty “Diolch yn fawr iawn” - in many languages! A service of Carols by Candlelight was held on Wednesday, 6 December at 7.30 pm. The service, which included readings and solo musical and singing performances, had been organised by CathSoc who were supported by many fellow students. Mulled wine and mince pies were then served in the hall; we were all particularly pleased to see so many young people attend this event. On Friday, 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Parish gathered for evening mass to celebrate the Tercentenary of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. The order was founded in Brittany on 8 December 1706 and a house was established in Aberystwyth in 2003. By now, the Sisters are established in 13 countries, working quietly to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The Parish Priest, Fr. Paul Watson, concelebrated mass with Fr Harding Rees, Fr Piet Wijngaard O’Carm (who had travelled from Aylesford, Kent to be with us) and Fr John FitzGerald O’Carm. There are three Sisters resident in Aberystwyth (Sr. Ann Ryan DHS, Sr. Maura Moore DHS and Sr. Margaret O’Connor DHS) and they renewed their vows, as they always do on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (and on the Feast of Pentecost). During Mass, the Associates of the order in the Parish renewed their Commitment. After Mass, the Sisters enjoyed a celebration buffet in St Padarn’s School Hall with all their guests.
This was a very enjoyable occasion at which parishioners were able to
see, on video, the great celebrations which took place in St Brieuc
during the summer, when Sisters from all over the world convened for
many days of celebrations and where they shared with each other their
experiences of working in many different cultures and situations. The
Parish of Aberystwyth holds the Sisters in great love and esteem and is
deeply grateful to them for their spiritual work and faithful witness in
the Parish. ST DAVID'S LLANDEILO was honoured on the recent Feast of the Epiphany in having an icon of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. This was a very special gift to the parish from our new parishioners from Poland. They arrived in the parish in this last year and have increased our numbers by 10%. They are now a very integrated and loved part of our community. The icon was formally received and blessed by our Parish Priest, Fr Jack Padua who was assisted by Fr Carlito Reyes. Fr Carlito is also from Manila, Philippines, and will be looking after the Parish while Fr Jack returns to his homeland for a month. Fr Jack is going, with some trepidation, to see the damage caused by Typhoon Durian last December. We pray that Our Lady, the Black Madonna, protects him and his people.
The Stella Mans Icon comes to Menevia
Dr Rene is the only exponent of this sacred artistic tradition in the West. The Coptic icon is the direct heir to the spirituality of the Desert Fathers who were the first Christian Monks (Coptic period 2nd to 7th centuries) and lived in the deserts of the Middle East. They led a prayerful and reflective way of life and developed a spirituality which shaped many monastic rules such as that of St Benedict. St Jerome was a Desert Father and he identified in his writings that Mary, the Mother of God, was the ‘Star of the Sea’. ‘The Star of the Sea’ is the most ancient of titles for Our Lady. It is premised that in the time of Our Lord the equivalent phrase of Our Lady in the Aramaic language of that day meant pilot, leader or guide - someone who could navigate through the sea or the desert by the stars and lead people to safety. The stars were and are used as a guide to safety and to new life. The sea covers all the earth and symbolises all the people of the earth. Our Lady was therefore identified from the very earliest days of the Church as the guiding light to her son, Our Lord, for all the people of the earth. Cardinal Hamao whose Pontifical Council co-ordinates the Apostleship of the Sea at an international level, described the new icon as “beautiful” in his homily and continued: “AoS members are often identified with the ‘Stella Mans’ and there is good reason for this. All those who know a little about the history of navigation know how important the star is for the navigator. The star is the beacon that gives the right direction and allows the ship to continue on its route and reach port safely; and also in our lives Mary is the star that guides us, protects us and intervenes in our favour”. The purpose of the icon tour is to raise awareness of the work of the AoS and to give thanks to those who have supported us. The tour will highlight the needs of seafarers. Literature accompanying the tour will explain about the conditions they face and will encourage parishes to be part of the AoS programme. Over the past year support for the AoS has grown significantly. We are hoping to build on this by raising greater awareness of our work and therefore increase our number of supporters at parish level. In addition to this we hope that we will be able to recruit new volunteers for port based work and parish contacts. We look forward to seeing you. Our Lady Star of the Sea, pray for us. Farewell to the In 1950, seven Sisters, Mother Antony, Mother Colette, Sister
Raphael, Sister Patick, Sister Mary, Sister Francis and Sister Gabriel,
came from the Poor Clare Monastery in Dublin to make a foundation in
Neath. The previous year, Archbishop McGrath, while visiting the Dublin
Monastery, had learned that the Community wished to make a new
Foundation and as he wished to have a contemplative community in the
Swansea On May 13th, Holy Mass was offered for the first time in the Choir of the new Monastery, which was to be dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. A few days later on the Solemnity of the Ascension, the Sisters rose for the Night Office and after another few days daily Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was commenced.
The Poor Clare life of praise, thanksgiving, expiation and intercession was now being lived in South Wales. Sister Joseph entered in 1951 and Sister Carmel in 1953. They were both from Dublin. In 1955. Sister Clare, a Neath girl, entered. Over the years there were others who came and left and then, in 1979, Sister Anthony from Cardiff, entered. Sister Francis suffered a brain haemorrhage and died in 1953. Sister Patrick died in 1965, Mother Antony in1974, Sister Mary in 1987, Mother Colette in 1994, and Mother Raphael in1995. Sister Gabriel is the only survivor of the original seven. Oakleigh, a large dwelling house with grounds that adjoined the grounds of the Parish Church, had been adapted to serve as a Monastery. In 1955, the building of the Extern Chapel, parlours and a flat for the extern portress commenced, but was only completed in time for the Chapel to be opened on 8th December 1956. Now it was possible for the people of the Parish to attend Mass in our Chapel on weekdays. It was not until some years later, when Evening Mass was introduced in the Parish Church that the people were allowed to come to Mass in our Chapel on Sundays. Since that time, we have had our regular Sunday congregation which made us feel very much a part of the Parish. Miss Aileen O'Reilly was our first extern portress. When she fell ill in 1959, Miss Mae O'Sullivan took her place. We are very much indebted to both of them for their years of faithful service. It proved difficult to replace them and eventually when new rules of enclosure allowed us to take care of the extern part of the monastery, we dispensed with an extern portress until in 1999, Brigid Mahony offered her service. Her death in 2004 was a great blow to us as by now we were finding it difficult to cope with the extra work involved in looking after the extern part of the Monastery. Further additions were made to the Monastery over the years. In 1963, a new refectory and a laundry were built on and in 1984 a second storey was built over the refectory and laundry providing us with four more cells. Over the 56 years there have been many celebrations of one kind or another. One of the most memorable was the Golden Jubilee of the Monastery when we had an open air Mass in the garden with Bishop Mullins and 19 priests concelebrating. As we look back over 56 years, we realise how greatly blessed we have been in so many ways. We have always had bishops and priests who were very appreciative of our contemplative life and were very supportive. We are greatly indebted too, to the many wonderful people in the Parish and further afield, who have helped us in so many ways. With great sadness, we are leaving our home in Neath, but we bring many happy memories with us, and even though distance separates us, love unites us in the Heart of Christ. The people of Wales will always have special place in our hearts and prayers. Our most sincere thanks, Sisters, for your ministry among us. Life in Neath will not be the same without you. Your prayer witness extends even beyond the boundaries of the Diocese. St. Mary’s, Pembroke Dock Saturday, 8th September there was a special celebration in the parish
of St. Mary’s, Pembroke Dock - it was the Golden Jubilee of Sr. Marion
Hogan. There was a special concelebrated Mass at 7.00 pm, attended by Srs.Genevieve, Rosemary and Joan, her own sister from California. The church was full, thus showing the very high regard the parishioners have for Sr. Marion. The Sisters did the First Reading and the Bidding Prayers. Then Fr. Dermody gave a brief, but highly humorous account of her life; her excursions to foreign lands, Colwyn Bay and California, but she was unhappy and wanted to be back at the place she loved, with the people she loved. At the end of Mass, before the final blessing, the Bishop presented Sr. Marion with a Papal Blessing, beautifully framed. His Holiness asked that he be remembered in her prayers. The Mass ended with the last of the appropriate hymns for Our Lady’s Birthday and Sr. Marion’s special day. The organist was our own Tom Rawlins. But that was not the end.
From the Church, it was a short walk to the Pater Hall. This well-known establishment has seen many great assemblies during its long history. The young, and a little bit older, ladies of the parish attacked the Hall with great gusto and made it a place of warmth and welcome, with many tables and golden balloons. There was a gargantuan feast prepared for the well-wishers of Sr. Marion. The tables groaned with the weight of the savoury delicacies prepared, so much so that the cakes and biscuits had to be put on the stage. Then there was a special golden cake. When everyone was seated, ‘Tumbles’ Pearce regaled us with some stories about Sr. Marion. One in particular caught everyone’s interest about being in the organ loft, with music, of course. When Sister attends the meetings of the Mothers Union there is much merriment and laughter. She is always generous with her time, visiting those who are ill, either at home or in hospital. She never says “No”. A gracious lady. Then it was time for the eats. Everyone had plenty. The hall was filled with the sounds of people enjoying themselves. While all this was going on, our well-known photographer, Mr. Francis Wall, was busy snapping all the activities and personages. He had a good rival, Sr. Catherine, who was also very busy with her Box-Brownie. Then it was time to cut the cake. This involved four of the Mothers, two to cut the cake and two to give out the pieces to everyone in the Hall. There was a little piece left for Sr. Marion to take back to the Convent. The final item of the evening was a display of Irish dancing, by two
members of the Haynes School of Dancing, Siobhan O’Sullivan and Sam
Davies. It was excellent and they were given rapturous applause Our Journey towards the Permanent Diaconate Sometime towards the middle of next year, Menevia Diocese will be celebrating the ordination of the first two men who answered the call to allow themselves to be considered for training for the permanent deaconate. There followed four years of preparation, selection and intensive study. Tony and Peter describe below their experiences in the hope that many more men will consider a call to a vocation as permanent deacons.
(1) by Tony Lawrence About eight or nine years ago, I had reason to contact a young priest of this diocese concerning a particular matter: the upshot of our meeting was a suggestion from him that I might like to consider putting my name forward as a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate. I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. It was not until about four years later, when a pastoral letter from the Bishop about the Permanent Diaconate was read out at Mass in Haverfordwest, that the idea was re-focused for me. Consequently, having discussed this with my parish priest, my name was forwarded to the Diaconal Vocations Director Canon Michael Lewis. A short time afterwards, I travelled to Brecon where Canon was then the parish priest, to be interviewed by him. With a little trepidation, I knocked on the door of the presbytery and was warmly greeted and soon put at ease. I went before the selection panel and subsequently went to Stanbrook Abbey near Worcester for a psychological assessment. It was at Stanbrook that I met my counterpart from Swansea, Peter Hounslow, and we are now good friends. Before the three year academic course began, the two of us went to Belmont Abbey, for a weekend each month for twelve months, for what the Church calls a ‘propadeutic year’ - basically a spirituality year, something like a retreat but over a longer period. It turned into something I shall always remember: the gentle and wonderful Benedictine monks who celebrate Mass and the Divine Office so beautifully. From the time the monks entered the abbey for Office, one felt a sense of timelessness - one could, apart from the language, be in an abbey five hundred years ago. The whole ambience of Belmont, with the ritual and beauty of the monastic liturgy, led one to contemplate higher things. I was quite sorry when the year ended, but was looking forward to the beginning of the three-year formation course at St John's Seminary, Wonersh, near Guildford. As Peter and myself now begin our last nine months or so, I wonder whether I would have proceeded with my application if I had known the effort required. But I am so very glad that I did. If it be God’s will and, with his help, some time next year Peter and I hope to be ordained permanent deacons. Bishop Michael Evans of East Anglia said this: "In my view, the enduring value of the diaconate will only be truly recognised if we highlight the ministry of ‘charity’, the ministry of humble servant love, amidst the deacon’s threefold ministry of word, liturgy and charity." The deacon's distinctive ministry is firmly rooted in being a sacramental sign of Christ the Servant and of Christ's Church as the communal servant of the world. I look forward to working and serving the people of the Diocese in which I live. Tony Lawrence (2) by Peter Hounslow In February 2002, I was accepted by Bishop Mark for formation as a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate, along with another member of the Diocese, Tony Lawrence, who is from the parish of St. David and St. Patrick, Haverfordwest. So began a journey that, God willing, will eventually lead to ordained ministry. Following a number of interviews and psychological assessments, Tony and I began our formation programme with the preliminary or propadeutic period, a period not primarily of study but of a prayerful reflection on the call of God, of personal discernment, and of assessment of our suitability as aspirants for diaconal formation. During this propadeutic period, we spent one weekend each month for a year at Belmont Abbey, where we received talks on spiritual development and had quiet time for personal discernment. During these weekends, we lived in the monastic enclosure, which meant that with talks and discussion under the guidance of Dom Blane Maxwell, the company of the Monks and of the whole spiritual atmosphere of Belmont, we could not have had a better introduction to our diaconal formation. I know that Tony and I have both come to regard Belmont with a great affection as our spiritual home. In September 2004, we began the first year of our three-year study course at Saint John's Seminary at Wonersh in Surrey. At first the four hour journey each way and the intense lectures seemed quite daunting, but we soon settled into the monthly routine and, besides gaining a lot of satisfaction from the study, we also made many new friends, all of whom were in formation for the Permanent Diaconate. Among the subjects which we are studying, are Scripture, Moral Theology, Catholic Social teaching, Canon Law, Church History and Liturgy. In June 2004, we were incardinated into the ministry of Lector, which is the first of three important milestones on our journey to ordination. This brought the second of our four-year formation to a close. September 2005 saw the start of our second year at Saint John's Seminary; this time however we knew what was expected of us. As I have said previously, we had made many friends, especially with the fourteen students from the Archdiocese of Cardiff. During this year, we had much more involvement in doing things such as leading Morning Prayer, reading and serving at Mass, writing and delivering our first homilies which were then laid open to constructive criticism from the other students. For this exercise, we were usually split into groups of twenty, albeit that this did not make the task any less frightening although I am glad to say that the criticism was very kind. On several Sundays during the year, Mass was presided over by visiting Bishops and, on two occasions, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor presided at Mass. Two of the highlights of the study year were the retreat weekend, which was held at Aylesford Priory, a Carmelite Priory in Kent, and the study weekend held at the Ramada Jarvis hotel in Farnham. At both these weekends, we were visited by various speakers. Although the study weekend may sound like fun time, we still maintained our work schedule. In June 2005, we were incardinated into the ministry of Acolyte the second of the ministries we received on our vocational path. This brought to a close the third year of our Diaconal Formation. During these three years, we have received a great deal of help and advice from the clergy of the Menevia Diocese who were appointed to be our personal tutors and our spiritual directors, and also from the Director of the Diaconate for the Diocese. I know I can speak for Tony Lawrence and myself in thanking all of them, and all the people of the Diocese who have remembered us in their prayers. This September saw the start of our final year of study. We ask for your continued prayers for our vocations and for vocations in general. Peter Hounslow Our Malta Experience Seven Ursulines of Jesus (each of whom celebrated their Golden Jubilees last year), with eight lay friends, set off on 26th September on a nine day pilgrimage to Malta and ready for the surprises and risks as they followed in the footsteps of St. Paul. Like most journeys, pilgrimages are meant to enrich our lives as we move out of the known to the unknown meeting different people, sharing their faith, culture and life experiences, returning enriched and full of new and beautiful memories. This was certainly true of our ‘Malta Experience’. The Island of Malta provided us with beautiful scenic views, architecture, art and of course brilliant sunshine even at the end of September. From the first morning of discovering the local scene around St. Paul’s Bay, and the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean, to the rugged and rocky, dry terrain, we were already enchanted by our surroundings.
With 365 churches on the island, we sensed the pride of the people in their faith and spirituality, which they attribute to St. Paul, who was shipwrecked on the island in A.D 60. The churches themselves are monuments to the great faith and dedication of the people. It was inspiring to join them at weekday Masses and sense their great commitment; (99% of the people are Catholics)
Travelling around the island, from the Miracle Church of Mosta to the
Cathedral of St. John in Valetta - which is full of Art treasures most
notable being Caravaggio’s ‘Beheading of St. John the Baptist’ and so
many other great works - we were soon to imbibe the atmosphere and
history of Malta. We thank God for the opportunity of the pilgrimage and for our companions on the journey. Pererindod y Cylch Catholig i Aberteifi “O Fam fendigaid, Fair y Tapyr…” yw geiriau agoriadol emyn Mair y Tapyr. Canwyd nhw yn Gymraeg am y tro cyntaf ar Ddydd Gŵyl Fair y Llaswyr pan ddaeth pererinion ynghyd yn Aberteifi i ddathlu’r Ŵyl yn ein cysegrfan genedlaethol. Arweiniwyd y Bererindod gan Esgob Daniel Mullins. Argraffwyd llyfryn newydd ar gyfer yr Ŵyl – gwaith Rhidian Jones o Aberaeron mewn cydweithrediad ag Offeiriad Plwyf Aberteifi, Tad Jason Jones, a gynlluniodd y clawr ac a wnaeth yr holl drefniadau i’w argraffu. Mae’r llyfryn yn cynnwys 20 dirgeledd y Llaswyr, Litani Loreto, a Gwasanaeth Bendith y Sagrafen Fendigaid. Ar ôl cael croeso a ’phaned yn Neuadd yr Eglwys, dechreuodd y bererindod yn yr Eglwys. Cyflwynwyd dirgeleddau’r Goleuni gan Tad Jason Jones, ac arweiniwyd ni mewn gweddi gan 5 o bererinion oedd yn cynrychioli’r tair esgobaeth. Dilynwyd hyn gyda Litani Loreto, ac yna cyfnod o weddi bersonol a chyfle i fynd i’r Gyffes. Uchafbwynt y dydd oedd yr Offeren. Canwyd Offeren Fair y Tapyr o’r llyfr emynau newydd “Emynau Catholig”. Gwaith y diweddar Alan Rees, O.S.B.,(cyn-Abad Abaty Belmont) yw’r gosodiad offeren hwn. Yn ei bregeth, rhoddodd Esgob Mullins amlinelliad o darddiad yr Ŵyl, oedd yn dechrau gyda buddugoliaeth wyrthiol Lepant. Pwysleisiodd y ffordd y mae Mair bob amser yn ein harwain at ei Mab, a hynny ym mhob oes. Profiad newydd i rai pererinion oedd y cyfle i ddathlu Gwasanaeth Bendith oedd yn ddiweddglo hyfryd i’r diwrnod. Hoffai’r Cylch Catholig roi diolch i Esgob Daniel Mullins am arwain y bererindod, i David Leggett am ei waith campus fel organydd yng ngwasanaethau’r bererindod, i Jane Leggett am ei chyfarwyddid cerddorol dros gyfnod wythnosau’r paratoi, i Tad Jason Jones ac i blwyfolion Aberteifi am eu croeso cynnes i’r pererinion i gyd, ac i bawb a roddodd o’u hamser i ddod i ddathlu’r diwrnod arbennig hwn, yn “bererinion gwir ein gwlad”. Yn sgîl y bererindod eleni, gobeithio ei sefydlu yn ddigwyddiad blynyddol.
Anne C. Uruska Cylch Catholig Pilgrimage to Cardigan ‘O Fam fendigaid, Fair y Tapyr...’ are the opening words to the hymn of Our Lady of the Taper. The hymn was sung in Welsh for the first time on the ‘Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary’ when pilgrims gathered in Cardigan, led by Bishop Daniel Mullins, to celebrate the Feast at our national shrine. A new booklet had been printed in preparation for the pilgrimage. It was the work of Rhidian Jones, a parishioner at Aberaeron, in co-operation with Fr. Jason Jones, Parish Priest of Cardigan, who designed the cover and made all the arrangements for printing it. The booklet contains the 20 mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the Litany of Loreto, and the Service of Benediction. Pilgrims were first welcomed in the Hall, then the pilgrimage started inside the Church. The Mysteries of Light were introduced by Fr. Jason Jones, and the congregation was led in prayer by 5 pilgrims who were representative of the three dioceses. This was followed by the Litany of Loreto, and then a period of personal prayer during which pilgrims were able to avail themselves of the Sacrament of Confession. The highlight of the day was Holy Mass. The Mass of Mair y Tapyr was sung from the new Welsh-language Catholic hymn-book “Emynau Catholig” by an enthusiastic congregation. The Mass setting had been composed by the late Alan Rees, O.S.B., former Abbot of Belmont. In his homily, Bishop Mullins outlined the origins of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which grew from the miraculous victory at Lepant. He reminded pilgrims of how Our Lady always leads us to her Son and how this has relevance and importance in every age. For some pilgrims Benediction was a new experience – it was a fitting conclusion to a very special day. Y Cylch Catholig would like express thanks to Bishop Daniel Mullins for leading the pilgrimage. Anne C. Uruska Our Lady of Lourdes, Townhill Last Advent we welcomed Fr. Richard Haggen C.Ss.R who took us through a 2-day period of prayerful reflection. It was something of an opportunity for him to come and see us at Townhill and collaborate with us on devising our mission week this coming November. A good parish mission if it’s to be effective has to build on the good work that is already being done. Its true purpose is to enable a clarification or discernment of the will of our Heavenly Father in and through the life-needs not only of the worshipping community of faith but arguably more importantly the needs of the wider community. A community of faith can and should never become self-serving. A healthy faith community needs to have a faithful apprehension and comprehension of the needs that present themselves on our doorsteps (and also over our doorsteps). Moreover in becoming aware of those needs we also have the duty to sow the seed of the Good News which can address those needs and ultimately satiate them. The sowing of the Good News seed though can, and often does, take many different forms. One classical and well-appreciated categorisation of such forms is known as the ‘Corporal Works of Mercy.’ (And in case we don’t know who our neighbour is the Lord gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan as a useful reminder.) A community that does not have the needs of the poor at heart is no community of Christ. (In case we don’t know who are the poor it is safe to say that anyone who does not know Jesus as the Christ is truly poor.) An effective parish mission therefore is a vital instrument in asking the Holy Spirit not to re-invigorate the ongoing work but to renew the whole faith community’s apprehension and comprehension of the needs of the wider community and encourage it to respond generously and selflessly with its newfound Spirit-strewn gifts accordingly. In preparation for our Mission week we have been busily at prayer and at work. To aid our development we invited the Legion of Mary to undertake a ‘Peregrinatio Pro Christo’ in our Parish during Holy Week. The team, which flew in from Ireland, numbered 8 and in just one week visited 2,493 homes and made contact with 1,133 people. In the final report they left us with many follow up calls to make and encouraged us to make further in-roads in house to house visitations. In order for this work not to stagnate, a parish visitation group was established and this works in concert with the Missionaries of Charity, St. Vincent de Paul, our Eucharistic Ministers and our Bereavement Group who regularly visit the sick, housebound and bereaved. This September, as we resume our adult formation course, 13 new people have come forward, either to reconnect with the practise of the Faith or enquiring about the Faith. At Pentecost Fr. Richard Haggen and another Redemptorist, Fr. Michael
McGreevy C.Ss.R, spent time with us in celebrating the birthday of the
Church. Fr. Richard’s preaching was very inspiring and uplifting. Fr.
Michael’s gentle and appreciative presence brought forth the fruit of
acceptance and understanding. During this stay both met and planned in
outline the mission week celebrations and activities. Needless to say the work continues but curiously enough the load doesn’t seem to becoming heavier. Indeed our hearts are becoming more joyous because in all of this we see the Lord at work and His hand at play. It certainly echoes the sentiment of the psalm, "those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap." With only two weeks to go to our Mission
Week we can already appreciate the many blessings that the Lord has
given us. Fr. Richard will be visiting St. Joseph’s schools and holding a public liturgical celebration for families there. He will also be visiting Bishop Vaughan pupils. Both he and Fr. Michael will also be visiting the sick throughout the week. We therefore warmly invite you to join us at Our Lady of Lourdes for our Parish Mission Week this November 11-19th, With every blessing 40th Anniversary Celebrations at Dunvant, Swansea September 15th 2006 was a special day of celebration for Fr Kelly and his parishioners at St Joachim and St Anne’s parish as it marked the fortieth anniversary of the parish. The Church had been lovingly and beautifully prepared for the special occasion. At a special commemorative mass, Fr Peter Kelly, who has been parish priest throughout the 40 years, was joined by former parishioner Dom Cenydd Marrison OSB, monk of Belmont Abbey, and by the retired Fr Dan Williams, for many years parish priest of the neighbouring St Benedict’s Church. Welcoming the congregation, Fr Kelly recalled that in September 1966, due to delays, the first mass could not be held in the main body of the church, so was said in a side room. As this was not large enough for all who came, some stood outside in the garden and heard Mass through the open windows. Father spoke too of the makeshift altar, which comprised a plank put across two plinths. He pointed to many church furnishings which had been generously given to the parish over the years, including the solid oak altar with its commemorative plaque, given originally to St Illtyd's Church by the parents of Dom Basil Gwydir who went down on the ‘Rohilla’ during World War One with those he was trying to save. Among a full congregation was Mr Robinson, the architect of the church and others who had been at the very first Mass. Some still live in the parish, but a number came back from away. A special Book of Remembrance had been compiled listing all those whose requiem masses had been held in the church over the forty years. In his homily Fr Cenydd thanked Fr Kelly for being such a wonderful role model and expressed his gratitude to the parishioners whose prayers and example had done so much to foster and support his vocation to the religious life. At the end of Mass, Father Kelly blessed and distributed small wooden crosses to all. Made from the olive trees that grow around Bethlehem, they are sold to support the Christians of Palestine. Following the Mass the celebrations continued at Sketty Hall with a buffet and with a great exchange of happy memories. It was a fitting end to what had been a very special and joyous occasion, but there was more thanksgiving to come.
On Sunday evening the parishioners were joined by members of other Christian congregations in the area for a final 40th anniversary celebration. In another packed church, the fervent hymn singing was a clear illustration of the love, respect and true spirit of fellowship that has grown up over the years between the churches and chapels of the area. On behalf of the members of St Hillary’s Church in Wales, Killay, the Rev T Williams, better known as Fr Tim, presented the parish with a fine crucifix and he delighted Dunvant parishioners by paying special tribute to Fr Kelly himself. In welcoming the guests, Fr Kelly had been at pains to point out that it was a celebration of the 40 years of the parish and not of his own 40 years there, but Fr Tim said it is not possible to separate the two since ‘Fr Kelly is the parish.’ How heartily all the members of St Joachim and St Anne’s endorse those words of tribute to their very special parish priest of forty years. EISTEDDFOD ABERTAWE A'R CYLCH 2006 Am wythnos gron ym mis Awst eleni daeth Felindre yn ganolbwynt i ddiwylliant Cymru. Ynghanol y canu a'r gerddoriaeth, y dawnsio a'r farddoniaeth, roedd yr Eglwys Gatholig yn brysur yn cwrdd â Chymru a'r byd yn stondin Cytûn ar faes yr Eisteddfod. Rhoddir cyfle ar stondin Cytûn i'r enwadau Cristnogol gydweithio â'n gilydd, ac i gymryd ein tro i fod yn gyfrifol am yr Addoliad Boreuol ac am ddarparu pice ar y maen a gweini te a choffi. Ein tro ni, y Catholigion, oedd hi ar y Dydd Mawrth. Tad Harding Rees arweiniodd yr addoliad, ac fe draddododd anerchiad ystyrlon iawn. Daeth nifer o bobl o wahanol blwyfi ynghyd i weini, gan sicrhau bod yr ymwelwyr i gyd yn cael diodydd a phice yn ôl y galw. Ar ganol y stondin trwy gydol yr wythnos, roedd croes bren hardd o waith Wilhelm Storch o blwyf Pontyberem. Roedd arddangosfa am y llyfr emynau Catholig newydd "Emynau Catholig" i'w gweld yn y stondin - a braf oedd gweld nifer o Gatholigion yn ymweld â'r stondin tra yn yr Eisteddfod. Uchafbwynt yr Ŵyl i nifer o Gatholigion Cymraeg oedd Offeren yr Eisteddfod a gynhaliwyd ar y Nos Iau yn Eglwys y Galon Sanctaidd, Treforys. Cyd-ddathlwyd yr Offeren gan Esgob Daniel Mullins ac offeiriaid o Esgobaeth Mynyw ac Archesgobaeth Caerdydd, a thraddodwyd pregeth ysbrydol ac addysgol gan Esgob Mullins. Ychwanegwyd at yr addoliad gyda'r gerddoriaeth (a werthfawrogwyd yn fawr). Mae'r diolch yn ddyledus i organyddes y plwyf - ac i David Leggett (Pennaeth Adran Gerddoriaeth Ysgol Esgob Vaughan) a baratôdd y gerddoriaeth ac a gyfrannodd yn helaeth yn ystod yr Offeren. Bu merched y plwyf yn brysur iawn yn paratoi gwledd o fwyd i bawb. Mwynhawyd hyn a'r cyfle i gymdeithasu ar ôl yr Offeren. Ar ran y Cylch Catholig, hoffwn ddiolch i Tad Michael Burke, i'w ysgrifenyddes, Claire, ac i bawb o blwyf y Galon Sanctaidd am eu croeso twymgalon a'u cydweithrediad parod. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i Saundra Storch, Pontyberem, am gydlynu'r holl waith ynghlwm â'r Eisteddfod ar ran yr Eglwys Gatholig; i'w gŵr hi, Wili, am y groes; i Tad Paul Watson, Offeiriad Plwyf Aberystwyth, am argraffu'r llyfrynnau Offeren; i Esgob Daniel Mullins, Tad John FitzGerald, a Joe Brown am eu gwaith ffyddlon yn yr Eisteddfod eto eleni; i bob un o'n hoffeiriaid a ddaeth gan ychwanegu at ddeimensiwn ysbrydol yr Eisteddfod; ac i bawb o'r gwirfoddolwyr a fu wrthi'n gweithio yn ddyfal - yn enwedig ar y Dydd Mawrth. Cynhelir yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol nesaf yn Awst 2007 yn Esgobaeth Wrecsam. Anne C.
Uruska SWANSEA AND DISTRICT EISTEDDFOD 2006 For a whole week this year, Felindre became the focal point of Welsh culture. In the midst of the singing and music, of the dancing and poetry, the Catholic Church was busy meeting Wales and the world at the Cytûn stand on the Eisteddfod field. The Christian denominations are given the opportunity to work together on the Cytûn stand, each of us taking our turn to be responsible for the Morning Worship and for providing welshcakes and serving tea and coffee. It was our turn as Catholics on the Tuesday. Fr. Harding Rees led the worship and addressed those gathered with both sensitivity and substance. People from a number of different parishes came together to serve and to ensure that visitors were supplied with drinks and welshcakes as required. In the centre of the stand throughout the week was a fine wooden cross made by Wilhelm Storch, a parishioner from Pontyberem. There was also an exhibition in the stall about the new Welsh-language Catholic hymnbook "Emynau Catholig" - and it was good to see a number of Catholics visiting the stand whilst at the Eisteddfod. The highlight of the week for a number of Welsh-speaking Catholics was the Eisteddfod Mass celebrated at the Sacred Heart Church in Morriston. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Daniel Mullins and a number of priests from the Diocese of Menevia and the Archdiocese of Cardiff, and the homily given by Bishop Mullins was both spiritual and educational. The music (which was very much appreciated) enhanced the worship at the Mass. Thanks are due to the parish organist - and to David Leggett (Head of the Music Department at Bishop Vaughan School) who prepared the music and contributed greatly throughout the Mass. The ladies of the parish had worked hard to produce a veritable feast which was enjoyed by everyone in a friendly, social gathering after Mass. |
SWANSEA
AND DISTRICT EISTEDDFOD 2006 On behalf of Y Cylch Catholig, I would like to thank Fr. Michael Burke, his secretary, Claire, and all at the Sacred Heart parish for their warm welcome and ready co-operation. I would also like to express thanks to Saundra Storch, Pontyberem, who co-ordinated all the various aspects of work for the Eisteddfod on behalf of the Catholic Church; to her husband, Wilhelm, for the cross; to Fr. Paul Watson, Parish Priest of Aberystwyth, for printing the Mass booklets; to Bishop Daniel Mullins, Fr. John FitzGerald, and Joe Brown for their faithful contribution once again at the Eisteddfod; to all of the priests who came and added to the spiritual dimension of the Eisteddfod; and to all of the volunteers for their hard work - particularly on the Tuesday. The next National Eisteddfod will be held in August 2007 in the Wrexham Diocese. Anne C.
Uruska Handing on the Faith Some thirty-five people from across the Diocese gathered in the Resources Centre on Thursday 14th September, for a day led by David Wells, the Co-ordinator of Adult Education in the Diocese of Plymouth. David is well known as a speaker at conferences, both at national and international levels, and the day was much appreciated by everyone present. David, who has three children of his own, told us that being a parent was the biggest challenge in our lives. (He described his own priorities, in that order, as family, food and football). The first part of the morning session was taken up by challenging us to put into words our chief concerns; how did we respond to "can what matters to you actually matter to someone else?" Many of the group concentrated their replies on ‘how’; how do we reach the younger generation, how do we help parents, how do we avoid being obstacles to others. Some very perceptive comments were made by various people, including the remark that we need to feel very deeply about faith ourselves, if we are going to hand it on; how can I make the faith really matter to me, so that I want to share it with others? One young mother said "I can only do my best; I can teach them how to love". The morning had begun with a meditation on the parable of the Sower, led by Sr. Eugenie Murnion cp, and David referred to this at several points during the day. The Sower went on sowing, no matter where the seed fell, because he loved all the land; David emphasized the importance of loving over and over again. To be a sower requires trust; we must have the enthusiasm, the energy, to go on sowing. We must also have a sense of humour, as well as a level of conviction; our faith needs to be more human and less official. In Hebrew, the opposite of ‘faith’ is ‘worry’; remember how often Jesus asks His followers ‘why are you so afraid?’ God loves our children even more than we do, and He does not want us to worry. David referred several times to the teaching of the Penny Catechism, to a time when we learned set answers by heart; we need rules when we are young, but there comes a time when we need to grow out of rules; when we are older, love replaces the law. We cannot teach fourteen-year-olds as we teach those who are sixty; there is a different perspective, a different view of the journey, and our viewpoint is not always that of a child. We don’t always know best; the Holy Spirit may well be at work in our children despite us; we should not assume we have more faith than they have. As well as the assurances of Jesus, we should remember the words of Julian of Norwich; "all shall be well". Love, again, is the answer, and that is what we have to communicate. David quoted the words of St. Paul in I Corinthians 13; without love, what we speak is a clashing cymbal or a booming gong - and it is meaningless. As children, we learned set answers to the questions; now we must accept the possibility of different answers to the questions. The Church suffered from years of religious fundamentalism, of believing that we were not supposed to ask questions. Now, we know that we must search for the truth. This search needs time - people need time to talk, the elderly and the young together. And we must recognise the importance of the emotional aspect of faith; Jesus must stop being a concept, and become a relationship. Handing on the faith requires our own personal experience of God, and the recognition of that experience in others. In the afternoon, David began with a recap of the morning session. He went on in various ways to help us as a group to think out our concerns, and to put them into words. Among the points he made were - - we cannot teach children the value of what we give them; only life can do that - the Holy Spirit has been present in our children all of their lives; and while we can teach them all we know, we can only wait until the Holy Spirit brings it to fruition - as parents, catechists, teachers, we are agents of intimacy by God’s choice, and we are often unaware of that. If God has called us by name, we are not getting it wrong. Sung Vespers at Tintern Abbey The first ecumenical sung vespers at Tintern took place on 3rd September in the year 2000. The idea grew from a wish for an appropriate Christian celebration of the Millennium. Only when arrangements were underway, did the organisers realise that September 3rd, chosen for the event, was a date of great significance for Tintern - that of the dissolution of the Cistercian monastery in 1536. This first vespers were so successful that they have become a traditional event on the first Sunday of September each year. This year, the first Sunday again fell on September 3rd and, as it marked the 470th anniversary of the dissolution, the planners felt the need for a special programme of events to mark the anniversary. Before the vespers Rev. Dr David Williams, the well-known Cistercian historian, gave a very interesting talk in the village hall on what happened to the abbot, the monks and their lay staff after they were forced from the monastery.
At 3 pm the sung vespers commenced in the ruined abbey church with the monks of Belmont Abbey and the sisters of Ty Mawr Anglican Convent leading the singing of the psalms. They were joined by clergy of different denominations and representatives of other religious houses. The Rt. Rev. Dom Daniel van Santvoort, Abbot of Caldey, gave a most memorable homily and the Most Rev. Peter Smith, Archbishop of Cardiff, the final blessing. The large congregation experienced a deeply prayerful and inspiring occasion.
Afterwards all were invited to move to another part of the ruins, where the sculptor Philip Chatfield cut the first pieces from a block of Forest of Dean stone, which he has been commissioned to carve into a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child. There was a special service of blessing by Abbot van Santvoort.
The statue, based on fragments of a pre-Reformation statue of Our Lady discovered among the ruined stones of the abbey, should be completed in the spring of next year. Cadw, who kindly allow the vespers to take place each year, have also given permission for the sculpture and it is hoped that they will agree for the completed statue to remain at Tintern, which, like every other Cistercian Abbey throughout Christendom, would have been dedicated to Our Lady. The last event of the day was a circular walk led by Dr Madeleine Gray
who lectures at the University of Wales, Newport, and who researches
ancient pilgrim routes with Cistercian connections. This started at ‘the
stony way’ which was the path made by the monks to enable them to reach
some of their farms on the ridge west of the Wye. For those fit and able
it was a wonderful end to a very special day. Press release Volunteer ship visitors who work with the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) have held a gathering in West Wales to take stock after another busy year of attending to the practical and pastoral needs of visiting seafarers. Meeting at the shrine of St Non, mother of St David, on the Pembrokeshire coast last Saturday (12 August), the AOS West Wales team shared reports and personal experiences of their ministry alongside seafarers arriving in Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Fishguard.
Bernard Halliwell, an AOS volunteer ship visitor, recounted being contacted by the local council health office regarding one particular ship. Though the ship was due to sail to the US from Pembroke Dock, a voyage of 28 days, they had literally no food onboard. The ship was detained for two days by the port authority, although in the absence of any local shipping agent it fell to Bernard and the AOS to visit the ship’s cook and take him to local farm shops to buy stores for the voyage.
The AOS West Wales team consists of volunteers who visit ships to offer seafarers practical assistance and support in their journey of faith. The AOS team also benefits from volunteer drivers who transport crewmembers in minibuses from their ships to seafarers’ centres or into town. This ‘frontline’ ministry is supported by a broader team, such as AOS parish contacts who raise awareness of seafarers in their local parishes and collect items – such as soap, chocolates and warm clothing – which are then distributed among seafarers. Other local supporters commit to pray for seafarers and for those who minister to them, while many others make generous financial offerings to support this vital outreach to the thousands of seafarers visiting the ports of West Wales each year. If you would like to get involved with AOS in West Wales, please contact Fr John Dermody on 01646682079.
The Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) is an international organisation with an active presence in over 100 countries. In Great Britain, AOS is an agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of England & Wales and Scotland. It is also an independent charity wholly reliant on voluntary donations to continue its ministry. Ninety-five percent of world trade is carried by ship, and some 1,000,000 seafarers visit British ports each year. They are commonly away from home for nine to 12 months at a time, suffering loneliness, depression and even exploitation. They also have to work in gruelling and often dangerous conditions. AOS chaplains and ship visitors welcome seafarers to our shores - regardless of their creed or nationality - and provide them with pastoral and practical assistance. They recognise them as brothers with an intrinsic human dignity which can be overlooked in the modern globalised maritime industry. More information is available from: Friends of Cenacolo – Townhill, Swansea The parish of Our Lady of Lourdes Townhill is situated above the heart of Swansea. It is a parish of the Diocese of Menevia. Since 1925/6 it has served and continues to serve the people of Mayhill and Townhill. The new estates were built after the Second World War and acclaimed to be the ‘state of the art’ in social housing circles. However some 60 years on, like any city centre housing cache, it has its problems of social and fabric decay. For the last 6 years it has been and still continues to receive ‘Objective One Funding’ from the European Union. Communities’ First initiatives have played a hopeful role in regenerating pride and a sense of community among its inhabitants. Sadly though such initiatives are somewhat weary of Church involvement and whilst governmental funding is provided for regeneration, whether rightly or wrongly, it is perceived to be geared to the business sector of society. Despite the improvements made thus far the social problems of the parish are unrelenting and pose real challenges. One such challenge is the growing wave of addiction among young people ‘on the Hill’. Last year a young couple were holding a ‘party’ in their house. Fuelled by alcohol and drugs the male partner flipped out and crushed his baby son’s head by stamping on him and killing him. Why? Because the child was crying for attention. As shocking as this maybe it is indicative of the horrors that erupt onto our newspapers all too often. It is not surprising that critics of the local churches may ask ‘well what are you doing about it?’ All too often we can stand in silence simply because we are overwhelmed and overpowered by the sheer scale and size of the problem. Well Cenacolo and the spirituality is evokes and disseminates has struck a chord in this city. In May Sr. Josephine Brady and I visited both the girls and boys houses in Međugorje. It was a humbling experience and one in which both of us were touched by the authenticity of their charisma. Here we could experience the activity of the Holy Spirit and listen to the testimonies of so many young people seeking acceptance, healing, forgiveness and holiness of life. Spurred on by the fervour and authenticity of this holy work, Sr. Josephine and I looked to our problem here in Swansea. “We need a Cenacolo community here!” she said and I wholeheartedly agreed. With that in mind providence enabled us to accommodate Ms. Paula Tollhurst to pay a fleeting visit and speak to 30 people who themselves are actively involved in the work of ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ and ‘Narcotics Anonymous’ in the city. The meeting was held in the Stella Maris Convent in Swansea in early June. At that meeting 3 young girls from the parish turned up. The youngest was 14 the eldest 19. One of them was obviously under the influence of drugs. However they candidly told their stories before the gathering and from that meeting two former parishioners who have been working in the field and who were at that meeting pledged to start an outreach for the young people of Swansea. Since July there has been a meeting every Wednesday evening for young people plagued by addiction in the parish Hall. As yet we have just about started to advertise it, hence the purpose of this article. However the work of the outreach does not stand alone. Since returning from Međugorje in May Our Lady of Lourdes parish has taken upon itself the spiritual toil of praying for our young people. After every weekday mass there is 30 minutes of prayer and adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament and, on Wednesday evening’s, prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament takes place for the 2 hours during which the outreach meeting takes place in the Hall. Only on two occasions has any young person failed to turn up. Admittedly we have but a small number attend but its early days. Still the fact that young people are coming is a hopeful and graceful sign. One such girl was ‘Sara’ (not her real name) who is 17 years old. She has been drinking hard for 6 years and regularly takes heroine. She is not living with her mother but in her friend’s father’s house in less than healthy conditions. He himself is an alcoholic and his daughter (Sara’s friend) is also an addict. So bad is Sara’s drinking her doctor has warned her that to carry on drinking the way she does will see her in an early grave at the tender age of 21. As so often she has tried to kick the habit but failed. However she did manage to get on a detox course recently in one of the local hospitals. After 10 days she returned ‘home’, back to the same situation, and despite the heroic effort to stay clean within 2 days she was found drinking and back at square one. Faced with almost insurmountable odds all we can do is pray and allow the Lord to work through us. We have set up a charitable organisation ‘Friends of Cenacolo – Townhill’ to spread the word and to encourage people within the city and diocese to become involved. We need people committed to prayer. Why? Simply because prayer is the greatest instrument and shield to use in this battle against the cruel, ravaging and devastating effects of addiction. Assuredly Sr. Josephine and I share a hopeful dream that a Cenacolo Community will be established here in our Diocese, perhaps even in Swansea itself - one that Bishop Mark fully supports. We therefore ask you to pray, pray, pray for us and this adventure in the spirit not that this dream be fulfilled but that for these young people His will be done. For details on our outreach programme for young addicts call confidentially Sharon or Stephen on 01792 470988 Fr. John Patrick Thomas Contact Friends of Cenacolo Townhill via email: foctownhill@aol.com The Knights of St. Columba
Would you like to join a Catholic Men's organisation, or are you a past member and would like to join us once again. Who are we? The Order of the Knights of St. Columba is a Fraternal organisation of Catholic men dedicated to the work of the Lay Apostolate, following the Fundamental Virtues of Charity, Unity and Fraternity and open to Catholic men of 16 years and over. We give our entire loyalty to the Holy See, the Hierarchy and the Clergy in all things appertaining to our Catholic Faith and to support the mission of the Church. During the First World War the American Order of the ‘Knights of Columbus’ won wide recognition for their welfare work among the troops in France. Inspired by the same ideals, a number of Catholic men met in Glasgow on 5th October 1919 and decided to form our own Order of the ‘Knights of St. Columba’. One week later the Order received ecclesiastical approval, and the rest is history. We have Councils throughout our thirty-two Provinces in Gt. Britain and the Channel Isles and are affiliated to similar Orders around the World coming under the baner of ‘IACK’ the ‘International Alliance of Catholic Knights’. St. Columba is our Patron Saint, and Mary our Patroness. What do we do? What we not do would be a better question. Everything is possible if we have the will and commitment to work for Christ’s Kingdom. We have often in the past been accused of being involved in too many projects, but rest assured we have something for everybody, and we are always ready to welcome Catholic men with the skills and expertise required for our work. We are a Family organisation and we champion the Family and Family Values. Our Action and Youth work over the years has and continues to fulfil the hopes and expectations of our founders over eighty six years ago, and has the blessing of the Hierarchy and Clergy. There is still much more to do if we are to address the evils in our society. “A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls for a particular urgency for the action of the Lay Faithful, if lack of commitment is always unacceptable, the present time renders it even more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle," (CFL section 3) The seven Corporal Works of Mercy are:
A Piece of History Early in our history the Order was responsible for the introduction of an Act of Parliament and won prestige for the ‘Knights of St. Columba’ throughout the Catholic world. In 1924 during the annual Corpus Christi procession on 24th June, at the shrine of Our Lady at Carfin. some local people demanded that it should be banned because it was a breach of the Penal Laws. In the circumstances the police had no option and the procession was prohibited. Fr. Thomas Taylor, parish priest of Carfin asked the Knights to take up the matter and have the procession restored. The Grand Knight of Ormskirk, Liverpool Bro. Nicholas Blundell who was also a Member of Parliament and a wealthy landowner with extensive possessions in Lancashire was outraged on hearing what had happened at Carfin. He brought the matter to the attention of the House of Commons, and won considerable support. A Bill was prepared which proposed to abolish many of the obnoxious clauses of the Penal Laws. The Bill was the subject of a lengthy debate and passed on its third reading. Hansard has a final comment, which proves what a sweeping victory the sponsors of the Bill achieved. The Bill received the Royal Assent on 15th December and thus the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 became the law of the land. Bro. Blundell received many congratulations for what the Knights had achieved through their campaign against these ancient and obsolete laws, and thanks to their actions Pilgrimages and Processions at Carfin continue to this day. I had a lovely letter recently from a lady in Surrey and she simply stated: "I just went into your web site and had a good read. What good work you do. I was so impressed with what you all do all over the world, it made me think of what I have, and to be grateful for my life. I am 54 yrs old and have just been made redundant. I have worked in the care of the elderly for 11yrs, four of them as a manager. I thought my working days were over, but since reading your web site, you have inspired me to get up and do something, either paid or unpaid, as long as it is with the elderly. Thank you for a great read." What can I say but come on you good Catholic men, come and join a fraternal organisation that will make you proud to belong. Join with like-minded gentlemen that do care about our Church and the society we live in. It is hoped that we will be allowed to follow up on this our first article, to explain and update you with our work especially in your area. If you would like to know more,
you can contact us on 0141 883 5700 John
Doran Swansea Council No 203 sadly was forced to close a few years ago due to lack of members but with sufficient interest it could be possible to resurrect a council in the Swansea area. There are members of the KSC in two other areas of Menevia - at Fishguard and Ammanford, but are both extremely short of ‘labourers for the vineyard’. So, what are YOU waiting for? YOU are already busy serving your church through your parish! SO! - wouldn’t you (and that goes for you reverend fathers) like to have an ORGANISED body of catholic men who could work for the church in your area? Please get in touch soon. It’s the turn of Swansea and district this year to welcome the Welsh National Eisteddfod. Thousands of visitors each day will enjoy a feast of Welsh culture. On the Eisteddfod field, there’ll be a large number of stalls - most of them selling various goods (from harps to handbags, from chips to garden chairs), and others giving out information and presenting various societies and movements to the nation. One of these stalls will be ‘Stondin Iesu Grist’. Cytun will be responsible for co-ordinating the organization of this particular stall – with every Christian denomination contributing towards the stall. The presence of the Catholic Church will be there each day, particularly so on Tuesday, August 8 when the Cytün morning service - and the tea and coffee - will be the responsibility of ourselves, the Catholic Church. The highlight of the Festival for many Welsh-speaking Catholics will be the Eisteddfod Mass which will be held on Thursday evening, 10th August in the Sacred Heart Church, Morriston at 6.00 p.m.. Bishop Daniel Mullins will concelebrate the Mass with a number of other priests. The Mass will be in Welsh - and bilingual booklets will be available so that Catholics who are not fluent in Welsh will be able to feel at home and follow the Mass prayers easily. Following the Eisteddfod Mass, there will be light refreshments in the Church Hall. Y Cylch Catholig is very grateful to the Sacred Heart and other local parishes for their help and support. Everybody’s welcome - come to worship together and enjoy the evening. Croeso i Abertawe! Tro Abertawe a’r cyffiniau yw hi eleni i groesawu Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru. Bydd miloedd o ymwelwyr bob diwrnod yn mwynhau gwledd o ddiwylliant Cymru. Ar faes yr Eisteddfod, bydd nifer fawr o stondinau - y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn gwerthu nwyddau o bob math ac eraill ohonynt yno er mwyn rhoi gwybodaeth a chyflwyno mudiadau gwahanol i’r genedl. Un o’r stondinau hynny fydd ‘stondin Iesu Grist’. Cytûn sy’n cydlynu trefniadau’r stondin arbennig hwn - ac mae pob enwad yn cyfrannu at y stondin. Fe fydd presenoldeb yr Eglwys Gatholig i’w weld yno bob dydd, yn enwedig ar Ddydd Mawrth, Awst 8 pan fydd gwasanaeth boreuol Cytûn - a’r te a choffi yn ‘stondin Iesu Grist’ - o dan em gofal ni, yr Eglwys Gatholig. Uchafbwynt yr Ŵyl i Gatholigion Cymraeg fydd Offeren yr Eisteddfod ar Nos Iau, Awst 10 yn Eglwys y Galon Sanctaidd, Treforus am 6 o’r gloch. Bydd Esgob Daniel Mullins yn cyd-ddathlu’r Offeren â nifer o offeiriaid eraill. Bydd yr Offeren yn Gymraeg - a bydd llyfrynnau dwyieithog ar gael er mwyn i Gatholigion sy ddim yn rhugl yn yr iaith allu teimlo’n gartrefol a dilyn gweddïau’r Offeren yn rhwydd. Ar ôl yr Offeren, bydd cyfle i gymdeithasu a mwynhau lluniaeth ysgafn yn Neuadd yr Eglwys. Hoffai’r Cylch Catholig ddiolch I’r Galon Sanctaidd a phiwyfi lleol eraill am eu cymorth a’u cefnogaeth. Croeso i bawb - dewch i gyd-addoli ac i fwynhau. What’s at the Eisteddfod? The area previously occupied by the old Velindre steel works will be transformed from 5 - 12th August 2006 into a cultural capital. At its centre will be the main pavilion with seating capacity for approximately 3,500. It is here that singers, dancers and choirs will compete against each other; it is here that the colourful ceremonies of awarding a Crown, a Chair and Prose Medal will be staged by the Gorsedd of Bards, it is here in the evenings that concerts will be given by international soloists and orchestras and by a specially formed local choir of 500 voices; it is here that a music and dance extravaganza by local schoolchildren will bring the house down with its verve and exuberance. But the main pavilion, although central, is only one amongst many centres of activity on the Eisteddfod ground. Around it are located smaller satellite pavilions – an art and crafts exhibition, a theatre, literature studio, science and technology pavilion, dance hall, sports corner, lecture theatre, societies’ centre and a learners’ centre, each with a full programme of exhibitions, performances and discussions. The learners’ centre will be humming with activity aimed at helping the learner to acquire the Welsh language and provide advice and information on learning Welsh. Around and about the main pavilion and its satellites there will be some 325 other structures. Some are large and impressive. Others will be little more than stalls in a street of canvas alcoves. Booksellers and craft shops will be there and pretty well every cultural and voluntary organisation in Wales. Disperse amongst all this some 20,000 to 25,000 daily visitors and you have a vibrant, happy-go-lucky bazaar of cultures which is unique to Wales. Golden Jubilee Celebrations 1. Sister Josephine Brady Saturday 6th May was a great day of celebration as Sister Josephine Brady, Ursuline of Jesus, celebrated her Golden Jubilee with a Mass of thanksgiving in St. Benedict’s Church Sketty. Gathered to celebrate with her were priests from the Diocese, clergy from other churches, sisters from Ursulines of Jesus and Mercy Order, doctors, medical and nursing staff and Health care profession, colleagues and friends from work past and present. Many of her family travelled from Ireland, others from Yorkshire and Cardiff. Sister Josephine Brady comes from a family in Co Cavan, Ireland. A family of strong faith, in which the seeds of her vocation to religious Life were sown and fostered. In 1956 she entered the Congregation of the Ursulines of Jesus and made her Final Vows in 1962 in the Mother House in France. From a young age the carer in Josephine was evident, not surprising then that she trained for Nursing in the Whittingham Hospital, London. Her first ministry was to Sancta Maria where she tended the sick and suffering with great sensitivity and love. After some years Josephine felt the call to work in the specialised area of ENT in Singleton Hospital. Her approach was always holistic, caring for patients and their families. She was kind, compassionate and generous in follow up care, with special attention to the disadvantaged. Indeed her commitment was above and beyond the call of duty - as one sister so aptly put it -“she was never a clock watcher”. Little wonder then that she was presented with the ‘Hero of Health Care’ award in 1991. Retired from Nursing she gives of her time and skills as chaplain to Neath Port Talbot Hospital, to bereavement support and is very involved in ‘The Rainbows, Beginning Experience’ programmes. Josephine is a people’s person, loyal to friends and devoted to her family, interested in all their concerns and activities and always enfolding them in her prayers. A true daughter of our founder Louis Marie Baudouin, Josephine has a great love of our Congregation and Charism, always seeking the face of Christ in every human face. A person of deep faith and prayer she always encourages others in their spiritual journey. 50 Golden Years! A long life of selfless dedication, most of which was spent in Swansea. Congratulations Josephine.
Josephine wishes to thank all those who came to celebrate with her and made her day, so memorable. And thanks to all for prayer, good wishes, masses and gifts etc. 2. Sr. Kathleen Doran CP On Tuesday 4th April, Sister Kathleen Doran of the Sisters of the Cross and Compassion celebrated her Golden Jubilee at the Parish church of St. Bride’s, Pontarddulais. Holy Mass was celebrated by the Rev Fr. Peter Wareing C.M.F., supported by Fr. Michael Fewell C.M.F., Fr. Ross Patterson, Fr. Michael Manning O.Carm., Fr. Desmond Hanrahan S.M. and Fr. Henry Graystone S.M. The Rev. Fr. Conleth O’Hara C.P. represented the Passionist Congregation. Attending the Mass were parishioners of St. Bride’s, of Blessed Sacrament parish, Gorseinon, St. Mary’s parish, Carmarthen and members of the Swansea Sick to Lourdes organisation. Father Peter spoke in his homily about Sr. Kathleen’s family and thanked her for all the hard work accomplished by Sister in the parish. Sister is tireless! She was also thanked for her years of work in Carmarthen. We learnt that, of 6 girls and 4 boys, 5 became nuns and her brother Victor became a priest. Her brother Nicky read the lesson, sister Carmel the Bidding Prayers and remaining members of the family taking part in the Offertory Procession. Christina lit the Profession Candle and stood beside Sister as she renewed her vows. The responses at the Mass were sung in Latin, which the congregation put their hearts and voices into. Sr. Eugenie C.P. sang the ‘Magnificat’ and, at the end of Mass Fr. Peter presented Sr. Kathleen with a Papal Blessing. Children presented Sister with a cheque and a bouquet of flowers from St. Bride’s. We also enjoyed viewing a display of photos of Sister’s family and of her religious life over the past 50 years, which were displayed on the notice board of the church. Afterwards all enjoyed a celebratory meal at the Rubgy Club, where there was Irish dancing and a local singer. Sr. Kathleen thanked Fr. Peter and all those who had made the day so memorable and enjoyable. 40th Anniversary of Ordination
Congratulations to Fr Michael Donnellan Father Michael, who is parish priest of St Illtyd’s, Danygraig celebrated the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his ordination, with a special mass of thanksgiving. It was held at St Illtyd’s in the presence of both Bishop Mark and Bishop Emeritus Daniel Mullins. A presentation was made during the Mass on behalf of the parishioners, by long time parishioner Mr Charles Thomas JP, KSG.
Benemerenti Award On Sunday 26th February Bishop Mark Jabalé, OSB, visited the Carmarthenshire parish of Burry Port where he celebrated the 11 a.m. parish Mass - with Parish Priest Fr Charles Higham S.J. concelebrating. At the end of Mass Mr Jack Rees was called forward - from where he had been playing the organ for the Mass - to be presented by Bishop Mark, on behalf of the Holy Father, with the Papal Award of a Benemerenti Medal. The bishop spoke of how 86 years old Jack had started serving on the altar way back in 1934 and he had continued serving for many years, albeit interrupted by the 1939-45 war years during which Jack saw distinguished service with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and ‘the paras’ and had been awarded the French ‘Legion of Honour’, one of the highest honours awarded for bravery. Originally living in Llanelli and a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace, after demobilisation he had moved to Burry Port where he continued serving his church in many ways - for a number of years as the faithful parish organist where he never fails to be present at weekends, weddings, funerals and any other service requiring his skill as an organist. He has been a daily communicant since boyhood.
Afterwards all retired to the parish hall where suitable refreshments had been provided to mark this important occasion. New Catholic Welsh Hymn Book Congregational singing is now a central part of Roman Catholic worship. This has not always been the case, even though the singing of psalms and hymns goes back to the early centuries of the history of the Church. For several centuries Catholics could have looked with envy in this regard at the Protestant tradition. This could have been particularly the case in Wales, where the magnificent tradition of hymn-singing inspired by the Methodist revival has carried through to this day. Perhaps Catholics in Wales should now take up the challenge. Welsh-speaking Catholic congregations have hitherto had to make do with a small hymn book published by Y Cylch Catholig in 1960 (itself based on an earlier one published in 1938), or else have had to improvise, using Anglican hymn books or photocopied sheets. On 7th April, at Archbishop’s House in Cardiff, a new Welsh hymn book, Emynau Catholig, was launched. This new book was prepared by members of Y Cylch Catholig. It contains 261 hymns, old and new, including 26 Christmas Carols. About three quarters of the contents will be familiar from the massive interdenominational collection of Welsh hymns, Caneuon Ffydd (2001). Some of the remainder come from the previous Catholic collection; others are versions of medieval Latin hymns from earlier Anglican collections, while some 25 hymns are published for the first time in Emynau Catholig. These include new translations of English hymns which have established themselves in the modern Catholic repertory. The volume has a foreword by Bishop Emeritus Daniel Mullins.Emynau Catholig contains, in addition to the 261 hymns, ten settings of the Mass, five of them here first published with their music, including the fine four-part Mass composed by the late Alan Rees, OSB, while the five others are based on familiar hymn tunes. Emynau Catholig is available from the CTS book-shop in Cardiff, from Bishop’s House in Wrexham, and, in the diocese of Menevia, from Father Jason Jones, S.T.B., Eglwys Fair y Tapyr, North Road, Cardigan, SA43 1LT (Tel. 01239 612615, e-mail: parish@taper2.freeserve.co.uk) and also from bookshops throughout Wales which stock books in Welsh. It is hard-back and costs £8. Papal Honours awarded to Parishioners of St Benedict's Parish, Sketty The 11.00 a.m. Mass, on Sunday 29th January at St Benedict’s, Sketty, was a special celebration for the parish. Bishop Mark Jabalé was the chief celebrant, assisted by parish priest Fr. Dan Williams (soon to retire), Canon Richard Byron (chaplain at Stella Maris Convent) and Fr. Eric Wastell (resident in the parish). The bishop was visiting to present, on behalf of the Holy Father, Papal Awards to three parishioners for distinguished services to the parish and the church. Mr Peter
Robinson was installed as a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester
and husband and wife John & Kitty Williams both received Bene Merenti
Medals.
Peter, who has been a member of Swansea Circle of the Catenian Association for over 50 years, has been active in very many ways in serving his church, not least in giving of his vast expertise and knowledge in the field of church building and maintenance.
John & Kitty have for the last 10 years been ‘looking after Fr. Dan’, Kitty as housekeeper and ‘manager’ of the parish hall and John ‘as general factotum’. He has for very many years been very actively involved with HCPT (the Pilgrimage Trust) and he is also a member of Swansea Circle of the Catenian Association. Menevia Family Life Ministry Here in Menevia the diocese started our Family Life Ministry for the 2006 New Year a little early - with our ‘Mass of the Family and Community’ (and most appropriately) on the Feast of the Holy Family on Friday 30th, December. The event had been well advertised in the parishes (and in the Menevia News) for some months and it was therefore pleasing that the centre nave of the cathedral was reasonably filled with families from many parishes in the diocese. The choir and orchestra for this joyful Mass of the Holy Family, celebrated by Bishop Mark and other priests of the diocese, led the singing with many of the younger members of the congregation taking active parts in the readings etc. Following the mass all were invited to the party in the Cathedral Parish Hall. ‘The Family was very much the topic of Bishop Mark’s pastoral letter which was read at all masses on Sunday 8th January the Feast of ‘The Baptism of the Lord’ when he reiterated most of the points from the Bishops of England and Wales three year programme - ‘Everybody's welcome’ Photographs at the party after the Mass (by A Meredith)
Menevia Family Life Ministry now has its own section on this website. Mass of Thanksgiving Bishop Emeritus, the Rt Rev Daniel Joseph Mullins, was the chief celebrant at a joyful Mass celebrated at Stella Maris Convent, Eaton Crescent, Swansea on Monday 9th January 2006, to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Sister Agnes Seed. Sr Agnes was born on 9th January 1906, one of a family of four, in Esk, Co. Durham and only ‘retired’ some 9 years ago when she came to live at Stella Maris.
Bishop Mullins, in his homily, compared the life of Sr Agnes with those holy woman who had led the formation of female orders of nuns at the time of the reformation, to work in the community - as indeed the Ursulines of Jesus had done so in our part of South West Wales. He said that he personally, and indeed all catholics, were eternally grateful for the work the Ursulines had carried our in our area. A splendid reception and celebratory meal followed the mass, attended by a large number of Sister’s family, many of whom had travelled some distance, and at which Sr Nora, the Provincial of the Ursulines, read out various greetings to Sister Agnes, including the now customary greeting from Her Majesty the Queen. |
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The icon of Our Lady Star of the Sea was commissioned by the
Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) and painted in the Neo-Coptic style by the
renowned iconographer Dr Stephane Rene.)
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The
Knights of St. Columba, like every organisation, needs a constant supply
of workers for the vineyard. Unfortunately we loose members like
everyone else, through death, or in some cases leaving for family
reasons or other commitments. We are therefore always looking for new
members and particularly to spread into areas where we have no presence,
and establish new Councils to promote our Aims and Objectives for the
Good of the Church and our fellow man. )
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Registered Charity No 234168