South Cardiff Ministry Area

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Connect (14 June 2024)

Connecting you with the churches of South Cardiff Ministry Area in Butetown, Grangetown and Splott. (If you’d like to receive posts in your inbox then add your email address at the bottom of the page!)

Refugee Week 2024

This coming week is packed with events and activities. Yes, as if you didn’t know, it’s Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

This year’s theme is “Our Home” and we’ll begin our celebrations a day early on Sunday 16 June. You can find the full programme here:

Refugee Week 2024

A word (or two) of welcome

Our celebrations for Refugee Week begin this Sunday 16 June with Ice Cream Sunday! After Mass at St Mary’s we make our way into the gardens at 12 noon. During the Mass we’ll share the word ‘welcome’ in all the different languages associated with St Mary’s School community. If you have an associated language to add to the list then please write it down and give to Mrs Prichard who will be at the Mass.

Faithful Butetown

During Refugee Week, we’ll be working with and welcoming over 600 children from seven different schools. We’ll celebrating our Faithful Butetown Discovery Days with four performances of the play, “Betty Campbell, a journey through Butetown.” This is a project currently being developed and expanded and we hope to have some exciting news about it soon. Thanks to a grant of £2,000 from Cardiff Council we will be able to move on to the next stage of the the project. You can find out more about Faithful Butetown here:

Faithful Butetown

Walsingham Cell-ebrations

Last week, we gathered for our Walsingham Cell for Mass and Sprinkling with water from the holy well. Check out the highlights in our video.

General Election

Cardiff Citizens General Election Accountability Assembly will take place on 20^th June 5pm-6:15pm at Church od Resurrection in Ely.

Food will be served for children and adults from 4:30pm. Transport costs from other parts of the city can be covered.

Please register yourself and invite others to join here

Accountability Assembly

Let’s get together!

We love being part of the ‘More in Common Network’, and the ‘The Great Get Together’ is firmly embedded in our diary. Our celebrations for the week are wonderfully wrapped up in our Mass for Sanctuary Sunday followed by a Barbecue at St Mary’s on Sunday 23 June at 12 noon. Invite your friends and families and neighbours! You can discover more about the More on Common Network on our website:

Common Fund

As part of the new process for what Ministry Areas pay to the Diocese, Cardiff Deanery Conference met on Thursday for each MA to make their pledge for 2025.

South Cardiff Ministry pledged 100% of its costs for Ministry which equates to £110,000 a year. This is 60% of our expenditure at the moment.

You can find out more about the Common Fund in this leaflet from the Diocese

Common Fund

Summer Praise & Strawberry Tea

Come and sing your favourite hymns (let us know before the day who you would like to sing!) and enjoy a Strawberry Tea afterwards on Sunday 11 July at 4pm at Ss Dyfrig and Samson. More details soon!

St Paul’s Coffee Morning

The next Charity Coffee morning will be on Saturday June 22 in aid of St Paul’s Church funds. Come along, enjoy the cake and company, and support a great cause!

Glastonbury Pilgrimage

The Glastonbury Pilgrimage is 100 years old! If you’d like a seat on the coach leaving from Cardiff then either add your name to the list in church or get in touch with us. A £10 payment is required. The bus leaves St Mary’s Church at 8.45am, and leaves Glastonbury approximately 4 pm. You can find out more about the pilgrimage here:

Glastonbury Pilgrimage

Worship for the Week Ahead

Mass is celebrated each day across our churches. Heres our pattern of prayer for the week beginning Sunday 5 May

Sunday 16 June
8.00am:  Said Mass at St Paul's
9.15am:  Sung Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
9.30am:  Sung Mass at St Saviour’s
10.30am: Sung Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Solemn Mass at St Mary's

Monday 17 June
6.00pm   Mass at St Mary's
7.00pm:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson

Tuesday 18 June
10.00am: Mass at St Saviour's
7.00pm:  Mass at St Mary’s

Wednesday 19 June 
10.00am: Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Mass at St Mary's

Thursday 20 June
9.30am:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig & St Samson
1230pm:  Mass at St Mary’s
5.45pm:  Mass at St Saviour's

Friday 21 June
10.00am: Mass at St Mary's

Saturday 22 June
11.00am: Morning Prayer & Rosary at St Mary's
11.30am Mass at St Mary's

You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at

WORSHIP

United in Prayer

We pray for our Refugee Week, Windrush Day and the Great Get Together celebrations.

We pray for all involved in the General Election campaigns, and for Citizen Cymru’s Accountability Assembly.

We pray for all Refugees, for those far from home or seeking a place of sanctuary, for all who are homeless.

For more prayer resources, check out our ‘Day by Day’ pages which includes prayers for various times and occasions.

Day by Day

Events and Celebrations

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage:
5- 9, August

Funerals

SS DYFRIG AND SAMSON

Friday 5 July at 12 noon (Jean Harding)

ST SAVIOUR’S

Friday 28th June 10.30 am (John Ryan) followed by Committal at Thornhill at 12.30pm. (John’s body will be received into Church on the Thursday 27th at 3.30pm)

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”

You can find out more about the funeral service on our ‘Funerals’ page which also includes prayers for the bereaved and the departed.

Funerals

Keep in touch

To receive alerts, news and updates in your inbox, sign up here:

Featured

Connect (3/5/24)

As we move towards the prayer-filled days between Ascension and Pentecost, we’re featuring some of the many different opportunities of prayer and worship in church, school and the wider community, and we also explore issues of homelessness and how we can welcome and support families in housing need.

The Crowning of Mary

Traditionally, May is Mary’s month and in many churches and homes throughout the world her image is crowned with a garland of flowers. We’ll be doing this in our churches this coming Sunday May 5th. Here, accompanied by images of Mary from our churches, we reflect on the part that Mary plays in the life of the Church.

The Iron Maiden

The Ascension of the Lord

We’re celebrating the Ascension of the Lord on Sunday May 12th with Mass at the usual times. You can read a reflection about the Feast from Fr Dean here:

Ascension

Split beads

Each Saturday before the morning Mass at St Mary’s, we pray the Rosary which provides a rich treasure trove of prayer drawing us deeper into Holy Scripture. But where did it come from, what is it and how do we use it to pray? Read on!

Rosary

It’s great to get together

The Great Get Together is the UK’s annual celebration of everything that unites our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. Why not get involved?!

The Great Get Together

Making connections

Wednesday mornings are a joyful time in the Ministry Area when we celebrate Mass with each of our church schools of St Paul’s Grangetown and St Mary’s Butetown but there are many other times of prayer and worship too. Fr Dean reflects on the prayer life of our schools and how we try to make connections.

Making connections

In praise of songs and smiles

The Church’s ministry is varied, and reaches out to all generations including those who are elderly. Each month, we enjoy a visit to Bella Vista Nursing Home in Cardiff Bay for a short time of worship with some of the residents. You can read about this week’s celebration here:

In praise of songs and smiles

Welcome home

The housing crisis in Cardiff and across the UK means that many families are living in unsuitable accommodation. We’re giving a welcome gift to new families in housing need who will be living in our community when Cargo House is reopened. You can discover more about it here, and how you can be involved!

Welcome Home

Christian Aid Week

It’s Christian Aid Week from May 12 -18th. With your help, we can work towards a world where families can escape the trap of poverty and fulfil their ambitions. Seven days, so many ways to fund lasting change. There’ll be an opportunity to donate in each of our churches.

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2024

Worship for the Week Ahead

Mass is celebrated each day across our churches. Heres our pattern of prayer for the week beginning Sunday 5 May

Sunday 5 May
8.00am:  Said Mass at St Paul's
9.15am:  Sung Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
9.30am:  Sung Mass at St Saviour’s
10.30am: Sung Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Solemn Mass at St Mary's

Monday 6 May
10.00am* Mass at St Mary's
(* NB change of time for the Bank Holiday, which also means there is no 7pm Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson)

Tuesday 7 May 
10.00am: Mass at St Saviour's
7.00pm:  Mass at St Mary’s

Wednesday 8 May
10.00am: Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Mass at St Mary's

Thursday 9 May
9.30am:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig & St Samson
10.00am: Mass at St Mary's today
NB This week there is no 5.45pm Mass at St Saviour's

Friday 10 May
10.00am: Mass at St Mary's

Saturday 11 May
11.00am: Morning Prayer & Rosary at St Mary's
11.30am: Mass at St Mary's

You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at

WORSHIP

United in Prayer

We pray for the nursing and residential homes of our communities, for all who work with those who are elderly, and for all older people that they will be treated with dignity.

We pray for families in housing need, and all who work to support them.

We pray for our church schools of St Paul’s and St Mary’s, and all who work to nurture the spiritual life of children and young people.

For more prayer resources, check out our ‘Day by Day’ pages which includes prayers for various times and occasions.

Day by Day

Events and Celebrations

Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on Sunday 12 May

Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham on 8 June

Funerals

There are currently no funerals scheduled for the coming weeks. We continue to pray each day for those with anniversaries of death

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”

You can find out more about the funeral service on our ‘Funerals’ page which also includes prayers for the bereaved and the departed.

Funerals

Keep in touch

To receive alerts, news and updates in your inbox, sign up here:

To serve, not to be served

Political leadership can often be about personalities, power and prestige. Christian leadership, by contrast, should be about service and sacrifice. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Friday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.

It is looking increasingly likely that there will soon be an election for the leadership of the Labour Party, which will in turn determine who will be our Prime Minister for the next few years. There is often the suspicion that such elections are nothing more than a political beauty contest. It’s not so much about a change of policy, but a change of personality. Additionally, we might suspect – if we were being cynical! – that such elections serve merely as a vehicle for one person or another to realise their ambition of claiming the top job.

In our readings today we hear about the calling and ultimate destiny of two key leaders of the early Church, Peter and Paul. The leadership to which they are called is quite different from the personality-obsessed and power-obsessed kind that seems to be a feature of modern politics. Paul is still in custody, this time under the Roman governor Festus. Paul accepts his fate as a prisoner, and bears witness to the resurrection. We also learn that Paul has appealed to the Emperor and so is to be sent to Rome, the place of his eventual martyrdom. In the following chapter of Acts, King Agrippa comments that they could have freed Paul if he hadn’t made this appeal to Caesar. Yet Paul knew where his calling lay – it wasn’t in power or prestige, but in spreading the Gospel and dying for the faith. In the Gospel we read of Peter’s commission from Jesus. This is very much about the service of God’s people: “Feed my lambs … tend my sheep … feed my sheep”. As with Paul, we learn that Peter’s life will end in a martyr’s death.

Pope Francis once said that pastors should have the “smell of the sheep”. That is, they should be close to the people, serving the poor, not concerning themselves with power and status. That’s not a bad principle for all Christians to adopt, as we seek to follow the example of Peter and Paul, and of course Jesus himself, who came not to be served but to serve.

Mass today is in St Saviour’s at 10am.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Events, dear boy, events

Sometimes in life events, mishaps and crises can threaten to overwhelm us. Through all this, Jesus is always alongside us, gently praying for us – this gives us courage to carry on. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Thursday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.

Harold Macmillan, who served as British Prime Minister in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was once asked what was the biggest challenge he faced in government. In reply he simply said “events, dear boy, events”. The point he was making was that it is the problems, the mishaps and the crises that seem to appear out of nowhere that can blow a government off course. It can be like that in our own life as well. We can be going along quite happily, then all of a sudden something happens – an accident, a bereavement, the loss of a job – which really shakes us.

Paul the Apostle had his fair share of “events, dear boy, events” to contend with during his ministry as recorded in Acts. In today’s reading, we learn that he has been held in custody by the tribune, or Roman military commander for Jerusalem, who then brings him before the Jewish Sanhedrin. Previous to this, Paul has been attacked by a mob in the Temple and taken into Roman custody for his own safety. In tomorrow’s passage, we read of how he was sent to the Roman governor Festus in Caesarea, and then on Saturday we have the account of Paul going to Rome to stand trial before the Emperor himself. Events indeed! And yet, in the midst of all this, Jesus himself comes to Paul and gently says to him “take courage”. Even with storms battering him on every side, Paul remains faithful for the Lord is alongside him.

This is the same Lord who we hear praying for us in the Gospel. He prays not only for those gathered around him at the Last Supper, “but also for those who will believe in me through their word”. That includes you and me, gathered here today. When “events, dear boy, events” threaten to overwhelm us, let us remember the example of St Paul, and Jesus’ words to him in his moment of crisis. And let us also remember the beautiful prayer offered by Jesus the night before he died. No matter what happens, he will continue praying for us, and will always remain by our side.

Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 10am.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Connect | 20 May 2026

Published every Wednesday

Connecting you to the churches of South Cardiff Ministry Area across Butetown, Grangetown and Splott. Our vision is to be a creative and resourceful community which is welcoming, faithful and just!

This Week!

We are continuing our celebration of the Easter season, which lasts for 50 days until the great feast of Pentecost which is this Sunday! There is also some exciting news from St Saviours!

St Saviour’s Church

This week, we made an exciting announcement about St Saviour’s Church, as we explore the future possibilities with Splott Community Volunteers

You can read the full statement below

St Saviour’s Church

Merchant Seafarers’ Memorial Service

This Saturday is the biannual Memorial Service of the Merchant Seafarers association. It begins at 11am on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. All are welcome!

Refugee Week – Coming Soon!

We’re looking forward to sharing news of our Refugee Week and Great Together events. Put the dates in your diary for a week of wonderful celebrations.

You can find more about them in these short videos. This year is also the tenth anniversary of Jo Cox’s Death, and so the Great Together will be particularly special.

Strawberry Tea

Join us on Sunday June 7 for our Strawberry Tea at St Saviour’s. Get your tickets now – £5 for Adults; £2.50 for children.

Alpha comes to Grangetown

A course for anyone interested in the big questions in life! Join us on Wednesday 20 May at Ss Dyfrig and Samson, every week from 730pm – 9pm

Corpus Christi Celebrations in Port Talbot

The great feast of Corpus Christi is on Sunday 7th June. This is the day when we give thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist.

Everyone is invited to a celebration of Vespers, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction taking place in St Theodore’s, Port Talbot, that evening at 6pm. See the poster for details.

African Celebration

Put the date in your diary! An African celebration at St Saviour’s Church on July 5th, organised by our wonderful Nigerian families!

Grangetown Consultation

St Paul’s and St Dyfrig & St Samson’s churches in Grangetown are working together to understand what really matters to our community.

A short survey (about 5 minutes) is available and will help us learn how we can serve and support our neighbourhood better.

You can fill in the survey anonymously or leave your details so we can contact you to follow up on your ideas. Your data will not be shared with anyone else and will be deleted after 12 months.

If you prefer you can fill in the survey online at bit.ly/grangetownsurvey

Thank you for your generosity!

The incredible range of activities that you read about in this bulletin, together with our regular round of services and ministry, is only possible thanks to the generosity of those who give financially to our churches.

We are grateful for all your support. If you don’t yet give, then we invite you to consider signing up to the Gift Direct scheme. This acts like a direct debit from your bank account every month, so that you can decided a regular sum to give. To start giving this way, click the link below. On the Gift Direct webpage, on the Beneficiary drop down menu, search for South Cardiff Ministry Area, then select the church you would like to support. Fill out your details on the online form, and the rest will be taken care of for you!

We also invite those who give regularly to review your level of giving. We are conscious that the cost of living is increasing, but this means that our costs are rising too! Once again, we are grateful for everyone’s generosity.

gift direct scheme

Dates for your diary

Here is a new-look South Cardiff Calendar, with details of lots of upcoming events and activities across our Ministry Area. Make sure you put everything down in your diary so that you don’t miss anything!

There will be more details about these events in future editions of Connect.

This is also available on our website here.

Walsingham 2026

Bookings are now open for the Walsingham Pilgrimage 2026 which takes place from July 20- 23 2026.

You can either book directly online or give your £50 deposit and details to Georgina Partidge, Liz Norman or the clergy.

WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 2026

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage

Young people aged 11-18 are invited to join us for the Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage from 3-7 August.

Around 500 young people from all over the UK camp in a field just outside the village of Walsingham. Worship takes place in a large marquee led by the excellent worship band CJM. There are also lots of different activities for young people to take part in during the week.

As part of the Welsh camp, all tents are provided and you will be fully catered for. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag, air bed, clothes and toiletries. For more information, please contact Fr Richard and also take a look at the link below to find out more.

WALSINGHAM YOUTH PILGRIMAGE

Worship for the Week Ahead

Mass is celebrated each day across our churches. Here’s our pattern of prayer for the week ahead.

Thursday 22 May| of the 7th Week of Easter 
10.00am:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig and Samson
7.00pm:   Mass at St Mary's

Friday 22 May | of the 7th Week of Easter
10.00am: Mass at St Saviour’s

Saturday 23 May | of the 7th Week of Easter
10.50am: Morning Prayer at St Mary's followed by
11.00am: Rosary with prayer for the Ministry Area
11.30am: Mass
12 noon: Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Sunday 24 May | Pentecost Sunday. 
9.30am:  Sung Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
9.30am:  Sung Mass at St Saviour’s
11.00am: Sung Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Solemn Mass at St Mary's

Monday 25 May | Mary, Mother of the Church
10am:   Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson

Tuesday 26 May | S Philip Nero, Priest
6.30pm:  Mass at St Mary’s

Wednesday 27 May | of the 8th week of the year
10.00am: Mass at St Paul's with St Paul's School
11.00am: Mass at St Mary's with St Mary's School
6.30pm:  Mass in Welsh at Ss Dyfrig & Samson

You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at

WORSHIP

For more prayer resources, check out our ‘Day by Day’ pages which includes prayers for various times and occasions.

Day by Day

Clergy contacts

Ministry Area Leader and Priest for St Mary’s and St Saviour’s: Fr Dean Atkins

07368 176300 | deanjatkins@outlook.com

Ministry Area Vicar and Priest for St Paul’s and Ss Dyfrig & Samson: Fr Richard Green

0333 301 1850 | RichardGreen@cinw.org.uk

Keep in touch

To receive news and updates in your inbox, sign up here:

To God be the glory

Sometimes we are tempted to think that any achievements we may have are down to our efforts alone. Our readings today remind us that any glory we have comes from God alone.

Readings for Tuesday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.

Whenever a priest leaves a parish, or someone retires or moves on from their job, there is often a farewell service or a leaving party. It’s a chance for parishioners, friends and colleagues to wish the person well in the next chapter of their life, and to celebrate all that they have done during their time in their role. For a priest, or any other person in a ministry role, such a leaving celebration is hopefully an opportunity to give for the ways in which God has been at work during their time in post. While giving thanks for the person themself is important, the true glory should always belong to him.

Our readings today have a valedictory feel about them, but this last point comes through loud and clear. In Acts, Paul is bidding farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus, a community he had come to know well, since he spent about three years there. He tells them he is heading back to Jerusalem, where imprisonment awaits him. It is this imprisonment that will eventually lead to his martyrdom in Rome. But in his farewell speech, Paul is clear about what matters most: “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus”. Paul himself is not important, but serving Jesus is. In the Gospel, Jesus is speaking to the disciples at the Last Supper the night before his death. This speech is often referred to as the “Farewell Discourse”. Jesus speaks of having “accomplished the work that you gave me to do”. In this passage, the oneness of Jesus with the Father is evident. He asks the Father to glorify him in his forthcoming death and resurrection, but only so that he may glorify the Father; and he acknowledges that his power and authority flow from the Father.

Whatever role we occupy within the church, it can sometimes be tempting to think that the things we achieve are solely a result of our own prowess, skills or abilities. There is of course truth in this and we should give thanks for the gifts we have. But when the time comes for our own farewell speech or leaving party, may we acknowledge that the glory, the power and the authority belong to God, and God alone.

Mass today is in St Mary’s at 6.30pm.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

The journey of faith

The journey of faith can be like a twisting, windy road, where we sometimes feel like we are losing our way. But God can work with imperfect understanding, and gently guides us with his Spirit. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from mass.

Readings for Monday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.

I have never written a book, and am probably never likely to. I’ve always been mightily impressed with those who manage such a feat, and somehow I imagine that for an accomplished writer, it’s a seamless process. I think that they sit down with an idea, start writing at the beginning, and carry on till they reach the end, with each chapter flowing from the one before. If you listen to authors talking about the process of writing, however, you’ll learn that it’s a much messier process. Sometimes they’ll start at the end, with how they want the story or argument to finish. Maybe then comes the main chapters, followed by the beginning. Often chapters get swapped around, rejigged, or even discarded completely. Writing a book is a long and hard thing, which is why I’ll never manage it!

Sometimes we might think that our faith ought to be like my imagined process of an author writing their book. We might suppose that we are baptised and confirmed, and then it should be a seamless journey and process to complete knowledge of God. Our readings today remind us that the life of faith is rarely like that. Paul encounters some believers in Ephesus who haven’t heard of the Holy Spirit. Their knowledge is incomplete, and so Paul baptises them and lays hands on them, which seems to be our modern rites of baptism and confirmation combined. Then, we are told, they receive the Spirit and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying. In the Gospel reading we are at the Last Supper and Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Previously they did not grasp what he was trying to tell them about his forthcoming death and resurrection. At the start of today’s passage, however, they suddenly understand. “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors!” Only then – even after all the time they have spent with him – do they acknowledge that he has come from God.

Our life of faith is certainly a journey, but it is rarely like a straight road always going forward. Sometimes it can feel like a maze with dead ends, or a winding, twisty path. Let us embrace this messiness, for we are dealing with the profound mysteries of God. But let us also remember that the Spirit gently guides us to greater understanding, and God is able to use us just as we are.

Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 6.30pm.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our Day By Day pages.

St Saviour’s Church

News of an exciting opportunity for our church and community.

We’ve been talking to Splott Community Volunteers about how we can work together to open the church to the community and make improvements to the building.

This is an exciting project which will explore the possibilities that this building brings for the community, whilst keeping the existing church services.

We will not be losing any of our activities, but will be gaining a community partner that will run the building and open our doors to the wider community for a range of activities.

We have had funding from the Architectural Heritage Foundation and will be working with an architectural firm to ask what you would like to see happen in this building, and you will be invited to share your thoughts and ideas in the next few weeks.

Nothing is set in stone – this is the start of a search for ideas and we want you to be involved at every step.

We are excited about this project and look forward to introducing you to the architectural team in the next few weeks. They are also excited to meet you and not only listen to you but really understand your connection to the church and the things that are most important to you.

If, at the end of this initial stage, we feel like joining together is a good idea and we want to explore further, we will ensure that you are part of the bigger project from start to finish.

If you have any questions, please speak to Fr Dean or Glyn Perryman

The vineyard is full

How can we connect with those who identify as Christian? How can we further share the gospel and the truth of Jesus with them?Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

Readings for Saturday in the Sixth Week of Easter can be found here

In the last UK census, the percentage of the population who identified as being Christian in England and Wales was 46.2%. Obviously, this doesn’t equate to the number of people who attend church regularly or at all, but the fact remains that beyond the boundaries of the various churches is a large number of people who, in some way, consider themselves to be Christian, whatever that may mean.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Apollos entered the stage. He is a Jew from Alexandria and we discover him in Ephesus preaching about Jesus. Heard by Aquila and Priscilla, they recognise his faith but also that he doesn’t know the whole gospel. It shows how the news of Jesus was reaching far and wide by word of mouth, and perhaps some things got lost along the way. Apollos was a believer, but he seems to have lived outside of the life of the church. With the encouragement of Aquila and Priscilla he is welcomed into the fold and becomes a great player in the spread of the gospel.

To use some imagery from Jesus, the vineyard is fruitful, with so many people who, whilst their faith may not have brought them to the life of the church, have some common ground. How can we connect with those who identify as Christian? How can we further share the gospel and the truth of Jesus with them? Of course, we already do this in so many different ways but perhaps there are other ways in which we can experience that common ground and become a church with no boundaries, a church with no walls.

Mass today is in S Mary’s at 1130am

If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

When sorrows come

Jesus is not shy about talking about the sorrow of life but he also promised joy, a joy that will not be taken away. Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

Readings for Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter can be found here

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions,” wrote Shakespeare in his play, Hamlet. The words are spoken by King Claudius as he responds to a series of crises. Polonius, his court councillor is dead, leaving behind his children, Ophelia, who has gone mad, and Laertes, who has returned to threaten Claudius’s rule. Sorrow upon sorrow is stacking up. It never rains but it pours.

In the gospel reading, Jesus is not shy about talking about the sorrows his disciples will experience. It is as inevitable as the pain of childbirth. But something new is happening and soon sorrow will turn to joy, just as a mother’s pain is assuaged by their new born baby. Likewise, the threats that St Paul experiences on his missionary journeys is evident, and in other passages from Acts we find him in prison, flogged and shipwrecked. He also speaks of having a thorn in the flesh which he carried with him throughout his life. But still he continues, moving onwards to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Throughout our lives, all of us will experience varying degrees of sorrow. From simple disappointments to deep grief, from aches and pains to something more serious. Our life with Christ does not promise us a pain free experience of the world, and some of the sacrifices we are called to make for Christ may indeed cost us dearly. However, what he does promise us is that joy will come, a joy that no one or nothing can take from us. As we present our needs and concerns to God in prayer each day, in that day, says Jesus, when we experience the joy he promises, we will ask nothing of him. The battalion of sorrows will be behind us.

Mass today is in S Saviour’s Church at 10am

If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Go out to the world

As he ascends to the heavenly heights, Jesus gives the great commission: go out to the whole world. Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

Readings for the Ascension of the Lord can be found here

Marshal McLuhan was a visionary Canadian philosopher and a foundational figure in communication studies. Often called the “father of media studies,” he coined the term “global village” to describe how electronic media enables human interaction on a global scale.

Today, as we celebration the Ascension of the Lord, our eyes may indeed be on heaven where Christ has gone before us as he returns to the Father. And yet, the angels ask them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven?” The words of Jesus turns his disciples’ sights outwards to the world, the global village. The Acts of the Apostles has Jesus telling his disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” and Matthew’s account has him saying “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”

From the earliest days, the commission given to the disciples was global, charging them to set their sights on the global village beyond the confines of Jerusalem. The good news of Jesus is for the whole world. In the years to come, the apostles will leave the familiarity of their home to travel far and wide to proclaim the risen Lord throughout the world. However, before they can do that, they are told to “stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father” by which he means the Holy Spirit. We may be eager and restless to move on, to think that we can and should do more, thinking that being busy and active is the be all and end all. However, before we do that, we also need to spend time in stillness, waiting for God’s Spirit to guide us and strengthen us. That’s the promise of today’s celebration. The promise of the Father, the gift of the Spirit who raises our hearts to heaven and strengthens us to serve him in the world.

Mass today is in Ss Dyfrig and Samson at 10am and S Mary’s at 7pm

If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Connect | 13 May 2026

Published every Wednesday

This Week!

We are continuing our celebration of the Easter season, which lasts for 50 days until the great feast of Pentecost.

We have a busy week ahead with the celebration of Ascension Day, the continuation of Christian Aid Week, coffee mornings at St Paul’s and St Saviour’s, and a Doctor Who-themed church service. We also look ahead to our Alpha Course at D & S, Refugee Week, Corpus Christi Vespers in Port Talbot, a strawberry tea in St Saviour’s and more besides!

Christian Aid Week

May means Christian Aid Week which began on Sunday May 10th, and continues until Saturday May 16th. There are envelopes and collection tins in all of our churches to enable you to donate.

Christian Aid Week is a powerful expression of what can happen when compassion leads to action.

It’s our shared moment to come together – across churches, communities and households – to stand alongside people living in poverty around the world.

For one week each year, thousands of people across Britain and Ireland give, fundraise, pray and act together. Together, those actions make change possible.

A weekend of coffee mornings!

If coffee mornings are your things, then you’re in a for a treat this weekend, as we have not one but two! On Saturday 16 May St Paul’s are holding one to raise money for the redevelopment of the old church building, while on Sunday 17 May there’s one in St Saviour’s to support Christian Aid Week. Come along and enjoy!

Refugee Week – Coming Soon!

We’re looking forward to sharing news of our Refugee Week and Great Together events. Put the dates in your diary for a week of wonderful celebrations.

You can find more about them in these short videos. This year is the tenth anniversary of Jo Cox’s Death, and so the Great Together will be particularly special.

Ascension of the Lord

Celebrate the Ascension of the Lord on Thursday 14 May. It’s one of the great and most important feasts of the church, and there are two Masses celebrated in the Ministry Area.

Special services this week

This week sees two of our monthly acts of worship taking place … Eucharistic Adoration before our Monday evening Mass, and our Mass in Welsh on Wednesday, both in St Dyfrig & St Samson. All are welcome.

Strawberry Tea

Join us on Sunday June 15 for our Strawberry Tea at St Saviour’s. Get your tickets now – £5 for Adults; £2.50 for children.

St Paul hosts Doctor Who Themed Service

St Paul’s will hold a special service this Sunday to mark the anniversary of a Doctor Who episode filmed in the area. It will host the event at 11:00 on 17 May, marking the broadcast of Father’s Day, first shown on Doctor Who on 14 May 2005.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Alpha comes to Grangetown

A course for anyone interested in the big questions in life! Join us on Wednesday 20 May at Ss Dyfrig and Samson, every week from 730pm – 9pm

OMG! It’s time for young people!

Check out the latest OMG! event at St Saviour’s! We’ve changed the date of the next event so that it can form part of our Refugee Week celebrations on June 14th at 5pm. We had some amazing titles and book covers for our life stories!

Corpus Christi Celebrations in Port Talbot

The great feast of Corpus Christi is on Sunday 7th June. This is the day when we give thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist.

Everyone is invited to a celebration of Vespers, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction taking place in St Theodore’s, Port Talbot, that evening at 6pm. See the poster for details.

Grangetown Consultation

St Paul’s and St Dyfrig & St Samson’s churches in Grangetown are working together to understand what really matters to our community.

A short survey (about 5 minutes) is available and will help us learn how we can serve and support our neighbourhood better.

You can fill in the survey anonymously or leave your details so we can contact you to follow up on your ideas. Your data will not be shared with anyone else and will be deleted after 12 months.

If you prefer you can fill in the survey online at bit.ly/grangetownsurvey

Thank you for your generosity!

gift direct scheme

Dates for your diary

There will be more details about these events in future editions of Connect.

This is also available on our website here.

Walsingham 2026

Bookings are now open for the Walsingham Pilgrimage 2026 which takes place from July 20- 23 2026.

You can either book directly online or give your £50 deposit and details to Georgina Partidge, Liz Norman or the clergy.

WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 2026

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage

Young people aged 11-18 are invited to join us for the Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage from 3-7 August.

WALSINGHAM YOUTH PILGRIMAGE

Worship for the Week Ahead

Mass is celebrated each day across our churches. Here’s our pattern of prayer for the week ahead.

Thursday 14 May| Ascension of the Lord
10.00am:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig and Samson
7.00pm:   Mass at St Mary's

Friday 15 May | of the 6th Week of Easter
10.00am: Mass at St Saviour’s

Saturday 16 May | of the 6th Week of Easter
10.50am: Morning Prayer at St Mary's followed by
11.00am: Rosary with prayer for the Ministry Area
11.30am: Mass
12 noon: Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Sunday 17 May | Seventh Sunday of Easter 
9.30am:  Sung Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
9.30am:  Sung Mass at St Saviour’s
11.00am: Sung Mass at St Paul's
11.00am: Solemn Mass at St Mary's

Monday 18 May | of the 7th week of Easter
5.45pm:  Eucharistic Adoration at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
6.30pm:  Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson

Tuesday 19 May |  of the 7th week of Easter
6.30pm:  Mass at St Mary’s

Wednesday 20 May | of the 7th week of Easter
10.00am: Mass at St Paul's with St Paul's School
11.00am: Mass at St Mary's with St Mary's School
6.30pm:  Mass in Welsh at Ss Dyfrig & Samson

You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at

WORSHIP

For more prayer resources, check out our ‘Day by Day’ pages which includes prayers for various times and occasions.

Day by Day

Clergy contacts

Ministry Area Leader and Priest for St Mary’s and St Saviour’s: Fr Dean Atkins

07368 176300 | deanjatkins@outlook.com

Ministry Area Vicar and Priest for St Paul’s and Ss Dyfrig & Samson: Fr Richard Green

0333 301 1850 | RichardGreen@cinw.org.uk

Keep in touch

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Refugee Week 2024

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Faithful Butetown

Walsingham Cell-ebrations

General Election

Let’s get together!

A look back at 2023

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St Paul’s Coffee Morning

Glastonbury Pilgrimage

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United in Prayer

Events and Celebrations

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The Crowning of Mary

The Ascension of the Lord

Split beads

It’s great to get together

Making connections

In praise of songs and smiles

Welcome home

Christian Aid Week

Worship for the Week Ahead

United in Prayer

Events and Celebrations

Funerals

Keep in touch

This Week!

St Saviour’s Church

Merchant Seafarers’ Memorial Service

Refugee Week – Coming Soon!

Strawberry Tea

Alpha comes to Grangetown

Corpus Christi Celebrations in Port Talbot

African Celebration

Grangetown Consultation

Thank you for your generosity!

Dates for your diary

Walsingham 2026

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage

Worship for the Week Ahead

Clergy contacts

Keep in touch

This Week!

Christian Aid Week

A weekend of coffee mornings!

Refugee Week – Coming Soon!

Ascension of the Lord

Special services this week

Strawberry Tea

St Paul hosts Doctor Who Themed Service

Alpha comes to Grangetown

OMG! It’s time for young people!

Corpus Christi Celebrations in Port Talbot

Grangetown Consultation

Thank you for your generosity!

Dates for your diary

Walsingham 2026

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage

Worship for the Week Ahead

Clergy contacts

Keep in touch