South Cardiff Ministry Area

No more questions

Friday 19 May, 2023 | Sixth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 18:9-18; Psalm 46(47):2-7; John 16:20-23 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)

C.S Lewis, the renowned author of the The Chronicles of Narnia, also wrote many Christian books for adults, including the book, A Grief Observed which was written following the death of his wife, Joy. In grappling with his grief, he wrote, “When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of ‘No answer.’ It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal but waiving the question. Like, ‘Peace, child; you don’t understand.”

In the gospel reading, Jesus acknowledges the sadness the disciples are presently experiencing. He does not attempt to belittle or dismiss their sadness. It is not overlooked. Jesus addresses this sadness in a direct yet gentle way. “You are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you.” Jesus offers them a way forward, through which the present sadness will give way to joy that will last for ever. It is a future joy, a promise of God that there is more to come, when things will be so clear and so beautiful that no more questions will need to be asked.

There are often times when we may be weighed down by sadness or find it difficult to move on. There is no need to pretend with God or to put on a brave face. We come to him as we are, with all our fears and concerns, with our emotions and vulnerabilities. In exploring his own sense of pain and sadness, C.S. Lewis experienced the apparent silence which comes from God when we throw our questions at him, and which can sometimes leave us feeling abandoned or uncared for. It can throw our faith into confusion and cause us to doubt. But this silence, he said “is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal but waiving the question. Like, ‘Peace, child; you don’t understand.”

MAKING CONNECTIONS

These posts are part of our endeavour each day to provide a short homily or reflection from the celebration of the Mass of the day. Links are posted on Twitter and Facebook, and you can also sign up for daily emails in your inbox by registering your email below:

MINISTRY AREA MASS

Mass today (Friday 19 May, 2023) is celebrated at St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 10am | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page

Faith seeking understanding

Wednesday 17 May, 2023 | Sixth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 17:15,22-18:1; Psalm 148:1-2,11-14; John 16:12-15 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)

“When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” So says Winnie the Pooh in A.A Milne’s series of books. Perhaps we can quite understand what the loveable bear means. Whilst each of us has varying degrees of intellect, insight or understanding, there are many occasions when we are simply too aware of our own limitations, and we too may feel like ‘a Bear of Very Little Brain.’

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth.’ As he speaks to them, he knows that they are confused. Not long after this moment they will disperse in fear as Jesus is arrested. The darkness of Gethsemane will give way to chaos and pain. After his death, they will spend much time searching their hearts, thinking about all that Jesus has said to them. And, in the days after the Resurrection they will be filled with joy as the Risen Lord reveals more of the Mystery of God. This doesn’t mean that God becomes for them a subject to study beneath the microscope. Rather than capturing everything there is to know about God, they will be caught up in love of him, embraced by his Majesty.

St Anselm of Canterbury wrote of us having “Faith seeking understanding.” We can never claim to know everything about God. We can simply hope, through faith, to glimpse something of God’s Mystery and Majesty, and embrace all that is revealed to us. Of the Eucharist, St John Vianney wrote, “If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy.” Yes, we are given so many beautiful gifts by God, and so much is revealed to us but whilst our understanding of them may increase, we can never know the true joy and beauty until, as St Paul says in the First letter to the Corinthians, “we shall see God face to face, and know as we are known.”

MAKING CONNECTIONS

MINISTRY AREA MASS

Mass today (Tuesday 17 May, 2023) is celebrated at St Paul’s Church, Grangetown at 10am and St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 11am | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page

At home with God

Tuesday 16 May, 2023 | Sixth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 137(138):1-3,7-8; John 16:5-11 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)

“The strength of a nation derives from the strength of the home,” said Confucius, the Chinese philosopher and politician who lived 500 years before Christ’s birth. He had been at the forefront of establishing knowledge on the issues of justice and morality in government and in personal and social relationships, and his teachings remain influential across China and east Asia to this day. In the quote about nation and home, he addresses the role of the family in the growth of a nation. In his opinion, Confucius stated that the stronger the family values, the stronger the nation would be.

In the reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, we are taken into the household of an unnamed gaoler. After the miraculous earthquake, he fears that all the prisoners have escaped, and he can only imagine what will happen to him now. He is about to fall upon his own sword when Paul and Silas call to him. They offer him a way of being saved that is beyond his imagining. ‘What must I do to be saved?’ he asks. ‘Become a believer in the Lord Jesus,’ they reply, ‘and you will be saved, and your household too.” He is baptised, along with his whole household. He welcomes Paul and Silas into his home, they share a meal, and celebrate together as the life of his whole family is transformed.

We often overlook the importance of the house and home in the celebration of our faith, to our life of prayer, and in the nurture of children in the Christian Faith. Whilst each household and family are unique (and may even consist of people with very different beliefs) it is important, for us, that the home is a sanctuary of faith, a house of worship, a school of prayer, a place where the Christian faith is taught and practiced. Perhaps we could take the teaching of Confucius and adapt it to our own circumstances and say that the strength of a church derives from the strength of the home. When we are at home, are we at home with God? When we are behind closed doors, do our hearts and lives continue to be open to the God who has come to live among us? When we seek home comforts, do we seek the comfort of the One whom Jesus promised, the Spirit of Truth, who will lead us into all Truth?

MAKING CONNECTIONS

MINISTRY AREA MASS

Mass today (Tuesday May, 2023) is celebrated at St Saviour’s Church, Splott at 10am and St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 7pm | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page

Near and Far

Monday 15 May, 2023 | Sixth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 16:11-15; Psalm 149:1-6,9; John 15:26-16:4 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)

“I see that it is by no means useless to travel, if a man wants to see something new,’ said Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eight Days. Written by Jules Vernes the novel tells the story of Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout who attempt to attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a wager of £20,000 (an amount equivalent to about £2m today). Today, we are used to so many examples of travel writing and TV documentaries from the likes of Michael Palin and Simon Reeve, or the American writer Bill Bryson, as we follow their adventures and see the world through their eyes.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we see how the Christian Faith moves out from Jerusalem to so many other countries and cultures, and St Paul’s missionary journeys are set out in adventurous style, as we follow his success in spreading the gospel and meets so many challenges along the way. We are also introduced to many colourful characters, one such being Lydia who appears in the reading today. Acts sets out three missionary journeys that took Paul through Greece, Turkey, Syria and numerous regions we don’t find on present day maps. The reading today features some details from Paul’s second missionary journey.

In the gospel reading, Jesus said, ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset.” Each of us is called to witness to Jesus in our own lives, whether near or far. St Paul felt that his calling was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and this vocation took him many miles and many years. But we don’t have to travel far or at all to witness to our life in Christ. We can do this in so many different ways. How can we witness to Christ today? How can we make him known?

MAKING CONNECTIONS

MINISTRY AREA MASS

Mass today (Monday 15 May, 2023) is celebrated at St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 6pm, and Ss Dyfrig and Samson, Grangetown at 7pm | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page

Pilgrim People

As the pilgrimage season gets under way, we explore some of the opportunities on offer this year

Pilgrimages take many forms – on foot, by car and coach!

As a child, we enjoyed simple holidays, although each one was an adventure. Mostly, we spent a week in a Caravan in Trecco Bay, Porthcawl – and that was more than enough for us. Even on the days when the sun didn’t shine, we took delight in the sound of the rain on the roof as we worked our way through wordsearches and homemade quizzes. We explored the beaches and dunes, rode the fair ground rides and, with metallic smelling fingers, pushed our coppers through the penny slots. Each night was topped off with an evening at Caesar’s Palace, when ‘pop and crisps’ were more than enough. Then, in those days, we wondered where people from Porthcawl went on holidays. Surely, if you lived in Porthcawl, you were always on holidays.

As the spring moves onto summer, we begin the pilgrimage season in our churches, as we plan those journeys, near and far, many of which have become embedded in the rhythm of many people’s lives.

There are many opportunities for us to make pilgrimage together – to Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel, Penrhys in the Rhondda, Glastonbury in the South West of England, Walsingham in Norfolk, as well as our Assumptiontide celebrations at St Mary’s in August.

Flat Holm

Flat Holm is a small island, pushed five miles out into the Bristol Channel, the southernmost point of Cardiff and the ancient parish of St Mary’s. It is a place of natural beauty, steeped in history and heritage, and was a place frequented by St Cadoc who made retreats there during Lent. It’s in the tradition of the Celtic Saints that we deliver our pilgrimage programme there. We offer both offshore and onshore pilgrimages. Check out our Flat Holm pages for dates and details!

Glastonbury Pilgrimage

The pilgrimage to Glastonbury celebrated in the midst of the Abbey ruins is a well established event. Each year, large numbers from South Wales take part and there are free coaches available. So, why not join us this year on Saturday 8 July. You can book your seat on the coach directly with us, and you can find out more about the pilgrimage at their website

Walsingham Pilgrimage

Taking place from July 24 -27th, this pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is an absolute joy, and many people return year after year, although each year there are always first time pilgrims. So why not join us this year? More details about the shrine can be found at their website.

Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage

The Youth Pilgrimage is a week of lively worship, teaching, fellowship and fun for 11-18 year olds. The traditional pilgrimage devotions are presented in an upbeat, lively and enjoyable way which makes them relevant for our young people in today’s world. Over 500 young people gather in Walsingham for the week from all over the UK and internationally, giving them a chance to meet other Christians and explore their faith in a safe environment. Over the years it has changed the lives of countless young people who have never forgotten their week in Walsingham and many of them have come to love the Shrine and to make the pilgrimage ever since.

Check out more details about the Youth Pilgrimage here and booking details to join the group from South Wales are below.

wyp-booking-form-2023 Download

Penrhys Pilgrimage

This medieval Shrine to Our Lady of Penrhys, toppled by King Henry’s men in the sixteenth century, remains a place of pilgrimage to this day. This particular pilgrimage to Penrhys during the Assumptiontide weekends offers a walking pilgrimage for those who are up to it, or others can join on the mountaintop for Mass and devotions. We also have a pilgrimage manual available full of prayers and devotions.

Assumptiontide Celebrations

A wonderful summer’s evening celebration, beginning with a barbecue in the grounds of St Mary’s Church, followed by Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Torchlight Procession with the image of Our Lady of Walsingham, all topped off with fireworks!

Walsingham October Devotions

Once regarded as a reunion for those who took part in the South Wales Pilgrimage in July, this celebration is for all, and offers a reminder and taster of pilgrimage to the Shrine, as we gather for Mass and other devotions, including Sprinkling with water from the Holy Well

Finally

As we journey to each of these places, we are reminded that the Christian life is a journey, a lifetime’s pilgrimage, as we journey with God. It’s a journey which never reaches its fulfilment until we reach the life of Heaven, for which we were made.

Perhaps the people of Porthcawl do need to get away – from time to time, at least! Despite my childhood observations, they are not always on holidays! Meanwhile, whether or not we take part in these or any other pilgrimages on offer to us this year, we are, in a sense, always on pilgrimage without even leaving the house. We are a pilgrim people. We are always on the move!

(Fr Dean Atkins)

If you’d like to explore these and other pilgrimage opportunities then please do get touch.

OMG!

Hot on the heels of our celebration of Confirmation is OMG! an evening for young people from across the Churches of the Ministry Area and beyond. So why not join us on Sunday May 18th at 5pm at St Saviour’s Church in Splott?!

From 5pm you can grab a slice or two (or three!) of pizza, and there’ll also be a fire pit in the gardens where you can get sweet with toasted marshmallows! What’s not to like!

Then we’ll flock into church for a time of worship. Gathered around the altar we’ll spend some time in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

OMG! is a time to get close to God and one another. It’s time for young people to worship and pray and explore what it means to say and believe: OMG!

Everyone is welcome, as long as you appreciate that, whatever your age, you’ll be treading on young people’s territory!

Oh and, since this is the first OMG! event, if you’re able to tell us you’re coming, we can make sure there’s enough pizza for everyone!

13/05/2023

Welcome

Welcome to a new edition of our newsletter, featuring news and updates from the churches of South Cardiff Ministry Area. Discover how we’re getting involved in Churches Unlocked, and all that we are planning for Refugee Week.

There’s also a reflection on the Confirmation Celebration last Thursday with a brand new opportunity for young people called OMG! And don’t forget, it’s Ascension Day this coming week on May 18th. Read on for all of this and more!

Confirmed!

We celebrated the Confirmation of 28 people from the Ministry Area, alongside 9 others.

We reflect on a wonderful evening and look forward to more opportunities for growth, including a gathering for young people on May 28th called OMG! Check out the details here:

Ascension of the Lord

It’s the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord on Thursday 18th. Join us for Solemn Mass at St Mary’s Church at 7pm.

Christian Aid Week

It’s Christian Aid week (14 -20 May) and there’s an opportunity to donate in our churches for the next two Sundays. Envelopes are available.

Your gifts this Christian Aid Week could help farmers in Malawi plant better seeds, secure a fairer price for the crops, and build happier futures for their children. You can find out more about Christian Aid Week here

Churches Unlocked

St Saviour’s is taking part in the Churches Unlocked Festival alongside dozens of other churches.

You can find out more about all that’s on offer both at St Saviour’s and across the diocese of Llandaff and Monmouth at https://www.churchesunlocked.org/ and you can check out what St Saviour’s has on offer here

Refugee Week

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of people seeking sanctuary

We’re all set for Refugee Week from June 19th – 26th with a full week of activities as we work alongside St Mary the Virgin Church in Wales Primary School. Find out more here:

Coronation Weekend

How did you spend the Coronation weekend? Everyone who gathered at Ss Dyfrig and Samson on Bank Holiday Monday enjoyed a lovely lunch and afternoon Tea. Thanks to all who made it happen!

Daily Reflections

On most days, we publish a quick read based on the readings of the Mass of the Day. You can find these on the News section of our website. Discover more here

Worship for the week ahead

SUNDAY WORSHIP

BUTETOWN:
S MARY THE VIRGIN
1100hrs	Solemn Mass

GRANGETOWN:
S PAUL THE APOSTLE
0800hrs	Said Eucharist
1030hrs	Sung Eucharist

SS DYFRIG & SAMSON
0915hrs	Solemn Mass

SPLOTT:
S SAVIOUR
0930hrs	 Sung Mass

MONDAY 15
Sixth Week of Eastertide
6pm	Mass (S Mary’s)
7pm	Mass (Ss Dyfrig and Samson)

TUESDAY 16
Sixth Week of Eastertide
10.00am	Mass at (St Saviour’s)
7.00pm 	Mass (S Mary’s)

WEDNESDAY 17
Sixth Week of Eastertide
10.00am	Holy Eucharist (S Paul’s)
11.00am	Mass (St Mary’s)

THURSDAY 18
THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD
5.45pm	Mass (S Saviour’s)
(We’ve maintained this Mass this week  because of the need of Foodbank volunteers to attend Mass on this day)
7.00pm	Solemn Mass (St Mary’s)

FRIDAY 19
Sixth Week of Eastertide
10.00am	Mass (S Mary’s) 

SATURDAY 20
Sixth Week of Eastertide
11.00am	Morning Prayer and Rosary
11.30am	Mass (S Mary’s)
12 noon	Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Remember the words

Saturday 13 May, 2023 | Fifth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 99(100):1-3,5; 1-4; John 15:18-21 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)

‘The Christian Church is not the product of human wisdom,” said Basil Hume. “It is not primarily motivated by humanitarian concern. It is the guardian and herald of a revelation from God, and so it deals in mysteries.’

Through these weekdays of Easter at Mass, we have heard words of revelation from Jesus, spoken to his apostles on the night before his death, as he prepares them for all they will soon experience. Some of his words are met by questions and confusions, as they attempt to grapple with the mysteries he is revealing. Today, we hear the words that they have been called from the world. They do not belong to the world, and so the world hates them and will persecute them, just as it persecuted Jesus. They are words of warning but also of encouragement. In the days after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they will reflect on all they have heard, and many things will begin to fall into place and make more sense to them. They are on a journey. ‘Remember the words I said to you,’ says Jesus, ‘a servant is not greater than his master.’

Basil Hume continued to say thar ‘Mysteries are profound truths beyond the grasp of our unaided intellect yet yielding their riches to the humble and prayerful.’ We are called to a life of prayer. As we attend to God and place ourselves at his disposal, the mysteries he chooses to reveal will be gradually made known to us and woven through our lives. Meditating and reflecting upon the Bible is an important part of our life as Christians. There will be times of confusion and questioning, but, like those apostles, we can remember and dwell on all that Jesus has said. Through humble and prayerful lives, we can recognise our calling to be guardians and heralds of a revelation from God.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

MINISTRY AREA MASS

Mass today (Saturday 13 May, 2023) is celebrated at St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 11.30 am | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page

Confirmed!

We look back at a beautiful evening as we gathered for Mass and the celebration of Confirmation in the Easter Season, and look forward to some new opportunities for growth.

He spoke to them gently, with encouragement and guidance, telling them to carve out space each day for God, and to come regularly to Mass which was an animated gospel, the gospel lived out.

On Thursday 11 May, we were pleased to welcome Bishop Rowan Williams to St Mary’s where 37 candidates for confirmation sat before him.

After they had renewed the promises made at their baptism, the Bishop prayed over them, and then slowly, one by one, he laid his hand upon each of their heads, and anointed them with Holy Chrism.

This was both a personal and a shared moment of joy, as they were surrounded by hundreds of brothers and sisters in Christ who offered prayer for them and shared in their happiness.

28 candidates from across South Cardiff Ministry Area were joined by six from St Martin’s Roath, two from St Theodore’s Port Talbot and one from Pontypridd.

It was a joyful occasion which continued after Mass with party time as we shared food together, and Bishop Rowan wandered through the crowds, chatting to people, signing certificates and standing for photographs as a memorial of a moving night.

Many children, teenagers and adults were confirmed that night, and the opportunity for growth continues. You can join us on Sunday 21^st May at 5pm at St Saviour’s Church, Splott where OMG! will offer a time for young people to celebrate together with food, activity and worship. Let us know if you’d like to join us – so we can make sure there’s enough pizza for everyone!

Please pray for the recently confirmed: Harriet, Olivia, Caian, Steffan, Isla, Trinity, Eleri, Seren, Morgan, Paul, Alfred, Jamilia, Santino, Sanchia, Monet, Venice, Michael, Joshua, Joel, Akhmaton, Alexander, Albert, Joshua, Justin, Morteza, Aboutalet, Ariel, Darren, Andrew Neve, Jack Houghton, Joseph, Sam, Gregory, Dylan, Charlie, Ellinor, and Catrin (First Communion)

Refugee Week 2023

It’s almost here! A whole week of events and activities with compassion at its heart!

Refugee Week 2022, when St Mary’s School received the School of Sanctuary status

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of people seeking sanctuary

It’s been running in the UK since 1998. This year is its 25th Anniversary. The theme is compassion and throughout the week we will be celebrating what compassion looks like in action.

Last year, we worked in partnership with St Mary the Virgin (Church in Wales) Primary School. It was moving, emotional, energetic and fun! This year, we are building on this to bring you something even more amazing!

This programme of events shares some of the things we are doing together but, as a School of Sanctuary, St Mary’s School will be engaging in so many other activities and learning opportunities through the week.

At the heart of their celebrations is the launch of their video poem, ‘A Zig Zag Journey’ which was filmed around Butetown. It movingly expresses the questions and anxieties that children seeking refuge may experience, and provides a compassionate response from the children of St Mary’s School.

After the premiere, the video will be launched on social media. Let’s hope it goes viral! Or, rather, let’s hope that compassion goes viral. Imagine a world where compassion was as easily passed on as a common cold. What kind of world would that create? What kind of epidemic would we have? Imagine a pandemic of love, changing the world, changing lives.

You can download our Refugee Week programme below

During Refugee Week we also celebrate Windrush Day and we are pleased to share the interactive performance, A Journey through Butetown, which tells the story of Tiger Bay through the character of Betty Campbell. Towards the end of the week, we also celebrate The Great Get Together, inspired by Jo Cox, and we’ve been pleased to be part of this network in Cardiff for more than a year.

So, please join us for a week of Compassion!

Download our Refugee Week 2023 Programme Download