Jesus is one who intercedes for us, who bears us open his heart in the Father’s presence. Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.
Readings for the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest can be found here
Every priest, at various times in their life, will be asked by someone to say a prayer for them. Sometimes, this comes from a member of the congregation. A private request to pray for them or someone close to them. At other times, it could come from someone in the community, or from a passing stranger. “Say one for me,” they may say. Even in the secular culture in which we find ourselves, requests for prayer are thrown, in one way or another, to priests.
Jesus has many titles, and there are several roles he fulfils. We can easily think of many of them. Jesus the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, the True Vine, the Light of the World, the Saviour, Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ. Today, we celebrate the feast of Christ, the eternal High Priest, the one who stands between us and God the Father. The one who intercedes for us, who bears us open his heart in the Father’s presence. In simple terms, the one who is willing to “say one for us,” and represent us to God.
In the letter to the Hebrews, we see Jesus offering not the flesh of other beings, but his own body as a sacrifice. He is the one who lays down his life. He is both priest and victim. He is the one who opens his arms in openness and prayer, just as a priest does, but he is also the one whose open arms are nailed to the cross as a sacrifice for sin. When someone casts the sometime casual request to “say one for me,” they probably don’t realise what it means to represent that prayer on their behalf to God the Father—for their prayer is lifted up to the bloody and broken hands of Jesus who lifts those prayers higher. For he is our advocate, our intercessor, our Great High Priest.
Mass today is in Ss Dyfrig and Samson at 10am
If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.
What would our prayer look like if we thought is as less about asking for something and more about seeking what God wants us to be and do,” Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.
Readings for Wednesday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time be found here
We often think of prayer as asking God to do things for us. We pray for the sick to be healed, for war to end, for justice to prevail, for the hungry to be fed. We may ask for very personal things. Help with a new job, a difficult family situation, or personal challenges. “We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ Those were the words of James and John to Jesus in the gospel reading today. And they are words which perhaps, at times, lie behind our prayers. We want God to do whatever we ask of him.
It is obvious from his response, that Jesus can’t fulfil their request. First, though, he says that they don’t really know what they are asking for. They are asking for something that only comes through suffering and sacrifice. They want the glory and the joy. But are they willing to accept the hard graft and the pain that goes with it? They say they are. Then the other disciples hear of their request, and they become irritated. How dare they ask for such a thing! Perhaps they are jealous that the two brothers got the request in first. They’ve beaten the queue, and now the others will have to wait for the best seats in God’s kingdom.
Whatever lies behind our own personal prayers to God, and our own need for his help, we cannot escape the fact that sometimes our prayer may be rather selfish and self indulgent. We may be asking for something that is not for the common good or for the wellbeing of all. Our fulfilled need may become someone else’s problem. Our answered prayer may cause someone else to suffer. Perhaps, if we thought of prayer as less about asking for something and more about seeking what God wants us to be and do, we may become a little closer to the joy of God’s Kingdom.
Mass today is in S Paul’s at 10am and St Mary’s at 11am
If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.
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!
Following the great feast of Pentecost we return to Ordinary Time. However, this Sunday we celebrate Trinity Sunday, and the following week it is Corpus Christi. Summer is always a busy time, and there are lots of events planned, including Refugee Week next month. Read on to find out more!
St Saviour’s Church
Last week, we made an exciting announcement about St Saviour’s Church, as we explore the future possibilities with Splott Community Volunteers
As part of our ongoing aim to reach out to the local community, St Dyfrig & St Samson have invited members of Keep Grangetown Tidy to join us for Mass this Sunday. This group does great work in our community organising litter picks to keep Grangetown looking great and nice place to live for everyone. As we celebrate their work in this Mass, we’ll also be praying that all may care for our environment – locally, globally and nationally. All are welcome to join us at 9.30am and as ever there will be refreshments afterwards.
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.
Race Night at St Paul’s
Our next social and fundraising event in St Paul’s is a Race Night. We’ll watch recorded horse races, and you can be a horse (or jockey!) in each race. If your horse wins, then you win! It’s £5 to sponsor a horse, payable in advance. You can also place £1 bets on the night. Saddle up, we hope to see you there!
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 every Wednesday at Ss Dyfrig and Samson, every week from 7.30pm – 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.
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.
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.
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.
Mass is celebrated each day across our churches. Here’s our pattern of prayer for the week ahead.
Thursday 28 May| Our Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest (Feast) 10.00am: Mass at Ss Dyfrig and Samson
Friday 29 May | of the 8th Week of Ordinary Time 10.00am: Mass at St Saviour’s
Saturday 30 May | Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary 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 31 May | The Most Holy Trinity 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 1 June | S Justin, Martyr 6.30pm: Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
Tuesday 2 June | of the 9th week of Ordinary Time 6.30pm: Mass at St Mary’s
Wednesday 3 June | Ss Charles Lwanga and his Companions, Martyrs 10.00am: Mass at St Paul's with St Paul's School 11.00am: Mass at St Mary's with St Mary's School
You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at
The day after Pentecost, when Mary and the Apostles received the outpouring the Holy Spirit, we celebrate the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.
Readings for Mary, Mother of the Church may be found here
There are many quotes about mothers, and many of them feature on greetings cards for Mothering Sunday and other occasions. One such quote is that “God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” For some reason it’s often attributed to Rudyard Kipling although, like many quotes, there is no actual evidence that he ever said or wrote this. Whilst many people may take comfort in such a quote, it does nothing to support the belief in God’s omnipresence! It suggests that mothers fill a gap when God can’t deliver!
Today, we celebrate the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. It follows hot on the heels of Pentecost Sunday, when Mary and the Apostles are gathered together in the same place in the upper room, awaiting the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today’s gospel reading sees Mary waiting in a very different place. She is in a place of death and destruction. The place where she sees her son suffer and die. And yet, in that place of death, something new is happening. Jesus creates a new community, giving his mother to John and John to his mother.
We often think of Pentecost as being the birth of the church. But perhaps the church is born in that bloody place, in that moment of hopelessness and pain. Even as he begins to breathe his last, Jesus creates a new community, a new family of love and dependence. Something beautiful begins to emerge as John takes Mary as his mother. As the beloved disciple, he represents all of us. In his youthfulness, he needs care and love and support – which Jesus provides in his own mother. And so, as John takes Mary as his mother, so do we. Jesus has invited us into that intimate relationship he had with her. As he called her mother, so can we. As he received her loving care, so do we. Adopted with him as children of God, we call his mother, our mother.
Mass today is in Ss Dyfrig and Samson at 10am
If you would like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.
The apostle Paul and John the Gospel writer both give us a wonderful example of persistence in witnessing to Jesus. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Saturday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.
To mark her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 the BBC made a fly-on-the wall documentary which followed the late Queen for a year. In one scene she was at a diplomatic function, dutifully greeting guests, shaking hands, and thinking of questions to ask. Her schedule was running late but she wasn’t aware. The voiceover said something like: “unless someone intervenes, the Queen will simply carry on meeting and greeting for ever.”
This indefatigability in a given task is evident in the life and ministry of Paul the Apostle in relation to him witnessing to Jesus. He simply will not stop, no matter what is thrown at him. Today’s reading is the very end of the book of Acts. After a period of time in custody in Jerusalem and then Caesarea, he is now in Rome, having appealed to the Emperor. He appears to be under a form of house arrest. No sooner has he arrived in Rome than he calls the local leaders of the Jews to him to explain his message. Then we are told he spent the next two years “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness.” In a similar way, the Gospel writer John, coming to the end of his work, declares this his purpose in writing was “bearing witness about these things”, namely the things of Jesus.
We could do worse than to follow the example of Paul and John in our own day and age. Like them, and like the late Queen at her receiving line, let us be unstoppable and indefatigable in our witness to Jesus, knowing that he always strengthens us with his grace to simply carry on.
Mass today is in St Mary’s at 11.30am (preceded by morning prayer at 10.50 and the rosary at 11).
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 | PentecostSunday. 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
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 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.
South Cardiff Ministry Area 