God frequently confounds our expectations and does things we might find shocking. But he does this in order to demonstrate more clearly his purposes. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Friday of the third week of Easter can be found here.
Think of one of the world’s mega-rich, the multi-millionaires and billionaires, and you probably imagine someone obsessed with amassing more and more money, growing their fortune and enjoying the luxurious life which comes with it. Every so often, however, someone comes along who confounds expectations. Chuck Feeney was the founder of duty-free shops in airports around the world. In 1984 he secretly transferred his entire $500 million stake in the company to a charitable organisation he had founded. It’s estimated he gave away $8 billion in his lifetime, and was known for always flying economy and wearing a $10 wristwatch.
God is often in the business of confounding human expectations, and we see this in our readings today. He doesn’t choose a faithful follower of Jesus to be the next leader of the early church’s mission. Shockingly, he calls Saul, someone who sought to eradicate the new faith and approved of the killing of Stephen. This is all too much for Ananias, who protests to God “I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem”. How on earth could Jesus call such a one to be a missionary of his? In the Bread of Life discourse in John’s Gospel, the people are shocked by what Jesus is telling them: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Yet Jesus continues with his message: “… unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you”.
Why does God do things which can often be seen as shocking? In the case of Saul, it is surely to remind us that it’s not just the righteous who can serve him. Deeply flawed people also have something to offer; indeed their experience of moving from darkness to light can be crucial for ministry. Jesus’ graphic words about eating his flesh tell us that the Eucharist is not just a symbol or reminder of what Jesus did; it is a participation in his very life. We cannot get closer to him than we do when we receive his true body and blood in the sacrament. May we always be ready to be shocked by God so that we may understand more fully his purposes and his love.
Mass today is in St Saviour’s at 10am.
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our Day By Day pages.
The story of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch reminds us that the good news of Jesus is for everyone, regardless of nationality or background. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Thursday of the third week of Easter can be found here.
Have you ever had the experience of being excluded from or left out of a group or community? For my part, I am scarred by my experiences of team games in PE at school. The two best boys at sport would be the team captains, and had to pick players one by one from the rest of the class to be on their team. Needless to say, I was always left right until last. Team sports not being my forte, no-one wanted me on their team. In the course of human history, many groups have experienced much more serious forms of ostracism or discrimination, whether it be on account of race, gender, religion, disability or sexuality.
One such group in the ancient world was eunuchs, castrated males who often served as court officials, such as the one we see in today’s reading from Acts. The book of Deuteronomy said that eunuchs could not be part of the community of Israel. Yet this eunuch is clearly a believer in the God of Israel, since he has been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and is reading the book of Isaiah on his way home. Demonstrating the inclusive nature of the Christian Gospel, the Holy Spirit prompts Philip to go and explain the good news of Jesus to him. In a few short verses we see a beautiful journey of faith on the part of the eunuch, though his poignant words may carry a hint of his outsider status: “is there anything to stop me being baptised?” Happily Philip consents and the Ethiopian’s joy is complete. Two key lines in today’s Gospel reinforce these points. “Everybody who believes has eternal life”, says Jesus; “anyone who eats this bread will live forever”. Everybody; anyone … no exceptions.
In his life on earth Jesus broke down many barriers and reached out to the untouchables of his day. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, Christ died for all so that all may be one in him. Let us then seek to build a church and a world where everyone is included, no-one is left out, and all can come and know the wonderful redeeming love of God.
Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson, Grangetown, at 10am.
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then 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.
We look forward to OMG! on Sunday evening at S Saviours, and begin to plan ahead for Refugee Week and the Great Get Together coming in June
Justice Cafe
Join us on Tuesday 5th May at 7pm at St Mary’s as we plan ahead for celebrating Refugee Week and the Great Get Together which happens in the middle of June.
Over cake and coffee, we’ll be sharing some ideas and beginning to recruit some volunteers to make this Refugee Week and the Great Get Together the best ever!
This year’s Refugee Week’s theme is COURAGE and you can find our more about the reason behind and the impact of the week each year, in this video:
Also, since this year is the tenth anniversary of Jo Cox’s Death, the Great Together will be particularly special.
You can find out more about the Great Get Together on his short video:
OMG! It’s time for young people
Join us on Sunday at 5 at St Saviour’s Church for our next OMG! event for young people.
We’ll continue to celebrate Easter with a time of worship, followed, this time, by hot dogs!
Three churches into one!
Did you know that St Dyfrig & St Samson is the story of three churches in one?
Fr Richard told its fascinating story in a talk to the Grangetown Local History Society last Thursday at Grange Pavilion.
Men’s Night
Get ready for another men’s night on Wednesday 29 April from 7pm at The Prince of Wales (Wetherspoon) pub.
Relaxed atmosphere, good company, no pressure!
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.
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.
Wednesday 22 April | Wednesday of the 3rd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at St Paul's with St Paul's School 11.00am: Mass at St Mary's with St Mary's School
Thursday 23 April | Thursday of the 3rd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at Ss Dyfrig and Samson
Friday 24 April | Friday of the 3rd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at St Saviour’s
Saturday 25 April | S Mark, Evangelist 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 26 April | Fourth 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 27 April | Monday of the 4th week of Eastertide 6.30pm: Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
Tuesday 28 April | Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide 6.30pm: Mass at St Mary’s
Wednesday 29 April | S Catherine of Sienna 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
Stephen the first Christian martyr gives us a wonderful example of how to follow Jesus is his closeness to God and his willingness to forgive. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Tuesday of the third week of Easter can be found here.
Think of some of the greatest painters from the history of art and you might come up with names such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Caravaggio, Titian. Many of these masters had a “school” or group of followers who not only admired their work but imitated their style. In fact, so closely did many of these students follow the master that art historians often have a hard job deciding whether a particular painting is a genuine Old Master or the work of a follower. Not only is this of academic interest, it can also vary the value of the painting by several million pounds!
The martyrdom of Stephen that we hear about today has very strong echoes of the crucifixion of Jesus. When Stephen says “Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit”, it makes us think of Jesus on the Cross declaring “Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit”. As Stephen cries out “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”, we are taken back to the moment when Jesus prays “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing”. The disciple is so closely following the Lord that it is impossible to tell what is Stephen the man and what is Jesus working in and through him. How did this come about? In the same way that the art student spent years studying the master in order to paint like him, so Stephen has been fed by the bread of life that Jesus talks about in the Gospel. In feeding on Jesus he was able to become like Jesus.
Not many of us will be called to lay down our life in the way that Stephen did. But all of us are called to witness to Jesus by becoming like him, so that we might show forth his love to the world. We do this especially by demonstrating our utter reliance on him, and also by modelling the forgiveness shown by both Jesus and Stephen in their final moments of life. Few of us will be able to paint like Caravaggio or Rubens, but all of us can love like Jesus so that our lives become one with his, for in this and every Mass he comes to us, feeds us, and fills us with his very self, the true bread of life.
Mass today is in St Mary’s at 6.30pm.
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our Day By Day pages.
Sometimes our efforts in this life run into difficulties or opposition, and this can leave us feeling discouraged. Stephen, however, gives an example of focussing on the eternal not the transient. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Monday of the third week of Easter can be found here.
If it hasn’t already, then election fever will soon be gripping Wales as we approach the Senedd election on 7th May, just over two weeks away. Sometimes, when an election is approaching, the result is too close to call, which makes election night more exciting. On other occasions, it’s more of a foregone conclusion, where we all know who’s going to win and who’s going to lose. In the latter situation, one can perhaps feel a little sorry for the ordinary canvassers and leaflet deliverers of the party that is going to lose. They know that defeat is coming, but they carry on campaigning regardless. It must feel somewhat futile.
We might sometimes feel like that as Christians in the modern world as we seek to proclaim the Gospel. We are continually putting in lots of effort, and it can feel like there is little reward. This feeling of futility could have been one that affected Stephen. Last week in our readings we learned that he was one of the seven deacons appointed by the early church to help the apostles in their work. Today we are told that “he was doing great wonders and signs among the people”. However, his ministry has led to opposition from various groups in Jerusalem, and he is seized and brought before the council on false charges. We know that this will ultimately lead to Stephen’s death. He might have thought that his ministry had all been for nought, but it seems as though he had a serene confidence. We are told that “all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”
How did Stephen maintain his composure and confidence in the face of such impossible odds? The answer lies in today’s Gospel. “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”, Jesus says. Stephen had his sights set on the things of eternity. The council and its members, and even Stephen’s own life, would pass away, but the things of God will endure for ever. Unlike even the best political party, we too are working for the bread that endures for ever. May we keep that vision before us through all the changes and chances of this fleeting life.
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.
In today’s reflection from Mass we see how an unfulfilled demand on the apostles leads to the appointment of the first deacons to serve those in need.
BIBLE READINGS: The readingsfor Saturday of the Second Week of Easter can be found here
Have you ever had the feeling that you are spinning plates, like plate spinners in a circus act. You may have had many jobs and responsibilities accompanied by a growing sense of anxiety and panic that you won’t get them all done. If we’re not careful, the plates come crashing to the floor, which then creates another job: sweeping them all up!
In their focus on preaching the gospel, the apostles have been unable to keep up with the other demands of the growing community of faith. One of the important aspects was caring for and supporting those in need, including widows. The church is growing so rapidly, and the demands of spreading the gospel so large, that some Greek members think their widows are being overlooked. In response, the apostles set apart seven men for a ministry of service. This diaconal group includes Stephen who, of course, would later become the first Christian martyr.
At times, there may be many occasions where we have so many jobs to do or responsibilities to fulfil that we can never do all of them well. This will be true both of work life and home life, but also within the life of the church. Perhaps some of the jobs in hand don’t need to be in our hands and can be fulfilled as well by others. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help or to hand over responsibilities. It’s a recognition that we all share in the gospel together, and that each of us has a particular role to play and something unique to offer. The apostles were clear about their specific role. May we rejoice in what God is asking us to do—and what he may be asking of others.
Mass today is at S Mary’s Church at 1130am
DAY BY DAY
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.
Sometimes, we may become impatient with the church but today’s reflection from Mass explores what it means to be patient and wait and see what God is doing.
BIBLE READINGS: The readingsfor Friday of the Second Week of Easter can be found here
“The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history,” is a quote primarily attributed to the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. It observes that humanity frequently repeats its past mistakes, wars, and injustices because it fails to apply previous lessons learned. In our own generation, perhaps we can apply this saying to things we experience today.
In the second reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles have been arrested and whilst they await their fate, Gamaliel, a wise and respected teacher of the law steps in to offer some advice and guidance. He refers to the past and to several individuals, Theudas and Judas the Galilean, who had risen up and gathered around them a group of supporters. When they died, their followers were scattered and their movements came to nothing. Gamaliel suggests that the same thought should be applied to this new movement of Jesus. Maybe, since their leader appears to have died, his followers may scatter too and in turn come to nothing. If they don’t, then maybe this movement may be of God, which means they will never be overthrown.
Despite the challenges experienced by the church today, it still remains. Battered and bruised, it still moves on. Day by day, members are added to its number. Sometimes, when we lose hope or trust in the church, when we question it or are questioned by others, perhaps we need to apply something of the wise patience of Gamaliel and believe that God will reveal his purposes. We may think that we know what is right for the church, and disagree with others, but ultimately the church exists because of Christ. The Church is the Body of Christ of which he is the Head. All we need to do is trust in him, follow his ways, and rejoice in all that he is doing.
Mass today is at Ss Saviour’s Church at 10am
DAY BY DAY
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here’s today’s reflection from Mass.
BIBLE READINGS: The readingsfor Thursday of the Second Week of Easter can be found here
In September 2023, the streets of Glynneath were lined with people waiting for the unveiling of a new statue which faced Glynneath Rugby football club. It was, of course, the statue of Max Boyce, comedian and singer, who has been part of Welsh culture for decades and who has regaled us with tales and jokes and anecdotes of Welsh life and rugby with his famous catchphrase, “And I know, because I was there.”
Whilst Max Boyce’s tales are all about fun and entertainment, his claims of having first hand experience of certain events are important. In our reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter’s response to the officials are that “We are witnesses to these things.” And what are these things? He says, “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” It is that of which he and the other apostles are witnesses. They were there.
We don’t have the same privilege of having experienced the things the apostles did, but as we recall from Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe.” We are counted among those who are blessed. We are the ones who have not witnessed what Peter and the others did, but through their witness we have a living tradition and a life of faith through which we encounter the living Lord as they did. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are witnesses of the cross and the exaltation of Christ for when we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again.
Mass today is at Ss Dyfrig and Samson at 10am
DAY BY DAY
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then 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.
We look back on our very first Thrive at Five group for young people, held at St Paul’s, and ahead to our Alpha Course which will be starting in May. Thee’
A date not to be missed this week is Father Richard’s talk to the Grangetown History Society on the history of St Dyfrig’s, St Samson’s, and St Barnabas’ churches in Grangetown. It’s a fascinating story of how religious life developed in this part of Cardiff.
Lent lunches
Thanks to all those who provided and supported our Lent lunches in St Dyfrig & St Samson. We raised the wonderful total of £545, which has been donated to Smile Train, a charity which helps children born with cleft palate.
The proceeds from the Easter raffle in St Dyfrig & St Samson helped to pay for a new altar cloth which was dedicated on Easter Day. Thanks to all who supported.
Thrive at Five is launched!
We had a lovely first Thrive at Five youth club tonight at St Paul’s.
We thought about what the church means to us…. Why we come, what we do in church, the seasons and the colours.
Then of course we finished with pizza!
We’ve definitely noticed more people coming through our doors and it’s heartening to see our young people learning and growing in the faith of Christ.
Offeren Cymraeg | Welsh Mass
Our monthly Mass in Welsh is taking place this Wednesday, 15 April, at 6.30pm in St Dyfrig & St Samson.
This service is ideal for those who are Welsh learners or more proficient speakers. The order of service and the sermon are provided bilingually, and we are always looking for volunteers to read or lead the intecessions.
Three churches into one!
Did you know that St Dyfrig & St Samson is the story of three churches in one?
Fr Richard will be telling this fascinating story in a talk to the Grangetown Local History Society on Thursday 16th April at 6.30pm in the Grange Pavilion. Entry is free and all are welcome to attend.
Men’s Night
Get ready for another men’s night on Wednesday 29 April from 7pm at The Prince of Wales (Wetherspoon) pub.
Relaxed atmosphere, good company, no pressure!
Alpha comes to South Cardiff
Curious about faith?
Whether you’ve got questions or just want to meet new people for food and conversation, Alpha is for you.
This May, we’re running the Alpha Course, for anyone and everyone looking for a space to eat, meet others, and talk about life’s bigger questions with no pressure.
The course begins on Wednesday 20 May in St Dyfrig & St Samson, and lasts for 10 weeks. The sessions will run from 7.30pm-9.00pm. We’d love to see you!
Not only do we run two Foodbank sessions in St Saviours, we also collect and donate food items.
Recently, thanks to the generosity of our members and a donation of £200 we were able to do a BIG shop! You can make donations in any of our churches.
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.
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.
Wednesday 15 April | Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at St Paul's with St Paul's School 11.00am: Mass at St Mary's with St Mary's School
Thursday 16 April | Thursday of the 2nd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at Ss Dyfrig and Samson
Friday 17 April | Friday of the 2nd week of Eastertide 10.00am: Mass at St Saviour’s
Saturday 18 April | Saturday of the 2nd week of Eastertide 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 19 April | Third 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 20 April | Monday of the 3rd week of Eastertide 6.30pm: Mass at Ss Dyfrig & Samson
Tuesday 21 April | Tuesday of the 3rd week of Eastertide 6.30pm: Mass at St Mary’s
You can discover more about our regular pattern of worship through the week at
What kind of community would you create? And what community is the church called to be? Here’s today’s reflection from Mass.
BIBLE READINGS: The readingsfor Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter can be found here
The council estate of Penrhys in the Rhondda was built in the late 1960s to a utopian ideal. Spacious homes with stunning views, its architecture even inspired by Italian villas. It even had its own distinct heating system which served each of the 954 houses, the cost of heating included in the rent. But it proved very expensive following the oil crisis of 1973 which increased the cost of energy and also the rent. The estate became uneconomic for those residents reliant on state benefits. And many who were employed left the estate to have more control of heating costs. It became a prime example of what happens when planners get things wrong. How would you design a community from scratch?
In the Acts of the Apostles, we are given a glimpse into the community life of the church which was growing day by day. Something new was happening and being established under the leadership of the Apsotles. Today’s reading may offer some kind of utopian ideal, when everyone held everything in common and no one was left in need. They shared what they had with one another, and we hear of the inspiring story of Joseph who sells a field and give the proceeds to the apostles. “No one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own,” goes the story.
Perhaps this kind of ideal Christian community is only modelled today in Monastic communities, and yet the values which underpin them remain the same for us. We are called to be generous with our time and talents, to give realistically and sacrificially, and to care for those in need. We can perhaps take the words of JFK and turn them to our own situation. “Ask not what the church can do for you, but what you can do for the church.”
Mass today is at S Mary’s at 630pm
DAY BY DAY
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.
South Cardiff Ministry Area 