Enthronement

© Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk
(L-R) Gary Dench (seminarian for Brentwood), Myself, the Archbishop, Daniel Stanton (seminarian for Cardiff) and Andrew Saunders (seminarian for Wrexham).

As I'm sure y'all know, last week the Most Rev. George Stack was enthroned as Archbishop of Cardiff in the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St David. Pictures can be found on the bishops' conference flickr site, as well as here. His Grace's homily can be found here.

It was a joyful celebration with 114 priests (priests of the Archdiocese and a contingent from Westminster), 30 bishops, the emeritus Archbishop of Westminster and the Apostolic Nuncio as well as the leaders of numerous faith communities throughout South Wales and Herefordshire (the diocese covers a large portion of South Wales and the county of Herefordshire).

The choir sang Parry's I was glad as Archbishop Stack made his entrance to the Cathedral, which is the main reason why I will include the next link; this link is to the BBC's iplayer site and (hopefully) it will enable you to listen to the 30 minute show (it contains the edited 'highlights' of the enthronement), the programme begins with the choir singing. It also contains the entire homily preached by the Archbishop.

His Grace is off to Rome this week to receive the pallium from the Holy Father (Wednesday - Feast of SS Peter and Paul) please pray for him as he embarks on his new ministry here in Cardiff.

Our Lady of Vocations - Pray for Us

St David - Pray for Wales
St David - Pray for Us.

Revelation.

Dear followers,

On the feast of two holy witnesses to the Faith I have decided to reveal who I am.

© Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk

This picture, taken before the Enthronement of His Grace the Most Reverend George Stack, 7th Archbishop of Cardiff, shows myself with a seminarian of the Cardiff diocese who is now off to Oscott.

I thank you for your prayers, but ask for them to continue as I venture into the next phase of my life. As you may already know I was accepted by His Grace for formation to the Priesthood and will begin my studies with the propaedeutic year in Valladolid.

I also ask you to pray for Archbishop Stack as he undertakes his episcopal ministry in Cardiff.

In Domino.

...movements

There are rumours abound that the Lord Bishop of Menevia, the Right Reverend Tom Burns SM is to be translated to the See of Cardiff - watch this space.

And so it came to pass...

It happened. Last Friday (4th February) the formerly young Catholic Student became 22. Yes, the day Wales lost to England; closely followed by a defeat for the local ENL Ice Hockey team (of which my brother is captain) - I even found myself shouting...

HOWEVER the South Wales Derby resulted in a win for my home team (Cardiff) so the weekend finished well (especially being as Cardiff then jumped from 6th to 3rd).

Anyway, the 'process' continues and I still require your prayers, and assure you of mine.

I'm currently writing a report for this blog on the Ordinations at Westminster Cathedral in January, I'm trying to write it properly.

In Domino

Catholic Cardiff...

..I popped into Cardiff city centre today (not something I try to do too often outside of term time) and I found quite an interesting book entitled "Catholics in Cardiff" by John O'Sullivan.

There were a few pictures of interest, including one which I think a follower of this blog might appreciate.

So here we go, but where to begin?!

Now... I realise this is the American prelate, the Most Rev. Fulton J. Sheen. You may well be asking why he was in Cardiff, or at least the archdiocese; well the caption reads: "American writer and broadcaster Bishop Fulton Sheen with pupils at Newport in 1971. (Courtesy of O'Sullivan Archives)"

What some of you may, or may not know is that before Cardiff became the principal diocese of Wales in 1916 the main diocese of Wales was that of Newport. Now because when the diocese was 'elevated' to an Archdiocese and the centre moved to Cardiff it meant that Newport would become a titular See, the See that Bishop Fulton Sheen was titular of, hence his visit to Wales.

This image is of the Most Rev. John Murphy, Archbishop of Cardiff 1961 - 1983. The caption reads: "Archbishop John Murphy is seen here on his way to St David's Cathedral for his enthronement on the 31 October 1961".

I have nothing else to say about the image other than... that's a deacon (or sub-deacon) with a biretta on!!

This last image is perhaps my favourite, NUNS! Proper nuns! The caption tells us that this is the Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy, in procession (presumably into the chapel) at Llantarnam Abbey just outside Newport in the 1960s.

Needless to say their 'habit' (if you can call it that) is a lot different these days!

Our Lady of the Taper - Pray for Wales
Our Lady of Penrhys - Pray for Wales

She's gone...

St Therese has gone, but the memory of the visit of her relics will live on for generations! I will always remember the flocks of people making their pilgrimage to Cardiff's Cathedral to spend a few minutes with the Little Flower, asking her intercession or thanking her for prayers being answered.

I have trawled through the Flickr page of the Bishop's Conference, looking mainly at pictures from the visit to Cardiff. I have a few favourites, which I will put up in this post. The pictures are all from the Flickr page, so full credit goes to them!
This is the first of my favourite pictures. It features one of the sisters from the Dolgellau Carmel, they were certainly most welcome! Most of them seemed quite frail, but they were so full of Love! They were all smiling!
Here is my second favourite image, why? Well it features three flags of great importance to me as a Welshman, a Briton and a Catholic. They are; the Welsh flag, the Union flag and the standard of St David. Also, Canon Peter Collins (with the biretta) is in full choir dress, a rare glimpse of a by-gone era.
The last image is of Archbishop Peter Smith during the preparation of the gifts. Mainly because it's a good picture, but also because I'm baffled by why the book is facing the wrong way... I was on the sanctuary and didn't notice a thing!!

Happy Easter!

...to all my readers, I wish you a happy and Holy Easter!

The Triduum was...well, let's be charitable and say "interesting"! The singing at the Mass of Lords Supper was good, for what it was, and what it was, was largely out of key! I took this out on my knees afterwards before the Altar of Repose!

Good Friday was, quiet. But even then they managed to have some happy clappy-ness! And then the journey to Bexhill began!

The triduum for me, concluded at the church of St Mary Magdalene, Bexhill. My plan to go to Brighton to Fr. Ray Blake's parish fell through, and I went here instead. Three hours, so I can't really complain!

My main problem came the next morning...I was in the church of St Martha, Bexhill. And it was fine, until the priest lit the Paschal Candle and intoned "Light of Christ" i cringed, but cringed further when the congregation replied "Thanks be to God" - what's wrong with "Lumen Christi"?? Hopefully next year i'll be in Cardiff!

Apart from that, my Easter was quite peaceful, and joyful! We celebrated it with a fine dinner and a wonderful bottle of Rioja!

That'll be me signing out, until tomorrow dear friends!

In Domino

Cross or Crucifix??

A regular reader of this small blog Miss Ellen E recently posted a video. And i must say, i agree with her 100%. The video itself is fine, but the cross does not, for me at least, symbolise anything. In fact, if anything, it symbolises the loss of something.

Whilst walking yesterday evening with my friend (mentioned in a previous post) i was reminded of an encounter I had with a Christian at Cardiff's central bus station a few years ago...

...I was waiting for my bus to college, and my crucifix was on show. I wa stood, quite happily reading the bus timetable, when someone i've never met in my life came up to me and said; "Why do you wear that?". "Where what?" I asked. He looked at my crucifix and said something along the lines of, "I'm a Christian and i don't see the point in wearing a crucifix, we should celebrate His resurrection!"

I was a little annoyed that firstly, this man had appeared from nowhere and that he was (essentially) mocking me. So my reply was quite short, and quite fast for me. "Yes, I realise we should celebrate His resurrection. BUT to rise he had to die" At which point the Christian turned on his heel and walked off...

This whole episode put me off wearing my crucifix in public, but since then have regained my confidence and when i get a new one it shall be worn with pride!