Parish of St. Teilo's with Our Lady of Lourdes

The Gabalfa housing estate was built in the late 1940s and early 1950s in

response to the demand for decent housing in the aftermath of the Second

World War.

Families from old, but damaged parts of Cardiff, and the outlying areas were brought

into the new housing. Many families displaced by the

effects of bombings during the war were part of staunch

Catholic communities, especially in the Docks and

Newtown areas of the city. These families formed the

nucleus of what became a thriving Catholic community.

At first, the only way to attend Mass was to embark on

a long trek to either St. Teilo’s or to St. Joseph’s.

Eventually, arrangements were made to have one

Sunday morning Mass in the local area. This was held in

the Territorial Army Barracks in the artillery room, between

two immense anti-aircraft guns. This, of course, held

untold fascination for the boys, but the space for running

and sliding around after Mass was enjoyed by all the children.

A group of mothers soon got together and organised

themselves into a branch of the Union of Catholic Mothers

and began fundraising for a real church building. They met

in an old boxing club attached to a local pub. There, all

kinds of events were arranged, and in the mid-1950s the

existing church was built, paid for mainly by a concerted

effort and pennies scrupulously saved and collected. The

building was originally meant to be a temporary church

until a more permanent one could be built in the grounds.

The first Parish Priest was Fr. Fitzsimmons who worked

hard to sustain this vibrant Catholic community. The altar

of the church was cleverly screened off and the building

became a parish hall. Here the great fundraising efforts

continued, especially the very successful ‘Bingo’, the

proceeds of which paid for the present parish hall, with the

church becoming the lovely sanctuary it is today.

After some time, Fr. Fitzsimmons moved on and Fr. Gerald

Chidgey became Parish Priest. He was a Canon Lawyer

dealing with the Marriage Tribunal, and although Mass was

celebrated most weekday mornings, he had to juggle his

work in the Parish with his other duties. He left after

twenty years, leaving behind a church, hall and presbytery

all paid for.

Fr. Chidgey was followed by Fr. Mills. A lively young man,

he had a very good relationship with the Parish and its

people. His stay, however, was short and he moved after

only a year.

Fr. Torney followed, remaining as Parish Priest for eighteen

years. During his tenure the grounds were renovated and the side chapel was

soundproofed for mothers and babies. He also set up a Parish Advisory Council. A choir

was set up and the new Liturgy was brought into use. Fr. Torney spent a lot of his

time working with families and the sick, visiting them often. A very good housekeeper

took great care of him.

Upon Fr. Torney’s retirement Canon Tom Keane arrived. He enhanced the Liturgy (also

introducing a Children’s Liturgy), appointed additional Eucharistic Ministers, allowing

them to visit the housebound, and extended the list of Readers. The church hall was

also renovated and, with the help of his housekeeper and several parishioners, he

redecorated the church. After eight years he retired due to ill-health.

Following Canon Keane’s retirement the Parish became part of the Archdiocesan

pastoral reorganisation and so the Parish of St. Teilo’s with Our Lady of Lourdes was

formed, the two Parishes once more becoming one. Canon Edward O’Connell, the Parish

Priest of St. Teilo’s, became Parish Priest of the new enlarged Parish. He was initially

assisted by Fr. Richard Reardon until he was transferred to Newport.

Many from St. Teilo’s attend the Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturday evening at Our Lady

of Lourdes, with many from Gabalfa travelling to St. Teilo’s for Sunday Mass. The

whole Parish now enjoy a wider range of social activities together.

Fr. Peter Marden and his wife Carole were in residence at Our Lady of Lourdes from

2007 to 2011. Fr. Peter done much to enhance the Liturgy and celebrations on special

occasions. He rekindled the social life of the Parish and involved the community in

greater ecumenical work with other local congregations and with other faiths, including

a local Muslim community.

In the many years since the establishment of Our Lady of Lourdes, the children of the

original families have grown up, many of them getting married and moving away.

Despite dwindling numbers the spiritual life of the community has remained vibrant.

Click here for the first page of our Parish history.

With thanks to John O'Sullivan, journalist, author and long time Parishioner of St.

Teilo's for the St. Teilo's Parish history. John died in 2007. With thanks to Frank Lane

for providing the Parish history of Our Lady of Lourdes.

If you have any photographs or stories of Parish events or interesting times that you

would like to share with fellow Parishioners and the world please let us know!