Deanery Lenten Station Mass
Webmaster • April 5, 2025
The Lenten Station Mass for our Deanery will take place on Wednesday, April 9th at 7pm at St. Helen's Church, Barry. It would be nice to have a good number of parishioners in attendance at this Mass as part of our Lenten observance, so please make every effort to attend.
The idea of a Station Mass originated in Rome during the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great (590 – 604). It was developed as a daily pilgrimage in the footsteps of the martyrs and saints. Pilgrims and penitents visited forty churches in Rome on foot during Lent and performed penitential exercises and celebrated Mass in each ‘stopping place’ or ‘station’. In doing so, they were also following the example of Jesus who went out into the desert and fasted for forty days and forty nights in preparation for His mission. In a sense the Station Mass is a pilgrimage, a part of the commitment to the forty days of Lent and the journey each of us has to make into the desert of our own hearts and lives to be ready to meet Jesus at Easter.
The Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Team invites all parishioners in the Archdiocese to a Saturday with praise and worship, Mass and small group sharing at Jubilee shrines across the Archdiocese. Each day runs from 10 am to 3pm. Please bring a packed lunch. The dates and venues are as follows: • Saturday June 28th – Belmont Abbey, Hereford HR2 9RZ • Saturday July 5th – St. Non’s Retreat, near Haverfordwest SA62 6BN
The Knit and Natter group have recently produced 13 Angel blankets which will be donated to the local Neonatal Unit. These handmade blankets have been especially made to honour and cradle the tiniest of lives, those born too soon or have passed away before or shortly after birth. These blankets provide safety, warmth, dignity and comfort during a profoundly tender moment - This is an ongoing Reaching Out Project
Please note that Mass on Saturday 28th June will be at the earlier time of 9am to enable Canon, as Dean, to attend the Deanery Children’s Liturgy Training Session
On Tuesday, we celebrate the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Tuesday’s feast honours St. John as the forerunner of Christ. John’s birth, announced by the angel and greeted with acclaim and promise, parallels that of Jesus. An angelic annunciation prepares the way, as the Angel Gabriel visits Zechariah to tell him that his wife Elizabeth is with child. The doubting father finds himself unable to speak, until the scene described in today’s Gospel. There, Zechariah confirms in writing that the new-born child will be called John. Zechariah’s tongue is loosed and he begins to praise God, causing fear and marvelling among all who hear the story. On this feast, six months before the birth of Jesus, we prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord anew in our life, as Zechariah and Elizabeth welcomed their son John.
This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Corpus Christi. This beautiful Solemnity gives the whole Church on earth the opportunity to praise God for the blessing of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Parish Rosary Prayer Group meets on the last Thursday of each month at 2.00pm in Ty Mair, 19 Heol y Waun CF14 1LB at the junction of Heol Gabriel and College Road. The group members have intercessory prayer, read and discuss the following Sunday's Gospel, pray the Rosary, pray the 3 o'clock prayer and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and have a cuppa! The next meeting takes place on Thursday, June 26th . All are welcome to attend.
We will have coffee and tea in the St. Pope John Paul II Chapel at Our Lady of Lourdes after the 10.00am Mass on Wednesday 25th June . If you are at Mass on that day, please stay behind and spend some time socialising and sharing with our fellow parishioners.
Each Tuesday evening, the parish has an hour of silent Adoration at St. Teilo’s from 7pm to 8pm. The primary intention for the period of Adoration is vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Feel free to come for all or part of the hour to pray for the Church in its need for faithful ministers to continue the Mission of Jesus.
The Pilgrimage of Hope is a national walking pilgrimage for England and Wales with four main Ways converging at the Cathedral of St. Barnabas, Nottingham, on Saturday, September 13th, the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is an initiative of the Hearts in Search of God project. The Ways start at the Catholic cathedrals in Cardiff, Leeds, Norwich and London and will bless our nations with a Sign of the Cross. The routes use established hiking routes and are off road as much as possible. A small group of 'perpetual pilgrims' will walk the full distance of each Way, with up to 20 day pilgrims joining for day stages. It is now possible for pilgrims to register for day stages. For details see this link: https://www.pilgrimways.org.uk/become-a-pilgrim-for-a-day
St. David’s (Cardiff) Deanery is running a training session devoted to children’s liturgy on Saturday, June 28th from 10am to 12noon at St. Philip Evans Church Hall. It offers those already involved in running groups an opportunity to share experiences and resources as well as providing valuable help and support for anyone thinking of setting up a new group. Further details can be found on the Archdiocese’s website https://rcadc.org/childrens-liturgyworking-together-to-make-it-a-success/
