PARISH NEWS ARTICLES

The Parish Lenten Sessions continue on Wednesday. The theme, based on the theme of the Jubilee Year is: “We Dare to Hope” The topic of the third session will be: The Prayer of Hope. The session will remind us that hope and prayer are inseparable. Prayer is always an act of hope in God, an act of desire for God and of trust in Him. We exercise hope in prayer, as we come to God in our poverty of heart.  Why not come along to reflect on the theme of Hope during this Jubilee Year when we are called to be: Pilgrims of Hope?

This year, Pope Francis proclaimed 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Hope, with the theme of “hope does not disappoint” and a call to Catholics worldwide to become “Pilgrims of Hope.” The Jubilee Year officially started on Christmas Eve at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and will continue until the Feast of the Epiphany in 2026. On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis invited pilgrims to the Vatican to walk through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s and the other Holy Doors throughout Rome and the world. In the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia the Holy Doors are at St. David’s Cathedral, Cardiff, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Swansea, the statue of Our Lady of Penrhys, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Taper, Cardigan, the Shrine of Divine Mercy at Sacred Heart, Morriston, the Churches of St. Francis Xavier, Hereford, St. Francis Xavier and St. David Lewis, Usk, Our Lady and St. Illtyd, Llantwit Major, the Welsh Martyrs, Aberystwyth, the chapel of St. Non’s Retreat Centre in St. David’s; and the Abbey Churches of St. Michael and All Angels, Belmont and Our Lady and St. Samson, Caldey Island.  On a visit to the Holy Door(s) you are invited to undertake a pious act including participating devoutly in Holy Mass or at a celebration of the Word of God; the Liturgy of the Hours (Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer); the Stations of the Cross or the Rosary along with the other requirements for an Indulgence - https://rcadc.org/jubilee-home/the-jubilee-indulgence/ Preparations for the 2025 Year of Jubilee began in Advent 2023, which marked the start of a year of prayer. The Bishops’ Conference have produced resources for the preparatory year of prayer, focusing on the Our Father, as well as resources about Jubilee in the Catholic Church. View the resources from the Catholic Bishops Conference here View the resources from our own Archdiocese here Jubilee Year Calendar (Cardiff-Menevia)

The children of the parish are continuing their preparation for First Holy Communion on Sunday, May 11th. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they prepare to receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time. The children’s names are Ashwyn, Brinley, Christian, Daniel, Dylan, Jessie, Nell, Orlaith, Rory and Thomas.

Many thanks for the very generous response to the appeal in the newsletter two weeks ago for hats and gloves for the people who use the night shelter. They were very well received by the recipients. More are always welcome. In addition, it has become clear that many of those at the shelter are in need of other items including sleeping bags, haversacks, boxer shorts, socks and jackets. If you are able to help by donating any of these items, please drop them at the back of the Church.

Charlie, Dom and James would like to say a big thank you to all the parishioners of St. Teilo’s with Our Lady of Lourdes for their generous donations for the HCPT group. The collection amounted to the very generous amount of £1,564.04. In addition, Charlie, Dom and James would like to thank Mgr. Reardon and all the parishioners for their warm welcome and encouragement.

Apologies to all those who make use of the Hearing Loop at St. Teilo’s. The current loop has degraded in at least five places. The degradation is so bad that we have followed the professional recommendation and are replacing the whole cable around  the Church. Sadly, this means that the Hearing Loop will not be operational until the work is complete.

Charlie, James and Dom will be appealing at each Mass this weekend for your kind and generous donations for HCPT Group 102, a charity group with which they are volunteering. HCPT is a registered charity offering life-changing pilgrimage holidays to Lourdes in the south of France, for disabled and disadvantaged people from around the UK and further afield. For HCPT Group 102 to continue helping children and adults in need, we rely on kind donations from our generous supporters. So we ask you to dig deep into your pockets today please and to be very generous with your donations as we can assure you, they are going to a fantastic cause. At St. Teilo’s you will be able to donate by card via the Electronic Device at the back of the church. Alternatively you can donate by credit or debit card by selecting the HCPT option here - https://donate.mydona.com/stteilo-our-lady-of-lourdes

The Cleaning of St. Teilo's takes place every Monday and Tuesday. The cleaning team would like to encourage new people to help with as much or as little time as they can offer. The team would appreciate any support. If you are able to help, please come to the back of the Church at the following times: Monday, February 3rd between 8:30am-9:30am Tuesday, February 4th between 10:30am-11:30am Monday, February 10th between 8:30am-9:30am Tuesday, February 11th between 10:30am-11:30am Monday, February 17th between 8:30am-9:30am Tuesday, February 18th between 10:30am-11:30am Monday, February 24th between 8:30am-9:30am Tuesday, February 25th between 10:30am-11:30am

Clothes donations for the SVP The Parish St. Vincent De Paul (SVP) Conference undertakes a monthly collection of clothing for the SVP Charity Shop. Clean, good quality clothing, books and toys are welcome. Donations may be left outside the confessionals at the rear of St. Teilo’s next weekend, February 9th , and on the weekend of the Second Sunday of each month. Please ensure that donations are brought to the Church only on the specified Sundays, as we do not want the Church to become cluttered during the week. Thank you from the parish SVP.

We are calling young people from Year 8 or above. Is Jesus calling you to deepen your relationship with Him? Would you like to grow in your faith and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit? If so, the Sacrament of Confirmation is for you. If you have been baptised and received your first holy communion, please complete an enrolment form at the back of the Church and email it to whitchurch@rcadc.org or give it to Canon John by Sunday, February 16th. Confirmation sessions will take place every Thursday evening. Parents of those planning to be confirmed are asked to attend the Parent Information session on Sunday, February 23rd at 11am at St Teilo’s parish hall.

A number of welcomers have personal reasons why they are unable to welcome at Mass on Sundays at St. Teilo’s. Please could we invite parishioners to volunteer to take on this role. Welcomers welcome the congregation, hand out Mass Books and the newsletter and keep a count of attendees. If you feel you are able to help, please tell one of the existing welcomers or email whitchurch@rcadc.org

Pope Francis invites Catholics to let our faith inform our service as the troubles in the world increase. If you work in the Armed Forces, the Police or in Security in general you are invited to attend a Jubilee Mass taking place at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Convent Street, Swansea on Saturday February 8th at 11:00am . The Mass will be celebrated by Rt. Rev. Tom Burns, Bishop Emeritus of Menevia and former Bishop of the Forces. If you are a veteran or retired  police officer and would like to support those in service with your prayers, you are also most welcome to attend.

Churches Together in Whitchurch arranged to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity including the concluding service of the week today at 4.30pm at Ararat Baptist Church, Whitchurch with  Archbishop Mark O’Toole as the Guest Preacher.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) are holding its annual White Flower Collection this weekend. Please be as generous as you can to help the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, to defend unborn babies and their mothers. The success of the White Flower Collection is founded on the compassion and generosity of faithful churchgoers in parishes across the United Kingdom. SPUC is grateful for the unapologetic defence of unborn babies and vulnerable people that the teaching of the Catholic Church provides. At St. Teilo’s you are able to make a donation using your credit/debit card at the Electronic Donation Station.

Archbishop Mark’s December 2024 newsletter contains quite a few subjects of interest to people in the Archdiocese covering: Clergy Matters Welcome and Appointments Diocesan Matters Jubilee Year Inc Pilgrimages Crib Collections Diocesan Unification Prayers Events Visit of the Relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis Flame 2025 Chrism Mass Jubilee Teenagers’ Pilgrimage to Rome Men’s Spiritual Exercises WeBelieve Festival General Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops New Sunday Missal From the Bishops’ Conference New Lectionary and Scripture Formation Resources At the Foot of the Cross (listen via this link ) Download the Newsletter Archbishop’s Newsletter – December 2024 (pdf) Attachments highlighted in the newsletter Itinerary for Teenagers’ Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi Jubilee Year Calendar (Cardiff-Menevia) Lectionary Scripture Resource

Readers and Eucharistic Ministers are needed for the Christmas Masses at St. Teilo’s. If you are able to volunteer, please add your name to the list at the back of the Church for the Mass(es) you will be attending.

On Wednesday evening at 7.30pm we welcome Côr Ferindiau Melin Gruffydd, Côr Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd y Côr Caerdydd for their concert in aid of Velindre Cancer Care Centre.  Wynne Evans of Go Compare and Strictly fame and Huw Stephens of BBC Radio will be joining the choirs. Tickets are £10 at the door. There is free entry for children under 16.

The formal establishment of the new Archdiocese of Cardiff–Menevia takes place at St. David’s Cathedral on Monday at midday. The Mass on this occasion is by invitation only and two members of the Parish Community, including the Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council, will be attending to represent the Parish of St. Teilo’s with Our Lady of Lourdes at this event at which the Papal Nuncio will preside.  Please continue to offer your prayers for the Archbishop, the Archdiocese and for all its priests and people at this time.

This pocket-size booklet of prayers and reflections for Advent and Christmas is now available at the back of the Church. It begins today and is a great aid to celebrating this holy season of preparation for the birth of Our Lord. Archbishop Mark O’Toole has written a foreword to the booklet and recommends it as an aid to prayer. Why not sit quietly with Walk with Me for a few minutes each day? Walk with Me costs £1 per copy.