Issue 40 - Spring 2010 - 13.6 Mb - West Vale Catholics

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contents 

WEST VALE CATHOLICS PARISH mAGAZINE SPRING 2010 

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From Cover To Cover 

Summer Fruits 

Transition Llantwit. Picnic Receipe 

Palm Sunday Procession 

Parish Ladies Guild Update and visit to Craig-y-Nos 

The Gift of the Holy Spirit 

Be Filled with the Holy Spirit. What’s In A (Saint’s) Name? 

New development at St Illtud. Cafod update 

Into Great Silence 

Our Parish Children 

Beachcombing 

Exploring the Seashore 

Parish Reflection: Corpus Christi 

Living in Spain 

St Cado in French 

Piona Abbey, Lake Como 

Sailing Around the Orkneys 

The Priest is Not an Angel 

Dementia and Spirituality. A Prayer to the Sacred Heart 

Obituaries 

Computers 

8 Beatitudes for Catechists, A Natural Burial 

Kids Korner wordsearch 

Parish Information, Dates for your diary 

Magazine Production 

EDITOR VIVIEN SNOW CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ROSEmARy SAmUEL ANNE ROONEy PAUL LINDSAy mOIRA ROBINSON 

ADVERTISING ANNE ROONEy DESIGN SImON WILLIAmS PRINTING KNIGHT PRINT PENARTH CONTRIBUTORS FR mAHER 

FR PAT COLLINS PETER ANTHONy mAURA BENNETT RICHARD BROWNING NEIL EVANS ELIZABETH HUGHES JENNy HUNT 

PETER JARVIS L V KELLy ROSE mORGAN mOIRA & mIKE PARSONS TESSA PEPPER TERRy ROONEy mATTHEW WITTy 

PHOTOGRAPHy NICKI BAKER mAURA BENNETT SUSAN BROAD RICHARD BROWNING RAy CULLINANE ELIZABETH HUGHES 

JENNy HUNT mOIRA & mIKE PARSONS TERRy ROONEy VIVIEN SNOW SImON WILLIAmS CARyS WHELAN mIKE WILCOCK 

WE ARE VERy GRATEFUL TO OUR ADVERTISERS FOR THEIR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN PRODUCING THIS mAGAZINE. 

PLEASE, IF yOU mAKE USE OF THEIR SERVICES TELL THEm yOU SAW THEIR ADVERT IN THE PARISH mAGAZINE 

DISCLAImER: 

WHILST REASONABLE CARE IS TAKEN WHEN ACCEPTING ADVERTISEmENTS, THE EDITORIAL COmmITTEE OF THE PARISH mAGAZINE CANNOT ACCEPT ANy 

RESPONSIBILITy FOR ANy RESULTING UNSATISFACTORy TRANSACTIONS. 

© ALL CONTENTS THE PARISH OF OUR LADy & ST.ILLTyD, LLANTWIT mAJOR AND ST.CADOC, COWBRIDGE 2009. REGISTERED CHARITy NUmBER: 2423809m

From the 

Editor 

Vivien Snow 

i now we are 

t is such a wonderful time of the 

year. As christians we are full of joy 

as we continue in our celebration of 

the Resurrection of Jesus. Our prayer is 

full of alleluias. As we look at our gardens 

and our surroundings, new life is bursting 

out everywhere, the long hard winter is 

over and we have summer to look forward 

to. We have wonderful church Feasts 

approaching: Pentecost, the birthday of the 

church; corpus christi, celebrating that 

amazing gift of the Body and Blood of 

christ; and the sacred heart, celebrating the 

overwhelming love of Jesus for each one 

of us. it is a very important time for our 

parish and particularly our young people, 

with sacraments to be given and received. 

We have candidates to be confirmed on 27th 

May, and children making their First holy 

communion on 13th June. 

this special issue, our 40th, focuses on 

those Feasts and their place in our parish. We 

discover more about our parish children, and 

their preparation, and of course we keep you 

up to date on parish activities. We bid fond 

and sad farewells to much loved parishioners, 

may they rest in peace. 

As we look towards summer, we can share 

the excitement of living in spain, discovering 

hidden gems like Piona Abbey, sailing round 

the Orkneys, and getting away from it all 

on retreat in ireland. We can explore the 

treasures of our coasts, as Jenny hunt guides 

us and our children in the gentle art of 

beachcombing. We reflect on summer fruits 

and there is even a picnic recipe to tempt the 

taste buds. 

The Sacraments 

BAPTISMS: 

Jessica Louise LAUGHARNE 

15th November 2009 Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

Lauren Robyn Catherine WILLIAMS 

6th March 2010 Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

MARRIAGE: 

Guy Alexander BREAKINGBURY 

& Michelle Anne BEDDARD 

6th February 2010 Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

FIRST RECONCILIATION: 

Rachel & James ANSTEY 

A mILESTONE: the 40th issue of our 

Parish magazine. I am happy about the way the 

magazine has gone from strength to strength over 

the years. many thanks to the Communications 

Committee for all their hard work, and 

particularly to Rosemary Samuel, editor for 

15 years and 37 issues. Congratulations to all 

concerned; grateful thanks to our advertisers 

who make possible such a quality production, 

and to all of you in the Parish who contribute to 

the content and make donations towards the cost. 

God bless you all. 

Father Pierce Maher 

CHRISTIAN BURIAL: 

Joan Irene ALLBUT 

3rd November 2009, Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

Michael Patrick DOMICAN 

23rd December 2009, St. Cadoc 

Joseph Francis ANTHONY 

11th January 2010, Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

Genevieve Henriette Alberte HAYNES 

16th February 2010, St. Cadoc 

Bernard William George LEWIS 

1st March 2010 Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

Dorothy MITCHELL 

10th March 2010, Our Lady & St. Illtyd 

Frances Mary SHEPPARD 

29th March 2010, St. Cadoc 

Sheila Mary WEBSTER 

5th May 2010, Our Lady & St.Illtyd 

Edward HORSFALL 

11th May 2010, Our Lady & St.Illtyd 

from Cover 

to Cover 

OuR PARish MAgAziNe has only survived and improved 

over 40 issues because of YOu, the people who have 

contributed such excellent articles and photographs; YOu, 

the advertisers who have helped us to cover the production 

costs of the magazine; YOu, the parishioners and friends who 

have donated so generously over the years for your copy of 

the magazine; and finally the people who have worked on the 

magazine. 

the very first edition of our Parish Magazine appeared 

at christmastide 1994, initiated by the then new 

Pastoral Advisory council. A communications 

committee was set up to oversee the magazine 

under the joint chairmanship of Rosemary samuel 

and Ray cullinane. Rosemary was therefore 

involved with the magazine from its very inception, and 

although no longer editor, continues to play a very significant role in 

its production. Ray cullinane has continued throughout the issues providing us 

with excellent high quality photographs of parish events and people. One other person 

has been in from the very beginning. he was the designer of the very first issue, and 

it was his page layout and design that set the style and standard for all subsequent 

magazines and the succession of excellent people who did the page layout. Not only 

that, but every one of the 40 covers was designed by him – simon Williams. 

simon became involved at age 15 because he wanted to contribute something of 

value to the parish, and his expertise in graphic design was the best way in which he 

could do this. A member of the Williams family (who had originally given the land 

for the building of st.cadoc’s church), simon lived in st.hilary and attended Mass 

in st. cadoc’s with his sadly now-deceased father, steve. he went on to swansea 

university to study geography, rather than graphic design, and left with a good 

honours degree to try to achieve his, by then principal ambition, to be a commerical 

airline pilot. After taking his initial flying lessons at Rhoose and acquiring his 

private pilot’s license, several trips to America followed to qualify in flying larger 

planes, eventually returning to Britain and becoming an easyJet pilot, via two years at 

Air Wales. he now lives with his wife near Bristol from where he flies with easyJet, and 

has maintained unbroken the tradition of a ‘simon-designed’ cover for every issue of 

the magazine. At present he is also doing all the design and page setting work 

in between flights. Apparently, sitting around waiting for all the 

volcanic ash to disappear helps with the spare time! 

thanks again for your support. hopefully 

the magazine will continue for 

another 40 issues! 

04 | West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 | 05

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WHY NOT GIVE US A TRY? 

ONe OF the many delights of summer is the profusion 

of soft and bush fruits. Picnics with fresh fruits, or 

with warm evenings, meals on the patio finishing 

with strawberries and cream – these are the stuff of happy 

memories. A family visit to a PYO culminating in sticky hands 

and freckled faces, and baskets of fruit, gives variety to school 

summer holiday activities. What do we do with the abundance 

of fruit we pick or vegetables we 

grow? Obviously we eat as much 

fresh as we can, the rest we cook 

or prepare for freezing, which 

is quite a chore in the summer 

but pays dividends in the winter 

when we access our blanched 

vegetables from the freezer or 

sample bottled summer in our 

home-made jam. 

Peta Keen of hendrewennol 

(see advert below) and i were 

discussing jam when she was 

giving me a lift to hospital. 

We agreed judging the setting 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Tel: 

01446 781367 

Summer frUItS 

Hendrewenol Jam 

The making of jam and jelly probably began centuries ago in the 

Middle Eastern countries, where cane sugar grew naturally. It is 

believed that returning Crusaders first introduced jam and jelly to 

Europe; by the late Middle Ages, jams, jellies and fruit conserves 

were popular there. In fact, the word “jelly” comes from the French 

word “gelée” which means to congeal. The use of cane sugar to 

make jam and jelly can be traced back to the 16th century when 

the Spanish came to the West Indies where they preserved fruit. 

Strawberries are one of the only fruits to rely on man’s deliberate 

crossing to produce the modern dessert fruit. 

Wild or woodland strawberries, Fragaria vesca, have occurred 

naturally in the British Isles since the Ice Age. For many centuries 

gathering of these strawberries took place without any recorded 

efforts being made to bring them into controlled cultivation to 

improve either their size or their quality. It was probably during 

this time that they acquired the name strawberries from the 

practice of threading them on straws whilst harvesting them, or 

point correctly is vital. if a jam is over-boiled it loses colour 

and texture, and may even become a bit rubbery. under 

boiled it doesn’t set. Peta’s jam recipes can be found on the 

beautiful jams she makes to sell. i am very amateur – using 

jam sugar which contains pectin (which helps setting) to make 

the process easier. When i think the jam is ready (after having 

reached boiling point) i take a teaspoon of the liquid, place it 

on a cold china saucer and leave it in the fridge for 2 minutes. 

i run my finger across the surface and if 

the surface crinkles, it is ready. 

if not i try again until that 

happens. 

While the precise origin of 

preserved fruit remains a matter 

of historical debate, it is known 

that jams, jellies and preserves 

have a rich history and long 

have been recognized worldwide 

for their fragrance and rich fruit 

taste. so summer and winter we 

can enjoy the bounty of our land. 

possibly from the term ‘streabariye’ used by the Benedictine monk 

Aelfric in AD995 to describe the staying habit of the runners. 

Certainly the name strawberry was used long before the practice of 

placing straw around the fruiting plants became widespread. 

Some wild strawberries were taken into cultivation, improvements 

in berry size were achieved. From 17th century on experiments 

were made by the Dutch, the French and central Euopeans, and in 

England. Few varieties have stood the test of time the only survivor 

being Little Scarlet which is grown for its delicious flavour, fine 

scent and berry shape retaining properties when made into jam. 

In 1817 Michael Keens, a market gardener at Isleworth, 

introduced the Keens’ Imperial a chance seedling probably from 

F. virginiana x F. chiloensis x Hautbois. From this chance seedling 

and others which followed closely on it, the modern hybrid large 

berried plants were developed. Among the most popular are 

Grandee, Cambridge Rival, Gorella, Royal Sovereign, Cambridge 

Favourite and Redgauntlet. 

Visit beautiful wooded country and lake 

Pick Your Own: 

Strawberries, Raspberries, Tayberries & Gooseberries 

Red & Black Currants 

Open every day 9am to 6pm 

June – August 

(if fruit available) 

Car Park – Picnic Area – Tea/Coffee 

Full facilities: Hot and Cold Water 


Woodland Project 

In the last issue I outlined the Transition Llantwit project to 

reclaim a1/2 acre of densely overgrown scrubland situated 

beside the Lanes to Hillhead footpath (below the Scout Hut). 

During the Autumn we cleared most of the land leaving 

a fringe for habitat. In February of this year we received a 

grant from Keep Wales Tidy to restock the land. 

In the last month we have been very busy buying and 

planting fruit trees from various sources in Wales. 

We have planted Apple, Plum and Pear trees, totalling 19. 

In addition we have planted Blackcurrents, a Gooseberry 

and Raspberries. We are aiming to always use Permaculture 

principles of natural materials. 

Now as Spring arrives so will the dormant Brambles and 

nettles reassert themselves! Sharon and I have had seedy 

afternoons planting a range of meadow flowers. I have 

already planted a honeysuckle. I am working on getting a 

hive there. 

Photovoltaic Panels 

In July 2009 I had 12 photovotaic panels installed on the 

south facing roof of my house in Nant-yr-Adar. 

These panels generate electricity from sunlight. The peak 

output is 2.4 kW and that is fed into the main supply. In 

January 2010 the meter showed a total of a million Watt 

Hours (ie 1000kW hrs or Units).Although we have had a very 

cold winter, there has been plenty of sunshine so even with 

short days and a low sun we have seen 10-12 Units a day 

generated, much more than we use. Paul Brindley 

08 | West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 

Leek and MushrooM TarTLeTs 

For that day on the beach or outing to a beauty spot, 

how about going prepared with these tasty tarts. should 

make 6-8 individual tartlets (depending on size) or one 

large 25cm tart. 

Ingredients: 

For the pastry 

280g plain flour 

140g cold butter, cut into pieces 

For the filling 

25g butter 

3 or 4 leeks, depending on size, sliced and washed 

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 

2 eggs 

284 ml double cream 

140g gruyere cheese coarsely grated 

Method: 

1. to make the pastry; tip the flour and butter into a 

bowl and rub together with your fingertips until well 

mixed and crumbly. Add approx 6- 8 tbls cold water 

and bring everything together with your hands until 

combined. Roll into a ball. Alternatively whizz the flour 

and butter in your food processor until mixture is like 

coarse breadcrumbs and slowly pour in enough water to 

combine the ingredients so they form into a ball. 

2. Roll out and line either one large or 6 to 8 small tins 

and trim neatly. chill for 30 mins. 

3. Meanwhile melt the butter in a pan and gently cook 

the leeks stirring now and then until they soften (up to 

10 mins). turn up the heat and add the mushrooms and 

cook for another 5 mins. 

4. Prick the base of the tart(s) and line with greaseproof 

paper and then fill with baking beans. Blind bake at 

200c/180fan/gas6 for 20 mins, remove the beans and 

paper and cook 5 mins or so longer till the pastry is 

pale brown. 

5. Beat the eggs together with the cream. stir in the leek 

and mushroom mix and half the cheese. season and 

pour all this mixture into the cooked tart case .sprinkle 

with the remaining cheese and bake 20 to 25 mins until 

set and golden. Leave to cool in the cases. 

eNJOY! 

Rose Morgan 

Picnic 

rEcIpES The CoMMittee of Churches 

together in Cowbridge sat 

round the table discussing 

how best to organise a Palm Sunday 

walk of witness, that would be a 

witness to Christ as well as our 

common faith and our support of 

each other. it suddenly became 

obvious that we should process 

after the morning services in UfC 

and holy Cross and we would walk from 

one church to the other, gathering 

up all the parishioners, with all three 

denominations processing down the 

high Street ending with prayers and 

hymns at the memorial cross. 

Jasper and Polo, two of the donkeys 

from Amelia trust farm led the 

procession, cared for by Matthew and 

Jarvis, with Ann, their mentor in charge. 

the police had requested that 

we carried a scoop and bag 

in readiness, although Ann 

suggested that buckets of 

water would be better - she 

was right! 

there was a good number 

of our parish present, and 

as with any procession, and 

certainly with those who 

accompanied Christ, everyone 

was chatting, then singing 

and having a great time! 

Margaret Weavers (UfC) was 

handing out palm crosses 

and putting them in to the 

hands of cyclists and passers 

by, and we were observed 

by cars passing through and 

knots of teenagers coming 

out of the shops. We felt we 

had witnessed to very many 

people who may not have 

had any other reminder that 

Palm Sunday 

PROCESSION IN 

COWBRIDGE 

this was Palm Sunday, five days 

away from the crucifixion of Christ. 

heather Weddell, Minister at UfC, 

led the prayers and hymn singing at 

the Memorial Cross, supported by 

lovely trumpet and violin playing 

by husband and wife team Leonie 

and Richard haine, (holy Cross) 

and said: ‘We are recreating the 

beginning of a week that changed 

everything. A very special human 

being set us an example of how we 

can live our lives to the full – by 

putting others first, even to the extent 

of his being willing to die in order to 

give us fuller and more effective lives. 

his vision is for a society where we 

put the needs and welfare of others 

before our own which is in contrast 

with the selfishness that is 

all too often a significant 

force in our lives today. 

the message is that by 

using this example set for 

us by Jesus Christ as our 

pattern for living we can 

experience more happiness 

and wholeness than we ever 

dreamed was possible.’ 

We were fortunate to have 

a sunny day as the rest of 

the week was very cold and 

wet – it made Palm Sunday 

stand out in our minds, 

together in Christ or as the 

Gem headline put it: “Cowbridge 

Churches come together to give 

Palm Sunday its proper place in 

the build-up to easter.” 

Rosemary Samuel 

Photographer: Mike Wilcock, photos reproduced with 

permission 

West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 | 09

parISh LadIES GUILd: UpdatE 

UNFoRTUNATeLy THe FIRST meeting at the beginning of the 

New year was held when we were experiencing very inclement 

weather. Some people were unable to come, but for those 

there it was an excellent evening with Pauline eastman who 

has been a major fund raiser for cancer research following her 

own treatment for cancer. The annual dinner held at Huddarts 

Restaurant at the end of January was a welcome evening out 

and well attended as usual. 

In March the talk “Support our Soldiers” was postponed to a 

future date but we were well compensated by a very interesting 

evening given by Carys Whelan on the topic “The Physic Garden 

in Cowbridge” accompanied with slides. 

Two successful money raising events were held before and 

after Christmas, namely a Christmas Coffee Morning, and a 

Celtic Coffee Morning in March to honour Saints David and 

Pa r i s h La d i e s Gu i L d: 

day oUt In brEcon & 

craIG-y-noS 

in july the ladies Guild visited craig y nos, home to the world 

famous Welsh soprano Madame adeline Patti over a hundred years ago. 

she bought the original castle for £35,000 and spent £100,000 on it, 

including the addition of the theatre. the decor in the theatre is as it was 

in her day with the names of all the operatic composers painted around 

the walls and also the original backdrop on the stage. 

after an excellent lunch there, the coach went to Brecon. some visited 

the magnificent ancient cathedral, some explored the shops, while a few 

went down to the river. 

Patrick, where Welsh and Irish goodies were enjoyed by all 

who attended. The Guild was able to donate the magnificent 

sum of £ 1800 towards the Parish debt. Grateful thanks to all 

parishioners and friends who made cakes, helped in any other 

way or just came along to support us. 

A good number attended the musical Hairspray at the 

Millennium Theatre in Cardiff in April. The May meeting 

focused on drawing up a Lasting Plan of Attorney & Making 

a Will . Future events are listed on the back page. occasionally 

for various reasons these dates and events could be subject to 

change so please check your weekly Parish newsletter, as all are 

cordially invited to attend any of these functions. 

Ladies Guild meetings are usually held on alternate months in 

Llantwit (Wednesdays) & Cowbridge (Tuesdays) to which any 

potential members will be warmly welcomed. Anne Rooney 

PARISH EVENTS: photos 

The Cutter Ensemble 

Junior SVP from St. Richard Gwyn and their 

chaplain, Nicky Price 

W JAMES & SONS 

f u N E r A l d i r E c t O r S 

f o n m o n, r h o o s e, b a r ry – e s ta b l i s h e d 1860 

independent family business with 24hr personal service 

covering Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan 

PRIVATE CHAPEL OF REST 

tel: (01446) 710096 

Advent Mass and Tea 


e s e a L e d wi t h 

t h e Gift of th e 

h o L y sPirit 

So WiLL the Archbishop proclaim as he 

anoints the forehead of each of our 

five candidates for the Sacrament of 

Confirmation. in their preparation, the candidates 

are taught that: the holy Spirit gives us seven 

gifts, in a special way, at Confirmation. the gifts 

are given to help us grow in love and act as God 

wants us to act. the gifts are to be used and 

shared with other people. 

Understanding: the gift of knowing God’s will 

for us; Wisdom: the ability to think and act using 

our knowledge, experience, understanding and 

insight; Right Judgement: this gift helps us to 

know what to do, especially when we are faced 

with difficult situations; Knowledge: awareness 

gained by experience and learning; Courage: this 

gives us strength to do what is right no matter 

how hard it may be; Reverence: this gift gives 

us the power to love God and our neighbour as 

we should; Wonder and Awe: this gift gives us the power 

to remember the greatness of God and helps us to have a 

horror of offending God who has loved us so much. 

We not only receive gifts at Confirmation, but through 

having the holy Spirit living in us, we experience the Fruits 

Of The Holy Spirit. these are: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, 

Kindness, faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. 

this is what we all learned for our Confirmation, but it is 

important to remember that there are many more Gifts of 

the Spirit that we can be open to receive. We read about 

these in 1 Corinthians 12: “There is a variety of gifts but 

always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be 

done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of 

different ways in different people… One may have the gift 

of preaching with wisdom given him by the Spirit; another 

may have the gift of preaching instruction given him by 

the same Spirit; and another the gift of faith given by the 

same Spirit; another again the gift of healing, through this 

one Spirit; one, the power of miracles; another; prophecy; 

another the gift of recognizing spirits; another the gift of 

tongues and another the ability to interpret them.” (see also 

Romans 12:3-8) 

these gifts are often called “charisms” because that is the 

Greek word used by St.Paul in the above passages. (hence 

the term “charismatic renewal”). in the Documents of 

Vatican ii, Lumen Gentium, n12,: “By these gifts he (the holy 

Spirit) makes them fit and ready to undertake the various 


Confirmation candidates: Helen, Kate, Josh, Sam & Matthew 

tasks and offices which contribute toward the renewal 

and building up of the Church … these charisms, whether 

they be the more outstanding or the more simple and 

widely diffused, are to be received with thanksgiving and 

consolation for they are perfectly suited to and useful for 

the needs of the Church.” 

Not just our Confirmation candidates but all of us need to 

ask the holy Spirit to give us those gifts that will help the 

building up and growth of our parish, and empower us to be 

witnesses of our faith to the wider community. 

A HOLy SPIRIT PRAyER: 

Father, pour out your spirit 

upon your people, 

And grant us 

A new vision of your glory, 

A new experience of your power, 

A new faithfulness to your Word, 

And a new consecration to your service, 

that your love may grow among us, 

And your kingdom come: 

through christ our Lord. Amen. 

b e filled wi t h 

thE hoLy SpIrIt 

iF chRistiANs Receive the holy 

spirit in baptism and confirmation, 

in what sense, if any, can we say 

that adults can be “filled with the 

spirit”? (eph 3:18). theologians point 

out that while we do receive the holy 

spirit in the sacraments of initiation, it 

is usually a sacramental rather than an 

experiential event. it is like a boy or 

girl having an inheritance in the bank. 

the money is there in their names, but 

it cannot be used until they reach the 

age of twenty-one. then and only can 

they claim what is already theirs to 

do the things they could only dream 

of doing beforehand. the same can 

be true of contemporary christians. 

they are heirs to “every spiritual blessing 

in christ” (eph 1:3). But until they 

can claim them by faith through the 

release of the holy spirit within their 

personalities, they do not enter into 

their inheritance. 

there is scriptural support for this 

point of view in the account of the 

evangelisation of the samaritans in 

Acts 8:14-18. Philip had preached 

the good News to a group of these 

schismatic Jews. they had accepted 

his words with faith and received christian baptism. But 

when Peter and John came from Jerusalem to investigate, 

they adjudicated that the spirit “had not yet fallen on any 

Fr. Pat Collins C.M., based 

in Dublin is one of the 

foremost speakers, writers and 

theologians of the work of 

the Holy Spirit and Catholic 

Charismatic Renewal in Ireland 

and Britain. Find out more from 

his website: http://patcollinscm. 

webs.com which includes 

details of many of his speaking 

engagements and his books. 

WHAT’S IN A (SAINT’S) NAME? 

Recently the Holy Father in his weekly audience said, “To renew the 

Church in every age, God raises up saints, who themselves have been 

renewed by God and are in constant contact with God.” He wanted 

to highlight the essential role of saints, who are able to make lasting 

contributions to the Church because they lived the Gospel in their 

own lives. 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, references are given of 

saints and their role as examples of Christian holiness and as companions 

in faith, prayer and as our patrons. In the Apostles Creed we say “I 

believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of 

saints .. “ We are reminded that the saints are our witnesses who have 

preceded us into the Kingdom of Heaven where they constantly praise 

God and care for those of us who are left on Earth. 

Taking a saint’s name is the custom in the Catholic Church when 

a person approaches the sacrament of Confirmation. Our choice of 

of them.” Rather than being a theological 

judgement, that denied the giving of the holy 

spirit in the sacrament of baptism, this was 

an experiential conclusion. When they met 

the samaritans, it was immediately apparent 

that they had not shared in the ecstatic joy 

and gifts they had received at Pentecost. so 

the apostles prayed for them “that they might 

receive the holy spirit.” 

While i know that scripture scholars make 

the valid point that, in this text, Luke is 

saying that the outpouring of Pentecostal 

grace in the early church was associated with 

the apostles, the first interpretation is also 

valid. When Peter and John prayed for the 

samaritans, the spirit they had received in a 

sacramental way in their baptism was released 

in a powerful, experiential way within them. it 

led them to praise and serve god with joy. surely 

it is much the same for many contemporary 

catholics. 

the irish bishops have described the infilling 

of the spirit as “a conversion gift through which 

one receives a new and significant commitment 

to the Lordship of Jesus and openness to the 

power and gifts of the holy spirit.” the in-filling 

of the holy spirit is not only an essential aspect 

of the sacraments of initiation it is necessary for 

all christians. it is my belief that every bishop, 

priest and lay person needs to be repeatedly “filled with the 

spirit” if he or she wants to participate fully in the renewal 

of the church and effective evangelisation. 

saint gives that candidate his or her own identity. When we are born, 

our parents, or another member of our family, are the ones who 

choose what our given name (usually a Christian name) will be. For 

Confirmation it is an opportunity to make our own decision as to 

what additional name we might like to have. It could be a saint for 

whom we have a particular fondness or would like to follow as an 

example. Unfortunately to my knowledge there is no Saint Ryan or 

Wayne but there are plenty of good and holy people to choose from. 

No saint was ever perfect. Even Peter the first Pope denied Our Lord 

three times, but then no one ever was without sin except for Jesus 

and his blessed mother! 

The late Pope John Paul said that “The saints have always been the 

source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the 

Church’s history.” What could be more relevant at this present time! 

Anne Rooney 


New deVeLoPMeNt 

at st. iLLtud 

Our brOthers and sisters in Christ, who worship in the 

Church of Our Lady & st. Illtyd’s, Llantwit Major, will be pleased 

to hear of a new innovation at st. Illtud’s anglican Church, 

Llantwit Major. this will be of interest to all followers of the 

history of Christianity in Llantwit Major, the Vale and Wales, in 

the Celtic, Catholic and anglican eras. 

You will be aware that the main attraction to visitors of 

this remarkable Church is the collection of Celtic stones in 

the West Church, with its medieval and elizabethan effigies. 

unfortunately, in this active Church, in order to get a close view 

of the stones and effigies, one risks limb, if not life, to climb 

over a medieval monk, stacks of chairs and the remnants of last 

week’s sunday school and toddler Club. 

the Church has now received the first stage of a heritage 

Lottery grant to rebuild the roofless ruin attached to the West 

Church – the 13th century Galilee Chapel: this became the 

raglan Chantry Chapel during the 15th century. henry VIII’s 

monastic commissioners referred to it as “the Lady Chapel at 

the West end”. 

the proposal is to move the Celtic stones and effigies in to 

the restored Chapel to provide the basis for a new archive of 

Christian history, with facilities for research and improved 

access for schools and other groups. the sacristy will house a 

THANKS To THe amazing generosity of parishioners, the 

CAFoD Support Group continues to gather funds to send 

to CAFoD to alleviate suffering in such places as Haiti, 

Rwanda, Sudan, Liberia and many more. 

The group sent £1,400 last May, since when we have 

received nearly £200 in individual donations. The Carol 

service raised £246 and the soup lunch, which was not 

intended primarily as a fund raising event, brought in £148. 

The CAFoD Support Group rarely organises fund raisers 

these days as there are so many demands on people’s money 


tea station and there will be toilets and access for the disabled. 

the initial emphasis will be on the Celtic period indicating that 

Llantwit Major – Llanilltud Fawr – has an importance on a par 

with Iona and Lindisfarne. Welsh Celtic Christianity has suffered 

from the lack of research compared with Ireland and scotland. It 

is time to put that right. L.V. KeLLY 

and Fast Day collections have increased dramatically in the 

last few years. Both the Harvest and the Lenten Fast Days 

resulted in collections of approximately £1,000; the recent 

Lenten Fast Day income was astonishing as it followed so 

soon after the special collection for the victims of the Haiti 

earthquake. This latter collection raised over £1400. This 

means that from May 2009 to April 2010, the Parish has 

sent nearly £5000 to CAFoD. Many, many thanks to all 

those who have contributed. 

iNto Great siLeNCe 

A PARISHIONER IS TOUCHED BY GOD ON 

SILENT RETREAT AT A MONASTERY 

W 

hy WoULD SoMeoNe today spend a week in silent 

retreat in a monastery? Seeking an answer, i packed 

a bag and flew out to Northern ireland during the 

february half-term school break. 

A short bus journey from Belfast took me to the foothills of 

the mountains of Mourne and into the quiet valley where 

holy Cross Monastery, a Benedictine community, nestles 

among farms and wooded hills. 

in many ways, my journey to faith and to the Catholic 

Church began with the BBC documentary The Monastery. it 

struck a chord deep within me. We ought to seriously consider 

the claim that while some women and men are called by God 

to fill all of life with much silence, all of us are called to fill 

some of life with a little silence. 

As Christians, this should come as no surprise. the psalmist 

calls on us: “Be still and know that i am God.” [Ps 45] And so 

began my second visit to the monastery. 

What brought me back? the warmth and hospitality of 

the monks; the quality of the silence in and around the 

monastery; and the outstanding liturgy (a sublime mixture of 

english and Latin chant with an occasional foray into taizé 

melody that on more than one occasion left me in tears). 

truly this careful attention to simple and beautiful liturgy is a 

gift of the Church! 

it’s the prayerful, and therefore purposeful, rhythm of the 

monastic day that stirs something in the soul. the hushed 

silence of the early morning is broken by 

birdsong, bell-tolling, burning candlelight and prayer (Lauds) 

at 6.45am. the rest of the morning is free until eucharist 

is celebrated at 11.30am. Before being bodily nourished 

by a healthy home-cooked lunch, we are first nourished 

spiritually by the body and blood of Christ. Afternoon prayer 

is followed by evening prayer (Vespers) at 5.30pm and a 

half-hour of completely still, silent meditation in the church. 

Night prayer concludes the day at 8.30pm with the singing 

of the Salve Regina. 

Benedictine spirituality is characterised by the importance 

given to a day framed by prayer, study and work. this 

emphasis on balance and moderation is to be welcomed. 

it can be contrasted to much of today’s workplace with 

cHirOPOdiSt 

Roz Couzens M.Inst.Ch.P 

Registered with HPC 

APPOINTMENTS – clinic & home visits 

Give your feet a summer treat! 

Unit 4, Commercial House, Commercial Street, Llantwit Major, CF61 1RB 

Tel: 01446 793040 

its damaging lack of equilibrium - the long-hours culture, 

fatigue, incessant noise, stress etc. We pray for salvation. 

We are not saved by working extra hours at the office. 

A short stay at holy Cross Monastery afforded me time 

and space to pray. to pray in church with the monks. to pray 

alone in my room. to pray with the trees and birds in the 

garden. to pray with the wind and the saints of ireland and 

Wales. to pray the Psalms and to pray for my re-conversion: 

“My heart is ready, o God, my heart is ready.” [Ps 56]. 

each day we fall. each day we must get up again. the first 

Christian monks and nuns understood this. Why do we go 

to such lengths to beat ourselves up when we fail? 

What did i learn most during my retreat? to become more at 

ease with myself and to become much more at ease with the 

‘background silence’. i did not need newspapers, the internet, 

or a mobile phone. i began to feel my heart overflowing with 

the inexpressible delight of love. this, of course, is what St 

Benedict promises in his Rule for Monks - written some 1500 

years ago. 

importantly, time alone helped me understand my need for 

others. As thomas Merton wrote, “Love is our true destiny. We 

do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it 

with another.” 

Above all, time spent at the monastery helped me engage 

with hafiz’s poem: 

Don’t surrender your loneliness so quickly. 

Let it cut more deep. 

Let it ferment and season you, 

As few human or even divine ingredients can. 

Something missing in my heart tonight 

Has made my eyes soft, 

My voice, so tender, 

My need for God, 

Absolutely clear. 

Neil evaNs stayed at: 

Holy Cross Monastery, Rostrevor, Co.Down, Northern ireland, BT34 3BN. 

For further information, visit: www.benedictinemonks.co.uk 

West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 | 15z

Our Parish 

Children 

The ChurCh is The Body of Christ to whom each baptised 

Catholic belongs. A human body has many different parts, 

each with its own functions. if one part is injured or sick it is 

difficult for the body to work efficiently. 

Just like the parts of a body, we all have different roles 

to play in our Parish community due to the different gifts 

God has given us. Often people will say “i don’t have to 

attend Mass to be a good Catholic!” if you are not active, 

our Parish is weak and we are missing out on your talents. 

Children are the future. Their presence, enthusiasm and 

Let us pray… 

Almighty and beloved Father. 

Today I ask you to touch the hearts of your people for 

them to attend the call of your love, and come to your 

house to be part of your army charity. 

Put your hand on the hearts of parents to teach their 

children the knowledge of your divine existence and 

divine love. 

Warm their hearts to voluntarily participate in your 

mission so that there is many more hands to help the 

sick and needy. 

Thanks Father for touching my heart and opening the 

doors of your house for me and my family. Amen. 

perLa KirKham (Joshua’s mum) 

We pray to God, 

Give a little or a lot. 

Come and share without a care, 

bring a friend and stay a while. 

When I go it makes me smile, 

Young and old we are alike, 

we have a bond beyond compare. 

Father Maher he is quite nice, 

Elizabeth is such a delight! Amen. 

racheL anstey (age 8) 

involvement at Mass help provide a positive effect. share the 

responsibility of teaching your children about their Catholic 

faith with our catechists who lead Parish Angels, Pelicans and 

Doves. New members are always welcome. Jesus has chosen 

to make himself known through the Church, his body. 

Without YOu, that body is not complete. 

Parish Angels, Pelicans and Doves are planning a special 

Family Mass on sunday 11th July 2010 in Our Lady & st. 

illtyd at 10:30am. All parishioners especially families with 

children are very welcome to join us at this celebration. 

Dear God, 

Please help more children come to Parish Angels 

so we can make new friends. 

Please help more people to say their prayers and 

come to Church to hear what Jesus has to say. Amen. 

aLice o’mara (age 7) 

Dear Lord, 

Come to Mass and have a blast. 

Pray to God to go top of class. 

Mum, Dad, me and my bro 

it’s easy if you try, have a go! Amen 

racheL anstey (age 8) 

Dear Lord, 

I pray people will come to our Church today. 

Perhaps they will see the love and want to pray, 

or help raise funds or lend a hand 

If they do, I know they will feel grand. Amen. 

James anstey (age 8) 

The sacraMenT Of 

firsT recOnciliaTiOn Dear Lord 

On the 27th February 2010 Rachel and James Anstey 

received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first 

time, supported by their family, Prayer Friends; Mr & Mrs 

Shirley and the parents and friends of Parish Angels and 

Doves. The theme God’s Love and Forgiveness in Lent 

was reflected throughout the Penitential Service in the 

readings, prayers and hymns. 

Please continue to pray for Rachel and James as 

they continue their preparation to receive the Sacrament 

of First Holy Communion on Sunday 13th June 2010. 

My 

Mass Kit 

Thank you Father Maher for your 

service to our Parish and community. 

Thank you for all the priests in Wales 

who serve the people of God. 

Help us open our hearts to our 

priests and not take them for 

granted. 

We pray for more vocations to the 

priesthood. Amen 

charLie (age 11) 

Thank you for Father Maher 

and all priests. 

Please keep them healthy and 

give them strength to serve the 

people of God. Amen. 

harry (age 9) 

Dear Lord. 

Thank you for Father Maher and all 

priests. 

Thank you for their service to us; 

for saying Mass, giving us the 

Sacraments and visiting us when we 

are sick. 

We pray for more priests. Amen 

esme (age 10) 

Thank you God for Father Maher. 

Bless our priests and look after them 

so they can do their work and look 

after the Parish. Amen. 

DyLan (age 7) 

Thank you Lord for Father Maher 

and all priests. 

Keep them safe and well, watch 

over and help them everyday. 

We pray for more Priests. Amen 

mattheW (age 7) 

In September 2009, “my 

mass Kit” was purchased as a 

visual aid for use with parish 

Angels, pelicans and Doves. It 

is a wonderful learning resource 

to teach children understanding 

and appreciation of both the 

mass and the important role of service at the altar. 

“my mass Kit” contains twelve cleanable pieces 

resembling the liturgical vessels used during Holy mass. 

the items assist the children’s first-hand interaction with 

the sacramental pieces used by the priest in the sacred 

liturgy. It encourages them in learning the names of the 

liturgical vessels, the colours of the liturgical year and 

the words and actions of the mass. 

As you can see from the photographs they enjoy role 

play. Different children are chosen to be the priest, altar 

servers and members of the congregation; this enables 

them to identify with Father maher and gives them a 

basic understanding of the role of lay-people, it will also 

help them gain a greater respect for the mass. 

Dear Lord 

Thank you Father Maher, 

for saying Mass. 

for welcoming people into 

God’s Family, 

for all you do and say and the 

prayers you offer for us. Amen 

aLannah (age 7) 

Dear Lord 

Thank you for our priests and all they do. 

For saying Mass, 

for baptising babies, 

for marrying people, 

for visiting the sick. 

Bless Father Maher and keep him safe. 

Amen 

aLice o’m. (age 7) 


The 

Colours 

Of easTer 

tHrougHout lent tHe children in parish Angels and Doves explored the Colours of easter. each week the children 

looked at different aspects of the passion and took pleasure in creating an easter Cross which tells the story in colour: 

BLue 

purpLe 

reD 

White anD yeLLoW 

green 

Butterfly 

Jesus is betrayed and arrested 

Jesus is accused, mocked and beaten 

Jesus is crucified and dies 

The resurrection of Jesus 

Easter morning in the garden 

New and transformed life 

We added butterflies to our cross as a sign that we have new life with Jesus Christ. 

our cross will remain in the parish Centre as a reminder that we all share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are grateful 

to Denis nixon for his skill and craftsmanship in providing the beautiful cross for our children to decorate. 

During our Wednesday sessions we also reflected 

on the feelings the friends of Jesus experienced 

during the time in the garden of gethsemane to 

the Crucifixion and the resurrection. In addition 

we looked at our own lives and how Jesus is with 

us during sad, difficult and happy times. 

Beachcombing 

WAlKIng eASt Along Chesil beach 

early on a spring morning, low tide 

and the sun reflecting off the sea, 

each shiny pebble on the water’s edge is defined by 

its own small shadow. the dog runs on ahead and I 

start collecting – pink scallop shells in open pairs like 

butterflies, a silvery ammonite, lead fishing weights left 

by anglers, washed-up buoys and small fishing floats. 

the treasure is endless and diverse. there are twisted 

strands of driftwood looking like fishes or birds, chunks 

of wood with flakes of paint clinging to them, fragments 

of rope and bundles of fishing wire. even the jewelled 

colours of discarded lighters attract my attention, 

together with perished rubber washers and torn bits 

of netting. 

I’ve always been a collector of found objects 

and my beach hut studio is full of flotsam 

and jetsam. A couple of years ago 

I started assembling small fishing 

boats using the bits and pieces I 

have collected over the years. A 

gallery in Cornwall began selling 

them, followed by one in brighton 

and another in bournemouth. 

I remembered this poem which I wrote when Dad died 

(nearly five years ago) on the theme of beachcombing : 

LucKy stones 

(for Dad) 

Aged three on Brighton beach – 

raw salt gusts winnowing grains of sand, 

you telling me the pebbles with holes are lucky. 

All day I collected hollowed stones – 

those with finger-tunnels, honeycombs, 

cold labyrinths that sang like shells, 

peepholes on a far-off shore, 

slow blinks of memory – 

a child, a father 

diving through gaps in clouds 

to find blue sky 

in heavy cold stones 

strung on a wire, 

dragged home. 

Suddenly I feel the weight of those stones 

gathered to my chest – 

the grind and pinch of pebble against flesh, 

cold against warmth, 

the sting of salt water – 

I now spend a great 

deal of time happily 

hammering driftwood 

boats together, 

decorating them with bits of rope, 

netting and whatever else I have. each one has its own 

character and sometimes I’m commissioned to make one 

with a particular name for someone. the boats vary in 

size depending on what wood I have collected. 

recently I made a little row of wooden beach 

huts mounted on a piece of driftwood to 

adorn a nursery wall. I also enjoy making 

mobiles with strings of pebbles, shells, 

sea-washed glass and bits of broken china 

suspended from gnarled lengths of seawashed 

wood, to spin and catch the light. 

Whatever the time of year, I always 

return from Chesil with a 

harvest of found objects and 

inspiration to paint, make a 

collage, or create something 

from my bag of treasures. 

Jenny Hunt is an artist, 

writer and poet living in 

Dorset. Find out more on her 

website: www.seashed.co.uk 

holes I can’t help falling through. 

18 | West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Spring 2010 | 19 

The Seashed

Exploring the 

Seashore 

Parish reflecTiOn 

tHe CelebrAtIon oF the mass of the last 

Supper on maundy thursday includes not 

only the institution of the Holy eucharist, 

and the sacrament of Holy Communion, but also 

the mandatum, the command to love one another as Jesus 

has loved us, portrayed through 

the washing of feet, and the 

institution of the priesthood. 

there is a sense of sadness in 

the solemnity as we go on to the 

vigil commemorating Jesus in 

gethsemane, and the Crucifixion 

on good Friday. the Feast of 

Corpus Christi focuses directly 

on rejoicing in the gift of the 

body and blood of Jesus Christ 

to us under the form of bread 

and wine. 

the Feast of Corpus Christi 

has an interesting history. 

Its inspiration is due to two 

things: the first is the miracle 

of bolsena, which happened 

in AD1263. peter of prague, 

a german priest, during a 

pilgrimage to rome, stopped 

at the Church of St. Christina 

there to offer mass. While he 

was a holy and devout man, he 

harbored doubts about the real 

presence – doubts which were 

completely resolved when the Host 

he consecrated during that mass 

began to bleed. He rushed to meet 

pope urban IV in orvieto, bringing 

the Host with him. the miracle was 

declared, and the Host is still on 

display at the Cathedral of orvieto 

today. the second source of inspiration was an Augustinian 

nun, a belgian named St. Juliana of mont Cornillon (A.D. 

1193-1258). She had a vision of the moon that was full and 

beautiful, but marked by a black spot that signified that 

there was no joyous celebration of the eucharist in the entire 

Church calendar. In response to both of the above, pope 

urban IV eventually published a bull, transiturus, in A.D. 

1264, which made this Feast a part of the calendar. 

processions of the blessed Sacrament are held today, and 

in still relatively Catholic countries, those who live along the 

procession route decorate their homes with greenery, floral 

wreaths, and banners, and put candles in the windows. rose 

petals are strewn in the path of the Sacrament or a carpet 

of flowers (as in bolsena). there is a long history in our 

Archdiocese of Corpus Christi in Cardiff, and although that 

no longer takes place, many deaneries still have celebrations: 

ours in bridgend is on 3rd June. 

Corpus Christi 

every time we pray the lord’s prayer, we ask: give us this 

day our daily bread. this means not only supplying our 

physical needs; we ask for the bread of life, bread for the 

journey – our journey of faith. And that bread of life is Jesus 

himself. 

our parish children receive Holy Communion 

for the first time near to the Feast of Corpus 

Christi. the dedication shown by the catechist 

to convey to the children the wonder and 

privilege of receiving Jesus in the Host, it is not 

enough. priest, parents and parishioners must all 

demonstrate their devotion to and reverence for 

the blessed Sacrament. 

As a priest it is my responsibility to prepare 

for mass by prayer and reflection, 

and to celebrate the mass clearly, 

reverently and with faith, aided 

by the correct dispositions 

of altar servers, readers and 

eucharistic ministers. For parents 

and parishioners your priority 

must be to attend mass, and to 

be an example to the children by 

showing devotion to the blessed 

Sacrament by genuflecting on 

entering the church. praying before 

the blessed Sacrament, paying 

attention and participating in 

the various parts of the mass, and 

receiving Holy Communion in a 

respectful and devout manner are all 

a witness to our children. 

We invite the parish community to 

join together on Sunday 13th June 

at 10.30 a.m. in our lady & St.Illtyd 

for our First Holy Communion mass. 

please pray for rachel and James, 

their parents and catechist as they 

continue to prepare for this special day. may god bless them 

on their faith journey. Fr. Pierce Maher, Vivien Snow & Elizabeth Hughes 

CorPuS CHrISTI PrAYEr 

Lord Jesus Christ, 

We worship you living among us 

In the sacrament of your body and blood. 

May we offer to our Father in heaven 

A solemn pledge of undivided love. 

May we offer to our brothers and sisters 

a life poured out in loving service of that kingdom, 

where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 


Living in 

Hello from AndAluciA, i can’t believe 

mike and i have been here for two and a 

half years, the time goes by so fast. We 

love it here: Ventorros de la laguna is a small town/ 

village of some 250 people, most of whom are 

related, it is built in the middle of olive groves. 

our neighbours opposite are Scottish, five english 

couples live here but we are the only Welsh! i have had 

to pick up the language quite quickly as the villagers do 

not speak english, The villagers are very friendly and 

consider us now as family, including us in all the various 

celebrations, first Holy 

communion, Weddings, 

etc. i have a good friend 

Juanna we meet for coffee 

most mornings in the local 

bar where she helps me 

with my Spanish; the ladies 

are used to seeing me now 

with my dictionary always 

in my hand. isabella and 

her three sons are also very 

good friends and we meet 

regularly, also exchange 

dishes we have made. 

Andalucia is famous for 

Processions, and there is 

always one going on, each 

town has a Patron Saint, ours 

being San Juan Bautista, his 

feast day June 24th we have a 

procession carrying his large 

statue through the town after 

mass, it is very moving. . The 

week of June 24th is also our 

fiesta week, so a lot going on 

for the children and adults 

alike until the early hours of the morning. 

We have a procession for Stations of the cross also during 

Holy Week when the crucifix is carried through the village on 

a platform covered in flowers by the younger men and ladies 

this takes around 2 hours and the villagers take part. 

Spain 

ABoVe: iglesia de San Juan Bautista 

BeloW: the statue of our lady in the procession 

on Good friday there is a huge procession in 

loja, our nearest large town, it has to be seen to be 

appreciated. The statues are beautiful and enormous each 

on a huge platform covered in flowers which the men and 

young ladies of the town carry 

We go to our local church for mass if the priest is able 

to come, the church bells ring out half an hour before 

mass, failing that we go to mass in loja, in a beautiful old 

church, San Gabriel. i went on a parish outing with friends 

from there, we went to Priego de cordoba, a beautiful 

town with fantastic churches which we visited, then went 

to a restaurant for a typical lonG 

Spanish lunch, 69 of us. later 

we went to a huge church with 

a side chapel in which our priest 

said mass which was lovely. 

unfortunately on our return 

journey we had a problem with 

the bus, in fact it went on fire, 

fortunately someone spotted 

smoke early and we were all 

off standing at the side of the 

motorway when it burst into 

flames, a bit of excitement to end 

a perfect day, i was never so glad 

to have my mobile with me as 

mike was at home waiting for us 

to arrive back in loja, we were 

only 2 hours late!! 

our house is finished now, apart from 

buying a small plot at the back next year, 

when we hope to grow some fruit trees and 

vegetables, we have planted tomatoes and 

peppers in large containers this year which 

are coming on well. last year our generous 

Spanish friends kept us supplied with all 

the vegetables we could eat, also any fruit 

from their trees, in return i used to make Welsh cakes and 

when our fig tree was full of fruit handed those around, it 

is looking good this year, hundreds of small figs already. 

Well that is all for now, Hope to see you all in on the 

next visit. moirA And mike PArSonS 

Whilst in France on holiday recently i was taken ill and had to 

spend a few days in hospital in Perpignan. John, my husband, was 

staying in a local chambre d’hôtes and the lady sent me a magazine 

to read. imagine my surprise when i found an article mentioning 

Glamorgan and st. cado (st. cadoc?). You probably have lots of 

history about st. cadoc, but i thought you might find this interesting. 

it certainly made me feel nearer to home. 

A Breton idyll 

(translated from the French) 

St. Cado in French 

Stretching from the river etel to the gulf of Morbihan, the 

Auray region is typical of the totally authentic Brittany with its 

exceptionally rich heritage. Further south, less than an hour by 

boat from Quiberon, the island of Belle-ile offers sea-lovers the 

most unspoiled and most romantic port of call. 

the little island of Saint-Cado is the river etel’s finest jewel. 

legend says that Saint Cado, the son of a prince from Glamorgan 

in Wales, came and settled here after being chased from his own 

lands by the Saxon invasion. He had an oratory built here and 

founded a monastery. one can still see a chapel dating from the 

Xiith century, embellished by a portal of the renaissance period. 

on the river etel, at Saint-Cado, a little oyster farmer’s house, 

now owned by the local community, seems to float. 

MarGaret Weaver, churches toGether in coWbridGe and district 

Nickleby’s 

BOOKSTORE 

New fiction and non-fiction, children's, classic, 

local interest and educational books always in stock. 

Book searches undertaken. 

Non-stock books can be ordered quickly. 

Bargain books, National Book Tokens and 

secondhand books also on sale. 

Wide range of travel guides, walking guides and maps 

kept in stock – more available on next day delivery. 

Great choice of holiday reading 

with lots at bargain prices 

St. Cado’s church and well 

Opening Times: 

Mon – Sat 9:30am to 5pm 

(closed Tues lunch 1pm to 2pm) 

6, Poundfield Precinct 

Llantwit Major 

Vale of Glamorgan 

CF61 1DL 

nicklebys@gmail.com 

Tel/Fax: 01446 795166 


Piona aBBEY 

Lake Como 

Maura Bennett shares her discovery of a remote Italian abbey 

iT WAS A holiday dedicated to italian Gardens on 

lake como and lake maggiore, but with a free day, 

we decided to take a boat and visit the cistercian 

abbey of Piona, perched on a rocky promontory at the 

northern end of lake como. 

The ferry zig-zagged its way to the top of the lake, 

calling at various places en route. Then from the 

Piona landing stage, a path 

wound up through a steep, 

wooded hillside, scattered 

with wild flowers, to the 

gates of the abbey. Beyond 

the gates were lawns, a 

fountain and pink azaleas, 

then the Abbey church 

and its attendant buildings 

surrounded by the familiar, Piona Abbey 

slim dark cypress trees. 

romanesque for me, 

conjures up the simplicity of early mediaeval 

architecture in Western europe, not unlike the norman 

style of the magnificent ewenny Priory here at the 

western edge of the Vale. Piona Abbey too, with its 

10th century origins was of the same style, but on a 

much lesser scale, with its plain unadorned stone 

doorway, a tall narrow window set above it and 

just visible, the bell tower, a later addition to the 

building. 

in the 7th century, according to the records of that 

time, a monastic community was settled at the site of the 

abbey, where the bishop of como dedicated an oratory to 

St.Justina, martyr. 

Towards the end of the 11th 

century, the abbey is noted as one 

of those to which monks from the 

mother-church of cluny in Burgundy 

should move, whenever help was 

required and particularly when 

a shortfall in numbers occurred. 

Sometime after this, the abbey was 

consecrated to the Blessed Virgin 

and also dedicated to St.nicola of 

Bari. 

But the fortunes of the abbey 

deteriorated over the centuries as 

monies had to be found to provide an income for the actual 

owners of the property. They lived some distance away and 

took no interest in it, except for collecting the rental due 

to their family. Very little was left over for the abbey’s use 

once the rental had been paid. other abbeys in the region 

suffered a similar fate of neglect and decay, due to lack 

of funds. But for Piona everything changed in 1937 when 

the then owner decided to return the estate to the monks, 

together with a 16th century villa. With the removal of 

financial obligations, the abbey had sufficient money 

available to ensure that buildings were renovated and all 

was restored to its original state. This in turn, meant that 

it could function efficiently in its designated role - a place 

of prayer and of christian charity. 

Today, the abbey and its surrounding buildings are in 

good repair with beautifully 

preserved ancient frescoes and 

the romanesque architecture 

well cared for. 

The church interior is dark, the 

walls of rough stone, with just 

two narrow, arched windows 

set in the apse which curves 

behind the altar. Two ancient 

white marble lions on plinths 

support the large holy water 

stoups at the entrance to the 

nave. Bronze panels of the Stations of the cross 

made by Giuseppe Abram in 1982 are set 

around the plain walls. He also 

made the bronze doors 

at the entrance to the 

church, depicting six 

episodes from the life of 

St.Benedict. 

Piona Abbey had fallen into neglect over many 

centuries. in turn, this meant that although 

architectural styles changed and became more ornate 

throughout europe, this building was left in its 

original state due to lack of interest, lack of funds and 

its remote location. Thus today, by 

a quirk of fate, the simplicity and 

austerity of the church has remained 

untouched for us to appreciate and 

enjoy in much the same way as 

ewenny, another abbey neglected for 

centuries, has survived in its norman/ 

romanesque grandeur. 

The abbey seems a perfect setting 

for the contemplative life, especially 

when the snows of Winter sweep 

down from the Alps to seal its 

isolation - no luxuries, a world of 

prayer, work and service to God and to one’s fellow men - 

the rule of Benedict fulfilled. 

even on a short visit to Piona Abbey, one is aware of this 

sense of timelessness, the unchanging pattern of monastic 

life offering a microcosm of continuity and stability in an 

increasingly materialistic and frantic world and above all, 

there is the lasting memory of a pervading sense of peace 

and tranquillity. 

SAILING AROUND THE ORKNEYS 

in JulY last year i went on an adventure cruise from oban 

to orkney in a sailing yacht. 

the scenery was fantastic, mountains, lochs and islands 

but the wildlife was amazing. dolphins playing around the 

boat, seals in the sea and lying on rocks and most of all, the 

birds! Gannets with their elegant long slim wings and their 

spectacular dives into the sea, Fulmars the most friendly 

with their close flypasts 

along the boat. skuas 

were the most scary with 

their attacks on other 

birds.i went to sunday 

Mass in our lady of the sea, Kirkwall and took a brief look 

at the italian chapel before a Wedding. Paul brindleY 

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an Angel 

the priest is not an angel sent from Heaven. 

He is a man chosen from among men and a member of the church, a Christian. 

remaining human and Christian, he begins to speak to you the Word of God. 

this Word is not his own. 

no, he comes to you because God has told him to proclaim God’s Word. 

Perhaps he has not entirely understood it himself. 

Perhaps he adulterates it. Perhaps he falters and stammers. 

How else could one speak God’s word, ordinary man that he is. 

But he believes, and despite his fears 

He knows that he must communicate God’s Word to you. 

For must not some of us say something about God, about eternal life, about the majesty of grace in our 

sanctified being? 

Most not some of us speak of sin, and the love and mercy of God? 

So dear friends, pray for him, carry him so that he might be able to sustain others 

By bringing to them the mystery of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ. 

KarL raHner 

www.safeclean-cardi.co.uk 

For your FREE 

no obligation quotation 

call GARETH JONES 

Freephone: 

0800 0407933 

DEMENTIA and SPIRITUALITY 

“as celebrities and public figures make their voices 

heard on the subject of dementia, now is the time for the 

church to mobilise, at national and parish level, by actively 

encouraging links with the elderly and to lead the response.” 

a new dvd highlighting the importance of meeting the 

spiritual needs of people with dementia and their carers has 

been launched by the caritas social action network (csan) 

at salford cathedral. 

the dvd, titled “it’s still Me, lord...”, focuses on good 

practice in meeting spiritual needs and serves as a useful 

resource for staff in care settings, religious orders, clergy 

and parish communities, hospital chaplains, as well as 

eucharistic Ministers. 

right reverend bishop terence brain, bishop of salford 

and chair of the csan, said: “We hope this will be a valuable 

resource for people in our catholic communities and beyond 

in supporting people with dementia. Whether we are 

mentally or physically frail, we are all created in the image 

and likeness of God, and our faith should be respected 

and cherished.” 

bishop budd, a prime mover in this initiative, says, “it 

is imperative that we understand that people with dementia 

are on their own spiritual pilgrimage….We must respect the 

person they are and always will be.” 

archbishop vincent nicols has said: “the elderly are not 

a burden, but a gift.” the church must lead the way in an 

imaginatively radical response to enhance their lives. 

as a representative of the bridgend Pastoral advisory 

council, i attended a workshop led by ben bano, who 

made the dvd, offering guidance for pastoral practice. 

the dvd “it’s still Me lord” is a training resource aimed 

at those involved in ministry and outreach for people with 

dementia and their carers. the 

workshop not only looked at 

the person centred approach 

to the care and support of 

people with dementia, it also 

explored how to develop 

parishes and deaneries as 

communities of welcome, 

effective ministry and support 

for carers and families. 

the aim is to develop the 

project in the archdiocese of 

cardiff, so that every deanery 

and parish can understand 

and meet the spiritual needs 

of those with dementia and 

their carers. 

a dementia & 

spirituality awareness 

day is scheduled to 

take place in early 

october, if you are 

interested in learning 

more please contact 

ElizabEth hughEs 

on 01446 774212. 

novEna to thE SaCrEd hEart 

Lord Jesus, I entrust to your Sacred Heart (name the intention) 

Look kindly upon my plea 

Then follow your Heart’s desire 

Let your Heart dictate your response 

O Jesus, I count on You 

I trust in You 

I abandon myself to You 

I am sure of You 

O Sacred Heart of Jesus 

I have confidence in You 


I believe that You love me 


May your kingdom come. 

Further Information: 

Archdiocesan Awareness day 

for dementia and Spirituality 

- Saturday 16th october 

10:00am to 3:30pm, St. 

Joseph’s rC High School 

newport. 

Half day deanery Workshop 

for dementia and Spirituality 

- thursday 2nd September 

2010 at All Hallows. everyone 

is welcome, it will be of 

particular interest to SVP, 

eucharistic Ministers, ladies 

Guild Members. 


OBITUARIES Mother 

FRANK ANTHONY 1921 – 2009 

JosePh Francis “FranK”, the son of Peter and briget 

anthony was born in india in 1921, one of seven brothers 

and sisters. visakhapatunum, the 

town where Frank grew up, was and 

still is a lively shipping port and 

Frank served his apprenticeship to 

eventually become a ships engineer. 

he served in the Merchant navy 

during the war years and was 

torpedoed twice. after the war he 

remained in the Merchant navy, 

travelling the world and met 

his wife Marion in Germany in 

the mid 1950’s before settling 

down in cardiff. they had three 

children Peter, ray and Katina 

but unfortunately divorced in the 

1970’s. however they remained 

good friends and supportive of 

one another till the end. 

Frank worked as an engineer 

in cardiff Power station during 

the 1960’s and transferred to 

aberthaw Power station shortly after it opened. being a 

very sociable gentlemen, Frank was very successful as social 

secretary of the aberthaw sports and social club, one of the 

main entertainment venues in the local area. he arranged 

many events, booking bands and dJs for the discos and 

organising the christmas Parties. i am sure that many of the 

teenagers of the 70’s and early 80’s will remember!! 

he retired early at the age of 61 in december 1982 

and enjoyed a long retirement. during these years many 

people will remember him as a sprightly, friendly man with 

a black toy poodle who always had time for children. 

For the last three or four years of his life it became 

obvious that he was suffering some sort of memory 

MICHAEL DOMICAN 1948 – 2009 

in Mid deceMber, Mike died suddenly at his home near 

colwinston. although he had not been in good health for 

some time, it was quite unexpected and a great shock to 

his family and friends. his funeral took place at st cadoc’s 

church in cowbridge in the week before christmas 

and was attended by a wide circle of friends and many 

members of his family who, despite travelling difficulties 

at that time of year, made the journey from ireland in 

large numbers. 

Michael was born in 1948 and raised in naas, to the 

south west of dublin. he attended school and college 

in the region and was a keen rugby player to a high 

28 | West Vale Catholics Parish Magazine Advent 2009 

disorder, which was diagnosed as dementia. however, Frank 

still managed to get out and about and could be seen 

around llantwit, still with a poodle but one of a different 

colour! despite the best efforts of Franks’ 

family and carers it was deemed necessary to 

admit him to bridgend hospital in october 

2009 until alternative arrangements for his 

care could be finalised. sadly Frank passed 

away at the hospital on 28th december 2009. 

throughout his long life Frank was a 

devout catholic and his faith and involvement 

in his local church was very important to 

him. Frank was one of the original eucharistic 

Ministers in the Parish and served with great 

devotion. every sunday after Mass he would 

take communion to a housebound neighbour 

until she died. he was assiduous in visiting those 

in need in his area and giving what assistance 

he could. Frank supported all parish events and 

every year would make and ice a beautiful cake 

to be raffled. he was a regular contributor to the 

Parish Magazine * even in the latter years, Frank 

remained very active, taking the collection during 

sunday Mass in our lady & st.illtyd church and bringing it 

to the altar in the procession. 

he supported various charities and was also a 

staunch member of the british legion. Many of us have 

poignant memories of remembrance sunday when Frank, 

resplendent in medals, would bring his poppy wreath for 

his shipmates and place it in front of the altar before Mass; 

afterwards to be laid at llantwit Major’s war memorial 

in the remembrance day service. i’m sure Frank will be 

remembered fondly by many in the local community of 

llantwit Major and surrounding area. 

May he rest in peace. amen. 

Peter anthony with additional memories from parishioners 

standard. always a substantial figure, he was a formidable 

sight when in full cry and although it may have taken 

a little time to attain full speed, he took some stopping 

on the rugby field, as indeed it might be said of him 

when navigating his way through industrial quantities of 

Guinness from time to time. 

Mike loved his native country and was naturally 

interested in rural activities but, after toying with the 

idea of a career in dentistry, he eventually joined allied 

irish banks and moved between a number branches, 

during which time he met catherine and soon the happy 

and loving partnership was formed which was to last 

MARY SHEPPARD 1921 – 2010 

Was born in bath in March 1921 and went to 

school at the convent there. she trained to be a nurse at 

the royal bath hospital and met Peter in bath where they 

married in 1941. 

before we moved to cowbridge Mum and dad were 

asked to run the dog section of the bath show which 

in those days was in the centre of town. i think they 

did this for about 2 years before moving to West house 

in cowbridge in 1953. eventually Mass was held in our 

lounge on Fridays and confessions in the dining room every 

saturday morning. choir practices 

and sewing classes were also held at 

West house. 

the first sale of work in the 

town hall in cowbridge was held 

in 1954, largely organised by Mary. 

“Father would turn up with his 

large bag full of everything – jam, 

vegetables, cakes, knitted garments 

and many goods. Father Magner 

knew of a large firm in cardiff called 

cassan’s enamel. they brought me 

tea chests of pots and pans for years 

for every bazaar. Kathleen hinde 

and myself had a piety stall. “a year 

later i went to Prinknash for pottery 

– and carried on for years.” (from 

Mary sheppard’s article in the Golden 

Jubilee issue of the Parish Magazine). 

the construction of st.cadoc’s 

church, verlands, cowbridge started 

in 1955. the floor was laid by Peter sheppard’s firm, horsley 

smith of london. From the beginning Mary was involved 

in all aspects of the church’s life, and continued to run 

the Piety stall until her final bouts of ill health. she was 

sacristan for many years until bernadette took over, and 

again for many years on the Flower rota. 

she and Peter moved from West house and after a short 

time in llanblethian settled in llansanor (in 1960) where they 

also had the dog kennels and looked after very many dogs 

whilst their owners were away, and Peter had his beehives. 

for the rest of his life. their two sons, Keith and Gavin, 

came along in due course and soon afterwards arose an 

opportunity which changed their lives. 

it did not take allied irish banks too long to realize 

that, in Mike, they had a man of strong character with 

remarkable social gifts and, as the bank expanded, the 

invitation duly came to leave ireland and open a new 

branch in Watford. so the family moved to england, 

whereupon Mike proceeded to cultivate the natives north 

of london to such good effect that in due course he was 

asked to repeat the performance in Wales. and so they 

came to cardiff and settled in the vale of Glamorgan, 

in a repeat of history they were asked to run the dog 

section of cowbridge show. this they did for a number of 

years. Mother was a Founder Member of the south West of 

england scottish terrier club, still being an active member 

when she died – in fact she was President. (the current 

secretary and treasurer attended her funeral coming from 

Paignton and bristol respectively). she bred two champions 

from her own stock one of which she reared by hand when 

its mother unfortunately died giving birth, this was quite an 

achievement. she became a judge for the Kennel club for 

all types of terriers and judged scottish 

terriers at the last crufts to be held at 

olympia. 

Mother used to go on every trip 

to lourdes from cowbridge, Father 

accompanying her in the early days. 

she was one of the original eucharistic 

Ministers for st.cadoc and served there 

faithfully for many years. 

after Peter’s death in 1996, she 

moved to a bungalow in st.athan. she 

became very active in the st.vincent de 

Paul society, taking responsibility for 

visiting to many of her old friends in 

the cowbridge area who had become 

infirm or housebound. behind her 

bungalow was a nursing home, and 

through visiting parishioners resident 

there she got to know many of the 

staff, particularly the indian girls. 

until she had to give up driving, only 

a short time before her final stay in hospital, Mary would 

bring them to Mass whenever their shifts allowed and also 

take them shopping. Mary would come every day to Mass, 

participating in the office of Morning Prayer that takes 

place before Mass in our lady & st.illtyd. in later years she 

gave up driving in the dark, so was unable to attend the 

saturday evening Mass in st.cadoc during the winter, and 

went instead to our lady & st.illtyd on sunday mornings. 

May she rest in peace. amen. tessa Pepper (Mary’s daughter) with 

further memories from the st.vincent de Paul society. 

moving several times before making their home on top 

of a hill between colwinston and treoes , from where 

wonderful sunsets can be seen far to the west. 

Mike became well known in cardiff and the vale; 

his hospitality was legendary and, with catherine in full 

support, they attracted a large and varied number of 

friends. eventually he left aib and embarked on a variety 

of activities, even including operating coal mines. indeed 

a man with wide interests. his wife and sons and two 

grandchildren survive him and he leaves them and all 

his friends with memories of a great character and many 

highly enjoyable and entertaining times. 


COMPUTERS 

PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER… AND YOURSELF 

In this 

COMPUTERS 

issue, we will be looking at frequently-asked-questions (FAQs) about how to keep you and your 

computer safe and sound, from the nasty surprises you may stumble across while you are online. Your 

computer can also be damaged at the mechanical level. 

Power surges, general misuse and dangerous weather can all render your computer useless! This article will 

cover the most important aspects of how to protect your valuable equipment and more importantly, your 

personal information. 

Q 

what 

Q can 

Q what 

Q what 

Is a FIrewall? 

A firewall is a protective barrier designed to keep 

unwanted intruders out of your computer, and away from 

the personal information you may have stored on it. 

Any computer which is connected to the internet 

will need firewall protection. Most modern computer 

operating systems such as Windows 7 and Mac OS 10 

have built-in firewalls. 

a power-cut damage 

my computer 

A computer is constantly sending information back and 

forth when it is switched on, so any interuption in the 

power supply may cause a loss of data, possibly even 

damaging the sensitive disk drive inside the case. 

If you cannot afford to buy an Uninterruptable Power 

Supply (UPS) then try to ensure that your electric supply 

does not switch off whilst using the computer (for 

example if there are local engineering works or if you are 

using a token meter). A UPS is essentially a battery but 

can be quite expensive. 

You should never just unplug your computer or switch it 

off without running through the shut-down routine first. 

Is a securIty 

update? 

A file or application that the operating system or virus 

scanner may need to download in order to ensure you 

have the greatest level or protection from online threats. 

It is good practice to check for security updates at 

least once a month if the operating system etc doesn’t 

automatically. 

Is a vIrus scanner? 

This is an essential piece of software that checks all 

the files on your computer (eg: e-mail attachments) 

for programs which can cause your computer to stop 

working. 


Q Is 

It saFe to gIve out my 

bank detaIls onlIne? 

Many websites like Amazon and eBay are fine to use with 

your bank, but setting up an account with limited funds 

and reserved for online transactions only is a good idea. 

However, Spam e-mails and illegal websites can 

sometimes trick you into divulging your account details. 

If you have one use a credit card online as it offers a 

much greater level of protection when buying online. Not 

only are purchases over £100 the responsibility of the 

credit card company should they not be delivered, the 

credit card account is separate from your regular bank 

account and thus frustrates would-be thieves from doing 

more potential damage. 

Be wary of overseas transactions though as the UK credit 

protection laws may not apply and you may not be 

completely covered if things go wrong. 

You should NeVer send your bank details, credit card, 

phone number or any personal informationto anyone 

by e-mail unless you are sure the person is trustworthy. 

e-mails visibly purporting to be from your bank should 

not be trusted as no bank will email you regarding your 

account details and should they contact you asking them 

to contact them, use details from the bank’s website 

rather than any on the original email. 

Q what 

Is a good 

password? 

Most websites require a password to log-in these 

days, so try to choose something that isn’t obvious 

but equally something you are unlikely to forget! 

Increase your password security by using a mix of 

letters, letter-cases, numbers and symbols. 

Q what 

Q what 

Is a power surge? 

When there is a thunderstorm overhead, the lightning 

can cause havoc with electrical power supplies and substations. 

This is why the lights sometimes flicker when 

there is a local flash of lightning. 

Sometimes lightning can hit power or telephone cables 

which eventually route straight to your home and, if 

unprotected, will over-power the devices attached and 

can potentially destroy their delicate circuits. Many 

people buy expensive Surge Protectors to safeguard their 

electrical equipment by absorbing the excess power. 

However, it may be more practical and cheaper to simply 

remember to unplug your electrical and telephone 

devices until after the storm has passed. 

Is spam? 

Spam gains it’s name from a Monty Python sketch, and 

refers to electronic mail that is similar to the junk mail 

you get through your letterbox. 

In order to avoid spam, never open or reply to a suspect 

e-mail, and be careful when giving out your e-mail 

address to a web site you are not sure about. 

It’s a good idea to set up two e-mail accounts: one for 

personal use, and another for websites that you don’t 

quite trust. 

Q why 

do I need a backup? 

Think about this situation – you have spent months, 

perhaps even years adding hundreds or thousands of 

photos to your computer collection and they are now 

the only copies you have. All of a sudden the computer 

simply stops working (for example if the internal disk 

dies) and not only is the computer unresponsive, all 

the files and photos contained within may have been 

lost forever. 

There is a way to prevent this nightmare scenario and 

ensure your data is protected. If you regularly ‘back-up’ 

all of your important files (eg: your photos) to another, 

preferably external, disc such as a DVD, USB memory stick 

or another hard drive then if the primary disk inside your 

computer fails then your data should be safe and it will 

simply be a case of restoring this backed-up data to your 

computer once it is fixed. 

It’s up to you how often you back up your files. Some 

people and companies will perform daily backups, 

depending on how often the data changes. You should 

aim to do a backup of all precious data at least once 

a month, despite it potentially taking some time to 

complete, so should your computer fail in any way you 

will be extremely thankful you made the effort! 

Matthew witty

BEatitudES for CatEChiStS 

8By Sr. Marie Roccapriore, MPF 

Blessed are the catechists who listen to their students, 

especially the ones with repeated questions, for they 

possess THE EARS OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who see the needs of their 

students, especially the ones unrecognized by others, for 

they possess THE EYES OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who speak kindly to their 

students, especially to the ones without positive 

motivation, for they possess THE MOUTH OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who gently touch their 

students, especially the ones who feel the stings of 

home-violence, for they possess THE HANDS OF CHRIST. 

WHAT IS 

NATURAL BURIAL? 

A nATurAl BuriAl is one that seeks to minimise impact 

on the environment. By utilising traditional pasture land, 

then choosing a coffin made from biodegradable materials 

and simple flowers without the use of cellophane and 

finally not having a headstone that may have been flown 

halfway across the world before use. 

Planning your funeral in advance can be a liberating 

experience, freeing you to concentrate on the future, 

family and friends. for many, this type of burial is the 

final part of a traditional funeral, where a local church 

service is followed by a committal ceremony for close 

family and friends. others prefer a less formal graveside 

service, perhaps supported by a civil celebrant for a nonreligious 

ceremony. The important thing is that you have 

the choice to do what feels right for you. 

The burial ground offers places with a wide scenic view 

or if you prefer, the intimacy of a woodland glade, and by 

opting for this tranquil resting place, visiting can be an 

uplifting experience giving time for quiet contemplation. 

Another positive aspect is there is no the duty of tending 

to the grave, when so many families live miles apart. 

When you pre-purchase a plot we will send you a 

certificate of purchase that can be attached to your 

will with any instructions you wish to leave. Plots are 

allocated on a sequential basis and where double or family 

plots are purchased, the relevant number of adjacent 

plots are reserved after the first burial. our aim is to keep 

things as simple and natural as possible to contribute to a 

positive future for a sustainable environment. 


Blessed are the catechists who think prayerfully of their 

students, especially those who don’t know God, for they 

possess THE MIND OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who show love to their 

students, especially the ones with unlovable traits, for 

they possess THE HEART OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who walk patiently with their 

students, especially the ones lacking spiritual guidance, 

for they possess THE FEET OF CHRIST. 

Blessed are the catechists who persevere in their faithsharing 

ministry, especially when their efforts seem in 

vain, for they possess THE HEALING PRESENCE OF CHRIST 

AND THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

Used with permission. 

Sr. Roccapriore rninisters for catechists at Our Lady ot Mount Carmel Church, Meriden, CT., USA 

Kids’ 

Korner! 

PENTECOST 

WORDSEARCH! 

E T E L P M O C E G 

V T G R L W H J N N 

G N A L E I M I I I 

L T E C M H K W M H 

O T I S O A T J H T 

R T E R E V L A G Y 

I L A P I M D L F R 

F F S K J P O A G E 

Y S U S E J S C T V 

C O S S E N T I W E 

aDVOCate 

GLORiFy 

MiNe 

eVeRythiNG 

Jo k e s ! 

SPiRit 

FatheR 

why 

witNeSS 

JeSUS 

teLL 

hiMSeLF 

a little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. 

the teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale 

to swallow a human because even though it was a very 

large mammal its throat was very small. 

the little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. 

irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not 

swallow a human; it was physically impossible. 

the little girl said, ‘When i get to heaven i will ask Jonah’. 

the teacher asked, ‘What if Jonah went to hell?’ 

the little girl replied, ‘then you ask him’. 

For those who love the philosophy of ambiguity, as well as 

the idiosyncrasies of English, please enjoy and understand 

the following: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

atheism is a non-prophet organization. 

i went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, 

“where’s the self-help section?” she said if she told me, it 

would defeat the purpose. 

What if there were no hypothetical questions? 

What was the best thing before sliced bread? 

how is it possible to have a civil war? 

if man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still 

have monkeys and apes? 

one nice thing about egotists: they don’t talk about 

other people. 


PariSh informationandnotiCES 

CONtaCtS: 

Parish Priest: Father Pierce Maher 

The Presbytery, Ham Lane east, 

Llantwit Major CF61 1TQ 

Tel: 01446 792381 

website: www.westvalecatholics.co.uk 

e-mail: enquiries@westvalecatholics.co.uk 

Pa r i s h ad v i s o r y Co u n C i l: 

Chair: Paul Lindsay 

treasurer: John Davies 

Co-ord. of Children’s R.e: elizabeth Hughes 

st.vi nC e n t d e Pa u l so C i e t y: 

Judy Browning, tel: 01446 773389 

SUNDay MaSS tiMeS 

our lady & St.illtyd, llantwit Major: 

9.00 a.m. Sunday 

St.Cadoc, Cowbridge: 

First Mass of Sunday 5.30 p.m. Saturday 

For weekly Masses and Confessions, please consult the 

newsletter available in the churches or on our website. 

PLeaSe May i ReMiND PaRiShiONeRS OF the RULeS 

CONCeRNiNG the ReCePtiON OF hOLy COMMUNiON: 

The prerequisites for the reception of Holy Communion are: 

• 

• 

• 

being in the state of grace (i.e. not in a state of mortal sin); 

having fasted for one hour (for the sick 15 minutes if possible, 

no fast if fasting is not possible); and 

devotion and attention. 

Canon 919 of The Code of Canon Law: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

One who is to receive the Most Holy eucharist is to abstain 

from any food or drink, with the exception only of water 

and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy 

Communion. 

A priest who celebrates the Most Holy eucharist two or three 

times on the same day may take something before the second 

or third celebration even if the period of one hour does not 

intervene. 

Those who are advanced in age or who suffer from any 

infirmity, as well as those who take care of them, can receive 

the Most Holy eucharist even if they have taken something 

during the previous hour. 

N.B. The eucharistic fast is before Holy Communion, not the Mass. 


FOR yOUR DiaRy: 

27th May – CONFiRMatiON MaSS 

7.30pm, Our Lady & St. Illtyd, Llantwit Major 

3RD JUNe – S.V.P. & LaDieS GUiLD 

2.30pm Mass and Tea, St. Cadoc, Cowbridge 

Deanery Corpus Christi Processsion, St. Mary’s, Bridgend 

6th JUNe – StRawbeRRy CReaM tea 

13th JUNe – FiRSt hOLy COMMUNiON MaSS 

10.30am, Our Lady & St. Illtyd, Llantwit Major 

7th JULy - aNtiQUeS ROaD ShOw with SUPPeR 

Bring-N-Share supper, Parish Centre 

11th JULy – SPeCiaL PaRiSh ChiLDReN’S FaMiLy MaSS 

10.30am, Our Lady & St. Illtyd, Llantwit Major 

14th JULy – ChaVeNaGe hOUSe aND tetbURy tRiP 

£20 per person 

8th SePteMbeR – DVD “it’S StiLL Me LORD” 

Exploring Dementia and Spirituality, Parish Centre 

2ND SePteMbeR - RaCe NiGht 

7.30pm, Parish Centre 

6th OCtObeR - LaDieS GUiLD MaSS & aGM 

Our Lady & St. Illtyd, Llantwit Major 

3RD NOVeMbeR – NePaL weDDiNG SLiDe-ShOw 

Parish Centre 

6th NOVeMbeR – St. iLLtyD’S COFFee MORNiNG 

11am – 1pm, Parish Centre 

24th NOVeMbeR – aNNUaL PaRiSh MeetiNG 

9.00am (after Mass), Parish Centre 

20th NOVeMbeR – QUiz NiGht 

7.30pm, Parish Centre 

8th DeCeMbeR – MaSS & aDVeNt SUPPeR 

Parish Centre 

19th DeCeMbeR – PaRiSh ChRiStMaS DRaw 

after Mass 

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9603 - LLANTWIT MAJOR 190X128 12/8/08 11:58 Page 1 

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Funeral Directors 

For more information and a free brochure 

please contact our funeral home 

Pembroke House, College Street, 

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Memorial masonry 

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Issue 40 - Spring 2010 - 13.6 Mb - West Vale Catholics

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