Category Archives: Uncategorized

[A 3 minute read] Thank God for those who make us laugh! In the depths of difficult times, as people struggle with unusual circumstances, with sickness and anxiety, social media is awash with funny videos and cheery clips to make us smile. I once heard a comedian say that people laughed more eagerly not inContinue reading “It’s no joke”

[A 3 minute read] “You can always tell when it’s one of the monk’s birthdays,” said the Abbot as he began one of his addresses. We were ordinands from St Stephen’s House, taking a retreat at Alton Abbey, a few dozen of us coping with cold rooms and faulty plumbing! The Abbot continued, “Yes, youContinue reading “Love is in the air”

[A 3 minute read] There are those moments, now, when people, from their isolation, sing together online or dance on their doorsteps at a distance. On a Thursday, we cheer carers, and some are armed with a percussion of saucepans or they whoop and whistle, the wind section of an orchestra of very different proportions.Continue reading “Not so empty vessels”

[A 3 minute read] One of the strangest, saddest, surprisingly moving movies I’ve seen in recent years is the Irish film ‘Calvary’ starring Brendan Gleeson as Fr James. Threatened in the confessional by a man who had been abused in his childhood by another priest, Fr James is given a week to arrange his affairsContinue reading “Barbed Wire and Blessed Gifts”

[A 3 minute read] In one of his recent tweets, the comedian Frankie Boyle asked,  “Honestly, why are they still doing the weather? We’re indoors, mate!”  Two years ago, during Lent, many people were prevented from making it to Mass by the Beast from the East, snow drifts dragging the country to a temporary halt! Continue reading “Unseasonal Weather”

St Mary’s Church has, for many years, supported those who work with the homeless.  With the rapid rise in rough sleeping and their more visible presence in our community it’s time for us to take a more cohesive approach.  Last week, our Parochial Church Council adopted a Homeless Charter to strengthen and enrich our responseContinue reading “A heart for the community”

No city stands still.  But if you stand still long enough in Cardiff you will see how religions have shaped and been shaped by the landscape.  Here we explore a small yet significant corner of Cardiff. Buses flow down Westgate Street, dock nose to back at stops along the way.  People come, go, dodge traffic,Continue reading “Standing Around at the Station”

Friday.  8.20am.  The rhythmic shunting of the earth to explore the grounds for a new school building next door has been vibrating for half an hour now.  Bute Street is waking up – been woken up.  There is a trickle of two way traffic as workers walk to and fro, taking the half mile routeContinue reading “A tenner to you, mate”

On Friday December 14th, we celebrated the 175th Anniversary of the opening of the Church of St Mary the Virgin with a Solemn Mass, followed by fireworks, mulled wine and mince pies and which begins for us a whole year of celebrations.  Here is the homily preached by Fr Dean Atkins during the Mass. LastContinue reading “Rejoice”

It’s the cover version of “It Must be Love” by Madness that forms the soundtrack of one of BT’s most recent advertising campaigns.  “I never thought I’d feel this way, the way I feel about you,” goes the singing of Suggs.  “As soon as I wake up every night, every day, I know that it’sContinue reading “We’ll help you be there”