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a Meditation by Archbishop George Stack Issue 264 December 2018 100 years after Archbishop attends the end of South Wales Police World War 1 Memorial Service Pages 4/5 Page 8 ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS - A MEDITATION BY ARCHBISHOP GEORGE STACK he cold mornings,the celebrates the birth of the true least each person is slightly helps us to focus mind and heart dark nights and the light. Jesus is the light that different to what we were one in hope and expectation that he Twintery weather serve darkness cannot overcome. year ago.Perhaps not wiser, will come to us afresh in each to remind us that we are He is not the ‘sun’ but the but facing new issues – often circumstance of every day in entering the darkest time of ‘Son’ who, of whom we read with diminished strength. It is the days,weeks and years the year – the winter in the prophecies of Isaiah good to be mindful of these which lie ahead. solstice. 21 December from 500 BC “The people who paradoxes of past and marks the shortest day and walked in darkness have seen future,emptiness and “How silently,how silently, The the longest night. Nature a great light. Those who lived fulfilment,waiting and wondrous gift is given! Whom seems to have gone to in a land of deep darkness – consolation. God imparts to human hearts sleep. The leaves have on them a light has shone” The blessings of his fallen from the trees and (Isaiah 9:2). Christ's gift heaven. No ear may the gardens seem to be There will be plenty of In the midst of the growing hear his coming; But dead. Christmas lights and glowing excitement as Christmas in this world of No wonder, from the dawn fires and warmth and goodwill draws near, it is good to sin. Where meek of civilisation, the pagan god shining all around us in shops spend Advent time in souls will receive ‘Sol Invictus’ was worshipped and schools and parties and restoring some of the him,still and prayed to. In the 2nd play over the next month. But quietness and inner peace The dear Christ century, the Romans believed the paradox continues with which is a gift of the Christ enters in”. that this ‘Unconquered Sun’ those who are on the margins, child. would rise again and bring having nowhere to ‘lay their The readings and prayers of warmth and new life to the head’ most of all, perhaps Advent, the Advent wreath earth. We all look forward to with heads that carry the itself speaking of time and the Spring and Summer. burden of mental illness. It is eternity, these are all aids to Darkness and Light. Death good that Christmas is a time help our desire to wait and New Life. These are times for giving, not just gifts to unfulfilled in the dark, in the and cirucmstances when ‘the those we love but also to midst of a season that Ancient of Days’ becomes a those who feel cut off from conspires to fling bling and young child and say “Behold, I love. tinsel at us right through make all things new”. So Advent and the build up December. “Jesus is the to Christmas have a sense of Reason for the Season” we A Great Light being both familiar and read on the Wayside Pulpits It is in the midst of these something different as well. of many a Baptist church. paradoxes that the Church Different because at the very The First Sunday of Advent 2 CATHOLIC PEOPLE ARCHBISHOP DISCOVER HOW PEOPLE GEORGE’S ENGAGEMENTS BECOME CATHOLIC! DECEMBER 2018 Sherry Weddell, world renowned author and speaker on evangelisation, is coming to our diocese to help us as we reach out to people and help people move further in their relationship with Christ. On Saturday 15thJune 2019 Sherry Weddell will be running a day of Sunday 2 Advent Service. Salisbury Cathedral 5pm workshops for the diocese drawing on her extensive research into the ‘thresholds’ or ‘stages’ that people go through when becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. Make sure you save the date!! In Tuesday 4 Bishop Hedley School Merthyr Tydfil 9am preparation for Sherry Weddell’s visit to the diocese next summer, parishes are starting to run ‘Forming Intentional Disciples’ or ‘FID’ groups in their parish or region. These groups enable us to Education Meeting – Torfaen Council Offices 3.30pm read Weddell’s research and advice, and start applying it in advance of her visit so we can best Wednesday 5 Visit to John F. Kennedy School Herts 12.00 make use of her expertise. Interested in running a FID group? Our Evangelisation and Education Officer, Madeline Page, is Thursday 6 St. John’s College Cardiff 2pm putting together resources to make this as simple as possible for you. The FID groups run over six sessions, each one focussing on a different chapter of Weddell’s book. Get in touch with the Friday 7 “Of Gods and Men” The Cornerstone 1.30pm contact details below for further information. How can we share our faith better? Are we answering the questions people are really asking? Come and find out! Saturday 8 “Adoremus” Day of Recollection St. David’s College Wondering how you can reach out to people this Advent and Christmas? Be sure to visit the Evangelisation Department’s resources webpage for inspiration - Wednesday 12 Marriage Care meeting ABH 11.30am rcadc.org/evangelisation/resources/. Dinner with Catenians of Merthyr Tydfil 7.30pm Don’t forget when you get your 2019 diary to add Sherry Weddell’s visit on June 15th. Sunday 16 St. David’s Cathedral Carol Service 3pm Bishops Gathering St. Ambrose Clifton 7pm Thursday 20 Christmas mass and Party for Senior Citizens St. David’s College 2pm Monday 24 Mass at Parc Prison 9am and 1030am First Mass of Christmas St. David’s Cathedral 10pm Tuesday 25 Mass at Cardiff Prison 9am Mass at St. David’s Cathedral 11am PHILLIP TOM & SONS …a family business that cares • Owned and operated by a Catholic family with over 25 years experience to understand your needs • Chosen Funeral Directors to the Sisters of St Joseph, Llantarnam Abbey for over 25 years • We are Licenced by the British Institute of Funeral Directors • Offer free bereavement counselling • Golden Charter Prepaid funeral plans available ARCHDIOCESAN DIARY OF EVENTS • Monumental Masonry Service BEL – Belmont Abbey – The Retreats Secretary - email: [email protected] or tel: 07799 811 646. All • Serving all areas of South Wales retreats begin with Vespers at 6.00 pm – check-in at Hedley Lodge from mid afternoon LL – Ty Croeso Centre, Llantarnam Abbey, Cwmbran tel: 01633 867317 PRC – Pastoral Resources Centre, 910 Newport Road, Rumney, Cardiff tel: 029 20360044 PHILLIP TOM & SONS St.P – St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Street, Cardiff CF24 3BA Beaconsfield House DECEMBER 7th December Advent Journey Reflection Day, T. 155a Commercial Street 7th December. Of Gods and Men film. Cornerstone 1.30pm. Newport Road 8th December Venite Adoramus Retreat St David’s Catholic College, Cardiff 10-30-1500. See page 5 article. Pontymister 16th December St David’s Cathedral Carol Service 3pm. Gwent NP11 6EY 24th December First Mass of Christmas St David’s Cathedral 10pm. 01633 615005 To list Archdiocesan and Deanery Events in this Diary contact: Dr James Campbell-Editor. Archbishop’s House, 43 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9HD. Tel: (029) 2022 0411 Fax: (029) 2037 9036 www.pts-funerals.co.uk Email: [email protected] Articles to be received by the 20th of the month for inclusion in the following month. CATHOLIC PEOPLE 3 Life-size cross made from wreckage of refugee boats to hang on the wall of rededicated Aberystwyth church Editorial A life-size Lampedusa Cross – a cross made from the wreckage of boats which sank en route from Libya to Europe while carrying refugees – has been Ethics…a commissioned to sit in a recently reinstated Aberystwyth church. The Bishop of Menevia, Thomas Matthew county in Burns, commissioned the cross - which was made by Lampedusa carpenter Francesco Tuccio - to hang on the wall of the Welsh England? Martyrs church in Penparcau, Aberystwyth. The cross was organised by the It is so sad and so unacceptable when international development charity CAFOD, political leaders shift and squirm, putting whose supporters have taken on pilgrimages financial gain over ethical issues. with a Lampedusa Cross, walked over For example, seven church leaders in 100,000 miles in solidarity with refugees and Scotland have called for the home have written over 30,000 messages of hope secretary to grant a Pakistani woman which were passed on to refugees and migrants. asylum, after she was acquitted of blasphemy. Suffering through faith Asia Bibi is a Catholic Christian who spent Bishop Thomas said: “Now that a Lampedusa eight years on death row in Muslim majority Cross hangs prominently on a wall of the Pakistan after being accused of insulting the Welsh Martyrs church, it stands for Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.. perseverance in suffering through faith, There were mass protests after her whether for Lampedusa refugees, conviction was overturned. Aberystwyth refugees, or martyred exiles The Right Reverend Susan Brown, Moderator returning to bring their faith to a new land. of the General Assembly of the Church of “The Lampedusa Cross stands for sacrifice Scotland, and The Most Reverend Leo and generosity. It bears no “corpus” of Christ – because it invisibly commemorates every Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St kind of refugee, every kind of suffering, Andrews and Edinburgh, are among seven oppressed, persecuted, or rejected person church leaders to sign an open letter which anywhere in the world, including the Lord has been sent to Home Secretary Sajid Javid himself who was the first to triumph over it urging him to grant her asylum.
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