As with every weekend, we must thank all who contributed to Sunday’s Liturgy and all who have been such a help and source of support whilst Deacon Mark has been away for a few weeks.
Despite a much-reduced kliros, we celebrated a prayerful and well-attended Liturgy, welcoming new Ukrainian faithful, parishioners from Swansea and other new faces – having over forty worshippers. It was also a great joy to have several of our students back after time away.
Our thanks are also due to our parish sisters for feeding everyone so well, with food still remaining for the enjoyment of our ever-hungry young people!
I was very pleased that parishioners were able attend Saturday’s ‘March For Life’, in London, making the Orthodox voice audible among other Christians. Our parishioners reported that Cardiff sent the largest parish group, and it was good that ROCOR Cardiff parishioners were able to be part of this defence of the unborn.
Having heard some confessions on Thursday, I was glad to be able to hear confessions yesterday, thanking Father Dean for his hospitality, and I was grateful for the kindness represented by the food brought to church, enjoying this with parishioners in the evening.
This week sees the resumption of our study sessions in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, North Church Street, Butetown, starting at 19:00.
Having started as catechesis sessions for those we have baptised over the last Church Year, we have very much enjoyed the sessions and the conversations and fellowship that has grown out of these meetings.
Over the coming months, we would like to combine the sessions with common-prayer, chanting compline some weeks, when a shorter talk will follow the liturgical night-prayer of the Church.
As usual, I will hear confessions before our 19:00 start-time, and would welcome emails requesting confessions by Wednesday 22:00. Once I know how many people there are for confessions, I will communicate times. Email: otetzmark@hotmail.com
Looking forward to September and the New Church Year, we have three child baptisms and an adult baptism, and another adult baptism in October.
Next Sunday we will celebrate the Beheading of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John. This day is a fast, and food for trapeza should be vegan, with wine and oil permitted.
The variables for the Liturgy may be found here:
https://drive.google.com/…/1FE1yIgZvhlWi6Mc2SOErHV…/view
Thursday will see the feast of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon, and I hope that Wednesday evening’s service in Llanelli will be Great Vespers for the feast, at 19:00 in the Chapel of St David and St Nicholas, in the garden of Father Luke’s home.
May God bless you all – Hieromonk Mark