THE
P RTAL
September 2017
Page 13
sing, so a group of singers draws people in. In
Wales the Ordinariate is not well known. We still
get asked, “Are you a proper Catholic?” That was
why we began the notice board.
“There is a new Parish Priest coming, and he
will have a Curate. They are supportive of the
Ordinariate.”
Husband Deacon David Prichard also expected
people to follow them into the Ordinariate, but
they didn’t. However, Fr Bernard Sixtus, the
Group Pastor, has had a number of enquiries just
this week. They come from people from other
Christian bodies. A number have asked about
being received into the Catholic Church. “I do
not think converts from non-Catholics is the
answer to our future,” he told us. “The real thrust
of the Ordinariate is the sharing of our gifts.
Parishioners like the time of our mass, they like
our liturgy and they like everything about us.
“The Parish has been very
welcoming and we join with their
social events. The new Parish
Priest is coming soon. He seems to
be supportive of the Ordinariate.
He will come with a Curate. In
fact, they are two of those priests
who hit the news when they were
banned from a pub in Cardiff
because the staff thought they
were guys dressed in drag!
Marilyn Jones
Alan Jones
Dcn David Prichard, Fr Bernard Sixtus and Dcn David Hathaway
Deacon David did admit that moving has cost the Last week we had the Parish barbeque and the
group about twenty five percent of their membership. Ordinariate joined us. The Catholic Churches on the
These people have stayed at the Cathedral.
West Side of Newport are joined together where before
each one was very different. The Ordinariate coming
As we enjoyed a mug of tea and some delicious to St Gwladys is nothing but positive.
biscuits, we spoke with Lille Fennell. She is a Diocesan
Cradle Catholic who attends the Ordinariate Mass at
As we started to take our leave, Fr Bernard told
St Gwladys on Sundays. She told us, “The Ordinariate us that he is really looking forward to the new
moved to St Gwladys before Easter. It is brilliant, and Parish Priest’s arrival. “He is a good friend, and very
on a scale of one to ten, I give it eleven! It is good to have supportive of the Ordinariate,” he told us. We pointed
the Mass on Sunday morning again. It is celebrated as out that the Ordinariate is not on the Church Notice
it was before Vatican II, except it is in English, rather Board at the Gate. He replied, “Well yes, not yet. It will
than Latin. The Ordinariate congregation are very be!” Fr Bernard thinks the future of the Welsh Group
good, and it is not just the liturgy. Fr Bernard gives is very bright indeed. He and the Group at St Gwladys
pastoral care as well. Then there is the social aspect look to the future with great hope. This group is not
too. All the Ordinariates who come appreciate the downhearted, or moribund. It is gearing itself for a
aesthetics of our Church. They love the Rood Screen. move forward now that they have a home of their own.
There have been suggestions that it be removed. So it
is lovely that the Ordinariate appreciate it.
Should you find yourself in South East Wales on
a Sunday, make you way to Ss Basil and Gwladys,
“We have social events together, and we have tea and Tregwilym Road, Rogerstone, Newport, NP10 9DW.
coffee after mass. We enjoy the fellowship together. Mass on Sundays is at 11am.