God's love for you - 15th December

Webmaster • December 14, 2024

A Christmas Meditation (1)


Let's take our thoughts back to 2024 years ago, to a place called Bethlehem. After a very long journey from Nazareth, Mary and Joseph did what need to be done in the custom house in Bethlehem, then they tried to look for an inn to stay. Bethlehem was a place where Joseph used to live, but his friends did not want to recognise him, he got dismissed everywhere, he went from door to door, and if he told them his wife is going to give birth soon, they sent him away even more quickly. Ah, how many tears has Joseph shed because of all these rejection! And poor Mary, so hopeful and patiently waiting for Joseph from day till night...We might feel indignant about this, but if we ask ourselves: how have I been preparing for this Christmas? Did I include Jesus within my life, have I ignore Him or closed my door on His request to follow Him? Finally they found a shelter outside Bethlehem - a cave used by the shepherds as a storing place. Can you imagine, the Son of God, the Word Incarnated, the King of Kings, could not be found in an inn, let alone in a palace, but in a remote, dark, lowly cave that lack necessities and was used for animals. “...the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matt 8:20) Yet, this was the first example He showed us: living in humility, obedience and poverty; be in this world but not of it. He asked us to follow Him, not only just simply saying it, or demand from Heaven and ask us to do it, but took our human nature to do it once and for all by Himself as a perfect example for all of us - this reality is so surreal yet so real, unbelievable yet undeniable. Another touching meaning of this is, no matter how dark or sinful our hearts have been, if we are willing to let Mary and Joseph to open that door in our hearts, we will find Jesus to dwell within us.


(Reference: The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986)

By Webmaster June 12, 2026
Thank You A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the Parish Picnic and generously brought food to share. Your presence, cultures, and hospitality made the event truly special and reflected the beauty of our united parish family. May we continue to grow together in faith, love, and unity.
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
There will be a Second Collection for the Day for Life Fund next Sunday 21 June . The Fund provides financial assistance each year to organisations working to support the Church’s mission to protect human life from conception to natural death. Each year, the money donated by the faithful on the Day for Life is dispersed to these organisations to assist them in undertaking specific projects relating to life issues.
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
Saturday 27th June 10am - 1pm St Peter's Hall (at the back of St Peter's Church) Ticket: £1/Adult. Free for children. Ticket will include a cup of tea or coffee. If you are looking for hidden treasures, bargains or just time with friends, then come along. It is a great opportunity to support our Church building project. Do bring cash and carrier bags! Tables are now available for £10 each. Please book your table this Saturday/Sunday in the Church porch. We welcome all, individual Parishioners and St Peter's Church groups to take part. Stalls can be set up from 9am and pack up by 3pm. You can decide what to sell on your table. It is hoped that 20% OR MORE of the profit can contribute towards the Parish fundraising.
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
Sunday 28th June Beginning at 2:30pm with a procession, continues with Holy Mass at 3:00pm, followed by the veneration of the relic of St Winefride and the blessing of the sick. Visit: www.stwinefridesshrine.org
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
The Archdiocese is partnering with Catholic Christian Outreach for a 3-week Diocesan Mission - from 19 June to 5 July 2026 . Twelve missionaries will be joining us to help us learn a practical approach to evangelisation called Intentional Accompaniment, equipping us to walk with others on their journey of faith. Events are open to all, including Nightfever at Cardiff Cathedral ( 19 June ), a Day of Prayer across the whole Diocese ( 24 June ), a Learn to Pray day at Belmont Abbey ( 27 June ), and a Young Adults Day in Cardiff ( 5 July) . Visit: rcadc.org/a-mission-for-thewhole-diocese-cco-comes-to-cardiff-menevia
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
Third Revelation to St Margaret Mary: First Friday Devotion, 1674 On one occasion, during the Eucharistic Exposition…my sweet Master, presented Himself to me, all resplendent with glory, His Five Wounds shining like so many suns. From every part of His Sacred Humanity there issued flames but especially from His Adorable Bosom, which was like an open furnace. He disclosed to me His most loving and amiable Heart, which was the living source of those flames. At that point He made known to me the unspeakable marvels of His pure love, and showed me to what an excess He had loved everyone, from whom He received only ingratitude and contempt. Jesus: “I feel this more than all that I suffered in my Passion. If they would only give Me some return for My love, I should think little of all I have done for them, and would wish to suffer more if possible. But they only return Me with rejection and treat Me with coldness for all My eagerness to do them good. You, at least, can give Me the consolation to make up for their ingratitude, as much as you can…First, you are to receive me in Holy Communion as often as obedience will allow, no matter what mortification or humiliation it may cause you...Moreover, you are to receive the Eucharist on the First Friday of each month. Every night between Thursday and Friday I will make you share that sorrow unto death which I was pleased to feel in the Garden of Olives…To join with Me in the humble prayer which I then offered to My Father, in the midst of My agony, you should arise between eleven o’clock and midnight, and stay prostrate with Me for an hour, not only to appease the Divine anger by begging mercy for sinners, but also in some way to soothe the bitterness I felt when finding My apostles abandoned Me and I was constrained to reproach them that they could not watch one hour with Me…”  (Excerpts from St Margaret Mary Alacoque’s autobiography)
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
“...My Divine Heart is so passionately in love with men that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its ardent charity. It must pour them out by thy means, and manifest itself to them to enrich them with its precious treasures, which contain all the graces of which they have need to be saved from perdition…” (Jesus to St Margaret Mary Alacoque in the first vision) The central message of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the infinite and compassionate love exploding from the Heart of Jesus for all mankind. It emphasizes our Lord’s sacred Sacrifice for our salvation and invites us to respond to His love. The Sacred Heart also calls us to make reparation for sins, especially human indifference and ingratitude toward Him. The nature of our Lord’s love is that it cannot be contained within His Heart and necessarily bursts forth. When His love is received, He is consoled. When it is ignored, the love in His Heart expands and waits to gush forth in superabundance upon anyone who is willing to receive it.  As we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, ponder the fact that Jesus’ love must pour forth from His Heart. He needs willing recipients to receive that love. Console His heart by being one of those recipients and by loving Him in return. Doing so will win countless graces for you and for the whole world.
By Webmaster June 12, 2026
O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you mortal frailty can do nothing, grant us always the help of your grace, that in following your commands we may please you by our resolve and our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.
By Webmaster June 6, 2026
PLEASE NOTE: The procession has been cancelled due to the weather, there will however be a holy hour at St David's Cathedral, Cardiff with benediction at 3 o'clock.  The Procession will start at 3:00pm from Nazareth House (please arrive by 2:30pm), moving along Colum Road and Park Place, past the Museum and City Hall, head down Park Place and along Queen Street before finishing at St David’s Cathedral. Refreshments will be available afterwards.
By Webmaster May 9, 2026
Bereavement Talk time/Cuppa Would you like a chance to talk about the loss of a family member or friend? Whether it was recent or historical, the bereavement group was set up for this. We meet on 10th May at 2.30pm in St David's Chapel. Please use the back gate in Bedford Street