Category Archives: newsletter

Why a feast of St John Lateran in Rome?

November 7, 2025newsletterlateran basilica, st john lateran3 churches

In the city of Rome, there are four major basilicas. The first three are Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The fourth is the “Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran”, also called Saint John Lateran for short. Of the four major basilicas, the oldest and most important is Saint John Lateran, the dedication of which is remembered today. Though the pope now lives next to Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint John Lateran is the official cathedral of Rome. That means Saint John Lateran is not only the mother church of the Archdiocese of Rome but also the mother church of the entire world.

The church building has a long history. In 65AD, there was a conspiracy to kill Nero with the help of the Counsel-designate Plautius Lateranus (Lateran). When Nero learned of the plot, he immediately beheaded Lateranus and confiscated his home. Subsequent Roman emperors used the residnce in various ways over the next 250 years, such as a military fort. In 312, when Constantine the Great became Roman Emperor, he took possession of the Lateran Palace. The following year, he donated it to Pope Miltiades who began constructing the first Basilica in Rome.

Upon its completion in the year 324, it was given a special designation to Christ the Saviour, and wth that, the first cathedral in the most important diocese was established. Constantine saw to it that the Lateran Basilica was beautifully decorated with gold and silver. Now, Rome had its first cathedral in the heart of the city.

Though the basilica was first dedicated to Christ the Savior, in the tenth century Pope Sergius III added a new baptistry and rededicated the basilica to Saint John the Baptist. In the twelfth century, Pope Lucius II dedicated the basilica to Saint John the Evangelist. The basilica, therefore, honours Christ the Savior first and the two Saint Johns as the co-patrons.

The Lateran Palace, next to the Basilica, was the papal residence from 324–1305. When Gregory XI returned to Rome from Avignon in 1377, the Palace was in disrepair due to two fires, so the pope eventually built a new home next to Saint Peter’s on Vatican Hill, where every subsequent pope has resided until today. Pray for the pope in a particular way today, that Saint John Lateran will always be a place where he, and every pope after him, will encounter God in a profound way.

Acknowlegements to My Catholic Life at mycatholic.life

The original image of Divine Mercy

April 6, 2024newsletterdivine mercy3 churches

The Divine Mercy

The Divine Mercy image is well-known and can be seen in many churches. What is less well-known is that the one we are familiar with was not the original version. The first painting was made in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, under the supervision of St Faustina Kowalska and her confessor, Fr Sopoćko. She gave the artist instructions about the appearance of the image, which she said she had received from Jesus Christ in a vision. The final painting satisfied neither Fr Sopocko nor Faustina, but she later wrote that Jesus told her it was not that important for the picture to be beautiful since true beauty would be the blessing that he would bestow upon people by means of the painting.

After its completion in 1934, the painting hung in the Bernardine Sisters’ convent in Vilnius, but Faustina wrote that Jesus told her to inform her confessor that the proper place for the painting was in a church. So the first public exposition of the painting was in April 1935, at the Church of the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, and then in 1937 it was put on display beside the main altar in the large St. Michael’s Church.

In 1948, the Soviet authorities, who then occupied Lithuania, closed St. Michael’s Church, but the painting remained in the disused church building until 1951, when two local women bought the canvas from a guard and concealed it in an attic for several years.

Later, they gave it to the parish priest at the Church of the Holy Spirit for safekeeping, but he chose not to display it in the church. Fr Sopocko, now living in Poland, expressed concern about it to a friend, who obtained the painting and moved it to his own parish church in Nova Ruda, in Belarus. There, it was displayed and venerated by the local parishioners. In 1970, the Soviets closed that church and used it as a storage warehouse but left the painting hanging in the disused church, where people continued to venerate it in secret.

In 1986, the painting was replaced by a copy and the original secretly transported back to the Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius. There it underwent a restoration and was displayed. Finally, after the fall of Communism, in 2003 the painting, which had deteriorated because of exposure, attempts at cleaning, and the previous restoration, was professionally restored to its original look. Finally in 2005, it was moved to its current location, above the main altar in the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Vilnius. So, four locations in Vilnius, then to Belarus and eventually back home to Vilnius.

New Vicar General, New Dean

December 1, 2023advent, newsletterdean, newsletter, vicar general3 churches

Today, the First Sunday of Advent, sees a new year in the life of the Church, and in the life of our own local Church in Cardiff we see some significant new appointments. Our new Vicar General in the diocese is Fr Brian Gray, formerly Dean of Cardiff, who now replaces Mgr Can Joe Boardman of Penarth, while our new Dean is Canon John Griffiths. Fr Gray is parish priest of St Cadoc’s, St John Lloyd’s and Blessed Sacrament on the east side of the city, but parishioners of St Brigid’s and St Paul’s may remember him as assistant to Canon Dunne and acting parish priest for a few years up to 2004. Canon Griffiths is parish priest in our neighbouring parish of St Teilo’s with Our Lady of Lourdes.

Our diocese is divided into four deaneries, and each Dean has a coordinating role, among the clergy and parishes in his area, and between his area and the Archbishop. In each diocese the diocesan bishop must appoint a vicar general who is to assist the bishop or archbishop in the governance of the whole diocese. It is a personal appointment by the bishop. Church law states that he is “to be a priest not less than thirty years old, a doctor or licensed in canon law or theology or at least truly expert in these disciplines, and recommended by sound doctrine, integrity, prudence, and experience in handling matters.” A bishop can delegate a lot of actions to him, but communication between them is very important.

I remember being told in my church law studies back in the 80s in Canada that although the job of “V.G” might be seen as high profile, it is also potentially very difficult, because of one little phrase in the small section in the law devoted to the role. This states that a Vicar General is “never to act contrary to the intention and mind of the diocesan bishop. In other words, if he has his own ideas any different to those of the bishop, he is to be “of one mind”. Hmm, tough call, especially in the modern church where we are more encouraged to share our thoughts and opinions! Good luck lads!

Fr Matthew

One of our local saints – Illtud

November 4, 2023newsletterIlltud3 churches

The earliest mention of Illtud is in the Vita Sancti Sampsoni, written in Brittany, about 600 AD. According to this account, Illtud was the disciple of Bishop Germanus of Auxerre in north-central France.

It says he was the most accomplished of all the Britons, and was well versed in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as well as every type of philosophy, including geometry, rhetoric, grammar, and arithmetic. He was also “gifted with the power of foretelling future events”.

According to Life of St Illtud written circa 1140, Illtud was the son of a Breton prince and a cousin of King Arthur. Illtud’s parents intended him for service in the church, but he chose to pursue a military career, married and became a soldier, in service first to King Arthur.

He is sometimes called Illtud the Knight. Later it was the Abbot St Cadoc, based at nearby Llancarfan who told him to give up his selfish ways and go back to his religious upbringing. Inspired, Illtud gave up his wife, and became a hermit in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Illtud helped pioneer the monastic life of Wales by founding a monastery in what is now Llantwit Major. This became the first major Welsh monastic school, and was a hub of Celtic Christianity in post-Roman Britain.

Illtud’s own pupils are reckoned to have included sons of British princes, and scholars such as Saint Patrick, Paul Aurelian, Taliesin, Gildas and Samson of Dol. St David is also believed to have spent some time there. It is a must-visit for anyone interested in the Catholic past in our area.

Again according to legend, Illtud was maybe buried west of Brecon, in the church of Llanilltud, on a tract of moorland known as Mynydd Illtud. His feast day and commemoration is celebrated on 6 November.

There is no formal evidence for a devotion to Illtud surviving from before the 11 century. However, in Celtic countries it is the names of places that tell us most about the existence and veneration of the saints during the oldest times.

The town of Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) where Illtud’s college is located is of course named for him, and was the chief centre of the cult of St Illtud.

Many other places and or churches in Glamorgan are dedicated to him, such as Llantrithyd, Llantwit Fardre, Newcastle in Bridgend, several in the Gower and near Neath. Llantrisant’s three saints were Illtud, Gwynno and Tyfodwg.

A 13 century church on Caldey Island, Pembrokeshire, is dedicated to Illtud. In North Wales, there is a Llanelltyd near Dolgellau, and even in Brittany there are many places dedicated to him. And, of course, there is my old school – St Illtyd’s!

Fr Matthew from sources.