Beautiful Tridentine Mass for martyred Welsh saints at Abergavenny.

This was a beautiful Tridentine Mass for the Martyred saints of Monmouthshire last week. St John Roberts, St David Lewis and St Philip Evans, administered to the Church for over thirty years in the Monmouthshire area. Fr David was arrested in Llantarnam and executed at Usk. Fr Philip Evans and Fr John Roberts  were painfully hung drawn and quartered at the Gallowfields in Cardiff, where they had been working and going about their priests business. This was all as a result of the Titus Oates plot

The Choir excelled singing the ancient Gregorian chant, which would have been known to the three martyred saints. Father Tom Regan sang the Mass and Abbot Paul from Belmont was in attendance from Belmont Abbey to read the special prayer for the saints,also invoking St David and St Winifride, the two patron saints of Wales to pray for the mission in Wales

 

 

PILGRIMAGE TO THE GRAVE OF SAINT DAVID LEWIS AT USK AUGUST 2009

29th August was the Pilgrimage at St Francis Xavier and St David Lewis Church in Usk

A large number of religious and lay people came. It was a very joyful occasion.The Mass was followed by a walk to the site of the Hanging over the road from the church. After reading the last speech of Fr Lewis, we walked along the streets of Usk to the Priory Church where St David was buried.There we said the Lord's Prayer, a decade of the Rosary and sang the Salve Regina, which sounded wonderful unaccompanied in the still air. Afterwards people venerated the tomb and went in to the Priory to light candles and also tea and cake in the vicarage afterwards.

I think the last speech of Fr David from the scaffold was very moving, about being roud to die for being a Christian. Two protestants had clung onto his hands to make sucre he was dead and could not be given the agony of being drawn and quartered. I shall speak more of this later when I come to penal times, but this is a 'special' of the official pilgrimage day.

It was wonderful to be around his grave in the churchyard, singing the 'SALVE REGINA'. So beautiful!

Sunday's (30th) Pilgrimage at USK and Martyr St David Lewis

St David Lewis, SJ Priest M (RM)

He was born at Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales, in 1616; He died at Usk, August 27, 1679; beatified in 1929; He was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. David was the son of a Protestant school master and a Catholic mother. Amazingly enough, he was the only one of the nine siblings to have been raised as a Protestant--but that did not last for long. After studying law at the Middle Temple in London, he accompanied a nobleman's son to the Continent as his tutor. While visiting Paris, David was converted to Catholicism.

By 1638, he was studying for the priesthood at the English college in Rome. Two years after his ordination in 1642, he joined the Jesuits, who sent him to the English mission for a short time, then recalled him to Rome to serve as the spiritual director for the English college.

'CHARLES BAKER' his alias and the CWM

In 1648, David was sent to Wales, where he used the alias Charles Baker and a farmhouse at Cwm (Monnow Valley) in southern Wales as his headquarters for the next 31 years. This same inconspicuous building was the College of Saint Francis Xavier, the centre for Jesuit missionary activities in western England and Wales. When the persecution of Catholics was unleashed by the liar Titus Oates' fictitious Plot, David escaped Cwm but was betrayed by a servant and captured at Llanfihangel Llantarnam, preparing for Mass betrayed by six disgruntled parishioners, who had been intimidated. Llantarnam was a former Cistercian House and a centre for recusant Catholics. It is now occupied by the Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy and remains as a monstery.

Following a two-month imprisonment at Monmouth, he was tried at Usk and then interrogated in London.He returned to Usk and was imprisoned in a former Franciscan house, which had become the gaol. Although no evidence could be found to link him to the conspiracy, he was convicted of being a Catholic priest,to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. The love local people had for him, however, was not confined to Catholics.The hangman disappeared and the blacksmith engaged as executioner was intimidated to disappear. A Protestant held the hand of the 63 year old Father David 'The Father of the Poor'(Tad y Tlodion) as he was known and refused to let him go until he was dead. There being nothing gained from further cruelty, with relief the mayor ordered him to be buried and Father David was taken on a bier and carried with reverence to the priory Church in Monmouth, where his body was found earlier this century as an extension was made to the priory church, a former Benedictine nunnery,whose last superior was Mother Ellen Williams. He was buried with great honour as the local saint in Usk just outside the endtrance to the church and fresh flowers are left there most days.

There is a prominent grave stone giving the details of his canonization in Latin and English. The annual, well-attended pilgrimage to Usk, which begins with Mass at St David Lewis and St Francis Xavier, with a processional Rosary to Saint David's grave The Catholic Church was built close to the site of the martyrdom, near the toll house at the poster shown above.


HYMN IN HONOUR OF ST. DAVID LEWIS

(Tune Hyfrydol)
Holy Martyr, David Lewis,
Monmouth Countys glorious Saint.
Father of the Poor they named you,
When you lived and toiled in Gwent.
Priestly work was undertaken,
Danger-fraught from dawn till dusk.
Gladly still you served your people,
Till you died for them at Usk

From your capture at Llantarnam,
Through your time in Monmouth Gaol,
Threats and tortures could not shake you,
For your faith would never fail.
Bravely then you faced the gallows,
Crudely fashioned for your death,
Further torment someone spared you,
Till you drew your latest breath.

Great and glorious David Lewis,
Staunch and steadfast in the strife,
Bless your people here in Monmouth,
Those for whom you gave your life.
Help us to be strong, courageous,
Loyal to our loving God,
To Him then will glory flourish,
In the places you have trod.

Composed by:
Sister Canisius. Llantarnam Abbey

Prayer:

Lord, we thank you for the gift of Saint David Lewis as our local Saint and Martyr. He was faithful to Christ even to the point of accepting martyrdom for His sake. Help us to do all we can to promote devotion to him. Increase our own faith, and by his prayers, grant us the courage to follow his example of love and the grace of conversion for all who seek the truth. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Saint David Lewis, pray for us.
Saint David Lewis, pray for Wales

TOMORROW's PILGRIMAGE BEGINS AT 3pm at the Catholic Church, St David Lewis and St Francis Xavier, at USK.Pilgrims will, after the Mass-this is the 330th year of the martyrdom, process to the tombstone at the priory church and then there are refreshments for all pilgrims back at the Catholic Church.(30-08-2009) These posts stay a long time and the date varies for different years. The Feast day is 27/08.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER PILGRIMAGES IN MONMOUTHSHIRE

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THIS SUNDAY 17th AUGUST, WELSH NEWTON, Herefordshire
St John Kemble's Pilgrimage at 3pm

Details:
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The annual pilgrimage to the grave of St John Kemble will be held on Sunday 17th August. The programme will be similar to previous years. A walk to the graveside at Welsh Newton starts at St. Mary's Church immediately after Sunday morning Mass. Everyone is most welcome. Walkers and non-walkers then meet in the Churchyard at Welsh Newton at 3:00 p.m. for a short service. This will be followed by Benediction back at St. Mary's at 4:15 p.m. and concludes with tea. This is always a lovely day and everyone is most welcome.

Bede Camm writes 'The Catholics in Monmouthshire and Herefordshire go in procession to keep the martyr's anniversary and invoke his intercession.For two hundred years and more, this pilgrimage has continued and the strange sight may then be seen of Catholics kneeling in a Protesant Churchyard, reciting the rosary and other prayers. A homily is often preached from the site of the churchyard cross(In 1909 Bede camm preached it)which overshadows the Martyr's grave.

Miracles

Beside his tomb is a slab which covers the grave of Catherine Scudamore, a near relative of the Martyr's captor , John Scudamore, who recovered her hearing after praying at the grave of the Martyr at one of these pilgrimages.This miracle was testified to by Bishop Matthew Pritchard OSF, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, who with 'three or four of the family of Perthyre'(of the secret Francican Community there)was present on the occasion as he wrote to Bishop Challoner.The daughter of Captain Scudamore had previously been cured of a malignant sore throat by putting to her neck the rope with which the martyr had been hanged.

The chalice was stolen at the time of the Martyr's apprehension, but the altar and the small missal, bearing the date 1623 and some of his writing remained at Pembridge Castle until 1839 and were used by his predecessesors, at the eight Indulgence times for the convenience of neighbouring Catholics, until the Townley family of Burnley sold the old castle to the estate of the Welsh Ironmaster. Father Abbot then removed the precious relics Monmouth. A reredos, which now surmounts the altar was made by Father Abbot out of an old oak bedstead from Perthir belonging Bishop Matthew Pritchard who died in 1750. (MM:And buried under the altar of Rockfield Anglican Church)

Speaking of Blessed St John Kembles death (at a very advanced age) Bede Camm writes of a com=ntemporary biographer :'The Protestants that were spectators of the exit (hanging, drawing and quartering) of Blessed John Kemble, that they never saw a man so like a Gentleman and so like a Christian'. In fact his hand only was severered as a token quartering and now resides in an oak reliquary at St Francis Xavier in Hereford. The church remembers its saints forever.

A Recent Miracle.......

John Kemble was subsequently canonized in 1970. As recently as 15th July 1995, a priest at St. Francis Xavier's church in Hereford called Father Christopher Jenkins found himself close to death. He had unfortunately slipped into a deep coma as the result of a massive stroke. Luckily for him a sacred relic thought to possess great powers of healing lay in an oak casket on the church altar. Father Tumelty an assistant to Father Jenkin placed the severed hand of St. John Kemble on the sick man's brow and very shortly Father Jenkin regained the ability to eat talk and walk. So far no scientific explanation has been put forward to explain this event.



SUNDAY 23 AUGUST 2008-PILGRIMAGE WITH ANGLICANS TO CAPEL Y FFIN, near Llanthony, in the Black Mountains.

This pilgrimage is in stunning countryside right up in the black mountains at the monastery itself, kindly hosted by the present private occupants.The roof of the Catholic chapel desperately needs help to restore it for worship.


From previous years:


This pilgrimage is primarily an Anglican one although Catholics do go, remembering the Vision of the Virgin Mary by children in a field near the Monastery at Capel y Ffin in the last century. (another post has been written about this here). The little Church at Capel y ffin is the church of Mary the Virgin because the Norman builder of the church had a wife who also saw a vision of her here and built a church on the spot. There was also another vision on a nearby farm by a farmer's wife and it seems there may be seven 'sightings' o the Blessed Virgin right from Norman times, the earliest records being kept then. A farm at Capel y ffin is called 'Vision Farm'. Ignatius Lyne, leader of the Anglican Community at the monastery he founded, wrote a detailed account of this miraculous vision. I believe she later appeared to other members of the Community.
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Itinery:
12 Noon Anglican Service at St David's Church at Llanthony Priory. In In preevious years, Mass was held in the Chapel at the Monastery.

1.30 Arrive at Pilgrimage Walk at Capel y Ffin. Most pilgrims come by
coach and arrive early by car to park locally at Chapel Farm.
Followed by PICNIC LUNCH.

3.30pm Ecumenical Offices of the Blessed Virgin Mary at St Mary the
Virgin's church at Capel y ffin.

Followed by Procession to Monastery and old Abbey Church . A station at the
Wayside Calvary, site of the vision by the choristers. Devotions
in the ruined Abbey Church.

Stout Footwear and weatherproof clothing. Pilgrimage walk is on a secluded footpath from the St David's Church at Llanthony (former cell of St David's hermitage when he lived and prayed here) not the main road (so should be a shorter route.



Capel y Ffin is easily found. In the main road leading from Abergavenny to HEREFORD, turn left at Llanfihangel Crucorney. Turn left at the road leading down the hill signposted to Llanthony. Stay on that road for six miles or so and you come to Llanthony and St David's Church. There is a good refectory in the crypt of the Old Priory, open Sundays too! Go back on that road and follow signs for Capel y ffin. The Car park at Chapel farm is owned by Mr and Mrs Watkins.

. The beautiful reredos from here can still be seen at St Julian's Anglican Parish Church in Hather Road ,Newport, to whom it was sold by the Catholic Monks at Prinknash Abbey, when the Abbey roof became in bad repair.


PILGRIMAGE SUNDAY 24th AUGUST(in 2009 on 30 August) to the GRAVE AND SHRINE OF ST DAVID LEWIS OF USK

3pm at the Church of St David Lewis and St Francis Xavier.Walk to the old Priory Church of St Mary's (now Anglican) previous to 16th century was a Benedictine nunnery. St David Lews' remains were discovered during work to the church by the vicar who reverently had them placed near the door of the church. The jesuits and local catholics placed a large tombstone there with his last words.

Flowers are placed on the tombstone every day.

Except for the short reprieve of the reign of Queen Mary Tudor, for the remainder of the 16th century, and into the early 17th century, the Catholics of Abergavenny worshipped in a barn located in Monk Street. Thereafter, in the attic Chapel of the Gunter Mansion in Cross Street. The Altar-reredos fresco of the Adoration of the Magi, discovered in 1907, is preserved in the Abergavenny Museum.

http://www.olsm.org.uk/php/links.php?id=1&ID=


THE JESUITS
Holy Mass was celebrated for the Catholics of Abergavenny throughout the dark days of cruel persecution. The spiritual administration of the district came into the care of the Jesuit Fathers, who had established a seminary and college at The Cwm near Welsh Newton. Saint David I,ewis S.J. (also known as `Fr. Charles Baker') was pastor for thirty-one years. He had been born in Abergavenny. He was assisted for a time by Saint Philip Evans S.J. (`Captain Evans'). Both were Martyred in 1679, following the false allegations of the liar Titus Oates: David Lewis at Usk, and Philip Evans at Cardiff.

Several other Martyrs for the Faith are known to have passed this way, and most likely celebrated Holy Mass when possible, namely, Saint John Lloyd (pastor of the Llanarth area), Saint: John Kemble, Blessed Philip Powell OSB, and Blessed Edward Powell. The Venerable Augustine Baker OSB was born In Abergavenny, and was converted to The True Faith in 1600.

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It was to a great extent by his advice and exertions that the Congregation of English Benedictines or Black Monks, after being driven from their monasteries and almost completely suppressed under Edward VI and Elizabeth I, were able to avoid total extinction, and reform in exile with Papal approval, founding monasteries for exiles in such as Paris, Rheims, Dieulouard, Doua, St. Malo, Valladolid, Compostella, and Lamspring. The Pope commissioned these monks in exile "to work hand in hand with the secular clergy for the conversion of England, as new Augustines" , and so a stream of Benedictines were to take part in the secret provision of Mass and the Sacraments for their persecuted brethren in England and Wales, for which many of them lost their lives. Augustine Baker was a great mystic, and the author of `Santa Sophia'. He was also chaplain to the Benedictine nuns of Cambrai.(Father Tom of Abergavenny)

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PILGRIMAGE TO OUR LADY, ST MARY OF TINTERN 7th September 2008 (Ecumenical, though Catholic usage)3pm

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Following the successful dedication of the New Statue of Our Lady at Tintern Abbey, there are exciting plans for a pilgrimage centre to be thrashed out by CADW and the Friends of OUr Lady of Tintern.Abbot Aiden Bellinger of Downside will preach the homily and laity and religious from all over Monmouthshire and surroundings will take part.

PLEASE BRING A FOLDING CHAIR OR YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING TO SIT ON.

The statue, commissioned by the Cistercian Community at Caldey by Abbot Daniel (see the YouTube Video Living Stones of Tintern)was consecrated last year.

Come early and have a pictic lunch at this lovely spot.

VESPERS begins at 3pm.There is a small car parking charge to offset the cost of the day.

You should enter at the OLD abbey entrance (not the gift shop and tourist entrance).
Merchandise will be on sale to raise funds for the next phase.

Salve Regina is always sung and refreshments are in the Village Hall afterwards if required. Sunday 7 SEPTEMBER at 3pm



PLIGRIMAGE TO THE SKYRRID Yskyrrid Fawr-The Skirrid)28th September (if closest to St Michael's Day. Please check with Abergavenny Parish.

PILGRIMAGE TO SAINT MICHAEL'S MOUNT

I have written much about Monmouthshire's own Holy Mountain overlooking Abergavenny. In that Catholic worship was unbroken through some very cruel times of persecution, I feel the devotion to the Blessed Michael Archangel has been powerful and the people do well to do this annual pilgrimage. (Another up the mountain takes place on Good Friday)

This sculpture of St Michael can be found in the little Catholic Chapel at Llanarth Court, Which I visited at Christmas. This was also near Abergavenny and the Skirrid looks over here too.



Devotion to St. Michael the Archangel has been a feature of Catholic life in Abergavenny for many hundreds of years. A Chapel dedicated to him once crowned the eastern summit of The Great Skirrid; indeed, at the time of St. David Lewis, who led hundreds of Catholics there for the annual Michaelmas pilgrimage, the Altar was still intact amidst the ruins. Alas, only a couple of stones now remain, but the Pilgrimage still takes place on the Saturday nearest Michaelmas each year. We preserve a rescript of Pope Clement X which reads:-

"Pope Clement X grants a Pienary Indulgence to those who devoutly visit the Chapel of St. Michael on. the Skirrid Fawr on 29'" September -Michaelmas Day. Anyone making this Pilgrimage and wishing to gain the Indulgence is required, first, to go to Confession and Holy Communion; then, on the Holy Mountain itself, to pray for peace among Christian Princes, for the rooting out of heresies, and for the exaltation of Holy Mother Church. Given at St. Mary Major`s, Rome, under the Seal of the Fisherman, on 20th July 1676, and valid for seven years "

Father Tom OSB of Abergavenny.Please Check the date with him or with the Parish Diary on the website.

Seeing with the Eyes of Faith, a ghostly Revelation at Rockfield, Prayer for Tuesday of Holy Week

The Cwm , here to the north of Monmouth, the Jesuit Missionary Priests had their headquarters, the College of St Francis Xavier. The documents raided from there after the death of Fr David in 1679 are in the Herefordshire County Records Office.
Below :Two photos of St Cenedlon's Church, Rockfield
Below:The Tombstone of St David Lewis 'Father of the Poor' hung 1697 outside the door of the Priory Church of Our Lady (St Mary) at Usk.













I remember when I was working for a university exam once, the lecturer asking us to think of the expression 'the mind's eye', something which I found quite difficult to think of. If you think of it as seeing with the eyes of faith it is easier, because it is actually to see, with God's help 'into the life of things'.Tennyson mentions this in his poem 'Morte d'Arthur' (The Death of Arthur) and also mentions that the key to real 'seeing with faith' is prayer.Prayer is always comforting 'plugs you in to God', bringing security in a crazy world.

‘The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfils himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.
Comfort thyself: what comfort is in me?
I have lived my life, and that which I have done
May He within himself make pure! but thou,
If thou shouldst never see my face again,
Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.

I love these words, because prayer keeps you 'in tune' with God. We, as human beings are religious beings. we belong to another order, another dimension. we have not fixed home forever on this earth, no abiding city, and even in the most insignificant parts of our life, we actually belong to another world. What we see here, feel here ,touch here, is not all there is.Sister Mary David Totah writes 'Prayer is born of the conviction that the world we live in is not two dimensional; it is born of he conviction that we are surrounded by an invisible world, that God is our supreme reality and deepest truth.There is something of eternity in us, we have the capacity for God. We have a capacity to know God and receive his revelation, because we are made of the image of God and because God has revealed himself to us in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ',crucified, resurrected and present in the Eucharist until the End of Time. These things are revealed to us if our eyes are opened and we don't vew the world as a 'blind life within the brain', that we truly see what is there, the young child,the baby the young mother or father in the face of an elderly person.The essence is the same.

St Cenedlon's Church-my private encounter with the Communion of Saintsa ghostly experience!

I thought I would mention my trip to St Cenedlon's Church at Rockfield (Llanoronwy) near Monmouth in association with these sentiments. The biggest prayer for me has always been the Mass.I went to Mass for some years before I saw and felt with the eyes and feelings of faith, that the Church never prays alone. Present there with us were the souls of the Faithful Departed all come to the food of the Cross forever, gathered and taught by the heirs of Christ and St Pater. However my own prayers have always been haphazard. I tend to talk to God informally like Noah.Like: 'Father in Heaven, please can you do something about my knee-it's really painful' or 'Father in Heaven,please help my son do well in his exam, keep him confident and focused'. We have after all been told by Christ himself to ask and it shall be given unto us.Further Jesus said 'Knock and it shall be opened to you! And hey, that is where it's really at. That door opening. He said 'Seek and your shall find'.Sometimes, though, the Holy Spirit finds you!!!

I started to write my book (sounds grand that, but what I mean is I was gathering information for my book which will be a Catholic history of Monmouthshire.) During the latter part o the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries many laws were passed against Catholics in the UK. Henry VIII had demanded an annulment for his thirty five year old marriage to Catherine of Aragon (daughter of he King and Queen of Spain)with whom he had a daughter because his new love would not have an affair with him, as he had with her sister and had insisted on being Queen.ThePope would not agree and what happened is history. Many people died and all sorts of misery ensued. A new church was brought into being by Henry, his own church and people were made to join it or face heavy fines. Clergy who would not capitulate were simply martyred-perhaps being closer to wat was at stake. Things reached painful regions when priests and those who helped them were martyred. Sons of British Catholics trained in Rome and Douai came home and during the times of the lies of Titus Oates were hung drawn and quartered for being 'spies'.

Housewives who sheltered priests were executed too, like St Margaret Clitherow of York were martyred, placed under a heavy door with stones placed on the door until she was crushed to death. Her 'crime' was to hide a priest. It is no wonder the church had to go underground and at times headed by hotheads and unwise people like those of the Gunpowder Plot, which many believe was known about for some time, but allowed to go ahead in order to panic people further against Catholics. Indeed the great families who had benefited from the proceeds of Church property and land would go to some length to keep it.Anyway here are the Penal Laws:-

1559, Act of Supremacy: Monarch makes himself supreme governor of Church of England, clergy to take oath of supremacy on pain of deprivation.

1559, Act of Uniformity: imposed Book of Common Prayer, one shilling fine for failure to attend church on Sunday.Monasteries and convents dissolved, religious turned out-some to France, some to starve.

1563, forbidden to defend papal supremacy on pain of Praemunire (forfeiture of property).Priests or reigious efusing to be executed.

1571, treason to call monarch heretic or schismatic, treason to introduce papal bulls.

1581, treason to convert or to be converted to Catholicism, fine of £20 per month for recusancy(ordinary people)

1585, treason for Jesuits or seminary priests to enter the country.Pain of death, hanging drawing and quartering)

1587, suspected recusant who failed to appear for trial incurred guilt.

1593, recusants restricted to within five miles of their homes.

1605, convicted recusants to receive Anglican communion once per annum on pain of fine and eventual forfeiture of property.

1605, recusants barred from office and professions.

1678, recusants barred from parliament.

1692, recusants incur double land tax.

1699, recusants barred from purchasing or inheriting land.

1778, Relief Act: Catholics permitted to own land.

The last is a relief act, which began the restoration of the Church and its people.

In my researches about the recusant period which started with the Martyrdom of the 'Father of the Poor' (Tad ur Oedolion) at Usk I found something rather good in the middle of this horrible time. Anglican priests turned a blind eye to Catholics being secretly buried in Churchyards marked only by the IHS on their gravestones and that there was a general distaste among the ordinary folk in Monmouthshire for what happened to their priests. David Lewis was the son of the formerHeadmaster of Abergavenny School, he was one of the people. the main tormentors, whi had benefited from Church lands were a different class of people, strongly supportive of England and the English systems of government. the great Catholic Monmouthshire families were systematically 'milked of all their assets -but they, (the Herberts (descended from the Earls of Worcester-who lived at Raglan until the Civil War took them to Treowen , the Jones, the Morgans) remained loyal to the Faith to this day.

I heard that several priests had been buried in St Maugham's Church (named for St Mawgan -Celtic monastery of yore) On visiting I contacted the Vicar who was enormously helpful, explaining that Bishop Matthew Pritchard, Vicar Apostolic of the Western Region was buried beneath the altar at Rockfield. Bishop Matthew had a hard life, there is no doubt, scooting along hedgerows at night to his next Christening or marriage or Mass, returning to Perthir House, where he had kin to rest.The house had the advowson of the church (owned it) which was strange-a Catholic family deciding who should be vicar. St Cenedlon's is still a beautiful church near Monmouth. The very kind Churchwardens came specially to show me around and let me in. I found Bishop Matthew's tombstone, beautifully inscribed under the altar and was told there were numerous other buried priests of the recusancy era in the churchyard.I was interested to see he lived until over 80 a record in those days, I thought.

After taking my photos, I knelt to pray and somehow it was brought home to me, that they suffered all sorts of privations, especially in defence of the Eucharist,the lack of tact and wisdom of some people impacting so hard on all Catholics, and the lies of Oates. These men gave their lives in the service or the original church and died unmarked, though I suspect greatly loved . I decided to pray the glorious mysteries of the rosary. The churchwardens had left me alone for a while.

I pray the Glorious Mysteries

I thought, 'Lets do it'.Now I pray with my iPod. Greg and Jennifer Willets of www.rosaryarmy.com have made all four mysteries which you can download from iTunes free. I said out loud, I am praying this rosary in the hope of the Resurrection of all the recusant Priests and those who died for the Faith during the sixteenth,seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and those who helped them. I selected the correct one from the iPod, put my earbuds in and taking the rosary from my pocket, I crossed myself and invoked the Trinity 'In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit' I began and commenced reciting the Apostles' Creed: 'I believe in God, the Father Almighty,Maker of Heaven and earth......'

I began to have a prickling sensation at the back of my head, such as you get when you are being watched. what happened next was far outside the bounds of anything I had experenced before. Curiously I was initially panicked but then relaxed. From every corner of the church seemingly through walls, the floor, ceiling everywhere some strange beings came, all wearing black, old fashioned casssock style garments (though nothing was really detailed about them) They knelt there and took out what I felt might be rosaries as they were using their hands and as the prayer continued ,I felt they prayed with me. They took no notice of me at all (thank heavens!) the only thing I thought was 'Oh well, I better speak out the rosary bit o the prayer said on the Ipod with Jennifer and Greg, or they won't hear it'. It startled me, that I had felt them so real I did this! The prayers and meditation continued Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost.....I began to feel the person near me had quite a big nose-even though these people were sort of fuzzy with fuzzy faces, I was aware of this one person, kneeling near me. I was nervous the churchwardens would come back, not because I was doing anyting wrong, but because they might think I was a religious maniac, but it is a spiritual act of mercy to pray for te faithful departed, especially for these men. I spoke out the words and there was a peculiar echo to them like a communal whispery echo. I was not afraid, they took no notice and when the final prayers came, which was the 'Memorare' of St Bernard of Clairvaux they simple dissolved again. I stayed there a minute to try to take in what had hapened.

I mentioned it to a spiritual director at a retreat I was on and he said it seemed I had been permitted a glimpse into te Communion of Saints. You know 'You never pray alone-the Communion of Saints will support you in prayer-those who still live and those who await the second coming in heaven. I thanked God for the privilege. I saw them, because I was praying there, they needed my prayers. Since then I pray more especially for the Faithful departed, who have ot departed so far. They are still there with us when we pray, died in the faith, stronger than us. So this Easter, think of them all there-the reality of heaven. This IS my body, Christ's sacrifice on the Cross once and forever.

Problem is then you start thinking, 'Am I good enough? Am I holy enough?' and the answer is 'no'. Yes to 'do you believe the promise of Christ?' no to have you done enough to repent answer for your failings. I try but I am not there yet.My sins are like spam in an inbox. No matter how many I delete, there are always more....Yet I can only try, and ask myself, 'Whyever, did God love me so much, to take my sins on his back and kill them, so that I can join him in heaven? Love so amazing so divine.Wish I was worthier...

Few days later I received an article with a photo of a painting of Bishop Matthew - and his huge nose.....Strange or what? I will post later in the year about another more public revelation in Monmouthshire in the nineteenth century, that of The Blessed Virgin Mary at Capel y ffin. This was never investigated because it was a private revelation accorded a pilgrimage every year on the last Sunday of August.

About Christ:The Prophecy

Forcibly, after sentence, he was taken, and his generation were concerned he was cutt off out of the Land of the Living, at his being struck dead for the disobedience of his people. He was given a grave with the wicked,and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, had spoken no deceit. It was God's good pleasure to rack him with pain, if he gives his life as a Sin-Offering. He will see his offspring and prolong his life, and through Him, The Lord's good pleasure will be done.

After the Ordeal he endured, he will see the Light and be content
By his knowledge, the upright One, my servant, will justify many by taking their gift upon himself.

Hence I shall give him a portion with the many and he will share the booty with the mighty for having exposed himslef to death and for being counted as one of the rebellious, whereas he was bearing the sins of many and interceding for the disobedient.Continued from the Prophet Isaiah.

Madeleine McCann

I am glad the Express have now done the decent thing and apologised to Gerry and Kate McCann for the lurid and completely false claims made about them. they believe she is alive and will be restored to them by Grace of God. Let's all pray for that.

Haut de la Garenne

The digging gows on as the police comile more and more names of people they want to interview both inside and outside Jersey.There comes a point where words actually fail you. They have now broken intoa third chamber and are excavating there and the Cadaver dogs have confirmed a body there too.....requiescant in pacePoor babies.