Long time no blogging

Just managed to reconnect to my blogger account, this is my first blog since 2011 - so much has happened in the intervening 7+ years. Married with a four year old son & two teenage step-daughters. And finally with a non-decrepit Church to worship in - hooray!

After a saga lasting 10 years Welsh Martyrs was finally reopened this autumn and a Mass of solemn dedication held on the 25th October, feast of the Welsh Martyrs - some of whom were actually present in the room with us (well, bits of them at least).

It was a very moving service, though I had no idea that when the Bishop anointed the alter with the oil of Chrism that he was going to splash it on quite so liberally. The really sad thing was those few people who were unwilling to join us in the celebration and weren't there to hear the conciliatory words of the Bishop - well it is their loss, the Parish will carry on without them and they will be poorer for separating themselves from the rest of us.

Here is an image of the newly refurbished Church:

Quite a contrast to the state of the building before work started:

Both of these photos were taken by Kevin McMulkin, I hope he won't mind me including them here.