Well, what’s a frazzled Dean of Cardiff to do – I can hardly keep track! Last week our Archbishop was appointed to ‘mind the gap’ and look after Menevia diocese until a new bishop is appointed. Now this summer he is on the oche*, chucking his priestly darts, scattering his clergy all over the dartboard of our deanery. It started with Canon John Maguire retiring and Canon Peter Collins replacing him at Canton. Fr Daniel Stanton from Newport will replace him at the Cathedral.
However this week we learn of more clergy moves affecting the city. Fr Paul Millar is to leave St John Lloyd in Trowbridge and Blessed Sacrament in Rumney for leafy Herefordshire, where he will be parish priest of the farthest parishes from Cardiff – Leominster and Bromyard. Fr Brian Gray of St Cadoc’s (and formerly St Brigid’s) will now take over those two neighbouring parishes, and he thereby joins the exclusive ‘3 churches club’! Sisters Marie de Montfort and Maureen Davies continue at Blessed Sacrament.
Now the latest is that Frs Phil Scanlan and Mike McCarthy are leaving St Alban’s in Splott. Fr McCarthy will move to serve St Peter’s and Fr Scanlan to St Joseph’s in retirement – for the second time! The Rosminian Fathers are handing over St Alban’s and will be replaced by the members of the Oratorian Community in formation, presently at the University Chaplaincy.
Oh and course we are gaining Fr Andy Bord at our 3 churches – that’s what I call a bullseye!
Fr Matthew
*For those not familiar with the world of darts: The oche (or throw line or toe line) in darts is the line behind which the throwing player must stand. Interesting (useless?) fact – for steel tipped darts the oche is generally 7 ft 9 1/4 inches (2.37m) from the face of the dartboard measured horizontally. So there!