Mass
Sunday 11.00 am Solemn Mass – a sung Mass (traditional language 1984 Church in Wales Prayer Book) with incense, choir, occasional sung propers, motets/anthems.
Monday 6.00 pm Mass
Wednesday 10.00 am Mass
Evensong
Evensong daily at 6.00 pm (said in chancel) except for days when there is a Mass.
S. Mary’s stands firmly in the Catholic Tradition of the Anglican Church. Worship is central, and everyone is welcome to our services.
For the month’s services at S. Mary’s, and for those at S. Eigon’s, Llanigon; S. John’s Chapel, Hay; S. Michael and all Angels’, Clyro, ‘Little’ S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin and Bettwys Chapel, please see the calendar below.
CALENDAR OF SERVICES FOR MAY 2025
THURSDAY 1st MAY
Ss. Philp & James – Two of the Apostles, S. Philip was the third to respond to the call, ‘follow me’, and S. James, son of Alphaeus, was one of two James’. Their shared feast marks the bringing of their relics to Rome.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 4th MAY
3rd Sunday of Easter and 3rd week of Easter
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Eigon, Llanigon
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
6.00 pm Parish Mass at Little S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin
MONDAY 5th MAY
S. Asaph – A Welsh Bishop in the latter half of the 6th century. A story relates how he carried burning coals within his robes to warm a fellow monk, Kentigern, who had been reciting the Psalter naked in an icy river.
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 7th MAY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 8th MAY
Julian of Norwich – Julian became an anchoress, living a hermit-like life in a cell attached to a Church in Norwich. Her writings – The Revelations of Divine Love – report, without explanation, the visions that she received. She is held to be one of the greatest English Mystics.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 11th MAY
4th Sunday of Easter and 4th week of Easter
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Eigon, Llanigon
11.00 am Morning Praise at S. Michael and All Angels, Clyro
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
MONDAY 12th MAY
Gregory Dix – A Priest and Monk of Nashdom Abbey and an Anglican liturgical scholar of the 20th century. The study of liturgy, the prayers which express the faith of the Church, is neglected in several seminaries in favour of ‘mission’ and ‘theological reflection’. Priests must know and be able to inhabit the prayers of the Church in accordance with the phrase, ‘lex orandi, lex credeni,’ which roughly translates as what is prayed is believed. Mission, which is not rooted in prayer, is rootless and pointless.
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
13th May – Our Lady of Fatima. In the month of Mary we have this feast, which marks the first apparition of Our Lady to three children in the town of Fatima, Portugal. They described her as appearing, ‘more brilliant than the sun.’
WEDNESDAY 14th MAY
S. Matthias – chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, the great betrayer, as one of the twelve Apostles.
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 15th MAY
S. Isidore the Farmer – A Spanish peasant farmer whose devout nature meant that he visited the Church daily. He is the patron saint of farmers and rural communities.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 18th MAY
5th Sunday and 5th Week of Easter
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Eigon, Llanigon
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
6.00 pm Evensong at Little S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin
MONDAY 19th MAY
S. Dunstan – Abbot of Glastonbury, then Bishop of Worcester, followed by London, and then Archbishop of Canterbury. The framework for the Coronation service has remained much as he worked on for King Edgar.
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 21st MAY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 22nd MAY
S. Rita of Cascia – Born in 1381, she was married at the age of 12 and a widow by 30, after her husband was murdered. It is said that she gave public pardon to those responsible at his funeral. Her resolve, fortitude and capacity to forgive came from God. Rather than think, ‘I can’t be like her,’ how much better is to say, ‘let me be just a little like her.’ I take great heart that she has patronage of lost and impossible causes.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
24th May – John & Charles Wesley. Two brothers who were ordained Priests in the eighteenth century and authored many hymns, numbering in the thousands. John Wesley had an itinerant ministry, having fallen foul of the Church hierarchy, and preached across Britain including in the then ruined S. John’s Chapel, Hay in 1774. The chapel was subsequently restored and gifted back to the Church by the Bevan family. Such musicality and subversiveness has been seen in Hay in more recent times.
SUNDAY 25th MAY
6th Sunday of Easter & 6th Week of Easter
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Michael and All Angels, Clyro
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay (visiting Preacher – Rev. Canon Prof. Mark Chapman)
(TBC) 6.00 pm Compline at the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, Bettwys
MONDAY 26th MAY
Rogationtide – The three days before Ascension Day. If anyone would like to have their crops blessed, be that in field, garden or allotment, please get in touch.
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 28th MAY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 29th MAY
Ascension Day – forty days after Our Lord’s resurrection, He ascended into Heaven and took His seat at the right hand of God. The event has inspired many beautiful works of art. In places like Oxford and Cambridge an early service is held atop a tower followed by the ascending of corks from bottles of fizzy liquid. We shall follow suit, save with a Mass at the more civilised time of 6 pm.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
6.00 pm Solemn Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
The Angelus bell rings out twice a day at S. Mary’s, 12.00 noon and 6.00 pm before evening prayer. This devotion reminds people that they are being prayed for and blessed. The Angelus is a very ancient devotion – and I hope that when people hear the bell ringing (3×3, then 9) they will pause and join with the prayer being offered in the church as it rings. Fr. David
