S. Mary’s stands firmly in the Catholic Tradition of the Anglican Church. Worship is central, and everyone is welcome to our services.
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.
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 October 2025
WEDNESDAY 1st OCTOBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 2nd OCTOBER
The Holy Guardian Angels – Whilst the feast of S. Michael is often referred to as the feast for all Angels, this has not always been the case. The other Archangels, such as Gabriel, had their own day in the calendar. This feast for the Holy Guardian Angels developed within the Franciscan Order and was formerly placed into the calendar by Pope Paul V in 1607.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
4th October – S. Francis of Assisi – Following mention of the Franciscan Order, so we keep the feast of the founder, S. Francis himself. He began his time, after his calling, finding funds for the poor and for the restoration of three Churches in Assisi which included S. Damiano where he heard the voice of God. In time others joined him in his works and so the Franciscan community came into being following a rule that S. Francis himself had drafted and taken to Rome for approval. There are a number of Franciscan communities in Great Britain, including one called Glasshampton in Worcestershire.
SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER
16th Sunday after Trinity/27th Sunday of Ordinary Time & 27th Week
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 6th OCTOBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 8th OCTOBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 9th OCTOBER
S.John Henry Newman – His feast is this day in the Roman calendar and marks the formal date on which he ‘crossed the Tiber’. It is normal for a feast day to be held on the individual’s day of death, which in S. John Henry Newman’s case is 11th August.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
10th October – Thomas Traherne – Priest and poet who originates from Hereford. He spent time in the parish of Credenhill, following ordination to the Priesthood, and then became a private Chaplain to Sir Orlando Bridgman who was at the court of Charles II. There is a small side chapel at Hereford Cathedral, just off the Lady Chapel, which has some stunning stained glass. It is a very dear Chapel within the Cathedral in which I was ordained.
SUNDAY 12th OCTOBER
17th Sunday after Trinity/28th Sunday of Ordinary Time & 28th Week
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 13th OCTOBER
S. Edward the Confessor – S. Edward reigned as King of England from 1042-66. His Shrine is in the Church that he commissioned in London and site of coronations, namely Westminster Abbey, which is a Royal Peculiar rather than a Parish Church. The monks present during the awful acts of Henry VIII hid his bones, which allowed them to be restored to the same spot at a later date with works taking place to repair and improve the Shrine over the following centuries. Good men yourselves, I say to those monks!
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 15th OCTOBER
S.Teresa of Avila – Falling seriously ill aged 15 she was given the letters of S. Jerome to read. These clearly had a positive effect upon her, rather than inducing long periods of sleep, since she decided not to marry and to enter the religious life, much to her father’s displeasure. She entered the Carmelite Order but found them to be too worldly, which – it is said that some sisters at that time had their own servants – would be a justifiable assessment. In time she was given permission to found a new Convent by the order in Avila where prayer, contemplation and silence formed their way of life. She produced several works which have come to be considered spiritual classics.
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 16th OCTOBER
S. Margaret Mary Alacoque – Born in Burgandy in 1647, she entered the religious life in the Visitation Order. She had visions which encouraged her to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Though some thought her delusional, the will of God overcame, and this devotion is commonplace within the Church Catholic today. For much of the twentieth century most Irish homes had a Sacred Heart in a prominent position and the decline of the Church there, in part due to the arrogance and negligence of those who were supposed to shepherd it, is a great sadness. There is a statue of the Sacred Heart in S. Mary’s. His heart burns with love for us.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
17th October – S. Ignatius of Antioch – commonly understood to be a disciple of S. John the Apostle, he was appointed to be the third Bishop of Antioch. His writings provide much insight into the very early Church and her thought and practices. His writings had a great impact upon S. John Henry Newman who sought to return the Church to her roots and to those who lived closest to Christ. A good number of others having read the writings of the Apostolic Fathers have left behind the silly modern notion of sola scriptura.
18th October – S. Luke – One of the four Gospel writers and chronicler of the Church as she began following the Ascension of Christ (Acts of the Apostles). The Annunciation, the Visitation to S. Elizabeth, and the visit of the shepherds to the Christ Child only appear in his Gospel. It leads us to believe that he was close to Our Lady and heard these accounts directly from her.
SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER
18th Sunday after Trinity/29th Sunday in Ordinary Time & 29th Week
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 20th OCTOBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 22nd OCTOBER
S. John Paul II – the longest serving Pope of the 20th century and the third longest in history. He was canonised as a Saint by Pope Francis in 2014. The collapse of the Iron Curtain and the restoration of freedom of belief and affiliation across most of Europe is in much part due to him. Throughout his pontificate he travelled widely, emphasising the global spread and nature of the Christian Faith.
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 23rd OCTOBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER
Last Sunday after Trinity
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Michael and All Angels, Clyro
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
6.00 pm Compline at Holy Trinity, Bettws
MONDAY 27th OCTOBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
28th October – Ss. Simon & Jude – These two are Apostles whose martyrdom, according to tradition, occurred in Persia. Simon is referred to as the Canaanite or as the Zealot, the latter being a sect within Judaism that advocated armed insurrection against the occupying Roman regime. In becoming an Apostle, he would have departed from that sect and their activities. The reason for Jude being the Patron Saint of lost causes is now obscure.
WEDNESDAY 29th OCTOBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 30th OCTOBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
ADVANCED NOTICES
Mass for All Souls – Monday 3rd November – 6pm – S. Mary’s, Hay
If you would like for the name(s) of deceased to be remembered on this feast please note them on a list at the back of S. Mary’s, a note given to your local Churchwarden, or in mention to Fr. David. The souls of those who have gone in the past 12 months and whose funeral liturgies have been held in our Churches will be included.
Annual Parish Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Friday 10th April – Monday 13th April 2026
Please speak with Fr. David if you are interested in joining us.
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
