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 services in the current month at S. Mary’s, Hay; S. John’s Chapel, Hay; S. Eigon’s, Llanigon; ‘Little’ S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin; S. Michael and all Angels’, Clyro and Bettwys Chapel, Clyro please see the Calendar of Services below.
Calendar of Services for May 2026
1st May – Ss. Philip & 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’. This S. James, sometimes referred to as ‘James the Less’ is the author of the Epistle of S. James. Martin Luther, when messing about with the Canon of Scripture, contemplated the removal of it. The two Apostles share a feast as it marks the bringing of their relics to Rome in early May.
2nd May – S. Athanasius – Athanasius was a strong defender of the understanding of God worded and acclaimed at Nicea. Look in your Book of Common Prayer and you will see the Athanasian Creed; it is quite long. It was not penned by Athanasius but fully reflects his work on the Trinity. The rubrics in the Prayer Book direct that this confession of the Christian Faith should replace the Apostles Creed at Mattins on principal feasts.
SUNDAY 3rd MAY
5th Sunday of Easter 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 Parish Mass at Little S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin
MONDAY 4th MAY
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 6th MAY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 7th MAY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
8th May – Julian of Norwich – In more recent years the writings of this holy woman, ‘ The Revelations of Divine Love’, have increased in popularity. Julian became an anchoress, living a hermit like life in a cell attached to a Church in Norwich. Her writings report, without explanation, visions that she received. She is held to be one of the greatest English Mystics. The late Pope Francis in the encyclical, Dilexit Nos, lists her as one of, ‘A number of holy women, (who) in recounting their experiences of encounter with Christ, have spoken of resting in the heart of the Lord as the source of life and interior peace.’
9th May – S. Pachomius the Great – An Egyptian Saint, who depending on the denomination is either kept today, on the 15th, or the 28th of this month. Initially living as a hermit, he sensed God calling him to establish a monastery, which he did in Tabennisi, Egypt sometime between 318 and 323. He compelled his monks to read which was set out in his rule, the first written one known, and which was used by S. Benedict of Nursia, the founder of Western monasticism as we know it, in forming his written rule for community life. Very appropriate that here in Hay we note a Saint who gave great value to the power of reading.
SUNDAY 10th MAY
6th Sunday of Easter/ Rogation Sunday and 6th 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 11th 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
12th May – Gregory Dix – A Priest and Monk of Nashdom Abbey, he is a well-known Anglican liturgical scholar of the 20th century. His work, The Shape of Liturgy, sits on bookshelves in many a Vicarage and greatly influenced revision and development of Anglican liturgy. The study of liturgy, the prayers which express the faith of the Church, is greatly neglected in several theological colleges/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 should be rooted in prayer, which is communing with God, otherwise it is rootless and pointless.
WEDNESDAY 13th MAY
Our Lady of Fatima – In the month of May we have this feast, which marks the first apparition of Our Lady to three poor children in the town of Fatima, Portugal. They described her as appearing, ‘more brilliant than the sun.’ Our Lady has often appeared to children. Our Lord famously said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 14th MAY
The Ascension of Our Lord – On this day, forty days after Our Lord’s resurrection, He ascended into Heaven and took His seat at the right hand of God. The event, described in detail in S. Luke’s Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles, alluded to in S. Mark’s, Matthew’s and John’s Gospels, has resulted in many beautiful pieces of art. There is a Chapel of the Ascension at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. You will see a pair of feet in the ceiling, disappearing into cloud. The feet are clearly Christ’s, as each foot has the mark where the nail was driven through at the Crucifixion.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
6.00 pm Solemn Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
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. He greatly appreciated the generosity of God as exhibited in creation. It has been said that those who work with the natural world, or live in wild places, have a greater sense of God over those in urban areas less affected by the elements.
SUNDAY 17th MAY
7th Sunday and 7th 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 18th MAY
S. Felix of Cantalice – The son of poor farmers, he became an agricultural labourer. A man of great faith he prayed as he worked. Whilst ploughing a field by oxen, the creature was spooked and S. Felix was trampled and run over by the plough. He arose uninjured and in gratitude committed himself to the monastic life entering the Capuchin order. In time he went to Rome where he became a revered man.
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 20th MAY
S. Alcuin – Born in York between 730-735 and educated at York Minster, by 778 he had become head of the school there. Noted for his teaching ability and intellect, he was persuaded to join Charlemagne’s Court, filled with some of the highest rated minds of the day. Eventually he was allowed to settle in a monastery at Tours to live a stricter form of the monastic life and to study. He was instrumental in liturgical reform at the time. In the early 20th century the Alcuin Club was set-up to produce literature advocating for the restoration of proper ceremony and decoration in the Anglican Church. Should be required reading for all training for the Diaconate and Priesthood…
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 21st MAY
S. Helena – The mother of the Emperor Constantine the Great, the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. On a tour of the Holy Land, she is recorded as being present when the Holy True Cross was discovered. This is now depicted in the colourful festival called Santacruzan held in many parts of the Philippines. Perhaps we could appropriate this for Hay. Since this is the first day of the Festival it would be sure to draw crowds, perhaps even eclipsing the Manic Street Preachers.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 24th MAY
Pentecost/ Whitsun & 8th Week in Ordinary Time – On this Sunday we make note of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles following the Ascension of Our Lord. It amuses me that S. Peter declares to the crowd gathered that the speaking in differing languages (‘tongues’) could not be due to drink as it was 9 am.
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 Festival Evensong at S. Mary’s, Hay with visiting choirs from S. Mary’s, Ross-on-Wye and Holy Trinity, Hereford, to be joined by children from Clyro Church in Wales Primary School. Guest Preacher Quentin Letts, journalist, novelist, and organist at his local Church in Herefordshire.
MONDAY 25th MAY
Mary, Mother of the Church – This title for Our Lady first appeared in the writings of S. Ambrose of Milan. Its use became more common in the later decades of the twentieth century and then was declared a feast, always to follow straight after Whitsun, by the late Pope Francis. S. John Paul II said of this title of Our Lady, ‘The title “Mother of the Church” thus reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ, but also of the faithful.’
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 27th MAY
S. Augustine of Canterbury – The first Archbishop of Canterbury, we are now, as of this year, with the 106th occupant of the Chair of S. Augustine. An unenviable seat, to say the least…
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 28th MAY
Our Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest – this is another feast which always follows from Whitsun, occurring on the Thursday following. Jesus Christ is the model for all people be they Priest or lay-faithful. It is through him that the Sacraments were instituted allowing us to access God’s grace. It is traditionally held that the Priest, when administering the Sacraments and most chiefly when saying the words of Institution at the Mass, is at that moment acting in the person of Christ.
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 31st MAY
Feast of the Most Holy Trinity– The Christian Faith is Trinitarian as in it holds to the belief that God is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The persons define who God is whilst His one nature defines what He is. The persons are coeternal so no one is subordinate to the other. A model for our thinking on many, many other matters. One of our Churches, Bettws, is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
9.30 am Parish Mass at S. Eigon, Llanigon
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
6.00 pm Patronal Mass at Holy Trinity, Bettws
For the diary
Some of you will remember Geoff Holder, a student for the Priesthood, who spent time with us on placement in 2024. His will be ordained to the Priesthood, God willing, in Hereford Cathedral. We were blessed to have a fellow Curate of his, Ewan Gillings, preach for us earlier this year. He will be ordained by the Bishop of Oswestry. Dates of both ceremonies to follow.
Our Lady will undertake her annual river pilgrimage for a couple of days following her principal feast on August 15th. She will be processed through town, following Mass in S. Mary’s, to the riverside. More details soon.
The annual Father Ignatius Memorial Trust Pilgrimage will take place on the first Saturday of September. It starts with a Mass at S. David’s, Llanthony in the morning. Mid-afternoon a service of Evensong, with guest preacher Bishop Dominic Walker OGS, formerly Bishop of Monmouth, will be held at Capel-y-Ffin after which pilgrims will process to the ruined abbey Church built by Fr Ignatius. More details soon.
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
