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 September 2026
WEDNESDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
S. Gregory the Great – The first monk to become Pope, in 590, it is he who sent S. Augustine of Canterbury to our shores and therefore evangelised the English people. Of course, here in Wales, there are others who brought the Faith over. A reminder that we are a part of the United Kingdom and inheritors of the Faith as brought to us by a number of Godly folk.
SUNDAY 6th SEPTEMBER
14th Sunday after Trinity/23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and 23rd Week of Ordinary Time
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 7th SEPTEMBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
8th September – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary & the Accession of King Charles III – The only Marian feast listed in the Book of Common Prayer as issued in 1662, thou without specific readings or Collect. A shame as the Blessed Virgin Mary was a necessary part of God becoming Incarnate as Jesus Christ the Son. In Butler’s lives of the Saints, edited by Fr. Bernard Kelly, it is written: ‘The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the near approach of salvation to the lost world: therefore is this festival celebrated by the Church with praise and thanksgiving.’ All of us are constantly learning, including protestant reformers.
WEDNESDAY 9th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
Charles Lowder – Sound Anglican Vicar in the the East End docks of London 1856-80, one of the first so-called Anglo-Catholic slum priests. He and his others remained present with much visiting during a cholera epidemic winning the affection and admiration of parishioners. An example of one whose love of Christ and the people of God shone strongly regardless of what it did to his career prospects and social standing.
THURSDAY 10th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
11th September – S. Deinol – Founded a monastery in Bangor and consecrated Bishop by S. David himself, so the first Bishop of Bangor. Whatever the misjudgements may have been of the last holder of this Episcopal See, one would always seek to be forgiven and treated with great charity were we to hold such responsibility. There is a library founded by former Prime Minister Gladstone, named after S. Deinol.
12th September – Most Holy Name of Mary – The Roman Martyrology records, ‘The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day on which the inexpressible love of the Mother of God for her Holy Child is recalled, and the eyes of the faithful are directed to the figure of the Mother of the Redeemer, for them to invoke with devotion.’ Many hold the name Mary to be Star of the Sea. Be we on sea, climbing highlands or resting in the lowlands, she is the star or light giver for us all.
SUNDAY 13th SEPTEMBER
15th Sunday after Trinity/24th Sunday in Ordinary Time and 24th Week of Ordinary Time
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 14th SEPTEMBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross – ‘Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim’ goes a fantastic hymn. This feast commemorates the True Cross upon which Our Lord was crucified. Tradition holds that S. Helena discovered it in 326 during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Not long after it was divided into thirds with one part kept in Jerusalem and the other parts taken to Rome and Constantinople. The Holy Cross has come to be the most recognisable sign of Christianity. We make the sign of the cross at the start of Mass, and at other times such as when praying for the departed and at the start of the Magnificat in Evening Prayer. An empty act it is not; it is a powerful reminder that through the Cross upon which Our Lord died, we have been reconciled with God.
15th September – Our Lady of Sorrows – From the Stabat Mater:
‘At the cross her station keeping
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus at the last.
Through Her heart, His sorrow sharing
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.’
It can be hard to think when we are in sorrow, but Our Lady mourns in equal measure to that which she rejoices with us. In our vale of tears let us turn to our most blessed Mother.
WEDNESDAY 16th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
Edward Bouverie Pusey – One of the first Tractarians in whose memory the Anglo-Catholic chaplaincy to the University of Oxford was founded and at which his considerable library has been preserved. A place of deep faith and jolly parties. The liturgy is done with absolute precision here. Rather too much for I, a forgetful soul, but it does have a great pull with students there.
THURSDAY 17th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
S. Hildegard of Bingen – A Nun who had numerous visions, provided counsel and direction to many, and wrote variously including poetry and some wonderful music. As a young child she was blessed to see the world as a reflection of the living light of God. She may have seen much and guided numerous folks, but she always protested of her own unworthiness. We should always be open to the workings of God.
FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER
6.00 pm Harvest Service at S. Michael and All Angels, Clyro, followed by supper in Clyro Village Hall.
S. Janarius – Bishop of Benevento in Italy who was martyred during the Diocletian persecution in 305. He is the patron Saint of Naples.
SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER
16th Sunday after Trinity/25th Sunday in Ordinary Time and 25th Week of Ordinary Time
11.00 am Parish Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
6.00 pm Evensong at Little S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin
6.00 pm Harvest Evensong at S. Eigon, Llanigon, followed by refreshments
MONDAY 21st SEPTEMBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Matthew – the Feast of one of the four Gospel writers. He held the lucrative and much despised job of tax collector before responding to Christ’s call to follow Him.
WEDNESDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 24th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
12 Noon Mass for a local Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham at S. Mary’s, Hay
Our Lady of Walsingham – the feast keeping the title of Our Lady after she appeared to Lady Richeldis in Walsingham, Norfolk in 1061. Now called England’s Nazareth, we go here on pilgrimage every year. It is a very special and holy place where all Christian people feel the healing power and majesty of God.
25th September – Lancelot Andrewes – Anglican Priest who came to the office of Bishop of Winchester under James I. Prior to this he had provided sound public criticism of Calvinism and was listed as one of the Divine’s who helped put together that now known as the King James Bible. On the Mass he wrote, ‘Adoration is permitted, and the use of the terms “sacrifice” and “altar” maintained as being consonant with scripture and antiquity.’
26th September – Ss. Cosmos & Damian – These two were twins who became Doctors, had deep faith and were martyred. They are said to have miraculously transplanted a black leg on to a white patient. There is a Church dedicated to these two just outside Leominster where there is one white candle and one black one either side of the icon there.
SUNDAY 27th SEPTEMBER
Ss. Michael & All Angels (Michaelmas Sunday) trans./ 17th Sunday after Trinity, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time and 26th Week of Ordinary Time
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 the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, Bettwys
MONDAY 28th SEPTEMBER
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
29th September – Ss. Michael & All Angels – Our Church at Clyro has this dedication. Messengers of God and guardians of us the children of God, we know that God has not left us alone. S. Michael is seen as the defender against evil for us men and women. The prayer to him, as Archangel, was recited after Mass for a time. ‘Blessed Michael, archangel, defend us in the hour of conflict. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.’ The Angel Gabriel is the principal messenger of God’s will in the Scriptures. God has been generous in what He has gifted to us.
WEDNESDAY 30th SEPTEMBER
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Jerome – Last month we kept the feast of S. Augustine of Hippo. He had various disagreements with his contemporary S. Jerome, a learned monk who translated the Holy Scriptures into Latin.
Evening prayer at 6 pm daily in St Mary’s, Hay, except for Mondays when there is a Mass.
For the diary
Ignatius Memorial Pilgrimage, Saturday 5th September
The annual pilgrimage, starting at Llanthony Abbey, stopping at Little S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin, and concluding at the ruined monastery church at Capel-y-Ffin. For more details see the Pilgrimage page.
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
