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 July 2026
WEDNESDAY 1st JULY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Oliver Plunkett – Appointed Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland in 1669. He had spent years previous in Rome due to persecution in Ireland. However, he fell foul of the Popish Plot which was concocted by the insane cleric Titus Oates. He was arrested in Dublin in 1679, tried for treason and refused to renounce his Roman Catholicism. It is said that when the guilty verdict was delivered Plunkett said ‘Deo Gratias’ (‘Thanks be to God’). He was hung, drawn and quartered in 1681. He has patronage of peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Thankfully, in our present day, the zealotry shown by people such as Titus Oates does not result in the death of those they seek to persecute in this country. However, we can never be complacent.
THURSDAY 2nd JULY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
3rd July – S. Thomas – The doubting Apostle who would not believe those who had seen the Resurrected Christ. Our Lord appeared and showed Thomas his hands; ‘My Lord and my God,’ S. Thomas said in response. At some point after the day of Pentecost he went to India and evangelised the people there. The Portuguese, as they explored and laid claim to parts on India in the 1520s arrived to find existing Christian communities. The Faith has remained strong, particularly in the Keralan region, Missionaries from these parts are now coming to Europe.
SUNDAY 5th JULY – 5th Sunday after Trinity/14th Sunday in Ordinary Time and 14th 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 JULY
No Mass at 6pm – Priests at the Ordination of Ewan Gillings to the Sacred Priesthood
WEDNESDAY 8th JULY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
THURSDAY 9th JULY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
6.00 pm Votive Mass of Our Lady at S. Mary’s, Capel-y-Ffin celebrated by Fr. Ewan Gillings, newly ordained on 6th July.
S. Veronica Guiliani – There is growing familiarity with the works of Julian of Norwich, and to a lesser degree with Margery Kempe, both of whom recorded their spiritual experiences in writing and are regarded as mystics. S. Veronica Guiliani was a Nun in the Duchy of Urbino, born 1660 and died 1727, who did likewise, recording the intense spiritual encounters that she had with God. At one stage her local Bishop removed her from the Convent and only allowed her back when satisfied that her experiences were genuine. I wonder if her writings can be found in one of the many bookshops here in Hay.
11th July – S. Benedict of Nursia – Regarded as the founder of Western monasticism, the Rule of Saint Benedict was adopted by many religious communities. The monastic community founded by Fr. Ignatius and resident at Capel-y-Ffin observed the rule and was a Benedictine community. The brothers from Belmont Abbey by Hereford, who sing at part of the annual pilgrimage of Our Lady along the Wye, are Benedictine. A statue of S. Benedict resides in the Chancel of S. Mary’s.
SUNDAY 12th JULY – 6th Sunday after Trinity/15th Sunday of Ordinary Time and 15th 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 JULY
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
14th July – S. Camillus de Lissis – Born into nobility in 1550 Camillus became a solider, enjoyed his gambling and squandered away his wealth. An untreated leg wound developed into an ulcer and, in order to be treated, he took employment at a hospital in Rome. Confronted by corruption and indifference, he began to amend his ways and felt called to provide medical care for the poor. Under the guidance of his confessor, S. Philip Neri, he eventually started to train for the Priesthood and was ordained in 1584. In time he founded a religious congregation whose charism was to care for the sick and wounded. Initially based in Rome, by the time of his death they had grown and were spread across Italy and into Hungary. Perhaps invoke his aid when visiting the Doctors surgery or entering a hospital.
WEDNESDAY 15th JULY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Swithun – According to tradition should it rain today then we are in for a wet summer. He was Bishop of Winchester for eleven years and requested that on his death he be buried outside the Cathedral, ‘where it might be subject to the raindrops pouring from on high.’ In time devotion to him grew and he was reinterred inside the Cathedral when it said that there was heavy rain. I am sure that opinion will be divided among us as to whether it be advantageous to have a wet summer this year.
THURSDAY 16th JULY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
SUNDAY 19th JULY – 7th Sunday after Trinity/16th Sunday of Ordinary Time and 16th 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 JULY
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Margaret of Antioch – She is Patron Saint of numerous Churches across our land. It is held that S. Margaret, born in modern day Turkey, refused to renounce her faith or give up her virginity following the advances of a Roman official. In anger he had her put to death, making her a martyr of the Faith. Doubt about the historicity of her story is that which led to her removal from the Vatican calendar by Pope Paul VI. It is a shame and we here in ‘Way-on-High’ land, used as we are to showing deference to the hierarchy, will keep her feast. On this day we shall pray for Christian women and girls who suffer similarly today in parts of rural Egypt and elsewhere.
WEDNESDAY 22nd JULY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
S. Mary Magdalene – One of the women who accompanied Our Lord as he travelled during His ministry. Depending on the Gospel account, she was either the first person, or in the group of women, to witness the Resurrection at the Garden Tomb.
THURSDAY 23rd JULY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
S. Bridget of Sweden – Another mystic who had numerous visions. These led her to form a religious congregation following the death of her husband. She left Sweden and went to live in Rome where she became a well-known, if not universally popular, person. Both within and without the Church there are those who decide against people who speak against abuses and misuse of office. What price, however, can be placed upon the truth?
25th July – S. James the Apostle – The first Apostle to be martyred, this coming by order of King Herod Agrippa. It is known that he went to martyrdom in Jerusalem and tradition holds that prior to this he went to evangelise the Iberian Peninsula.
SUNDAY 26th JULY – 8th Sunday after Trinity/17th Sunday of Ordinary Time and 17th Week
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, Bettws
MONDAY 27th JULY
6.00 pm Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
WEDNESDAY 29th JULY
10.00 am Mass at S. Mary’s, Hay
Ss. Mary, Martha & Lazarus – These three siblings were close to Jesus Christ. Many will be familiar with the two sisters bickering as one worked whilst the other sat at Our Lord’s feet. Also, how He cried on hearing about Lazarus, following which He raised him from the dead.
THURSDAY 30th JULY
10.00 am Mass at the Chapel of S. John, Lion Street
31st July – S. Ignatius of Loyola – A Spaniard who founded the Jesuit order, its purpose to teach the Faith and undertake missionary work. He wrote a popular devotional text known as the Spiritual Exercises. I undertook my undergraduate degree at a Jesuit college in London and greatly value the inclusion of philosophy within the study of theology. I would argue that it is essential for theological formation and should be given greater prominence in Anglican formation.
Evening prayer at 6 pm daily in St Mary’s, Hay – except for Mondays when there is a Mass.
For the diary
Ordinations to the Priesthood:
Saturday 4th July, in Hereford Cathedral – Geoff Holder, who spent time with us on placement.
Monday 6th July, in S. Lawrence, Weston-under-Penyard – Ewan Gillings, who preached for us earlier this year and has visited the parish several times.
Our Lady’s pilgrimage on the Wye – Once again we shall mark the Principal feast of Our Lady, the Assumption on Saturday 15th August, with Mass in S. Mary’s, a procession through town, and a couple of days afloat with rowers along the Wye. May Our Lady intercede for us and guide us to care better for the gift of God’s creation.
Ignatius Memorial Pilgrimage – 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 takes place on Saturday 5th September.
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
