Last month Archbishop Mark issued a Pastoral Letter to the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Diocese of Menevia in which he discussed the proposed union of the two Dioceses. As part of this process he said that he would be holding a series of Open Listening Sessions across both Dioceses.
The purpose of those gatherings will be to come together in the joy of our faith, in the different parts, to see how we might be a local Church which looks outward much more, to share the faith with those who do not believe, and to look at how we put our resources at the service of those most in need.
These meetings will begin in a couple of weeks time and people from across both Dioceses are invited to attend the sessions (a timetable is shown below). People will be asked to consider a few questions relating to the proposed union of the two Dioceses, a summary of the findings from each of the sessions will be generated and these, in turn, will be forwarded to the Vatican. Please note that the final decision will be taken by the Holy Father following this open listening and consultative phase. Should you have any questions, please direct them to Father Laurence Bryce.
What areas do the two Dioceses cover?
The two maps below give you an idea of which parts of Wales and Herefordshire both Dioceses cover. The Archdiocese of Cardiff covers an area from Porthcawl over to Chepstow and from Merthyr Tydfil to Abergavenny; it also includes the county of Herefordshire. The Diocese of Menevia covers an area from Port Talbot in the east to St David’s in the west and from Aberystwyth in the west to Knighton in the east and down to Brecon. To give a Wales-wide perspective a map of Wales, that displays the Diocese of Wrexham, has also been included.
Format of the meetings
The first of these meetings will take place in two weeks’ time. The format of the sessions will be the following:
- Time of adoration (~30 mins)
- Presentation from Archbishop Mark on plans for possible unification of the Dioceses
- Small group discussion, based on 3 questions
- Feedback and questions
- Station Mass
- Light refreshments
Please note that anyone can attend the open listening sessions; the ‘Parish Reps’ meetings will have the same format, but without Mass at the end.
Archbishop Mark’s Pastoral Letter
To help you better prepare for these sessions, you may want to read Archbishop Mark’s Pastoral Letter again or watch the video.
Pastoral Letter to the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Diocese of Menevia (.docx)