Today is the feast day of St Clare, the founder of the Poor Clares and patron saint of radio and television broadcasters. It is also the day on which the community of Cistercian sisters at Whitland celebrate the Golden Anniversary of one of their community. For more information on St Clare, here’s the Wiki page.
Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP
Sir, over the past few days I have watched with horror at the events unfolding in Iraq. Only this morning I saw a video from the Iraqi parliament of a Yazidi MP making an impassioned plea for help for her community (link below).
The Yazidi and Christian populations, among others, are facing slaughter by IS (formerly ISIS).
Recently the Papal Nuncio issued a letter to Cardinal Vincent Nichols asking for him to offer assistance in spreading a request from Pope Francis that initiatives be undertaken to highlight the plight of these people, and to offer them help and support.
Mr Crabb, please, I urge you, speak out on their behalf in our parliament, that something may be done to rescue, protect or offer humanitarian support to these most vulnerable people.
Many of my parishioners are also duly concerned, and I am sure would welcome a statement from you on this matter.
I look forward to your reply and I offer you my prayers and support for your ministry of service.
I am, yours faithfully,
Fr Liam Bradley.
And here’s the reply:
Dear Father Liam,
Thank you for your recent email regarding the current situation in Iraq.
I too am appalled by the persecution of minority groups in the country and the desperate situation many of them face. The Prime Minister has strongly condemned the treatment of the minority Yazidi community who have been trapped on Mount Sinjar. The brutal events we have seen just in the last 48 hours underline again what an abhorrent force is at work in Iraq.
You may be aware that we are already providing humanitarian aid to the region. UK advisers have also been sent to cities under threat of occupation. We fully support the decision of the United States to agree to the Iraqi Government’s request for help in the form of targeted airstrikes. They have already destroyed some arms and equipment belonging to Islamic State, and have provided supplies to Kurdish forces who are opening a road for trapped Yazidis. While we are not joining the United States in a military capacity, we will be providing logistical support in terms of refuelling and surveillance.
Please be assured that my Ministerial colleagues will be monitoring the developing situation in Iraq very closely.
Thank you again for your email. If you would like to discuss this important matter further, please get in touch.
Kind regards
Stephen
The Chaldean Patriarch has issued an appeal for urgent help for those Christians under attack from ISIS. Pope Francis yesterday issued a statement calling for worldwide efforts to assist those affected by increasing violence. Let us not be ignorant of the plight of our brothers and sisters.
Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy See, providing assistance to the suffering and persecuted Church in more than 140 countries.
If you’re on holiday here in Pembrokeshire, then welcome to the gem that is South West Wales! We hope you’ll have fun here, that you’ll take away lasting memories, make new friends and be kept safe and well.
You’ll find a warm welcome in our parish; please do call in to visit us and to pray with us. Mass times can be found Here.
Sponsor forms have now been sent out across the diocese – that’s about 51 separate churches. Keep watching this space as electronic sponsorship will soon be going live too! Fr Mansel and Fr Liam will jump from 12,000 feet – about 2.3miles – and will fall back to the earth at speeds approaching 120mph; The free-fall will take almost a minute….aghhhhh Scary stuff!
This is Fr Liam’s loom band. The loom band craze has been sweeping the country for some time now. But did you know they can be a way of prayer too?
God and me Choose two colours of bands – one colour to represent you and another to represent God: for example, purple for God and white for you.
Use the single-linked method to make a band with alternating colours (as shown above). Add the link to make a bracelet and wear it as a reminder that God is with you wherever we go – in front and behind as in the bracelet. Praying for our friends and family Choose three colours of band – one colour to represent you, one to represent your family and friends, and one for those who need God’s help.
Using the single-linked method to make a band with alternating colours or with a block of each colour (as shown above). Add the link to make a bracelet and use it as a prayer bracelet – praying for each person or group as you move from colour to colour around the bracelet, or block of colour to block of colour. You could sit down as a family or with friends before you pray to talk about what you want to pray about and who will lead the prayers. Praying for the world Choose three colours of band – one colour to represent you, one to represent your country and one to represent the world.
Using the single-linked method to make a band with alternating colours or with a block of each colour (as shown above). Add the link to make a bracelet and use it as a prayer bracelet – praying for each person or group as you move from colour to colour around the bracelet, or block of colour to block of colour. You could sit down before you pray to talk about what you want to pray about – for example:
God, you and me Use the three-colour alternating band method to pray for children who struggle with being away from a parent/carer/sibling/school/group and so on. The three colours represent God, the child and the parent/carer/sibling/school/group. As you make your band, the colour representing the child should be in the middle of the other two colours. Jane Butcher is responsible for developing the Faith in Homes ministry, is a member of the Barnabas Children’s Ministry team and is a parent. This resource was originally published on the Faith in Homes website.
Fr Liam and Fr Mansel (of Mumbles Parish) will be doing a sponsored Skydive for the Menevia Jubilee Appeal! Please support them, and the whole diocese, by encouraging them in their daredevil endeavours. Sponsor forms are in the porch to the church. The jump is on September 13th at Swansea Airport from 8:30am.
This is the new website for the Parish of St David and St Patrick.
This website is still in development so, please be patient as we get it set-up. However, some information is already given which we hope visitors will find useful.
St David and St Patrick.
Immaculate Conception.
The Parish of St David and St Patrick incorporates two churches: St David and St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Haverfordwest, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Narberth.
The parish forms part of the Diocese of Menevia which is a Registered Charity No. 234168
St David and St Patrick Catholic Church 
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