logo
Pope Leo XIV backed by Archbishop of Wales after election

Pope Leo XIV backed by Archbishop of Wales after election

He conveyed congratulations on behalf of the Church in Wales and said the 'timeless truths of the Christian message have never been more relevant' than during division and uncertainty across the world.
The archbishop said: "We will hold Pope Leo in our prayers as he takes on his momentous responsibilities of leadership.
"In Wales, we have the happiest memories of the late Pope Francis, and his gift of a piece of the True Cross, which is incorporated in the ceremonial Cross of Wales which is now shared between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Wales.
"In that spirit of Christian unity, we look forward to working with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters for the benefit of all people, inspired by the faith we share."
Robert Prevost, aged 69 from Chicago, was chosen as the new Pope.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Faith matters: Heartfelt prayers make a difference
Faith matters: Heartfelt prayers make a difference

South Wales Argus

time3 hours ago

  • South Wales Argus

Faith matters: Heartfelt prayers make a difference

The words are so familiar that it is easy to say them without really pausing for thought, asking ourselves 'what is it we are actually praying for?' and 'do our prayers really make a difference?' Let me be up front: I do think prayers, heartfelt prayers, make a difference. They make a difference to us, and they make a difference to the world around us. Occasionally, the difference is dramatic, miraculous even, but more frequently, the difference takes place slowly and imperceptibly. Every year a period of nine days, running from Ascension Day to the feast of Pentecost, is set aside for reflection on the Lord's Prayer which includes the phrase 'Thy Kingdom come thy will be done, on Earth as in heaven.' If we are going to pray these words, from the heart, it strikes me that we need to understand the attributes or virtues that characterise God's Kingdom and will. In understanding these terms, we are given a glimpse into what heaven may be like, and what earth could be like. When we pray, one of the hoped-for outcomes is therefore that the gap between heaven and earth shrinks. In the words of the 1980's rock ballet singer Belinda Carlisle, heaven' becomes 'a place on Earth.' Fantasy? Possibly. Worth praying for? Definitely. So, what is God's will? Well, it's simple really: that our lives are characterised by love, love of God, and love of neighbour (see Matthew Chapter 22 verses 37-40). The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10, 25-37), however, makes it clear that Jesus' definition of neighbour extends way beyond those just like us, members of our natural affinity groups. Christian love should be both expansive and lavish. Christian love does not, or should not, discriminate. St, Paul wrote this in his letter to the Romans (chapter 14 verse 17): 'for the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.' When we pray the Lord's Prayer, from the heart, we make a series of commitments. We commit to love God and neighbour and, we commit to pursue justice and peace. We make these commitments in the belief that in their enactment we will come to experience a deep sense of spiritual joy. Does prayer make a difference? Yes, I believe it does, both within and beyond ourselves. 'Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven.' Andrew Lightbown is chaplain to the City of Newport, St Woolos Cathedral.

D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'
D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'

South Wales Guardian

time16 hours ago

  • South Wales Guardian

D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'

The Rev Simon d'Albertanson, a Royal Navy chaplain and the chaplain for the Spirit of Normandy Trust, led a memorial service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, describing D-Day as a 'seminal moment in history'. He reminded veterans, officials and members of the public that the legacy of D-Day was vitally important given the conflict and 'troubled times that we live in'. The Normandy landings took place on June 6 1944, when Allied forces opened a Second Front by invading Nazi-occupied France. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'This was a seminal moment in history, and we forget it at our peril. 'There's a legacy that builds from the different conflicts, and we live in very troubled times right now, and we need men and women who are fighting for peace. 'As a Christian, one of the lines in the Bible is 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. 'We're called to make peace and sometimes that means we have to bring violence, but that's the last resort. 'We want to be peacemakers.' Two of the chaplain's own relatives fought during the Second World War. His grandfather, Fred Hawker, joined the Royal Marines in 1942 and served on a number of ships including HMS Ark Royal, while his great-uncle, a Royal Navy sailor, lost his life during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be a part of this. 'This is all about the veterans and honouring the fallen, those who gave their lives, for our freedom. 'Being here brings it to life. 'It makes you realise what you're involved in, the men and women of the armed forces today – and as chaplains we go with them.' One veteran in attendance, Ken Hay MBE, 99, was just 18 when he landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer on D-Day +5. He was captured on the night of July 7-8 and was taken to Zabrze in Poland where he worked as a prisoner of war in a coal mine. As the Russians approached, the prisoners were taken to a new location, approximately 1,000 miles away, during which many of them died. Eventually they were liberated by American troops and Mr Hay returned to the UK via Reims, arriving on May 4. He laid a wreath at the memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer alongside other veterans. Mr Hay said: 'Even though the 80th anniversary has passed, we veterans still feel it is our duty to come back here and remember all our friends who never came home. 'We get applauded, even though they are the ones who gave it all. 'Sharing my stories with children in the UK and France is something I am very passionate about. 'We are the age of their great-grandparents – we experienced it, understand it and know that it should never happen again.' Defence Secretary John Healey also attended events commemorating D-Day, alongside politicians from the United States and France. He said: 'We forever owe an enormous debt to the British and Allied forces who landed in Normandy 81 years ago today, determined to defeat Nazi tyranny and restore peace to western Europe. 'As we reset the nation's contract with our armed forces, we will continue to remember all those who served to defend our values.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in France on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.

D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'
D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'

North Wales Chronicle

timea day ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

D-Day veterans mark anniversary to ‘remember our friends who never came home'

The Rev Simon d'Albertanson, a Royal Navy chaplain and the chaplain for the Spirit of Normandy Trust, led a memorial service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, describing D-Day as a 'seminal moment in history'. He reminded veterans, officials and members of the public that the legacy of D-Day was vitally important given the conflict and 'troubled times that we live in'. The Normandy landings took place on June 6 1944, when Allied forces opened a Second Front by invading Nazi-occupied France. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'This was a seminal moment in history, and we forget it at our peril. 'There's a legacy that builds from the different conflicts, and we live in very troubled times right now, and we need men and women who are fighting for peace. 'As a Christian, one of the lines in the Bible is 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. 'We're called to make peace and sometimes that means we have to bring violence, but that's the last resort. 'We want to be peacemakers.' Two of the chaplain's own relatives fought during the Second World War. His grandfather, Fred Hawker, joined the Royal Marines in 1942 and served on a number of ships including HMS Ark Royal, while his great-uncle, a Royal Navy sailor, lost his life during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be a part of this. 'This is all about the veterans and honouring the fallen, those who gave their lives, for our freedom. 'Being here brings it to life. 'It makes you realise what you're involved in, the men and women of the armed forces today – and as chaplains we go with them.' One veteran in attendance, Ken Hay MBE, 99, was just 18 when he landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer on D-Day +5. He was captured on the night of July 7-8 and was taken to Zabrze in Poland where he worked as a prisoner of war in a coal mine. As the Russians approached, the prisoners were taken to a new location, approximately 1,000 miles away, during which many of them died. Eventually they were liberated by American troops and Mr Hay returned to the UK via Reims, arriving on May 4. He laid a wreath at the memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer alongside other veterans. Mr Hay said: 'Even though the 80th anniversary has passed, we veterans still feel it is our duty to come back here and remember all our friends who never came home. 'We get applauded, even though they are the ones who gave it all. 'Sharing my stories with children in the UK and France is something I am very passionate about. 'We are the age of their great-grandparents – we experienced it, understand it and know that it should never happen again.' Defence Secretary John Healey also attended events commemorating D-Day, alongside politicians from the United States and France. He said: 'We forever owe an enormous debt to the British and Allied forces who landed in Normandy 81 years ago today, determined to defeat Nazi tyranny and restore peace to western Europe. 'As we reset the nation's contract with our armed forces, we will continue to remember all those who served to defend our values.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in France on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store