That's a rather pompous headline, especially as I am not Welsh, merely an Englishman living in Wales, in the Diocese of what used to be called Menapia.
But I feel that Wales has been ignored (yet again) in the planning of an important event in the life of the Church.
It does not feature at all on the route of the Black Madonna icon on the Ocean to Ocean Pilgrimage.
The few Welsh folk that I have spoken to feel genuinely aggrieved that their country has not been included on the itinerary.
Wales lost out on the occasion of the last Papal visit and on the nationwide (almost) tour of the relics of St Jean Vianney.
Not unreasonable, I think, to ask why?
Especially as the jump from the British mainland to Ireland could so easily have been via Wales.
What has Wales done to be ignored in such a manner?
Wrexham Diocese has a new Bishop and the Archdiocese of Cardiff, Capital of Wales has a relatively new Archbishop in place. So why miss them out?
So, OK, Wales is not big in terms of numbers of Catholics but it probably runs pretty close to Scotland's Catholic population.
Wales is also home to the little known but very important shrine of Our Lady of Cardigan, Our Lady of the Taper, a mere 1,000 years or so old.
It is the national shrine of Wales and the equal of Walsingham. I would not wish to take anything away from England's national shrine but it would be good to see some support for Cardigan coming from the national Catholic associations who organise annual pilgrimages and who have affinity, allegedly, to both Wales and England.
And it would be good for Wales to be highlighted on the maps in the Vatican and Westminster so that, in future, due respect is paid fully to Our Lady and to Welsh Catholics.
But I feel that Wales has been ignored (yet again) in the planning of an important event in the life of the Church.
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| The Madonna of Wales, Our Lady of Cardigan |
It does not feature at all on the route of the Black Madonna icon on the Ocean to Ocean Pilgrimage.
The few Welsh folk that I have spoken to feel genuinely aggrieved that their country has not been included on the itinerary.
Wales lost out on the occasion of the last Papal visit and on the nationwide (almost) tour of the relics of St Jean Vianney.
Not unreasonable, I think, to ask why?
Especially as the jump from the British mainland to Ireland could so easily have been via Wales.
What has Wales done to be ignored in such a manner?
Wrexham Diocese has a new Bishop and the Archdiocese of Cardiff, Capital of Wales has a relatively new Archbishop in place. So why miss them out?
So, OK, Wales is not big in terms of numbers of Catholics but it probably runs pretty close to Scotland's Catholic population.
Wales is also home to the little known but very important shrine of Our Lady of Cardigan, Our Lady of the Taper, a mere 1,000 years or so old.
It is the national shrine of Wales and the equal of Walsingham. I would not wish to take anything away from England's national shrine but it would be good to see some support for Cardigan coming from the national Catholic associations who organise annual pilgrimages and who have affinity, allegedly, to both Wales and England.
And it would be good for Wales to be highlighted on the maps in the Vatican and Westminster so that, in future, due respect is paid fully to Our Lady and to Welsh Catholics.
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