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Welcome  to the website for the
Catholic Parish of Burry Port, Kidwelly & Pontyberem

Croeso i’r wefan ar gyfer y

Plwyf Catholig Porth Tywyn, Cydweli a Phontyberem

We are thrilled to welcome you to our newly revamped website and ever grateful to bring you a fresh and vibrant online presence that showcases the liturgical activities of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Burry Port, Our Lady & St Cadoc, Kidwelly, and Holy Cross, Pontyberem all in the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia. Our mission is to spread the goodnews of Christ in all ramifications.

We are blessed with the above-named places of worship, all three situated in Carmarthenshire, a very serene atmospheres and comfortable environment for prayer and worship, above all an area blessed by God with the gifts of nature.

Our Church in Burry Port is dedicated to Our Lady Star of the Sea. A friendly congregation, where we gather to listen to God’s word and transmit same into actions, conscious of the admonitions of the psalmist, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

In Kidwelly, the Church is under the patronages of Our Lady Mother of God & St Cadoc. We can boast of the rays of grace granted to us by them through our relationship with one another. We feel proud to showcase our talents in our active participation at liturgical celebrations and as Jesus enkindles the fire of love in us, we aim to keep it ever burning through our daily relationship with our neighbours as expressed by John the evangelist “That they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Our Church in Pontyberem is named after the Holy Cross. “In Cruce Salus” The Cross of Christ is the symbol of our salvation. This is a unique worshipping community. As one worships here the imagery of the early Apostles as made manifest in the Acts of the Apostle comes to mind. A sense of togetherness, love, and dedication is well communicated in all the members.

We are proud to acknowledge the fact that in all our worshiping communities that we are happy to welcome you and assuring you of our prayers. We invite you to feel free to worship with us in any of our Churches. In our Eucharistic celebrations we thank God for the gift of all humanity. Our daily devotions give us the ample opportunities of seeking the Divine mercies of God for the whole world, and the Marian devotion where we seek the intercession of our Blessed Virgin Mary in all our trials. All our liturgical activities and time of worship in all our worshiping communities are all made available here. Feel free to communicate with us and read through our weekly newsletter for more details. Your engagement and feedback are valuable to us.

We are grateful for your visit and look forward to sharing our journey with you. May our website be a source of evangelization, comfort, and joy as we embark together on this pilgrimage of hope.

Feel free to worship with us anytime and come along as we transmit the message of Christ through our actions to the ends of the Earth.

Fr Lawrence Obotamah

Priest in charge

Rydym yn falch iawn i’ch croesawu i’n gwefan newydd ac yn ddiolchgar iawn i ddod â phresenoldeb ar-lein ffres a bywiog i chi sy’n arddangos gweithgareddau litwrgaidd Ein Harglwyddes Seren y Môr, Porth Tywyn, Ein Harglwyddes a Cadog Sant, Cydweli, a’r Groes Sanctaidd, Pontyberem i gyd yn Archesgobaeth Caerdydd-Menefia. Ein cenhadaeth yw lledaenu newyddion da Crist ym mhob goblygiadau.

Rydym yn wynfydedig gyda’r mannau addoli uchod, (y tri wedi’u lleoli yn Sir Gaerfyrddin), awyrgylch tawel iawn ac amgylchedd cyfforddus ar gyfer gweddi ac addoliad, ac yn anad dim ardal wedi’i bendithio gan Dduw gyda rhoddion natur.

Mae ein Heglwys ym Mhorth Tywyn wedi’i chysegru i Ein Harglwyddes Seren y Môr. Cynulleidfa gyfeillgar, lle rydym yn ymgynnull i wrando ar air Duw a throsglwyddo’r un peth i weithredoedd, yn ymwybodol o anogaeth y salmydd, “Ymlonyddwch, ac adnabod mai fi yw Duw” (Salm 46:10).

Yng Nghydweli, mae’r Eglwys o dan nawdd Ein Harglwyddes Mam Duw a Cadog Sant. Gallwn ymffrostio o’r pelydrau gras a roddwyd i ni ganddynt trwy ein perthynas â’n gilydd. Rydym yn teimlo’n falch i arddangos ein doniau yn ein cyfranogiad gweithredol mewn dathliadau litwrgaidd ac wrth i Iesu tanio tân cariad ynom ni, rydym yn anelu at ei gadw’n llosgi trwy ein perthynas ddyddiol â’n cymdogion fel y mynegwyd gan Ioan yr efengylydd “Er mwyn iddynt gael bywyd a’i gael i’r eithaf” (Ioan 10:10).

Mae ein heglwys ym Mhontyberem wedi’i henwi ar ôl y Groes Sanctaidd. “In Cruce Salus” Croes Crist yw symbol ein hiachawdwriaeth. Mae hon yn gymuned addoli unigryw. Wrth i rywun addoli yma, daw delweddau’r Apostolion cynnar fel y’u gwelir yn Actau’r Apostol i’r meddwl. Mae ymdeimlad o gyd, cariad, ac ymroddiad yn cael ei gyfathrebu’n dda yn yr holl aelodau.

Rydym yn falch o gydnabod y ffaith ein bod yn ein holl gymunedau addoli, rydym yn hapus i’ch croesawu a’ch sicrhau o’n gweddïau. Rydym yn eich gwahodd i deimlo’n rhydd i addoli gyda ni mewn unrhyw un o’n heglwysi. Yn ein dathliadau Ewcharistaidd diolchwn i Dduw am rodd yr holl ddynoliaeth. Mae ein defosiynau dyddiol yn rhoi digon o gyfleoedd i ni geisio trugaredd Dwyfol Duw i’r byd i gyd, a’r defosiwn Marian lle rydym yn ceisio cyfryngdod ein Morwyn Fair Bendigaid yn ein holl dreialon. Mae ein holl weithgareddau litwrgaidd ac amser addoli yn ein holl gymunedau addoli i gyd ar gael yma. Mae croeso i chi gyfathrebu â ni a darllen trwy ein cylchlythyr wythnosol am fwy o fanylion. Mae eich ymgysylltiad a’ch adborth yn werthfawr i ni.

Rydym yn ddiolchgar am eich ymweliad ac edrychwn ymlaen at rannu ein taith gyda chi. Boed i’n wefan fod yn ffynhonnell efengylu, cysur a llawenydd wrth i ni gychwyn gyda’n gilydd ar y bererindod hon o obaith.

Teimlwch yn rhydd i addoli gyda ni unrhyw bryd a dod ar ei hyd wrth i ni drosglwyddo neges Crist trwy ein gweithredoedd i derfynau’r Ddaear.

Y Tad Lawrence Obotamah

Offeiriad â gofal

Parish History – Hanes y plwyf

The history of the present day Catholic Church dates back to the days of Lady Catherine Ashburnham, who had a private Chapel in Pembrey House. Her first Chaplain was a Belgian priest, who was succeeded by Fr. Jarvis. Fr. Jervis served also as Parish Priest to the local Catholic community.

A disused school in Morlan Terrace was used as the first church for the public celebration of Holy Mass. In 1933 the congregation moved to Pencoed Road where Mass was celebrated in a corrugated iron hut. This building had previously been used as a skating rink, a church hall, the local H.Q. of the Y.M.C.A.(Young Men’s Christian Association), and a military canteen during the First World War.

The primary benefactor of the parish of Burry Port & Kidwelly was Lady Howard Stepney.

In 1964 a new church, situated a few yards behind this old iron hut, was finally opened. The old building was then demolished to make room for a carpark that would serve the congregation. The church, which was opened and consecrated by Bishop Petit, includes a very simple but pretty Lady Chapel. The tations of the Cross, which are the work of Italian craftsmen, are carved in wood and are very fine.

When Fr. Owen basil Rowlands began his ministry in the parish in 1927 he also celebrated Holy Mass once a fortnight in Tumble. He had to walk a distance of 10 miles along the Gwendraeth Valley to Tumble, celebrate the Eucharist, and then make the same walk back in reverse until he arrived at Burry Port, before he eventually got a car.

Originally the Massnwas celebrated in the hall of the Old Tumble Hotel, with the Altar being situated in the club boxing ring. Eventually a small chapel was built in Tumble.

During the 2 nd World War the congregation moved from the church at Tumble to a chapel that had been opened in. The congregation achieved many positive goals within the local community. In 1961 a Catholic church was opened in Pontyberem (Eglwys Y Croes). Then in 1975 Bishop Langton Fox opened what is the present church in Kidwelly, which is dedicated to the patronage of Our Blessed Lady and St. Cadoc, whose Feast day is The parish priest of Burry Port, which includes Kidwelly,had, for many years, to offer Holy Mass four times each Sunday, two at Burry Port, one at Kidwelly and one at Pontyberem.

This situation continued until 1989 when the church at Pontyberem was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Parish of Llandeilo.

Prayer Garden of Our Lady Gardd Weddi Ein Harglwyddes

TO BE WRITTEN

Pastoral Parish Council / Cyngor Plwyf Bugeiliol