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3rd March 2026

Ad Clerum – March 2026

Ad Clerum - March 2026

Mawrth 2il 2026 2nd March Hwythfed Dewi Sant ~ Octave of Saint David

Annwyl Gyfeillion

DDUW y cariad sy’n trawsnewid,
rwyt wedi’n dysgu trwy dy apostol Paul
mai di-werth yw popeth a wnawn heb gariad:
anfon dy Ysbryd Glân i dywallt i’n calonnau rodd ardderchocaf cariad,
i’n trawsffurfio ni a bywydau
ein heglwysi yn Nheulu Asaph,
fel y gallwn ddangos dy gariad i’r byd
yn ein holl addoliad a thystiolaeth
mewn ffyrdd sy’n argyhoeddi.
Amen

GOD of transforming love,
you have taught us through your apostle Paul that all we do without love is worth nothing:
send your Holy Spirit to pour into our hearts the most excellent gift of love to transform us and the lives of our churches
in the Teulu Asaph,
so that in all our worship and our witness we may demonstrate your love in convincing ways to the world.
Amen.

Rwy’n credu bod mwy yn y fantol i ddyfodol Cymru eleni nag a fu ers bron i hanner canrif. Ymhen ychydig dros naw wythnos, byddwn yn cynnal yr etholiad ar gyfer tymor nesaf y Senedd ac, yn ôl pob arwydd, mae priodas faith Cymru â’r Blaid Lafur ar fin chwalu. Dydw i ddim yn dweud hyn i annog pobl i bleidleisio mewn rhyw ffordd neu’i gilydd ond, yn syml, i ailadrodd yr hyn a ddywed y polau piniwn wrthym. Mae Llafur a’r Ceidwadwyr i lawr yn y pedwerydd a’r pumed safle, a Phlaid Cymru, Reform a’r Blaid Werdd mewn safleoedd na freuddwydiwyd amdanynt hyd yn oed flwyddyn yn ôl. Ac mae ein system bleidleisio wedi newid – fyddwn ni ddim yn pleidleisio dros ymgeisydd a enwir, ond dros blaid, a bydd yr ymgeiswyr a etholwn wedi’u dewis gan y pleidiau ac nid gan y bobl.

Ym marn llawer o bobl, ni ddylid cymysgu crefydd a gwleidyddiaeth, ond bydd materion fel cyfiawnder, tegwch, cyfle cyfartal a hyd yn oed enaid y genedl yn bynciau llosg yn yr etholiad hwn, gan gydblethu a chyfuno materion sy’n bwysig i ffydd ac i wleidyddiaeth.

Rwy wedi dweud hyn o’r blaen ond, i mi, mae doethineb i’w gael yng ngwaith y proffwyd Micha. Galwodd ef ar bobl Israel i roi tri maen prawf uwchlaw popeth arall: Gwneud beth sy’n iawn, caru teyrngarwch ac ymostwng i rodio’n ostyngedig gyda’th Dduw. (Micha 6.8). Wrth i chi bwyso a mesur sut y dymunwch bleidleisio, rhowch y nodweddion hyn yn y glorian – pa blaid sy’n siarad fwyaf am gyfiawnder, teyrngarwch a rhodio’n ostyngedig gyda Duw – ac anogwch eich cynulleidfaoedd i wneud hynny hefyd. Efallai ei bod yn beth dadleuol i glerigion awgrymu pleidleisio dros blaid benodol, ond yn Nheyrnas Dduw, caiff pob gwleidydd ei roi yn y glorian a’i bwyso yn erbyn safonau Duw.

I believe that the future of Wales hangs more in the balance this year than it has in just under a half century. In just over nine weeks’ time, we will be holding the elections for the next term of the Senedd, and indications are that Wales’ long love affair with Labour is coming to an end. I say this not to make a political pitch in one direction or another, but simply to repeat what the polls are telling us. Labour and Conservative are down in fourth and fifth places, and Plaid, Reform and the Greens are in positions not dreamt of even a year ago. And our voting system has changed – no longer will we vote for a named candidate, but we will be asked straight out to vote for a party, with the candidates we elect chosen by the parties and not the people.

Many people do not like religion and politics to mix, but questions of justice, equity, equal opportunity and even the soul of the nation will be up for grabs in this next election, so the issues important to faith and to politics are confused and converging.

I have said this before, but for me wisdom is found in the writings of the prophet Micah. He called upon the people of Israel to put three criteria before all else: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6.8). As you weigh up how you wish to vote, weigh up these characteristics – which party speaks most of justice, mercy and humility before God – and encourage your congregations to do the same. It is perhaps controversial for clergy to lobby for a particular party, but the proclamation of God’s Kingdom means that all politicians are ultimately weighed against the standards of God.

Chrism Eucharist – Thursday 26 March, 1100hr

As you know already, the Chrism Eucharist in the Cathedral this year has been brought forward a week to the Thursday of Passion Week, March 26th. I look forward to welcoming all of you to the Cathedral at 1100hr to celebrate our common life with the Blessing of the Holy Oils and the renewal of our commitment to shared ministry in diaconal, priestly and episcopal service, as well as the re-commitment of all the baptised to mission. This common celebration is one of the chief points of diocesan life, so please make it a priority for your diaries despite the unavoidable change in date.

All licensed and commissioned lay ministers and all members of our congregations are very welcome in addition to all clergy, serving and retired, to help to make the Chrism Eucharist a genuinely diocesan service. I like the invitation to be as wide as possible, and it would be good if shared ministry teams could include the wider circle of lay ministers and PTO clergy in their invitations, as well as congregations.

Lunch will follow as usual and will be served in the south transept. It will take the form of a hot main course followed by a dessert.

Please will all clergy and lay people intending to be present register with their Mission Area Administrators. MAAs have been provided with a pro-forma to return to Esgobty no later than Thursday, March 12th so that we have an accurate idea of numbers for catering, etc.

There will be the usual meat and vegetarian options for the meal, and any other dietary requirements should be notified when registering.

  • Those robing will be able to do so in the North Transept (clergy: alb/cassock & surplice with white stole; Readers: cassock, surplice & scarf) prior to taking their places. Other lay licensed ministers may use the cross with which they were invested at their licensing.
  • When robed, please take your seat in the nave as directed by the stewards.
  • At the end of the service, please remain in your places while the Bishop’s altar party processes through the West doors, after which those with clerical and lay licensed ministries are invited to join the procession for a photograph in the area outside the Cathedral. Please remain robed for this.
  • As usual, there will be an opportunity to fill stocks with the newly blessed oils to take back to the mission areas.

Please note car parking spaces this year will be at a premium as parking will not be available at Ysgol Glan Clwyd, due to the school term still being in session. Mission areas are therefore encouraged more than ever to consider car-sharing arrangements. The cathedral can reserve one parking space per mission area in its car park on the south side of the cathedral off the Upper Denbigh Road, and each mission area is asked to register for the reserved space with the Cathedral Office by emailing hello@stasaphcathedral.wales. Thereafter, spaces will be available on a first-come basis. There will also be a limited number of disabled parking spaces in the parking area to the north of the cathedral, accessed from the High Street. Again, reservations can be made for these spaces using the same email address.

Diary and Events

Please read the whole of the diary below carefully. The diary is updated every month to include all those fixed dates for events that clergy are required to attend as part of their professional commitment, together with those opportunities to build up our common life by supporting significant moments for our colleagues.

It is very important that each of you makes a note of these dates. Please ensure that the dates which are a professional requirement are in your diary, even where the exact format may be open to change. Where a clash with your own plans comes to your attention, please raise it with Esgobty at the earliest opportunity. I am still occasionally getting excuses late in the day from clergy who don’t seem to have planned ahead, or even to have read this monthly diary, and I am much more amenable when approached early to discuss any potential clashes.

March

  • 25 March: Mothers’ Union Festival Eucharist marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the MU, Cathedral, 1400hr.
  • 26 March: Chrism Eucharist, Cathedral, 1100hr (Further details above)
  • 29 March: The Licensing of Philip Chew as Priest-in-Charge in Estuary & Mountain MA, St Peter’s Holywell, 1530hr.

Later in the year

  • 19 April: The Licensing of Jules Harris as Priest in Charge in Aberconwy MA, St David’s Penrhyn Bay, 1530hr
  • 2 May: Patronal Festival, Cathedral, 1100hr
  • 16 May: LLM Day, Cathedral
  • 27 June: Ordination of Priests, 1000hr in the Cathedral
  • 28 June: Ordination of Deacons, 1500hr in the Cathedral
  • 17 Sept: Autumn Clergy Synod 1000hr – 1600hr (St David’s Hotel, Ewloe)
  • 8 Octr: Diocesan Conference (online business meeting)
  • 10 Octr: Diocesan Conference in person in the Cathedral

The Order of St Asaph

It is now the time of year to invite the submission of applications for Order of St Asaph awards in 2026. The ceremony will take place during the Diocesan Patronal Eucharist for St. Asaph at the Cathedral on Saturday 2 May. The Order of St. Asaph seeks to recognise and honour the outstanding contribution of lay persons at diocesan level, particularly at an appropriate point on the completion of service in a particular way or in a particular role which serves our diocesan life.

This nomination form should be returned completed with as much information as possible about a candidate’s contribution to the diocese. All members of the Teulu Asaph, whether clerical or lay, are encouraged to make nominations, which can also be submitted through any diocesan council or committee. Nominations forms for consideration by the OSA advisory committee should be submitted to Esgobty by Monday 16 March.

Understandably there are those who have offered sterling service to the Church within the local church or mission area context, who deserve recognition, but who do not qualify for a diocesan award. I continue to be happy to provide a suitable certificate for local presentation by a church or mission area. Please contact Michael at Esgobty in the first instance with appropriate details for me to consider.

Hwyl a Helo

You will have received the notification that I sent out earlier in February to announce that Archdeacon Hayley Matthews has been appointed to a new ministry with Church Army. We are delighted that she has this new opportunity and wish her well as she completes her time with us. I hope to send out details of a Farewell Service for her once this is arranged.

Notes and Queries

Advancing Clergy Reflection Programme

Archbishop Cherry has sent a letter, in Welsh and English, about the Advancing Clergy Reflection Programme, which, through our partnership with St Luke’s for Clergy Wellbeing, offers funded, professional pastoral supervision to clergy, providing a confidential space for them to maintain healthy patterns of ministry. The letter explains more about the programme and also includes this link which provides further information on the scheme and how to apply: Pastoral Supervision – A Ministry of Care for Those Who Care for Others – The Church in Wales

This is such an important initiative for the wellbeing of those ministering in the Church in Wales, so we are very much hoping that clergy across the province will take up this offer.

Christianity & the Far Right

Owing to logistical issues, the session Christianity and the Far Right which had been planned by the Province on 14 March in Llandudno has had to be cancelled. However, recordings of lectures by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter (English) and the Revd Dr Rhys Llwyd (Welsh) will be available on the Cytûn website in due course.

I trust that all of you are finding new faith and inspiration from your observance of Lent, and that your congregations are also growing in their faith.

In Christ,

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