Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St. David

Introduction

The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint David in Cardiff was declared the cathedral in 1920. Designed by Pugin and Pugin of London and built by John Devlin of Glasgow, the church was opened and consecrated by Bishop Hedley on 24 May 1887. The first St David's church, opened in 1842, marked the first permanent Catholic Church in Cardiff since the Reformation.

History

On the night of 3rd March 1941, the cathedral was struck by incendiary bombs. Work to restore the cathedral began on 1st October 1953, starting with clearing the site and then restoring the roof. Restoration work was completed on 31st January 1959 and the cathedral solemnly reopened on 2nd March 1959. In 1979-81 a new clergy house was built on Charles Street from designs by F. R. Bates, Son & Price, linked to the cathedral by a cloistered walkway.

Post-Vatican II reordering removed most of the 1950s sanctuary furnishings and the nave pulpit, and installed a forward altar and new sanctuary floor. In the 1980s the sanctuary floor was extended to facilitate larger diocesan events.

Architecture and furnishings

In 1897 the plain walls of the interior were painted with a comprehensive cycle of murals by R. J. Hopkins, and new stained glass windows depicting saints were installed in the chancel. The new rood crucifix is 13ft x 9ft, and the statues of Our Lady with the child Jesus and Saint Joseph are each six feet tall. The project was made possible by donations totalling £80,000.

The church was built without aisles or central arches to afford an unobstructed view of the enormous high altar and reredos, made by Boultons of Cheltenham at a cost of £1,000. On either side of the sanctuary arch were side altars to Our Lady and the Sacred Heart, also with tall gothic canopies. The 1950s paint scheme, for example in the high altar reredos, was toned down.

The organ was built by the John Compton Organ Company Ltd in 1959 as part of the repair works to reopen the cathedral after its bombing during the Second World War. The organ is designed on the Compton extension principle, enclosed within two swell chambers in the bell tower, operated by a three manual console on the gallery. The organ chambers contain a total of 821 pipes, with openings screened by wrought iron grills. The organ has a 32 foot Sub-Bass on the pedal organ and a Krum Horn 8 foot on the Choir Organ, the first examples of these stops in Wales. The crucifix hangs above the sanctuary, and the two statues fill the niches that had stood empty since alterations in the 1970s and 1980s.

Music and liturgy

With the reopening of the cathedral in 1959 a boys choir was created to provide music support to the liturgy. With the founding of St John's College as the choir school in 1987 the choir expanded to include boys and girls. The choir has performed for BBC Radio, at various cathedrals around the world including Notre Dame, and has gone on tours with concerts and produced CDs and vinyls.

Parish life

Cathedral altar servers assist the priest or Archbishop celebrating the liturgy. After a year of service, cathedral altar servers are enrolled as members of the Archconfraternity of St Stephen, known as the Guild of Saint Stephen.

Nazareth House, a care home run by the Sisters of Nazareth, is within the Cathedral Parish. Saint John's College Cardiff is the Cathedral Choir School. The Metropolitan Cathedral Chapter was erected on 12th March 1920 and acts as the College of Consultors.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Parents are expected to attend the preparation classes, as the parish operates a system of family based catechesis with catechists on hand to support them. The cathedral provides a Marriage Guide for those wishing to marry in the Catholic Church and in the cathedral. Those feeling called to the diaconate or priestly life are directed to the diocesan vocations website or can make contact for an informal chat. The pastoral care of the most vulnerable within society is an important mission of the cathedral.

Visiting

The cathedral is located on Charles Street in the heart of Cardiff City Centre, behind Marks & Spencer and St David's Shopping Centre. The cathedral is a 10 minute walk from Cardiff Central Railway Station or a 5 minute walk from Cardiff Queen Street Railway Station. The cathedral is a 10 minute walk from the Cardiff Bus Interchange and a 4 minute walk from bus stops on Churchill Way. The parish arranges events throughout the year, ranging from musical events to bazaars, prayer groups and parish meetings.