St. Joseph

Introduction

Saint Joseph's Church in Cardiff was built in 1935-6 to designs by Cyril Bates. The church is Italian Romanesque in style.

History

In 1913 the 4th Marquess of Bute gave a 1 acre site on New Zealand Road for the construction of a Catholic church. Mrs Edith Elinor Callaghan left £10,000 towards the building of the permanent church. The foundation stone was laid on 9 October 1935 by the Archbishop of Cardiff. The church opened on 26 October 1936.

The architect was Cyril Bates, son of F R Bates of Newport. The church is similar to the church of St Joseph at Aberavon near Port Talbot, designed by Bates in 1931. The sanctuary has been reordered with the communion rails having been removed. A parish hall has been added to the S side of the nave.

The parish is served by 2 priests, a brother and 2 Deacons. The parish supports the Rainbow of Hope foodbank.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is orientated NW-SE with the liturgical east end to the NW. The church is built of handmade facing Coleford red brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings and a roof of handmade Staffordshire tiles. The liturgical west front has a tall bell tower and a wide central triple-ordered arch with doorway. On top of the doorway is a stone carved figure of St Joseph, installed at an unknown date after completion of the church.

The bell tower is rectangular, 4-stages, with a pyramidal tiled roof. The nave has a 5-bay open timber roof with king post and queen post trusses. There is a gallery with bowed front with narthex inserted underneath. The interior was provided with rich furnishings including a marble high altar and Lady altar, polished English Alabaster communion rails with gilded wrought iron gates, a stone pulpit and font, all by WH Best of Cheltenham.

The joinery is of American, Japanese and Australian oak. The interior includes a marble high altar, retable and domed housing for monstrance. There is a 5-sided pulpit and drum font on fluted base, both of Corsham stone.

Parish life

The parish has an active Saint Vincent de Paul group that supports those in need in the parish. The parish is involved with the Churches Together Association. The parish has a local devotion to Our Lady of Penrhys. The parish clergy visit parishioners who are alone or unwell and attend parishioners in the local hospital.

Regular events

The parish feast day is the feast of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, celebrated on 19 March. The rosary is said before weekly Mass and Benediction is held once every Wednesday. A special Mass and meal were arranged monthly pre-pandemic for young people and University students. All local streets are leafleted with invitations to parish fetes and events such as Carols at Christmas.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Holy Communion is taken to the housebound. Online Masses continue as they did throughout the pandemic. The parish has a social club, St Joseph's social club.