The Catholic community’s charitable and cultural contribution to Wales was celebrated in the Senedd Cymru on Wednesday, 28 January 2026.
More than 100 people attended the event, including the Most Reverend Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia; the Right Reverend Peter Brignall, Bishop of Wrexham; Jane Hutt, Labour MS for the Vale of Glamorgan and Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice; Delyth Jewell, MS for the South Wales East region and Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru; further Senedd Members; the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Adrian Robson; representatives from Catholic schools, charities, chaplaincies and the two Catholic dioceses in Wales. Also in attendance were senior representatives from the other Christian denominations and major faith communities in Wales.
The celebration was organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in partnership with the Catholic Education Service, and hosted by Darren Millar, Conservative MS for Clwyd West and Leader of the Opposition. He said there was a growing Catholic community in Wales and across the world, referring to its ‘prophetic voice’, and of the ‘fantastic network of Catholic schools’ across the country.
Jane Hutt spoke of the work of Catholic parishes in tackling poverty, of their strong Welsh values, including ‘compassion, commitment and service’, in charitable work ‘often undertaken quietly and without recognition.’
Delyth Jewell referred to Catholic Social Teaching as a foundation for the charitable work of Welsh Catholics, translating their convictions into action, and as ‘miracle workers in our midst’.
Archbishop O’Toole spoke initially in Welsh, to welcome everyone and to give thanks to God for the Senedd, in its making possible the bringing together of different peoples. Switching to English he thanked those gathered, who had come from all over Wales, many visiting the Senedd for the first time, and for their service in education, in health and social care, and in volunteering.
He said: “This contribution is not limited to Sunday worship. It is lived out in food banks, in family and parish centres, in classrooms and chaplaincies, in care homes and visits to the sick and vulnerable, and in service to those without a home.
“We do not see ourselves as separate from society, but as part of it: seeking always to uphold the dignity of the human person, to promote the common good, and to work together for a society and a world that is more just, more compassionate, more humane, and more peaceful.”
Mike Hedges, Labour and Co-operative Party MS for Swansea East, was also in attendance. A long-standing advocate for education in the Senedd, his campaigning on the need for repair works at Bishop Vaughan Catholic School, in Morriston, proved key in securing funding for its refurbishment and rebuilding.
Delegates from Catholic maritime charity Stella Maris were also present. With Wales home to several major international ports, Stella Maris volunteers provide chaplaincy services to thousands of seafarers every year.
