A warm welcome to the website for the Parishes of St Ethelbert, Leominster, and St Joseph, Bromyard, that strive to bring the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ through the message of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit to the people of Northern Herefordshire. We belong to the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV and our local Archbishop, Mark O’Toole of Cardiff and Menevia. It might seem odd to you that we are part of a Welsh diocese, but this is an accident of history and geography!

As Catholic Christians, we walk in the footsteps of St Eadfrith, who came from Northumbria and founded of a monastery for nuns at Leominster in the year 660, St Ethelbert, King and Martyr, beheaded by King Offa in the year 794, St Thomas Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford and Chancellor of England, canonised in 1320 by Pope John XXII, Blessed Nicholas Wheeler (alias Woodfen), born at Leominster in 1550 and martyred at Tyburn in 1586 and Blessed Roger Cadwallador of Stretton Sugwas, hung, drawn and quartered at Leominster for being a Catholic priest in 1610.

The southern part of the country saw the birth of St Dyfrig (Dubricius in Latin, Devereux in Norman-French), Abbot and Bishop, at Madley in the year 465, famous for his vast monasteries at Moccas and Hentland, eventually becoming Bishop of Llandaff, dying around 550. Famous, too, is St John Kemble, put to death for being a Catholic priest in Hereford on 22^nd August 1679, at the age of 80, after serving his people faithfully for over fifty years.

When we celebrate Mass and the other Sacraments of the Church, we do so, knowing that we follow in an ancient and unchanging tradition, faithful to Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, and the truth of the Gospel, and to the traditions of the Church he founded through his disciples and apostles.

While deeply rooted in the Catholic history of Herefordshire, we are also a modern, welcoming, inclusive and friendly group of parishes, ecumenical and multi-national. Everyone is welcome and no one is excluded. We are a community of disciples, sisters and brothers in Christ. Above all, we are a praying community, focusing our worship on the celebration of the Eucharist, the proclamation of the Word and the silence of Adoration. Our churches are our home: this is where we belong, this is where you belong. Why not come and join us? You are most welcome.

We hope you find the website both interesting and useful. We would really appreciate your feedback.

Fr Paul Stonham, O.S.B.

Parish Priest

On behalf of our two parishes and congregations