SOLEMN DEDICATION OF
ST. CADOC’S CHURCH
To mark the 40th anniversary of the church in Fruin Avenue,
Bishop John
was the principal celebrant in a
Solemn Mass of Dedication
on
Sunday 12th December 2021
CLERGY: PAST & PRESENT
PARISH PRIESTS
Canon Edward D. Cameron
(2020 - present)
Fr. Eoin Patten
(2019-2020)
Monsignor Thomas Provost Monaghan (2007–2019)
Canon Thomas Cunningham
(1990–2007)
Canon James Jackson
(1973–1990)
Canon James Murphy
(1969–1973)
Fr. Eugene Divney
(1966–1969)
ASSISTANT PRIESTS
Fr. James Byers (1988-1991)
Fr. Benedict O'Keeffe (1980-1988)
Fr. Thomas Jamieson (1971-1980)
Fr. Thomas Cunningham (1966-1971)
Please continue to remember
in your prayers
all priests - past and present -
who have served in
St. Cadoc's Parish.
Please remember in your prayers all seminarians and those who are thinking of
applying for the Priesthood.
St. Cadoc
FEAST DAY : 25th September
St. Cadoc's life was not chronicled until six hundred years after his death and many details of his life remain uncertain.
Early Years
St. Cadoc or Cadog was a 6th century Abbot credited with the establishment of many churches in Cornwall, Brittany, Dyfed and Scotland. He is known as Cattwg Ddoeth, "the Wise." Born in Monmouthshire c. 497 - into the royal families ofGwynllwg and Brycheiniog. His parents were the Welsh king St. Gundleus and his mother was St. Gwladys (queen). He was educated by the Irish Saint – Tatheus. In adulthood, instead of following family tradition as a leader of armies, Cadoc chose “to fight for Christ."
Wales
One tradition of many, maintains that Cadoc founded his first monastery at Llancarfan (or "Church of the Stags") in Glamorganshire, in the sixth century. Here he established a monastery and college which became the seminary for many great and holy men. The plan of the building included a monastery, a college and a hospital.
Ireland
Having established the community at Llancarfan, he travelled to Ireland to study and teach. Returning to Wales three years later, his influence helped Llancarfan to grow into one of the chief monasteries in South Wales.
Scotland
Circa 528, after his father's death, Cadoc travelled from Wales to Scotland. During his time in Scotland, Cadoc built a stone monastery (probably at Kilmadock) near Stirling; other local churches were also built in his name - all of which came under the authority of Inchmahome Priory. St. Cadoc also travelled south towards the River Clyde where he is believed to have spent approximately seven years - near Cambuslang - while he (and his companions) evangelised throughout East Renfrewshire and parts of Lanarkshire. In Scotland he was known as "Docus the Wise" and was probably referred to as Madoc (My Friend, Doc) as in the church of Kilmaddock near Doune. Scottish followers were known as "Gille Dog", the servants of Cadog, which appears as a surname, first as Dog, and later as Doig, Dock, and Doak.
Brittany
Cadoc spent several years in Brittany where he settled on an island now called L'Ile de Cado. While there, Cadoc gained a knowledge of Latin and furthered his education. Most importantly, Cadoc learned to appreciate the life of a monk and a priest; founded a monastery; and devoted his life to spreading the Gospel. There are chapels dedicated to him at Belz and Locoal-Mendon in Morbihan and at Gouesnac'h in Finistère, where he is called upon to cure the deaf. His name is also the basis of some thirty Breton place-names.
Liturgical celebration
St. Cadoc is thought to have died on 21 September. In Cardiff. St. Cadoc's Day has traditionally been kept on 25 September; on the French Île de Saint-Cado, a major pardon is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday in September.
St. Cadoc's Parish, Newton Mearns:
In the 19th Century, a small, but strong, Catholic community in Newton Mearns developed with the settling of workers from Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland who worked in local clothing mills and workshops.
At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, Newton Mearns was only one part of
St. Joseph's Parish which served a wide area including Clarkston, Busby, Eaglesham, East Kilbride and also Giffnock. At that time Mass was celebrated once per month in the outlying areas. As such, the parish priest was anxious to establish a chapel in both East Kilbride and Newton Mearns.
With the co-operation of the parishioners, two small chapels were built:
In East Kilbride, the chapel was dedicated to St. Bridget (Kilbride = Chapel of Bride or Bridget). When deciding upon the name for the chapel in Eaglesham, the parish priest learned of St. Cadoc’s link with a chapel in the Cathkin Braes (then part of his parish)
and the Kirk in Cambuslang (and later a Catholic church at Halfway, Cambuslang).
It seemed fitting therefore to dedicate the new chapel to St. Cadoc.
It was not until 1966 that Newton Mearns was recognised as a parish in its own right. Fr. Eugene Divney was duly appointed as the first parish priest with the assistance of Fr.Thomas J. Cunningham as curate. The support of a curate was considered necessary because of the demands of Mearnskirk Hospital - a general hospital with 720 beds.
A suitable site was sought on which to build the new church of St. Cadoc. It was only in 1978 when the present site in Fruin Avenue became available from Lawrence & Co. that construction began and the new church was eventually opened in October 1981. Ten years later, the addition of a hall was constructed as an extension to the church. Today, St. Cadoc's Parish continues to be a strong, vibrant community with a Catholic population of more than 3,000.
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Extracts from
COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET
celebrating
PARISH - 40th ANNIVERSARY
CHURCH - 25th ANNIVERSARY
OFFICIAL OPENING
13th December 1981
For more information about St. Cadoc's Church and Parish click on the documents (side column).