Events
 

Weddings

St Catherine's is a favourite venue for weddings in Pontypridd. If you would like to be married here, please contact the vicar directly. But please note that to get married in any Anglican church you must live in the parish (for us that is the town centre, Graigwen, White Rock, the Berw Road, Glyncoch and Coed-y-Cwm) or be a member of the church! So if you live outside this area, please understand we are not normally able to help.

Blessings and Baptisms

We are delighted to offer blessings (a short service of thanksgiving) for babies and their families. Anyone who would like a touch of God on their child's life should contact the vicar. These always take place in our Sunday 11am service, normally on the first Sunday of the month during the Family Service. We also offer baptism (sometimes known as Christening), though this is seen as a serious step of faith in Jesus and involves promising to  attend worship here at St Catherine's regularly. Normally most people opt for the blessing service, but do speak to the vicar if you are unsure. All families (be it for baptism or blessing!) are expected to attend our 11am service for a month beforehand.

Schools

Several local schools now use St Catherine's for special events and services: Maes-y-Coed Primary School and Ysgol Efan James have been recent visitors. Coedylan School has brought several classes here for lessons. If you are in a local school and would like to arrange a visit or to use our building for your concert or service, please contact the vicar directly.

Concerts

We welcome many local groups for regular concerts throughout the year. The Pontypridd Choral Society have performed here, as have various local Male Voice Choirs. In 2004 we welcomed the Welsh Baroque Orchestra for the first time; their concert featured the Cordydd choir performing Handel's Messiah. We have also enjoyed the Cathays Methodist Community Choir's own brand of entertaining music making!

Students from the Royal Welsh College of music and Drama often perform with us.

Our Jazz events are justly celebrated: from small groups to big bands and normally featuring Marcus Green's vocals, we have developed quite a following for St Catherine's Jazz!

Special Services

We try to put on a number of special services through the year, where we particularly welcome in friends and guests to our worship.

The Pontypridd Carol Service
Usually the Sunday evening before Christmas, with the participation of our neighbouring churches, St David's Uniting Church and Temple Baptist Church. This is a classic Carol Service, with familiar carols, items by the choir, often a guest instrumentalist, and a short talk about the meaning of Christmas: but come early - last year there was standing room only!

Valentine's Service
Every February, on a Sunday close to Valentine's Day, we particularly welcome back all those couples who were married with us the previous summer, for a celebration of God's love and faithfulness.

Mothering Sunday
Three weeks before Easter comes Mothering Sunday: here at St Catherine's we pride ourselves on the best posies in town!

Easter
We have three annual main Easter events:
On Good Friday evening at 7.30 we again welcome our neighbouring churches for a service of hymns, songs and readings on the Cross of Christ, as well as featuring a guest speaker. In 2003, Canon David MacInnes was our guest, and in 2004 Canon Stuart Bell.
On Easter Eve at 7.30 we have a reading of St Mark's Gospel in full; our vicar has many years experience of the performing arts, and his reading of this Gospel is not to be missed.
On Easter Sunday, we have a full range of services, though the highlight is our main Family Celebration at 11am.

Summer Celebration
Early in July we have a summer celebration weekend, with a concert on the Saturday evening (see below) and a special 11am celebration where members of all our weekly services come together. This is followed by a picnic on the vicarage lawn.

Harvest
The first Sunday in October sees our annual Harvest Festival.

Remembrance Sunday
The Pontypridd Remembrance Service starts at 10am on Remembrance Sunday in St Catherine's; we then march together to the memorial in Ynysangharad Park for the two minutes' silence and the conclusion of the service.