St Illtyd was a great warrior but one of the most intelligent men in Wales, able to recite the Gospels, His early life in Brittany, his marriage, encounter with King Arthur and Paulinus, conversion by Cadoc are told in a number of dramatic stories and the drama of his fight with evil King Meirchion.

I talk about my feedback, Catholic bloggers,and my very busy week so this podcast will be a little longer than usual.

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Cadoc wishes to buy Gildas Bell, which Gildas is donating to the Holy Father Pope Agapetus in Rome (Vita mistakenly gives Alexander)The Pope blesses the bell, saying he knew Cadoc well as he had been to Rome seven times and to Jerusalem.The bell will not sound for him as it is full of gold, but the Holy Father asks for the bell to be given to Cadoc.

Visits to Cornwall to see his aunt and the shrine to St Cadoc and his well at Harlyn Bay near Padstow. Cadoc and Ynys Barruc (The Island of St Barruc) which had belongd to his friend St Barruc of Ireland who had drowned. Cadoc's chapel and little town was at Cadocs Town.

Another visit to Brittany wher he plants aple trees with St Samson to provide food for the local people and where he is regarded locally as Patron saint of the apples!This is transcribed into Llan gattock vibon afal-The Holy Place of St Cadoc and the apple men! Quite fun isn't it? Thirty seven places bear his name in Brittany and there are chapels at Belz and Locoal Mendon at Morbihan and Gouesnac'h in Finistere where  he is called upon to heal the deaf, 

Death at Weedon in Northampton on the borders with what were now English lands. There were many such deaths and it is no wonder they disobeyed to pope and would not evangelise the English, forcing Augustine to send another missionary from Rome to convert the Saxons to Christianity from their Norse religion, realising there would be no peace in the universal church until the whole country was peacable.

Two points-independent evidence in this account of Llifris of King Arthur at this time, bold and fearless but wilful and quick to anger. Arthur also appears in the account of Gwynlliw, having to be restrained by Cai and Bewyr from carrying off the lovely Gwladys.

Another podcast next week!! Sorry about the quality of this one-my good microphone is still broken-but will persevere! God Bless!

Ballet exams, Church swaps, The Pope's visit, lack of coverage on BBC EWTN, SQPN at Atlanta at the Catholic New Media Day and Eucharistic Congress,the breakdown of my microphone, Some cool feedback from Al Iguana about the martyrdom of Tyfdfil which gave Merthyr Tydfil its name. Homour and St Cadoc Part One. Lineage, Baptism by St Treddin of Trevethin monastery, brother of Samson of Dol and of St Tegfedd.Education at Caerwent under Tatheus or Tathwyn. Alll the St Cadoc Churches in Gwent and Monmouthshire.Miracles and the Missal of St Gildas. First pilgrimages to Rome and Jerusalem and St Brychan teaches him Latin at Brecon. He founds another monastic settlemant at Llangadog. Penychen and his encounter with the warrior Illtyd and his conversion by Cadoc.

Finally Cadoc in Scotland! His miracles as he travels on pilgrimage to St Andrews and remains ther for seven years!

This is a reissue of the previous version of this podcast with the first part included-so sorry about this.

In this podcast we consider Saint Tecla originally from Llandegla in North Wales near Ruthin. She was famous for her work with lepers.Details of rituals (slightly shonky) are given on www.maryinmonmouth.blogspot.com which show how people were paying for miracles at her well there even until recent times. Tecla came south, set up at the rock at Beachley also later occupied by st Twrog, and worked for the sick there, It is possi ble in view of the wild and remote nature of the place she had succumbed to Leprosy herself-but this is pure speculation. The rock and little chapel are shown on the blog, but is unlikely to have been Teclas. She is murdered by marauding Saxons and seems to have lived a deal earlier than our other saints,

She was undoubtedly named after Tecla of Iconium in Laeodocia and was a disciple of St Paul who wished to dedicate herself to God and was many times tortured and threatened eventually founding a small colony and seemingly buried at St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.Her cult spread all over the Church from East to West and many young women followed her example with admiration.