Final Mass in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. John Roberts, held at St. David's Cathedral, Cardiff, 10th December 2010. Link to Cathedral: http://www.cardiffmetropolitancathedral.org.uk/index.html

St. John Roberts One of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales who was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. He was born at Rhiwgoch, Trawsfynydd in 1577, and was probably baptized at the St. Madryn's church in the village. His family lived at either Gelli Goch or Tyddyn Gwladus. He was brought up a Protestant and on the 26th February 1595/6 enroled at St. Johns College, Oxford. He then travelled the continent and whilst in Paris turned to the Catholic faith.
In 1599 he went to St. Benedict Abbey, Valladolid; he then went on to do his novitate at Santiago de Compostela, at about the end of 1600. He joined the Benedictine order and adopted the name Fray Juan de Mervinia, brother John of Merioneth. He was ordained and went out on the English mission on the 26th December 1602 - he was the first monk to return to England after the dissolution of the monastries by Henry VIII. He was detained four or five times by the authorities, but on each occasion following a short term in prison he was exiled from the country. During this period he made a name for himself by helping those who were suffering from the Plague in London. He returned again for the last time to England in 1610 and was arrested and convicted of high treason. He was executed by being hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London on the 10 December 1610.
St John was beatified on the 15th December 1929, and canonized on the 25th of October 1970.

"No nobler spirit has come forth from the rugged hills of Wales than this beatified son of Trawsfynydd. He is the glory of Wales." T.P. Ellis