Former Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff, Monsignor John Aloysius Ward OFM. Cap., was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, on January 29, 1929, to Eugene and Hannah Ward. The Ward family later moved to Wrexham, North Wales, where the young John was brought up. He was educated at St. Mary's Primary School, Wrexham, and at Prior Park, Bath. He subsequently joined the novitiate of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin whom he had known from their house at Pantasaph, North Wales.
Ordained to the priesthood at the Franciscan Parish in Peckham on June 7, 1953, he returned to reside at Pantasaph. Father Ward was then appointed to be in charge of the Diocese of Menevia's travelling mission. He was appointed parish priest of Peckham and also guardian of the Franciscan Friary there. In 1969, he was appointed Minister Provincial for the Capuchins of Great Britain. In 1970, he was appointed as an adviser to the Minister General of the Capuchin Order in Rome. In this responsibility he looked after the spiritual needs of English-speaking Capuchins throughout the world, travelling widely, going on many visitations and missions, to places such as Africa and South East Asia.
At 51 years of age, Ward was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia, Wales, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration on October 1, 1980, from Bishop Langton Douglas Fox assisted by Archbishop John Aloysius Murphy and Bishop Daniel Joseph Mullins.
On March 25, 1983, Ward was named Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff. In his early years as Archbishop, he sought very successfully priestly vocations, and a good number were ordained by him during his tenure. Archbishop Ward was very prominent during the miners' strike, going to London to meet with the Secretary of State for Energy. He also made a prominent response to the famine in Ethiopia which led to an appeal which raised a substantial sum of over £100,000, this appeal culminated in a large celebration of Holy Mass at the old National Stadium in Cardiff.
Archbishop Ward also called together a Diocesan Pastoral Congress, laying down the foundations for the renewal of structures within the Archdiocese of Cardiff. He was a very strong and active supporter of ecumenism, and became the first Catholic bishop to address the General Synod of the Church in England. He attended the 1994 Synod of Bishops on behalf of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
As a man, Archbishop Ward had deep compassion, especially for the sick and vulnerable. Unfortunately, paedophile crisis was to be the bane of his life, being himself arrested, but released without any charge following claims of sexual crimes in his See. These problems were of a toll on his health. He suffered a number of strokes, a deep vein thrombosis and other ailments brought on by stress. Resigning from office on October 26, 2001, he went to live with his sister. Ward died suddenly on March 27, 2007, aged 78. He complained of chest pains and died the same day after receiving the last rites and after praying the rosary with his secretary.
His funeral Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Peter Smith, took place on Monday April 2, 2007, at St. David's Metropolitan Cathedral, Cardiff. 18 Bishops, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, concelebrated. Interment followed at Llantarnam Abbey alongside two previous Archbishops of Cardiff.
Ordained to the priesthood at the Franciscan Parish in Peckham on June 7, 1953, he returned to reside at Pantasaph. Father Ward was then appointed to be in charge of the Diocese of Menevia's travelling mission. He was appointed parish priest of Peckham and also guardian of the Franciscan Friary there. In 1969, he was appointed Minister Provincial for the Capuchins of Great Britain. In 1970, he was appointed as an adviser to the Minister General of the Capuchin Order in Rome. In this responsibility he looked after the spiritual needs of English-speaking Capuchins throughout the world, travelling widely, going on many visitations and missions, to places such as Africa and South East Asia.
At 51 years of age, Ward was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia, Wales, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration on October 1, 1980, from Bishop Langton Douglas Fox assisted by Archbishop John Aloysius Murphy and Bishop Daniel Joseph Mullins.
On March 25, 1983, Ward was named Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff. In his early years as Archbishop, he sought very successfully priestly vocations, and a good number were ordained by him during his tenure. Archbishop Ward was very prominent during the miners' strike, going to London to meet with the Secretary of State for Energy. He also made a prominent response to the famine in Ethiopia which led to an appeal which raised a substantial sum of over £100,000, this appeal culminated in a large celebration of Holy Mass at the old National Stadium in Cardiff.
Archbishop Ward also called together a Diocesan Pastoral Congress, laying down the foundations for the renewal of structures within the Archdiocese of Cardiff. He was a very strong and active supporter of ecumenism, and became the first Catholic bishop to address the General Synod of the Church in England. He attended the 1994 Synod of Bishops on behalf of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
As a man, Archbishop Ward had deep compassion, especially for the sick and vulnerable. Unfortunately, paedophile crisis was to be the bane of his life, being himself arrested, but released without any charge following claims of sexual crimes in his See. These problems were of a toll on his health. He suffered a number of strokes, a deep vein thrombosis and other ailments brought on by stress. Resigning from office on October 26, 2001, he went to live with his sister. Ward died suddenly on March 27, 2007, aged 78. He complained of chest pains and died the same day after receiving the last rites and after praying the rosary with his secretary.
His funeral Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Peter Smith, took place on Monday April 2, 2007, at St. David's Metropolitan Cathedral, Cardiff. 18 Bishops, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, concelebrated. Interment followed at Llantarnam Abbey alongside two previous Archbishops of Cardiff.
Former Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff, Monsignor John Aloysius Ward OFM. Cap., was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, on January 29, 1929, to Eugene and Hannah Ward. The Ward family later moved to Wrexham, North Wales, where the young John was brought up. He was educated at St. Mary's Primary School, Wrexham, and at Prior Park, Bath. He subsequently joined the novitiate of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin whom he had known from their house at Pantasaph, North Wales.
Ordained to the priesthood at the Franciscan Parish in Peckham on June 7, 1953, he returned to reside at Pantasaph. Father Ward was then appointed to be in charge of the Diocese of Menevia's travelling mission. He was appointed parish priest of Peckham and also guardian of the Franciscan Friary there. In 1969, he was appointed Minister Provincial for the Capuchins of Great Britain. In 1970, he was appointed as an adviser to the Minister General of the Capuchin Order in Rome. In this responsibility he looked after the spiritual needs of English-speaking Capuchins throughout the world, travelling widely, going on many visitations and missions, to places such as Africa and South East Asia.
At 51 years of age, Ward was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia, Wales, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration on October 1, 1980, from Bishop Langton Douglas Fox assisted by Archbishop John Aloysius Murphy and Bishop Daniel Joseph Mullins.
On March 25, 1983, Ward was named Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff. In his early years as Archbishop, he sought very successfully priestly vocations, and a good number were ordained by him during his tenure. Archbishop Ward was very prominent during the miners' strike, going to London to meet with the Secretary of State for Energy. He also made a prominent response to the famine in Ethiopia which led to an appeal which raised a substantial sum of over £100,000, this appeal culminated in a large celebration of Holy Mass at the old National Stadium in Cardiff.
Archbishop Ward also called together a Diocesan Pastoral Congress, laying down the foundations for the renewal of structures within the Archdiocese of Cardiff. He was a very strong and active supporter of ecumenism, and became the first Catholic bishop to address the General Synod of the Church in England. He attended the 1994 Synod of Bishops on behalf of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
As a man, Archbishop Ward had deep compassion, especially for the sick and vulnerable. Unfortunately, paedophile crisis was to be the bane of his life, being himself arrested, but released without any charge following claims of sexual crimes in his See. These problems were of a toll on his health. He suffered a number of strokes, a deep vein thrombosis and other ailments brought on by stress. Resigning from office on October 26, 2001, he went to live with his sister. Ward died suddenly on March 27, 2007, aged 78. He complained of chest pains and died the same day after receiving the last rites and after praying the rosary with his secretary.
His funeral Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Peter Smith, took place on Monday April 2, 2007, at St. David's Metropolitan Cathedral, Cardiff. 18 Bishops, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, concelebrated. Interment followed at Llantarnam Abbey alongside two previous Archbishops of Cardiff.
Ordained to the priesthood at the Franciscan Parish in Peckham on June 7, 1953, he returned to reside at Pantasaph. Father Ward was then appointed to be in charge of the Diocese of Menevia's travelling mission. He was appointed parish priest of Peckham and also guardian of the Franciscan Friary there. In 1969, he was appointed Minister Provincial for the Capuchins of Great Britain. In 1970, he was appointed as an adviser to the Minister General of the Capuchin Order in Rome. In this responsibility he looked after the spiritual needs of English-speaking Capuchins throughout the world, travelling widely, going on many visitations and missions, to places such as Africa and South East Asia.
At 51 years of age, Ward was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia, Wales, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration on October 1, 1980, from Bishop Langton Douglas Fox assisted by Archbishop John Aloysius Murphy and Bishop Daniel Joseph Mullins.
On March 25, 1983, Ward was named Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Cardiff. In his early years as Archbishop, he sought very successfully priestly vocations, and a good number were ordained by him during his tenure. Archbishop Ward was very prominent during the miners' strike, going to London to meet with the Secretary of State for Energy. He also made a prominent response to the famine in Ethiopia which led to an appeal which raised a substantial sum of over £100,000, this appeal culminated in a large celebration of Holy Mass at the old National Stadium in Cardiff.
Archbishop Ward also called together a Diocesan Pastoral Congress, laying down the foundations for the renewal of structures within the Archdiocese of Cardiff. He was a very strong and active supporter of ecumenism, and became the first Catholic bishop to address the General Synod of the Church in England. He attended the 1994 Synod of Bishops on behalf of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
As a man, Archbishop Ward had deep compassion, especially for the sick and vulnerable. Unfortunately, paedophile crisis was to be the bane of his life, being himself arrested, but released without any charge following claims of sexual crimes in his See. These problems were of a toll on his health. He suffered a number of strokes, a deep vein thrombosis and other ailments brought on by stress. Resigning from office on October 26, 2001, he went to live with his sister. Ward died suddenly on March 27, 2007, aged 78. He complained of chest pains and died the same day after receiving the last rites and after praying the rosary with his secretary.
His funeral Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Peter Smith, took place on Monday April 2, 2007, at St. David's Metropolitan Cathedral, Cardiff. 18 Bishops, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, concelebrated. Interment followed at Llantarnam Abbey alongside two previous Archbishops of Cardiff.
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