Tributes paid to Welsh language champion
Tributes are being paid to a cleric and prominent Welsh language champion who died on Tuesday after a long illness.
The Revd Lyn Lewis Dafis, 61, served in the Bro Padarn Local Ministry Area, Aberystwyth, with particular responsibility for St John’s Church, Penrhyncoch. He was also the Welsh Language Officer for the Diocese of St Davids and a member of the Church in Wales’ Welsh Language Committee.
Lyn was ordained seven years ago, after a 25-year career as a librarian at the National Library of Wales. He was a regular media commentator and contributor on Welsh language and church issues.
The Bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy, described Lyn as a “dearly loved member of the Diocesan community”. She said, “Lyn worked assiduously to ensure that the life and ministry of St Davids could flourish in Welsh and that this part of our common life is properly encouraged and resourced.
“Along with his family and friends, Lyn’s parishioners and colleagues in St Davids will miss him greatly. We thank God for gentle kindness and good humour, his love of God and the service he gave to others, even at difficult times. Lyn was a warm and generous person who as a Reader, NSM and Stipendiary Minister gave of himself to others. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, LMA colleagues and parishioners at this sad time.
The Archdeacon of Cardigan, Eileen Davies, said Lyn was a “Welshman to the core”.
She said, “Lyn was called to serve, and this he did until the very end. Lyn was an exceptionally knowledgeable person, a true Welshman to the core, living his deep faith in his daily life. He was a great theologian, read, understood and communicated the word of God to people of all ages in a meaningful and accessible manner. The Diocese of St Davids has lost a good and faithful shepherd, a true friend.”
Originally from Mynachlog-Ddu in Pembrokeshire, Lyn read Welsh at Aberystwyth University. He served as a lay reader before training for ordained ministry at St Michael’s College, Llandaff. After ordination, he returned to Bro Padarn and was an assistant curate for six years. He was appointed as a joint priest-in-charge of Bro Padarn Local Ministry Area last July. From 2020, Lyn was also the vocations adviser for the Archdeaconry of Cardigan.
Canon Enid Morgan, who served with Lyn in the Bro Padarn LMA, said, “Lyn was in a proud tradition of lay and ordained individuals in the church who loved Wales, its traditions, its literature and language, and loved the church and its Lord even more. He had worked tirelessly as a lay reader in Santes Fair Aberystwyth and his subsequent priesthood at Penrhyncoch in the Bro Padarn Area was immensely valuable, despite his increasing ill health. His time as master of meta data at the National Library meant he was able to adjust the use of new technology after the lockdown. We will remember his sometimes mischievous humour, his gentleness and his capacity for quietly tackling demanding projects.”
Canon Andrew Loat, priest-in-charge of Bro Padarn, said, “Lyn was an excellent colleague in Bro Padarn Ministry Area, working well with the other ministry team members and with lay leaders. He was a fervent advocate for the use of Welsh in the Church in Wales both provincially and locally but he was generous and gracious towards those who lacked the language of heaven. With his health issues, and then also the enforced lockdowns due to COVID-19, Lyn’s ease with technology came to the fore as he not only got our virtual services via Zoom off the ground but established a team of volunteers to help run it, so there is every likelihood that this ministry can continue. I will miss Lyn as a friend as well as a colleague, remembering his patience, his impish humour and his wide interests.”
The Revd Dyfrig Lloyd, who served with Lyn on the Provincial Welsh Language Committee, said Lyn was committed to encouraging greater use of the Welsh language in the Church.
He said, “Lyn was passionate about his Christian faith, the Welsh language and culture. He was in every way a careful pastor and a patient teacher. He was eager to see an increase in the use of the Welsh language in the ministry and mission of the Church. To this end, he was always supportive of Welsh speakers at every level and encouraged them to use their Welsh in their everyday ministry. His unexpected death is a great loss to the Church and to all who knew him.”
Lyn’s funeral will take place on Saturday, March 26. A memorial service, open to all, will be held at St Padarn’s Church, LLanbadarn Fawr at 2pm.