Fr Dan

The Reverend/Y Parchedig Father Dan Barnes-Davies SCP
Vicar at St Mary’s Barry Dock and at Merthyr Dyfan Church
Ficer — Eglwys y Santes Fair, Barri Doc ac Eglwys Merthyr Dyfan

Rhif ffôn/phone: 07375 392285 (also WhatsApp)
Ebost/Email: danbarnesdavies@churchinwales.org.uk
Fel arfer, dydd Gwener yw fy niwrnod gorffwys. My usual rest day is Friday.

Dan has been Vicar at St Mary’s since May 2021 and Vicar at Merthyr Dyfan since November 2023; he was previously also Vicar at St Cadoc’s from May 2021 until November 2023.

I was born in Essex and more recently a Londoner; I served as Curate of Romford, East London before coming to Barry. The other half (guess which!) of my family has good Welsh heritage. As a priest, I call myself a progressive catholic. Though I’m generally quite a relaxed and fun person, I am very serious about our shared faith and about our church being a community of full and genuine welcome for all God’s children. One of my favourite parts of my ministry as curate was rebuilding the chaplaincy to our church secondary school.

I gladly call myself a geek and I am a proud neurodiverse person (I have ADHD and dyspraxia), so I am very positive about all the different gifts that different people can bring to our shared task, to love and serve God and Barry together. I am a keen swimmer, and you might see me out and about on my trusty tricycle… if I can manage the hills. I am also strange in drinking neither tea nor coffee; I am content with a glass of water.

I married Elizabeth in 2020, so Barry is our first proper home together, and we’re looking forward to settling here for this phase of our lives, and getting to know this wonderful town and her People. I have been a trustee of Inclusive Church since 2013 and Chair of the board since May 2022; I was admitted a member of the Society of Catholic Priests in January 2022. Miriam was born in 2022 and I took Shared Parental Leave from May until October 2023, during which time I’m grateful to Robert for covering St Cadoc’s and St Mary’s.