Tribute to Liz Relf

It is with sadness that we announce the death of Elizabeth Patricia Relf (Liz), who passed away on 16-08-09. Her funeral Mass was concelebrated by four priests at her Parish of the Sacred Heart Church Morriston, Swansea on 29-08-09. Liz was involved in Catholic Charismatic Renewal for many years, and Chairperson of Wales National Service Committee from 1994 to 2001.

In this role, she worked hard with her team, to organise among other things, the Annual Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference at Trinity College, Carmarthen, which is no mean task. It is a big undertaking to co-ordinate a Conference, combining choosing speakers from Britain and further afield, organising acommodation, designing a suitable programme, together with all the unexpected things that happen on a daily basis at such an event.

Liz and her team did this year after year and countless people have them to thank for going home changed people, being Blessed and restored by God, often having found great joy in their faith, and a deepened personal relationship with God, which is the purpose of Renewal and Liz’s vision for everyone. Also people made new friends, who were a support to them, as we need encouragement in our Christian journey through life. And it was fun!

This is even more of an achievement given the fact that Liz was not well some of this time and would have to go home to rest at the end of the Conference week, which was often this numerical week as it so happens.

It is a measure of the respect in which she was held that many people from Wales Catholic Charismatic Renewal, including three past Wales’ Chair Persons, were present at her funeral, and many others sent their condolences.

We remember among other things, Liz’s Leadership qualities, and also her sense of humour. When writing this I was reminded by someone of the time in Carmarthen some years ago when people were being prayed with by Fr Pat Collins, and when it was Liz’s turn, she started to giggle which developed into laughter and quickly spread around the room including to Fr Pat. She never lost this gift of laughter. Through all the physical suffering she endured, she was still able to see the funny side of things and make others laugh too. I’m sure her love of God and her family, together with her sense of humour, sustained her in the time when she was housebound through her illness, where she was surrounded by her loving family.

As I am now Chair of Renewal (actually I’ve got Liz to thank for inviting me on to the National Service Committee before she left),
I know how important it is to have a supportive family, and we thank Liz, and also her husband Gordon, and sons Paul, Gareth and Peter for the support they gave her so that she could serve others. We pray for all her family at this time.

Often, we don’t see the full fruit of our hard work in our own lifetime. And this is particularly true in Spiritual matters. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Liz, a woman of deep spirituality, was born on a feast day of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and died on another feast day of Mary - the Assumption, (which was on Sunday this year). We don’t know how many people were touched by Conferences, Days of Renewal and Prayer Groups, like the one Liz attended here in Sacred Heart Church when she was well. But we can be certain that we will receive our Eternal reward for spreading the faith to others.

So thanks again Liz for all you did, and may you now rest in eternal peace and joy. Amen


                                                                                     Frances Graham
                                             (Chair, Wales Catholic Charismatic Renewal)
                                                                                     www.ccrw.org.uk

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