Plans for New Building
Hopefully by this weekend the new graphics will have been added to the external hoardings which will give people clearer directions and will enhance what is now a major worksite surrounding the former piazza café and shop and garden area. The big digging machinery has been on site for just over a month and we are now able to see the full state of the roof of the building and some of the condition of the steel structure and the damage that water ingress has made to the building. This work of uncovering and stripping out damaged and defective materials will continue until the end of October. We are now having to start to prepare plans for whatever building will replace the former café and gift shop.
I have shared with Archbishop Malcolm and the Diocesan Trustees a basic wish list from the Cathedrals perspective. This includes a new shop and café/restaurant. But would need to also include some form of Cathedral Welcome Desk and place for Information at the street level. Also the possibility of a lift from the ground up to the Cathedral level. Then there are questions such as should the Cathedral Offices be located within this building? Further requirement for space would require the need for another floor! Then there is the question as to whether the Diocese or the Cathedral will have any other needs or requirements for the future that we would need to accommodate on this site. All of this is having to be considered at present weighed alongside the considerable costs that we have already incurred on this site and the future costs of a major rebuilding programme. As we move forwards I hope to put together a display with photographs of what has been done so far on this site and also with some first attempts of possible plans and layouts for a replacement building. If you have any suggestions or thoughts or suggestions regarding what should be included in the replacement building I would be happy to hear from you.
This coming week John Moores University Graduands will be gowning within the Crypt before going on to their Graduation Ceremonies at Liverpool Cathedral. The midday mass will be celebrated in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel throughout the week apart from Wednesday when it is in the Crypt Chapel. The new Vice Chancellor of Hope University, Claire Ozanne, will be formally Inaugurated at a ceremony here on Thursday at 2pm. Next weekend there will be a Cantonese Mass at 2pm in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and on Sunday afternoon at 3pm three will be three candidate will be ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Thomas Neylon.
Canon Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean
