The Dean’s Weekly Message – 8th April 2018 Posted on Saturday 7 April 2018

This Sunday we welcome a visiting choir from Tuam Cathedral in Ireland. There has been a Cathedral in Tuam, County Galway, from 12th Century. It was largely rebuilt in 19th Century and is the Cathedral Church to the Church of Ireland Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. The choir a combination of the Cathedral choir and chamber choir will sing at the Solemn Mass and will also lead Choral Evening Prayer.

This Wednesday there is a rehearsal for the service of installation of the new High Sheriff of Merseyside, Mr Peter Woods DL. The ceremony itself all seems very formal and official so I will need to be attentive to what we are all supposed to do seeing as the Dean is classed as the host for the occasion. Peter has kindly asked Sister Betty from the Pauline Bookshop and myself to act as chaplains for his year of office – there is even a badge to be worn for important occasions so even if we are not sure what we are supposed to do, at least we have a badge to wear to look the part.

Our Girls’ Choir will be spending a few days at Buckfast Abbey, Devon, at the end of this week. They will sing at a concert on Saturday night and then at high Mass in the Abbey and Evensong at Worcester Cathedral. I am sure the choir will receive a warm welcome as presently three former staff of our Cathedral Music Department are responsible for the music at the Abbey – Philip Arkwright is Director of Music, Richard Lea is Organist and Matthew Searles has just left us to take up a position as Assistant Director of Music.

Next Sunday afternoon at 2.45pm we will host a Service of Reflection and Remembrance on the anniversary of Hillsborough. Bishop Williams will lead the service in memory of the tragedy which took place on 15th April 1989.

There were many tributes at the funeral service for Ken Dodd last week and they managed to acknowledge the contribution that Ken had made as a public figure and a wonderfully talented comedian with a sad feeling of farewell along with touches of humour and laughter. One comedian remarking on Ken’s uniqueness said that whereas every other comedian would have to drive about five hours to perform a one hour show, Ken would manage to drive one hour to do a five hour show. Another remarked that two great men had passed away within weeks of each other Ken Dodd and Professor Stephen Hawking and both, in different ways, had added to humanities understanding of the concept of time.

Canon Myles Davies and Bishop Paul Bayes in the final prayers and reflections reminded us of Ken Dodd’s strong faith and the fact that his funeral was taking place at the Cathedral where he regularly worshipped and the final prayers were a reminder that we come humbly before the Lord at the end of our life in the hope of mercy and a welcome to an eternal home.