Become a Friend
The Cathedral Friends are due their half yearly newsletter and report of activities and I have been scratching my head this week trying to remember what happened at the various events and activities – there are that many events here that they all seem to merge into one over time. Following the very successful Concert by The Priests at the Philharmonic the Friends activities for the remainder of the year were smaller in scale but equally successful in their own right with the creative at Christmas Sessions, a 60 Hope Street Dinner and mince pies and mulled wine following the Festival Carol Service. Plans so far for this year will include a proposed trip to Stoneyhurst, gin tasting and a Ladies Day on a slightly bigger scale than last year. Some of these activities are for the benefit of the members and just manage to break even and others manage to raise considerable funds to support the work of the Cathedral. At present the Friends have pledged to give a substantial grant towards the design and fabrication of the new Cathedral Processional Cross and Acolytes which I am hoping will be completed by the end of May, and they have also offered support for a redesign of the exhibition boards in the Crypt. I am extremely grateful to the Friends for all that they do in support of the objectives of the Cathedral and I know that they are always glad of new members who wish to join and get involved in their activities. There is always information available at the back of the Cathedral.
Archbishop Malcolm will preside at the Solemn Mass this Sunday in celebration of Marriage and Family Life.
For the rest of the week he will be away on retreat in Valladolid, Spain at the English College with the junior clergy which means that both Frs Stephen and Phillip will be away leaving Monsignor Peter and I to hold the fort.
The Beer Festival starts this week but with the younger clergy away that scuppers any chance of paying a visit downstairs to the Crypt to sample the beverages. Please note that the 12.15 Mass on Friday and the Saturday evening Mass next week will be celebrated in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Cathedral.
Last December I mentioned that we would be installing a contactless / tap and go card donation station within the Cathedral for visitors to make donations. I had been told that it was simple and straightforward to install. The reality has been different and we have had lots of teething problems and delays but we hope to have a unit in place by the end of the month within a display that explains the activities and financial needs of the Cathedral.
We will be celebrating the Annual Civic Mass in two weeks time and we have had a request from the Lord Mayor asking if she could meet the choristers on the day and speak to them. The Honorary Recorder met with them last year and explained briefly about the work of a judge. I’m not sure if he was expecting high powered questions following his few words but the thing the boys really wanted to know was if he knew Judge Rinder. The amusing detail was that he had met him and that improved his street cred no end. I will be interested to hear what they ask the Lord Mayor.
Canon Anthony O’Brien
CATHEDRAL DEAN
