*The below message is taken from the weekly Cathedral Record newsletter. The full Cathedral Record is available to pick up from the Cathedral or can be downloaded here.*
With You Always
The ‘with you always’ programme for our children and their families to prepare for First Holy Communion will begin in October. There will be a group that will meet at St Vincent’s School just for the year 4 children from the school and the parish, coordinated by Fr Stephen. Fr Dominic will coordinate the preparation at the Cathedral for children from St Nicholas School, choir probationers and others who are regularly attending the Cathedral as their place of worship. Parents will need to register their child for this and agree to support them through the months of preparation. There have been certain changes made to the preparation programme this year mainly due to the decision to revert back to the celebration of Confirmation at a later age. The children will make their First Confession before Christmas, during the season of Advent and Communion towards the end of the Easter Season. Now that the final celebration does not include the Sacrament of Confirmation and hence the presence of a bishop, we will be able to have a separate Holy Communion celebration in both parishes this coming year – an opportunity for parents and children to celebrate this important day within their own parish church and community. Please speak to one of the priests if you have a child that does not attend either of our primary schools but you are a parishioner or a choir parent and wish your child to be included in this year’s preparation programme.
The events of the weekend of 7th/9th October focus on a celebration of sacred music. The Friends of Cathedral Music celebrate their Diamond Jubilee this year and they are gathering in Liverpool, sharing time between the two Cathedrals with talks and shared worship. They will attend a specially arranged service of Choral Evening Prayer next Friday at 5pm in the Cathedral (Exposition and Mass that evening will be transferred to the Crypt Chapel) and they are also holding an evening event in the Crypt on Saturday night. Also on Friday 7th The Sixteen will performing music by William Byrd and Arvo Part in the Cathedral as part of their 2016 pilgrimage tour.
Even though there is a musical pilgrimage theme on Friday evening, the real pilgrims arrive on Saturday morning at 10am for their ‘Year of Mercy’ Pilgrimage. This Saturday it is the turn of the Chorley Deanery as well as the parishes of St Agnes in Eccleston and St Marys in Euxton. Parishioners will be travelling from some of the furthest outposts of the Diocese and it is important that we make them especially welcome after having travelled some distance to get here.
Envelopes are available for Family fast Day contributions to support the work of Cafod. At this time we pray for all who hunger; that through the grace of God, they may come to share in the abundance given for us all.
Canon Anthony O’Brien
DEAN
