Welcome Bishop Tom
This weekend we welcome Bishop Tom Neylon who is formally visiting the parishes within the city centre deanery over the next couple of months. Last Sunday he celebrated the Masses at St Anne’s, Overbury Street and this week it is the turn for the Cathedral. Bishop Tom will celebrate the Saturday Vigil Mass and the 9am and 11am Masses on Sunday, but due to the quick succession of Masses he will only have time to give the homily at the 10am Family Mass. Due to other commitments he will not be available to celebrate the 7pm evening service – however they have not been neglected as Archbishop John celebrated the evening Mass a few weeks ago.
As well as getting an opportunity to meet the various Mass communities, visits have been organised to the hospitals for meetings with the ministers and staff, and also to our local primary school of Saint Nicholas. The Quinquennial Bishop’s visitation offers an opportunity for the deaneries to give an overall picture of the life of the parishes in the area, and share something of the challenges and opportunities that they face. It is often supportive and sometimes challenging to receive some feedback of the Bishops reflections of the life of the parishes following the round of visitations of the area.
At 3pm this Sunday afternoon we have our annual celebration of Joint Evening Prayer for the Week of Prayer of Christian Unity. This year the service is at our Cathedral and we welcome the choir, clergy and parishioners from Liverpool Cathedral who will join us for this shared service. This year our guest preacher is Rev Yazid Said, who is an Anglican priest and lecturer in Islamic studies at Hope University.
On Wednesday 28th the Cathedral Friends have organised an evening with Bishop John Sherrington. Archbishop John will celebrate the 5pm Mass and afterwards give a talk on his life and ministry followed with a chance for some questions. It is an opportunity for people to get to know the Archbishop and will be followed by a shared evening meal. There may be a few final tickets available but anyone wanting a ticket would need to apply to the Cathedral Office by Monday evening.
Our young children who are preparing for their First Holy Communion this year will be making their First Confession next Saturday in the Crypt Chapel at 10.30am. There is also a Diocesan meeting next Saturday in the Gibberd Room for those who are discerning a vocation to the Diaconate.
Monsignor Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean
