Adoremus
The schools have all reopened for the new academic year this week and the main summer holiday period is over for another year. This Sunday we formally welcome back those of our regular Cathedral community who have been away during the summer and also those families and individuals who are joining our Cathedral community for the first time. As we begin a new term and new choral year we renew our commitment and dedication to service and ministry at our Masses this Sunday, ready to face the challenges ahead for this coming year.
Six years ago at this time the bishops, clergy and parishioners from across the country gathered in Liverpool for a National Eucharistic Congress entitled ‘Adoremus’. The few days finished with a rain soaked Eucharistic procession after a packed Cathedral Mass along the roads around the Cathedral. The procession ended on the Piazza with a final Benediction as the rain finally stopped and the sun shone upon the gathered crowds. Next weekend at Oscott College in Birmingham the Bishops and representatives of each Diocese will gather for a day of Eucharistic Adoration and they have asked each parish and Diocese to have their own period of Adoration. Here in Liverpool there will be a day of adoration and Eucharistic devotion on Saturday 21st at our Cathedral. This will run from morning Mass at 9am to finish with the vigil Mass at 5pm celebrated by Bishop Tom Neylon. The timetable for the day is below.
9am Mass and Exposition
10am Adoration begins
10.15am Workshop 1
11.15am Workshop 2
12.15pm Workshop 3
1.15pm Workshop 4
2.00pm Holy Hour, Eucharistic Procession and Benediction
3.15pm Workshop 5
5.00pm Mass and Children’s Liturgy
Pope Francis has declared 2025 to be a Holy Year with the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It is too early to be able to know what special events may take place during the Holy Year but it has already been a blessing for us here at the Cathedral. For any Holy Year Cathedrals have to offer pilgrims an opportunity to enter through the designated Holy Door and by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and attending Mass gain an indulgence. At present our East Door which has always been designated the Holy Door in these special years is away being repaired following fire damage from an arson attack over a year ago. The repair work has been delayed by the involvement of insurers questioning every stage of the work and by the permissions needed from planning committees. The announcing of the Holy Year gave us a target and deadline to push everyone to get on with the work and have the doors back in situ well before the end of the this year. So our preparation for the Holy Year is ‘Waiting in Hope’.
Canon Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean
