For the first time since I started at the Cathedral the bronze doors at the main entrance failed to open last Saturday morning when the electronic system was activated. These things always occur at the weekend when there is hardly anyone around. After a number of attempts to contact the maintenance firm I decided to resort to attempting the manual override system which is basically a hand crank and pulley operation. This is located above the doors in the bell tower and I scaled up the ladders to this area with Patrick, our sole security man on duty, giving words of advice and encouragement from below. The winch is some 8/9 foot off the floor in the tower and in order to wind the mechanism you have to hang off a ladder.
With encouragement that the doors had moved a little, though it is impossible to see the doors from this point, I proceeded to attempt to wind with the wheel moving in tiny degrees rather than revolutions. After a few minutes hanging off the ladder face going redder and redder – both with the effort and the thought ‘had a couple of years at the Cathedral turned me into such a weakling?’. I realized that the movement had been to close the doors more tightly and no matter how hard I tried I was winding the wrong way.
Once I was winding the right way (anti-clockwise) the doors did eventually open and almost straightaway about sixty elderly American tourists, from the cruise ship in port, poured into the foyer. I heard Patrick warn them to be careful as the dean was still winding the doors open manually. Anyway when I descended into the foyer hot and sweaty and hands covered in grease I was met with a round of applause and heard one of the party say ‘that feller Dean did a great job’ and another thank me and remark ‘how smartly you maintenance men dress in this town’. Anyway at least I had discovered another part of the inner workings of our Cathedral and as it turned out the electrical problem was resolved by a few sprays of WD 40. I wonder if St Peter ever has problems with his gates!
A few months ago proposed plans were displayed for the Sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The statutory body for listed places of worship (the Historic Churches Committee) did not approve the removal of the original altar to create a smaller altar on the lower forward section of the sanctuary. This has meant that we will shortly remove the temporary altar and screen and revert to using the original altar for the celebration of mass. The ambo, or lectern, will be a permanent stone fixture and this and the presidential chair will be remain in their present positions so that the Liturgy of the Word will be celebrated on the lower level of the Sanctuary. The work to fit the new lectern and replace some of the outdated spotlights and hopefully a lick of paint for the Chapel will not take place until September/October.
There will be an extra mass at 12 midday next Saturday in the Columba Chapel for those associated with the Across Pilgrimage taking place later this month.
For the first time since I started at the Cathedral the bronze doors at the main entrance failed to open last Saturday morning when the electronic system was activated. These things always occur at the weekend when there is hardly anyone around. After a number of attempts to contact the maintenance firm I decided to resort to attempting the manual override system which is basically a hand crank and pulley operation. This is located above the doors in the bell tower and I scaled up the ladders to this area with Patrick, our sole security man on duty, giving words of advice and encouragement from below. The winch is some 8/9 foot off the floor in the tower and in order to wind the mechanism you have to hang off a ladder.
A few months ago proposed plans were displayed for the Sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The statutory body for listed places of worship (the Historic Churches Committee) did not approve the removal of the original altar to create a smaller altar on the lower forward section of the sanctuary. This has meant that we will shortly remove the temporary altar and screen and revert to using the original altar for the celebration of mass. The ambo, or lectern, will be a permanent stone fixture and this and the presidential chair will be remain in their present positions so that the Liturgy of the Word will be celebrated on the lower level of the Sanctuary. The work to fit the new lectern and replace some of the outdated spotlights and hopefully a lick of paint for the Chapel will not take place until September/October.