Weekly Record

4th November 2007

At the time of writing I am sitting in darkness apart from a desk lamp taking part in yet another new initiative ‘Lights out Liverpool. This is to encourage people to be more environmentally aware of their use of energy and is promoted by the City Council and Radio Merseyside. We were requested to turn all our external Cathedral lights off for an hour on 1st November. The trouble is I seem to have switched things off an hour early! It is interesting how opinions change. It was the City Council that encouraged the Cathedral to accept a grant for external lighting as it did for a number of major buildings in the city - it really has enhanced the view of both Cathedrals of an evening but at a significant running cost. Now we are being encouraged to review our energy use- things do go round in circles.

This Sunday, appropriately, is ‘Lamp Sunday’ and there is a Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Kelly providing information on the Diocesan Missionary Project in South America. It is now 28 years since Archbishop Worlock established a link with South America sending a few Diocesan priests to serve with the Society of St James. Our links with a number of Dioceses and Parishes in Peru and Ecuador are well established and the Archbishop stresses the importance of continuing this work despite the challenging pastoral situations we face within the Archdiocese today. Also this Sunday we welcome parishioners from the Ashton Pastoral Area. Bishop Malone will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation during mass at 3.00pm for candidates from the participating parishes.

This week I seem to have had a rush of blood to the head and decided to re-arrange the sanctuary in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to what I think should be the future permanent re-ordered location for altar, chair and lectern. This was after hearing views of a number of you some months ago. I intend leaving the chapel with this arrangement for a couple of months with a view to seeking a final decision on this. If you have an opinion on this please speak to me in the next few weeks. This also raises the question regarding the arrangement and alignment of the benches in this chapel. I presume that the existing layout was an attempt to arrange the benches to fit with the forward position of the altar and the recitation of morning prayer. With the changed position of the altar I would like to try arranging the benches back to something like their original position. I ask for your patience and understanding while this trial is taking place.

Next Sunday is Remembrance Sunday when we traditionally begin the Solemn Mass with a period of silence and place a wreath in front of the altar to remember those who have given their lives in service of this country during the two world wars, conflicts and in peacekeeping duties. If you could be in the Cathedral a few minutes before 11am for this mass as we would want to begin the silence with the priest on the sanctuary at the eleventh hour. There will also be a Merchant Navy Service at 3pm on this Sunday.

Canon Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean