Weekly Record

10th February 2008

In various guises the Stations of the Cross have been at the forefront of my thoughts this week. The work to rewire the Crypt has now progressed into the Crypt Chapel. Part of this work will provide small wall spots to light up the Stations of the Cross. These hand carved Stations are not original to the Crypt but were presented at a later stage to replace the set that had been in place but were too small for the building. Looking closely at the condition of the existing Stations has revealed that many are badly cracked and split and all are in need of a good clean. Spotlighting these images would only serve to highlight these faults.

I am suggesting that we take down these Stations and gain estimates for their repair – in the meantime we will replace them with another carved set that we have in store in the Cathedral as it could be some time before this work can be done. Liverpool Cathedral has had a set of Stations installed in the Well and this coming week on Tuesday evening 7-8pm I will be giving a talk/service on the Stations at the other end of Hope Street – it would be great if some of you could join me for this occasion.

For our own devotions in Lent it is difficult to know what times are most suitable for those who wish to attend. Last year we had mixed success. For this year we will have Stations of the Cross on Wednesday evenings straight after the evening mass (5.45pm) led by one of the clergy and on Fridays after 12.15pm mass (12.45) led by a lay person while the clergy are available for confession. Don’t forget that we also have exposition between 3-5pm every Friday in the St Columba Chapel and Choral Evening Prayer every Thursday and Friday at 5.45 pm (but not this coming week). I commend all these to you as opportunities for Lenten Prayer as well as daily Mass.

This Sunday Bishop Tom Williams celebrates Solemn Mass here on the occasion of his 60th birthday – we wish him Many Happy Returns. I’m sure he won’t be fasting on bread and water on Sunday. Those who are preparing to be baptised or received into full communion in the church within the parishes of the Archdiocese will be formally welcomed and accepted by the Archbishop this Sunday afternoon at the Rite of Election Service at 3pm.

This coming Wednesday we have meetings all day in Cathedral House with members of the BBC in order to plan the televising of the Easter Sunday morning Mass and the recording of two sessions of ‘Songs of Praise’ on Easter Monday Bank Holiday. A visit to the Crypt Hall for the Beer Festival that day would be tempting - the Beer Festival runs from Thursday until Saturday – but there is an evening meeting on Wednesday with the Archbishop to plan Holy Week. The prospect of going into the Desert for fourty days might not seem such a bad option after all this.

Please note that the Saturday evening mass next week at 6.30pm will be held in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, not in the Crypt, just for that week. Hopefully the new sound system in this Chapel, which was scheduled to be fitted last week, will be in place by next weekend.

Canon Anthony O'Brien
Cathedral Dean