Weekly Record

10 May 2009

This last week marked a return to more mundane matters following the glitz and glamour of the previous weekends’ Grand Dinner and events in the Crypt. Planning for forthcoming events takes up a lot of time but is essential if things are to go smoothly. One event that is starting to loom large is the visit of the Relics of St Therese of Lisieux. (St Therese was a Carmelite Sister, whose daily diary was published after her death revealing a life of real holiness and prayer in every aspect of her daily tasks and particularly in her approach to illness and suffering). The visit of the relics will only last for 24 hours, from 24th-25th September, but I think it will attract large numbers of people from across the North West who would want to pay a visit or attend one of the Masses or services which will take place. Within our Archdiocese there are four parishes that are dedicated to St Therese, three Carmelite priories and one in Birkenhead (Shrewsbury Diocese) and many individuals who have a strong devotion to St Therese and the arrangements for the visit will need to cater for these different groups and visitors from further afield. The Diocese will produce a handout which will shortly be available which will give information on the life of St Therese and also a timetable of services and details for the visit in September.

This weekend we welcome Bishop Tom Williams who is carrying out a Diocesan Visitation of the Cathedral. However, contrary to earlier information, he will not be able to cover everything in one weekend and so will return another weekend to preside and speak at the Solemn Mass and the 7pm Sunday Evening Mass in the Crypt Chapel. I think he must have looked at the schedule during the week and suddenly realised that what seems manageable on paper can be a very different story when faced with the reality of having to allow time between different services to speak to people.
As well as presiding at Choral Evening Prayer at 3pm today for all those involved in Healthcare, he will be joining all the Royal Hospital Visitors and Eucharistic Ministers and Priest Chaplains at their annual ‘Thank You’ meal next Friday evening.

It is the 42nd Anniversary of the Consecration and Opening of the Cathedral on Wednesday 13th May. On the year of opening the Feast of Pentecost occurred on 13th which means we are able to keep both the calendar date and the Feast as our Dedication Anniversaries. Evening Mass on Wednesday will be sung by the choir, but we will celebrate this more fully on Pentecost Sunday.
The new Rotunda Link is now open within the Cathedral and from 1st June there will be public access down to the Pontifical Hall in the Crypt. As this Project reaches completion it is important that I record a thanks to the key people who have worked so hard to make this all possible. Terry Gawne oversaw the work throughout as the Project Manager, the initial designs and plans being drawn up by Adrian Swaine and Phil Vincent of Nightingale Architects. The principal Grant Funder was ‘European Objective One Fund’ but in the latter stages of the project we also received some funding from the ‘Northwest Development Agency’. Many specialist firms and skilled workmen were involved in the scheme and we have placed a bronze plaque within the Crypt naming all the firms involved. The work to update the Exhibition Boards and assemble and display the New Treasury Exhibition was carried out by Monsignor Cookson, Meg Whittle, Anthea Jarvis and Terry Duffy. Last but not least the fund-raising appeal was spearheaded by Claire Hanlon. I can thankfully say that we have almost reached our initial target of £200,000. Congratulations and a big thank you for all the support, hard work and fund raising that have gone into this scheme.

Canon Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean