Weekly Record

15 February 2009

As I prepare to write this week’s update of what has been happening in and around the Cathedral I find it is a real opportunity to reflect on the week past, and the week ahead.  And all in all it has been a good week.  The meetings have all been productive and interesting, my colleagues all have a spring in their step (or would have I am sure if their knees weren't so creaky), the sun has been shining and there is an air of calm and serenity about the old place.  I can’t begin to think why this may be?!  Maybe because it’s pay day at the end of the week, or because the thought of Spring being around the corner has spurred people on or maybe because half term is within our grasp.  I just don’t know….   

Anyway, we had our annual planning meeting for Lent and all the services over Easter this week with the Archbishop, and it is the first year for some time that we have not had to accommodate the Beeb in some form or another.  Whilst we do like having them with us and having the opportunity to show-case our talents it is a really nice thought that we will just be able to take our time, and not be restricted to cutting this out or chopping that out and working within their restrictions.  Our task is simply to provide wonderful liturgy that will be powerful and thought provoking and beautiful music.  I think we will manage it.  

The last of the clearing up following the successful Le Corbusier exhibition has just been finished, and final checks to see if anything has been left behind etc have been done.  The great Crypt Hall and Crypt Concert Room are now being prepared for the Beer Festival.  Work on the Treasury is still being carried out and the finer details are being worked on.  It won’t be too long now before it is ready to view.  As part of the display in the Crypt I have been tasked with updating four of the  exhibition boards that will be placed in the Pontifical Hall detailing the current life of the Cathedral.  They will tell the story of the Cathedral in this modern age; about exactly what we do, and what goes on, and how we fit into the life of this vibrant City, and they will depict the people, volunteers and friends that make things work.  In order to do this I have been going through the collection of photographs that are stored in the Archive to see if there is anything that I can use.  I could have stayed there all week as it was so interesting, and it is easy how quickly you forget some of the important events we have had here—both happy and sad, and some of the people that have been involved along the way.  There was one particular snap of a group of people standing on the new steps after they had just been officially opened and blessed by the Archbishop some four years ago now.  I recognised one person in the photo but could not place where I knew her from.  ‘Remind me what her name is?’ I asked my colleague pointing out the lady.   My learned friend looked at me slightly blankly, which is not unusual, and she replied, ‘It’s you!’.  Gosh, it was a bit of a shock I can tell you, as it was not that long ago and I looked like a care-free young girl without a bother in the world. I need to get to work with some products pretty quickly.  Talk about ‘10 years younger’, more like ‘20 years older.’

The final arrangements for the Civic Mass will be made before the end of the day and everything will be in place and detailed instructions sent out to all concerned.  The only thing we cant plan for is the weather but we hope and  pray it will be fine so we can use the outside processional route to the Cathedral.  I do hope you will be able to join us. 

Claire Hanlon

Assistant to the Dean