Weekly Record

18th May 2008

The Pentecost ‘Two Cathedral’s’ service last week seemed to be a very enjoyable and uplifting occasion. As we gathered half-way along Hope Street for the unveiling of the sculpture, dedicated to the memory of Archbishop Worlock and Bishop David Sheppard, the prayers and speeches were accompanied by rumbles of thunder and darkening skies. I took this to symbolise the Lord’s approval as the rain held off until we made it to the Anglican Cathedral. I read in the letters page of the local paper this week someone suggesting that the money it took to pay for the sculpture would have been better given to support cancer care – now where have I heard that before in the Gospels.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity – not that we don’t honour the Trinity in all our worship throughout the year. The danger for us preachers this weekend is to declare that the wonderful relationship of love between Father, Son and Spirit is a mystery and then proceed to talk on and on trying to explain it away. This Sunday afternoon from 12-4pm there will be an ‘Art Market’ on the Cathedral Piazza and the AGM of the Choir Association after Choral Evening Prayer at 4pm. In the evening there will be a Concert Society performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers at 7.30pm.

If you are in the Cathedral on Tuesday please be careful if you are passing the Gibberd Room. A group of Cathedral Staff are taking part in a First Aid Course all day and they may be looking for volunteer patients to bandage up or treat. But this training is all very necessary in a busy Cathedral such as ours.

One of the most visited Chapels in the Cathedral is the Children’s Chapel. Many adults and families spend time here praying –particularly if there has been a death of a child in their family. On Thursday evening there will be the annual service ‘To Remember babies Who Have Died Before or Shortly after Birth’. This takes place in the Crypt Chapel at 7.30pm.

Next weekend we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi and there is a Day of Recollection for our Eucharistic Ministers in the Cathedral on Saturday from 10am – 5pm. During the lunch hour from 1-2pm a visiting German Choir will sing in the Cathedral.

At a number of our recent receptions I have been informed that there has been a mystery sausage roll eater who has managed to help himself to the food prior to it being set out. I hope it doesn’t re-occur at the Eucharistic Ministers lunch. This reminded me of a man who used to appear at lunchtime at the Diocesan Offices dressed very smartly, help himself to whatever conference lunch that was taking place that day and then disappear. It took a number of weeks before anyone clocked what he was up to – he was known as the mystery diner and he deserved full marks for ingenuity.

The next few weeks could be very noisy and dusty in the Cathedral. We are entering the final phases of the construction work to the lift and link corridor and part of this is creating the doorways through the East Apse walls and re-laying floor surfaces etc within this area. I apologise for any disturbance this causes but it is crucial that the work is not held up during this period.

Canon Anthony O'Brien
Cathedral Dean