At the Car Boot Sale last week I was amused to see that old redundant coins were being sold by their weight and there seemed to be a steady stream of interested buyers. Old coins now seem to have as much value due to their metal content as current money. It perhaps is a reflection on the financial situation at present. Maybe I have a simple view of things but I wonder where has all the money in the banks gone, or was there very little there in the first place and were we just being kidded? The concern is that we are not sure what the full implications of this financial crisis will be for us as individuals and also as a Cathedral and a Charity, and as a City. Our Lords words ‘use money that tainted thing to win you friends’ is a timeless statement. Not least it refers to mutual co-operation and honouring our debts and commitments- the financial world may need to re-discover these qualities.
The Le Corbusier Exhibition is attracting a great deal of media interest at present and has focussed a wider attention and interest in the Crypt. Many thanks to all the Guides and Cathedral personnel who have helped in showing visitors the way to this exhibition and pointing them in the right direction. I discovered one lady in the first few days of the exhibition wondering around the Pontifical Hall looking for Le Corbusier in darkness – I still can’t work out how she got there through two secure doors. Even funnier was her reaction when I explained to her that she had to go back out of the main Cathedral and across the podium to Brownlow Hill to access the Exhibition – it is probably best that I don’t put it in print. Anyway the signage is now much clearer and better placed for all to follow.
During the month of October all the parishes of the Diocese are requested to take a count of the attendances at Sunday Masses and the average in each church is taken as the basis for diocesan attendance statistics for that year. Having the St Edward’s Day Mass in the month somewhat distorts the figures from here. You might think that is good until it is pointed out that some of the diocesan levies are based upon Mass attendance figures. Parish priests are left with a dilemma – it used to be the case that new PP’s would pick the highest attended week of the month to show the parish, under their stewardship, in the best light and the old hands would pick the lowest attended week so that the parish would pay less in levies. It all probably evened out in the end but it is not always an accurate science. What is noticeable here is that attendance at weekday Masses particularly evening Mass and Evening Prayer seems to have declined in recent months, whereas attendance at the weekend seems to be up. This is one area, by gentle and encouraging ways, that we can all play our part in inviting and creating a welcoming atmosphere for all who come to the Holy Eucharist
The Cathedral heating has been on for the last week but I’m afraid there is very little we can do to prevent the strong draughts that blow through the building on windy days. The main aim, at this time of the year, is to reach a situation that is best summed up by a parody of last weeks gospel ‘Many of you may be cold, but few are frozen’.
At the Car Boot Sale last week I was amused to see that old redundant coins were being sold by their weight and there seemed to be a steady stream of interested buyers. Old coins now seem to have as much value due to their metal content as current money. It perhaps is a reflection on the financial situation at present. Maybe I have a simple view of things but I wonder where has all the money in the banks gone, or was there very little there in the first place and were we just being kidded? The concern is that we are not sure what the full implications of this financial crisis will be for us as individuals and also as a Cathedral and a Charity, and as a City. Our Lords words ‘use money that tainted thing to win you friends’ is a timeless statement. Not least it refers to mutual co-operation and honouring our debts and commitments- the financial world may need to re-discover these qualities.
The Le Corbusier Exhibition is attracting a great deal of media interest at present and has focussed a wider attention and interest in the Crypt. Many thanks to all the Guides and Cathedral personnel who have helped in showing visitors the way to this exhibition and pointing them in the right direction. I discovered one lady in the first few days of the exhibition wondering around the Pontifical Hall looking for Le Corbusier in darkness – I still can’t work out how she got there through two secure doors. Even funnier was her reaction when I explained to her that she had to go back out of the main Cathedral and across the podium to Brownlow Hill to access the Exhibition – it is probably best that I don’t put it in print. Anyway the signage is now much clearer and better placed for all to follow.