Weekly Record

20th April 2008

One of the ‘Open Culture’ ideas for 2008 was the holding of a number of ‘Open Air Art Markets’. A number of these are to be held on the Cathedral Piazza at various intervals either on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon throughout the warmer periods of the year. The first takes place this weekend on Saturday afternoon. I hope it is a success but the weather will, as always, have the final say.

On the theme of artists and their work, I have been very interested in following the saga of the ‘Lamb Banana’ and the comments and reports in the local papers regarding ownership and reproduction rights of the image. As we have experienced here at the Cathedral established artists and sculptors are now very careful to have contracts drawn up for any commission of work they produce these days so that they can control the publicity and reproduction of their work. Wouldn’t it be great if we had received £1 for every time the image of our Cathedral had been reproduced or filmed over the years.

I noticed this week that the foundations are being dug outside the London Carriage-Works Hotel for the sitting of the Stephen Broadbent sculpture, commissioned by the Daily Post and Echo, in memory of Archbishop Derek Worlock and Bishop David Shepherd. It is the intention to hold a brief unveiling ceremony during the Two Cathedrals Pentecost Service. Half way along the walk between the two Cathedrals the church leaders will dedicate the work and then we will proceed along Hope Street to the Anglican Cathedral.

This week we welcome the pupils and staff of St John Plessington High School on the Wirral who will be holding their school Mass here for the first time on Wednesday morning at 11.00am. As a result of this the 12.15 Mass that day will take place in the Crypt Chapel. There are a considerable number of smaller school groups visiting the Cathedral this coming week so our Education Team and Guides will be kept busy.

One of the many skills and interests that Mgr Cookson had was in collating and cataloguing the historical and valuable plate and other artefacts within the Diocese. His hard work meant that some of these items are now more widely known by museums and galleries. One of these items is featuring in and exhibition next month in London and I have the enjoyable task of delivering this during the week and having a wander around London at someone else’s expense.

Next weekend will be busy both on Saturday and Sunday. St John Vianney grouping of parishes (3 primary schools) will be celebrating their first communions here on Saturday morning at 10.00am. Just in case anyone has ideas that this could catch on and the Cathedral could be booked up each week with parish communion celebrations I want to assure you that this will not happen. This occasion is for a good pastoral reason and we have enough on our plate coping with the growing number of Confirmation celebrations here from the various Pastoral areas of the Diocese. Our own parish First Communions take place in the Crypt Chapel on 22nd June. A number of our teenagers are preparing for Confirmation which will be celebrated within Mass on Pentecost Sunday and they are away this Saturday on a day out. Also on Saturday the Northern Cathedral singers will be rehearsing and then singing Evening Prayer in the Cathedral at 5pm.

Canon Anthony O'Brien
Cathedral Dean