Sacristy Open Day

After Mass this morning parishioners had the chance to come and take a closer look at the sacristy and its workings. There was no formal presentation; rather the group had the chance to ask questions about the objects we use for the celebration of Mass and their significance. The 'open day' included a look at the vestments, some of the chalices and the liturgical books. Above, one of the sacristans demonstrates how to light the thurible, in which incense is burnt. The session was organised as part of our 'Curious about the Eucharist?' series, which continues with talks each Tuesday evening during March (details here).

Floral Artists Wanted!

This week - like many weeks of late - we have had a number of local flower clubs through the doors, each coming to see what part they could play in the flower festival which will take place at the Cathedral at the end of June. A large number of local clubs have now agreed to take part, and the majority of the major displays are already assigned. There are one or two fairly large areas left, plus some smaller projects. If you are a member of a flower club, if you help with flowers in your own parish, or if you have a talent that you'd like to put to use, please get in touch with us. The flower festival takes place 26th-29th June, the weekend of the Cathedral's patronal feast, as part of our 150th anniversary celebrations.

Waiting to be transformed

The statue of St Thérèse stands in the cloister area, waiting for this small open space to be transformed. The area is to be converted into a garden; it presents a number of challenges, not least because it gets little or no direct sunlight. A competition has now been launched at Myerscough College, a few miles south of Lancaster. Students will draw up designs based on a brief given by the Cathedral; the winning entry will be judged in April, so that work may be completed in time for the visit of the saint's relics in September. It seems appropriate that young people are involved in the designing of this garden, given that Thérèse is a patron of the youth. The project is being funded by donations.

The Rite of Election

Last Saturday the Rite of Election took place in the Catehdral. People come from all over the Diocese for this annual event, at which adults preparing to be baptised or received into the Church at Easter come to be formally accepted by the Bishop.

This year Bishop Campbell presided at the event. The early part of the service follows a similar structure to the Mass: there is a Liturgy of the Word consisting of an Old Testament reading, psalm and Gospel reading - the readings for the first Sunday of Lent were used.

In his homily the Bishop spoke about those joining the Church being drawn into a covenant with God: the covenant made in Christ, the last covenant and completion of all earlier covenants, such as the one made with Noah. Speaking of the Lord's temptation in the desert, he said that new members of the Church could also expect trials, but must always have confidence in the grace of God given to them. There were more words of encouragement: "You are turning to the Lord, to Him who offers us the fullness of life and truth through the ministry of His Church. Our prayer and our wish for you is this, 'May God who has begun this good work in you, bring it to completion.' " The full text of Bishop Campbell's homily can be found here.

After the homily the catechumens (those preparing for baptism) and candidates (those already baptised but not yet Catholic) were presented to the Bishop; after the formal proceedings they had the chance to come forward with their sponsors to meet him.

They were then brought on to the sanctuary as a sign of their being welcomed into the Church. Most of the candidates and catechumens will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. We are asked to pray for them over their final weeks of preparation.

The Eucharist: a mystery to be celebrated

This evening our catechetical programme 'Curious about the Eucharist?' resumes with the first of four Lenten talks. The four talks will explore how we celebrate Mass and why we do things in the way we do. They take place under the heading, 'The Eucharist - a mystery to be celebrated', a title lifted from Pope Benedict's document Sacramentum Caritatis (the full text can be found here). The first session takes place this evening at 7:30pm in St Walburga's chapel (access from Balmoral Road); all are welcome. There is also an 'open day' taking place in the sacristy this coming weekend - after Mass there will be an opportunity to come and see close-up some of the things we use to celebrate Mass, and to find out more about what they mean. For more details on the Eucharist talks, click here.

Peter's Progress

As mentioned earlier, at the weekend the first of three dramas marking our 150th anniversary took place. It was called 'Peter's Progress - the windows speak', and aimed to bring to life some stained glass windows which show the story of our patron.

At the beginning the twelve scenes were represented in stillness, accompanied by appropriate music sung by a quartet. The singers blended from one piece to the next as the scene changed; the result was very effective. Above we see Peter (crouched, with the red sash) among his fishing nets. He is being called by the Lord (on the far right of the picture).

Later scenes show Peter's failures, not least his three-fold denial of Jesus on Good Friday.

The story moved through Pentecost, when Peter's great speech brought many people to faith, and then on to show him continuing the work of the Lord. Here he prays that Tabitha may be restored to life.

The final scene represented Peter being crucified, upside down. After many trials and failures, along with some moments of brilliance, Peter finally completed the task the Lord had set him in the first scene: "Follow me".

It was dark, of course, so the windows were lit from outside as the scenes were portrayed by the actors.

After the twelve scenes, the drama moved on to provide some interpretation set in a modern context. The idea was simple but very effective: it centred on an actor, a man of no faith, called to take part in a play about Peter's life. At first he is highly reluctant to get involved, but over time he grows more interested in the story of the saint, and begins to learn from it. Through his eyes the audience was invited to interpret the events depicted, so that they too could take something from the life of St Peter.

In the end the actor takes much away from what he has learned. It was not a fairy-tale ending in which he came to a deep faith; rather, his journey of discovery led him to appreciate the life of St Peter and to think about what faith in Christ means. From being firmly on the outside he is, at least, left wondering, and cannot help being inspired by the sacrifice Peter made for the Lord.

It was very impressive to see so many people involved in the production: some professional actors working alongside parishioners of all ages, including many children. Two more dramas based on St Peter are planned for later in the year: St Peter's Walk (at the Cathedral, daily 15th-21st June) will explore his influence on the early Church, and in St Peter: Keeper of the Keys (at the Grand Theatre, 18th October), he will meet some of the historic figures of the Cathedral at the gates of heaven. You can find much more about what's happening this year on our events page: click here to take a look.

March Diary

Purple is the dominant liturgical colour of the weeks ahead, as the month of March falls entirely within the season of Lent. The Stations of the Cross are prayed publicly three times each week, with the Cathedral School coming for their own stations on Wednesday 18th. Sacramental preparation programmes move into full swing, with a number of children making their first confession later this month. Curious about the Eucharist? talks take place each Tuesday in March (more details here) and there will be an 'open day' in the sacristy next weekend as part of the programme. The Journey in Faith group also continues meeting. Behind the scenes there will be much work going on to prepare for the Chrism Mass, the Triduum and the Mass marking the transition from Bishop O'Donoghue to Bishop Campbell in early May. The full programme for the visit of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux will be published with the launch of a new website on 28th March. Major feasts for the month include St Joseph (19th) and the Annunciation (25th). There are three concerts: Kendal-based singers Pro Nobis (7th), pianist Roman Rudnytsky returns (13th), as do Il Suono, who perform on 21st and sing at the extraordinary form Mass on 22nd.

Billington's Blog this month will feature accounts of life at Dalton Square, the small chapel which preceded our current church building; we'll here something about life among recusant Catholics and about some of the Lancaster Martyrs, and we will look back on a much more recent event: the episcopal ordination of Bishop Campbell, which took place at the end of March last year. You can find Canon Billington's Blog here.

On the Cathedra

For the first time, Bishop Campbell this afternoon used the cathedra - the Bishop's chair. Only the Diocesan Bishop and the local Metropolitan (in our case, the Archbishop of Liverpool) may use this chair, which is a symbol of the Bishop's authority to teach in his Diocese; visiting and assistant bishops are not entitled to use the cathedra. Bishop Campbell, however, is the Coadjutor Bishop, and so has ordinary authority within this Diocese. Over the coming years we will become well used to seeing him here.

The Bishop was at the Cathedral for the Rite of Election and Affirmation, a diocesan service for those who are seeking to be baptised or received into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter. The Blog will feature a full report on this event during the next week.

St Peter - the windows speak

Last night in the Cathedral the first performance of a new drama took place. Called 'St Peter: the Windows Speak', the aim was to bring to life twelve images from the stained glass windows in the north aisle. The windows tell the story of Peter's journey from the time he met the Lord to the time of his martyrdom.

It was wonderful to see so many people involved: parishioners and local artists as well as some professional actors. The audience seemed to enjoy the performance very much. If you missed it, don't worry - there's a second (and final) chance to see the drama this evening at 8pm. Entry is free, but a retiring collection is taken to help us cover our costs. You'd be very welcome to come.

Station Masses in Rome

About now in Rome today's Station Mass is beginning at the church of San Agostino (Saint Augustine). Each day during Lent in Rome there is a 'Station Mass'. The practice is found in very early records of Church life; originally the Pope would always celebrate the Station Mass, so that the faithful from across Rome would gather around their Bishop. Nowadays the Holy Father still celebrates the first Station Mass of Lent, though other bishops usually celebrate on other days. Still, the Station Masses continue to draw people from across the city. Mass will be offered for our own Bishop Campbell (himself an Augustinian) this morning, at the church which is dedicated to the patron of his order.

St Peter Drama - and our supporters

It's part stained glass window and part live action - this evening a new drama entitled Peter's Progress: the Windows Speak is being performed in the Cathedral. It's the first event of many which will mark our 150th year. Come along if you are able - it's free to get in; a retiring collection will be taken to help us cover the costs. Also helping us pay for this year's celebrations are our 150th year sponsors. A range of companies and organisations, many of whom have worked with the Cathedral in recent times, are sponsoring this anniversary year. You can find a list of them here. The new drama is performed tonight and tomorrow night in the Cathedral at 8pm.

Ash Wednesday

The flowers are gone, the Cathedral is somewhat starker and darker this morning. Lent has begun. For 40 days the Church unites herself to Christ who spent the same period fasting and praying in the desert. For Him, it was a time of preparation for His public ministry; for us it helps us prepare for the feast of Easter. Throughout Lent the lights around the apse of the Cathedral will not be used, so that when Easter comes and everything is decorated and well lit, the effect will be all the more dramatic.

The lights on the tabernacle and the crucifix will remain; the absence of other lights in this area also serves to highlight the Lord's presence and the symbol of His suffering. A purple stole has been hung over the crucifix and the tabernacle is now veiled in purple. Mass today will be at 12:15pm and 7:30pm, with an extraordinary form Low Mass at 6pm. Ashes will be distributed at all Masses.

And finally, before Lent

Just before the rigours of the Lenten season begin, a slightly less austere image sent by our man in Rome. Last Sunday (22nd February) was also the feast of the Chair of St Peter. It was not kept in the general calendar because the Sunday took precedence, however it was celebrated in St Peter's, Rome, as we might expect. There is a great tradition of statues being dressed for their feast days; here is the famous statue of St Peter adorned with a red cope and papal tiara. All the finery will have to disappear for a while now, though - it's Ash Wednesday tomorrow.

The 'Under 10s' in Ars

The junior clergy of the Diocese normally meet up twice a year for discussion and a little social time. Any priest who has been ordained less than 10 years is welcome (therefore the group is often referred to simply as the 'under-10s'. It is certainly some years since they last went on retreat together, so the few days in Ars were a welcome initiative. Not all of the group were able to go, but six priests travelled, led by our two Bishops.

A flight from Manchester took the group as far as Lyon, from where they made the 30-mile journey to the remote village of Ars. The arrangements were made by Fr Philip Conner, well used to organising trips in his capacity as Director of the Diocesan Youth Service, and everything went very smoothly.

The group stayed in the Foyer Sacerdotal, a house for priests and seminarians just outside of the village. In 1986 Pope John Paul visited Ars and gave a retreat to 6000 priests, deacons and seminarians. Following his visit an international seminary was founded in 1988, and the Foyer was built in the mid-90s. Most of the seminarians live in small communities in the village, but they come to the foyer for some of their formation and meals, and much of their communal prayer takes place here.

From the Foyer it takes about five minutes to walk into Ars. The Basilica can clearly be seen from the upper floor of the house. The retreat time was divided between the village and the Foyer, which has rooms for meeting and a number of small chapels. Each day the group celebrated Mass together and came together for Morning and Evening Prayer. There was a holy hour and the Bishops gave a talk each day, after which there was some opportunity for discussion.

After the first night's rest the group headed into Ars where they watched a video about the life of St John Vianney.

After the video there was a tour of the places associated with the saint, led by a Belgian priest who trained in Ars and now works at the shrine.

The tour included a look around the presbytery where John Vianney lived; more pictures can be seen below, on Sunday's post. It is a fascinating thing to walk around the places where the saints lived, but any pilgrimage should arouse more than just curiosity. As people came to be inspired by the Curé 150 years ago, so he continues to inspire many people today. And a pilgrimage, of course, is not just for the benefit of those who travel; Mass was offered each day for the priests and people of the Diocese, who were frequently remembered in prayer throughout the retreat.

On Thursday morning Bishop Patrick celebrated Mass at the altar below the tomb of St John Vianney, with Bishop Michael and the priests concelebrating. They were given the honour of using a chalice which the saint himself used for Mass.

Please continue to pray for priests, and especially for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. There is more about vocations on the Diocesan Website - click here to take a look.

The Church of the Curé

St John Vianney's body lies above an altar in a side chapel of the Basilica of Ars, which was built in the 1860s. He himself had long desired to build a larger church but it was not until after his death that work began. The architect was a convert of the saint.

The basilica dominates the small village, occupying a central location and standing on a hill. It is not a huge church; in fact, a larger 'underground' church was built in 1959, to mark the centenary of the saint's death. This is used for larger gatherings and can accommodate about 2500 pilgrims.

The original plan had been to demolish the church and build a new basilica occupying the whole site. Opposition from locals, including many priests, was great, and the Bishop decided to keep the original church and build the basilica alongside. Here we can see the old church, which goes as far as the brick tower, with the basilica behind.

This is the view inside as it is today. The camera is at the back of the old church; the arch at the far end would have been the entrance to the sanctuary, so it is possible to see how small the old church was. To the left is the pulpit from which the Curé delivered his sermons, and out of view to the sides are small side chapels which he had built during his 40 years here. Through the arch the new basilica can be seen.

Today the shrine continues much of the work of the saint. There is daily Exposition and confessions run more-or-less continually during the daytime. Mass is celebrated each day in the Basilica, and the side chapel altars of the old church are also used.

The Basilica is richly decorated and colourful, with a mosaic floor. It is very well maintained - something with which the Curé would no doubt be very pleased.

A few yards from the Basilica a separate chapel was built to hold a reliquary which contains the saint's heart. Although his body never leaves the shrine, his heart has travelled to various countries; amongst other places it has visited the United States, and fairly recently was taken to Rome, where the Pope spent some time in prayer before it.

Our Bishops and junior clergy were given a tour of the village ending in the chapel. Find out more about what they did in Ars in tomorrow's post.