Serving the Lord at His altar

Today the Cathedral hosted the annual Diocesan Altar Servers' Mass. Servers come from all over the Diocese. It is a chance for them to get together and a recognition of the hard work they put in throughout the year. For a lucky few it is also a rare chance to serve in the Cathedral. All of the servers who came were given a copy of St Matthew's gospel during the Mass.

Most of the dozens of servers who attend have to sit in the front benches. The variety of colours and styles of their robes is very striking.

Parishes are always blessed when they have a good team of servers. The Cathedral is particularly fortunate in having so many who are willing to serve at Mass round the year.

The work of altar servers is a good deal more complicated than it often appears, and a fair amount of time is spent in training and practices. Their tasks are various: carrying cross and candles in procession, assisting with books, setting up the altar... the list goes on. While each individual role may seem fairly simple, it demands a lot of teamwork for everything to run smoothly and to look orderly.

Many servers are members of the Guild of St Stephen, patron saint of altar servers. We hope to enroll many of our own servers in the guild in the near future. The guild's insignia was displayed at the front of the Ambo during Mass; it is matched by the medal that guild members (such as this server) wear for Mass.

Today was also notable in that it was the first time that our two Bishops have appeared together publicly for Mass since the ordination day. The two mitres processing in is likely to be a familiar sight over the coming months.

Bishop Patrick was the principal celebrant of the Mass, and Bishop Michael preached. He told the servers that their role was to help people see the importance of the Mass and he encouraged them to develop a deeper love for the Mass. He finished with a note of encouragement to all: "Keep it up, and may God bless you".

Benediction with the Cathedral School

Each Friday this term, Key Stage 2 children from the Cathedral Primary School are coming into the church for Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. They sing a couple of simple songs of adoration, and say the Divine Praises, but most of the time is spent in silent prayer. The children have been preparing by learning about Benediction over recent weeks. It is impressive that they are able to remain silent and still for a few minutes of prayer at the end of the busy school week. Hopefully it will prove to be a special and memorable time in their lives of faith.

To the City Museum

This morning the priests and Caroline, the Cathedral's events co-ordinator, made a trip to the city museum in Market Square. The visit was part of the process of planning events for 2009, the Cathedral's 150th anniversary. For three months leading up to October 2009 the museum will host an exhibition centred on the Cathedral and Lancaster's Catholic heritage. There will be three parts to the exhibition: the first part will be concerned with Catholicism in the Lancaster area between the Reformation and the 19th century; the second part will feature information about the building of the Cathedral, with some emphasis on the numerous local families who helped to pay for the building; the final part will be within the Cathedral itself, making use of our own display area. This will hopefully attract more visitors to the Cathedral in its anniversary year, and help local residents and visitors to Lancaster to deepen their knowledge of Catholicism in this area.

God's house and its garden

Today the Cathedral diary includes a concert by an acclaimed Russian group and a preparation session for parents of children who will make their first Holy Communion in a few weeks' time. The day-to-day work also continues, including the preparation and printing of the weekly newsletter, ready for folding tomorrow. Meanwhile the outside world basks in sunshine, making the Cathedral and its gardens look quite fine. We are fortunate to have such well-kept gardens, which are faithfully tended by Eric, our groundsman. The beauty of God's creation certainly adds a lot to the appearance of His house of prayer.

The Tabernacle Veil

Today, for the first time in recent memory, the doors of the tabernacle are veiled. The age-old practice of veiling the tabernacle has not been observed in the Cathedral for many years, but as of this morning it is restored! Due to the size of the tabernacle and its shape, only the doors have been veiled. The colour of the veil changes to match the liturgical colours worn by the priest. The tabernacle veil derives from Old Testament times, when the Holy of Holies in the Temple was veiled. The veil therefore became a sign of God's presence; it was in the Holy of Holies that God Himself dwelt. Today, the Lord is to be found in the tabernacle, and the veil is the sign of His presence.

In the Cathedral, it has the added effect of making the tabernacle more visible, perhaps even more prominent. Even from the far end of the church, the veil clearly shows. The differing colours of the veil will also serve as a reminder of the liturgical seasons and feasts of the Church, for those who visit outside of Mass.

The veil is the primary symbol of Christ's presence in the tabernacle. The sanctuary lamps, which burn nearby, are in the first place a sign of the Church's continual prayer in the presence of the Lord.

Ecce Nova Facio Omnia

This mosaic can be found in Westminster Cathedral, the home of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. It is located on the wall at the entrance to the chapel of St George and the English Martyrs, just a few feet from the body of St John Southworth. John Southworth worked close to Westminster Cathedral for much of his priestly life, though he also has connections with Lancaster, where he was imprisoned for a time. The mosaic is of particular interest to our own Diocese, as the quotation 'Ecce nova facio omnia' - 'Behold, I make all things new' (Rev. 21:5) is the episcopal motto of our recently ordained coadjutor, Bishop Michael Campbell. Westminster Cathedral currently has a major appeal underway; £3 million is needed for essential repairs which begin this year. Details of the appeal can be found here, and the Westminster Cathedral website here.

The Signs of Summer

Green has returned to the trees around the Cathedral, and amazingly the sun is shining on this Bank Holiday Monday. There is an additional sign of summer in this picture: today is the first day of 2008 that the Cathedral's main west doors have been opened. It is just about warm enough to keep them open all day! These doors open every day during the warmer months (in winter only the smaller door is opened), partly so that tourists and passers-by are in no doubt that the Cathedral is open and welcomes visitors.

It also makes for a little more illumination inside the church, giving the aisle a channel of light.

The Ascension of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, one of the most important feasts of the Church's year. The first Preface of the Ascension states why: "Christ, the mediator between God and man, judge of the world and Lord of all, has passed beyond our sight, not to abondon us but to be our hope. Christ is the beginning, the head of the Church; where He has gone, we hope to follow." This feast is commemorated with a fine stained glass window in the apse. Sadly few people really appreciate the window, as it is largely obscured by the Triptych.

On the occasions when people do take a closer look, however, they (and particularly children) are often amused by this detail: as Christ ascends, a small patch of grass beneath Him carries feet marks where He stood. Although there is something cartoon-like about the image, it makes a serious point: the world is not left as it was before He came. God has walked the face of the earth, and the signs of His presence are left with us.

The main account of the Ascension is found at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles; the passage is the first reading at Mass today. The details of this account can be seen in the window. St Luke, author of Acts, speaks of two men in white who appear in order to reassure the disciples after Christ has gone from their sight. These men can be seen on the left and the right towards the top of the above picture, pointing to heaven and promising the Lord's return.

Below, the Apostles and Mary are gathered as Christ ascends. St Luke tells that after the Ascension, the Apostles "joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus" (Acts 1:14). The Cathedral's patron, St Peter, is easily identifyable; he stands just above the footprints, holding his keys.

As the Apostles and the women spend time in prayer, the Holy Spirit descends upon them. The Spirit's coming is also foreshadowed in the window; the dove, representing the Holy Spirit, is seen descending at the very top of the image. The coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated at Pentecost, next Sunday.

Ordination DVD

Since the day of Bishop Campbell's ordination there has been a long and growing list of people who would like a video record of the day. The process of editing has been delayed by the challenge of trying to fit such a long liturgy onto a single disk, but we hope to be able to make the DVD available very soon. Copies will be available at £10 each, plus £2 p&p if you need the disk posting to you within the UK. We need to order them in bulk, and will allow for the fact that some people have not yet ordered, but if you want to guarantee a copy, you need to order in advance. Please get in touch by telephone/email/post: click here for details.

Four cameras were used on the day to give a good all-round view of the ordination. The DVD has been professionally edited and produced by a local company, giving a very fine record of the day's events.

St Joseph the Worker

While the universal calendar of the Church today declares the Ascension of the Lord (40 days on from Easter Sunday), some countries have chosen to transfer the feast to the nearest Sunday. In England and Wales this decision was taken a couple of years ago, and now the Ascension will be celebrated in a few days time. The Bishops' Conference took the decision so that more people could celebrate the feast fittingly, though the change has by no means proved universally popular. Whatever the rights or wrongs of it, it does at least give us the opportunity today to celebrate the feast of St Joseph the Worker, which is kept each year on 1st May. After Mass at the Cathedral today a handful of people went to say some prayers at his statue here, and some lit candles.

The Cathedral's statue of St Joseph points to his work as a carpenter, as he carries his tools in a small basket. The feast of St Joseph the Worker reminds us of the importance of human work and how, if we use our abilities correctly, we can further God's plan by our actions. It also reminds us of how Our Lord grew up in a working family, and so came to share the day-to-day toil of human life.

The Blog at One

This is a sight seen increasing often at the Cathedral over the past 12 months: a priest with a camera! The reason, of course, is the Blog, which is one year old today. Curiously, this is also the 144th posting, a number which, in the Scriptures, signifies completeness. There is much to look forward to over the next twelve months, however, particularly as the Cathedral's 150th anniversary draws near. In recent weeks there seems to have been a surge of interest in the Blog, brought on by Bishop Campbell's ordination, and it has certainly proved to be an effective way for many people to gain access to the wonderful pictures that were taken. There is a more long-term benefit, however. As the 150th draws near, it is increasingly clear how little record exists of Cathedral life over the decades. Whether or not the Blog proves to be a long-term venture, it will at least provide a good photographic and written record of this period in the life of the Cathedral.

A quiet anniversary

Today marks an anniversary that could easily slip by unnoticed. It was on this day in 1857 that the Cathedral's foundation stone was blessed. The occasion was marked with a fair amount of ceremony last year, as the launch of preparations for the 150th anniversary in 2009. The day was the subject of the very first post on this blog - for a nostalgic moment, click here!

It was also on that day that the 150 Club was launched. Members pay £1 per week and stand a weekly chance of winning a £50 prize. Money raised from the fund will go towards funding various aspects of the celebrations in 2009.

Preparations for 2009 are well underway. A range of events is planned, including a flower festival (June), social events, a pilgrimage to Rome and an exhibition in the city museum. There is to be a reprint of the original parish history published in 1909 (thanks to a dedicated team of volunteer typists) and a second volume to bring the work up to date. There will be great celebrations at Mass and Vespers on the anniversary of the Dedication (Sunday 4th October); several major concerts and recitals are also planned. It is hoped that alongside the parish, the whole Diocese and the city of Lancaster will be able to celebrate this anniversary. Over the coming months a programme for the year will be finalised; news will be published here (of course!) as it is announced.

Smoke without fire

And now for something completely different! This morning the fire brigade visited the Cathedral. Fortunately there was no fire, nor was it one of those slightly embarrasing (but thankfully rare) occasions when the fire alarm is set off by incense - although incense was used at Mass today. Today they came as part of a safety awareness campaign being run by the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. They met with people (particularly the elderly) after Mass to give out free advice on fire prevention and smoke alarms. It is good that services such as the fire brigade sometimes turn to the Church as a focal point for the local community. It also provided opportunity for some of our youngest parishioners to have a close-up look at the fire engine, which caused a certain amount of excitement!

Caption Competition

It looks like the starting point for a caption competition, but in fact it's another photo caught on camera by someone who was at the ordination two weeks ago. Perhaps this priest is checking that the Cardinal and the Nuncio regularly visit the Lancaster Cathedral Blog! Thanks to those who have sent in pictures; please keep them coming. The DVD is progressing well and hopefully we'll have copies available before too long. Meanwhile, the blogger is taking a few days break to recover from the business of recent weeks. Normal service will resume shortly!

Best of the Rest

A final selection of photographs from the ordination day. Above, two bishops of the Lancaster Diocese leave the Cathedral, where only one had entered.

Outside, Fr Groody realises that an MC's work is never done.

A considerable number of priests had cameras at the ready, hoping to get a reminder of the day.

Inside the house, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor meets the Cathedral's Director of Music, Damian Howard, after the ordination.

Now the Diocese can march forward with two bishops leading the way! We have exhausted just about every angle of the ordination over the last few days, and this is the last posting. There will be information about the DVD and the photographs being made available, as and when these are ready and prices have been worked out. And for Bishop Michael's many friends, on both sides of the Irish Sea and both sides of the Atlantic, be assured that when he passes through the Cathedral, we'll keep you up to date.