Sharing our traditions

Listen to the Pope's video explaining that diversity in our community is something to celebrate.  

During this month we'd like to hear from members of the parish community to share their traditions and customs that support them in their faith.  Whether these are traditions from the past or from other countries please email catechist@lancastercathedral.org.uk 

Pope's Intentions: Gift of Diversity

For the Gift of Diversity in the Church

Recognising our gifts 

We pray that the Holy Spirit may help us to recognise the gift of different charisms within the Christian community and to discover the richness of different traditions and rituals in the Catholic Church. 

Recognising different traditions and rituals

We are blessed by having people whose families or they themselves come from so many different countries around the world.  We are a universal church and we have much to learn about the traditions and rituals from different countries.  During January we'd love to share traditions and rituals from around the world, a chance for all to share their favourite rituals.

Families celebrating Feasts of Pentecost, Trinity and Corpus Christi 
Remembering we all belong to a diverse family.

Angelinas: Group for mothers restarts

Angelinas

Inspired by the charism of St Angela Merici whose feast day we celebrate on the 27^th January. Angelinas is an informal group of mothers who come together for mutual support and to find inspiration in the writings of St Angela Merici for the living of their vocation as wives and mothers. They used to meet at St Thomas More with the Ursuline Sisters.   Restarting Tuesday 8^th February between 7.30 and 9.00 

Initially on Zoom please email catechist@lancastercathedral.org.uk for further details and a linak

Meeting on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month and open to all mothers who would like to meet and get to know others in the parish. 

To read a reflection from an Angelina and how coming helped her

St Angela Merici - the pilgrim

Advent 4: Love

Advent Candle reminds us of 
God's love

This week as we near the birth of Jesus at Christmas the children decorated their baubles with the names of people they love and who love them.  God is love and came to show us how to love and serve one another. 

Watering our Advent wreath 

There are so many acts of service, below we see those who have created and looked after our Advent wreath which has allowed us to count down the weeks to the great feast. 

WWW: Flower Power

Wednesday Word of Witness: Jane Brisco

We are witnesses by our words but also by our actions. Today, we share words from Fr Steve from our parish newsletter which gives thanks for the gifts and talents and life of witness by Jane Brisco who spent many hours arranging flowers for so many celebrations and all the behind the scenes watering, clearing things away.  Jane was also a member of the hospitality team who has welcomed many visitors to diocesan celebrations.

Catherine's floral tribute for Jane Brisco  

Within the Cathedral parish in the first week of November we had the Requiem Mass for Jane Brisco. Jane was a much loved and valued part of our parish community, working with dedication and great loyalty as one of our parish volunteers. These volunteers help keep our parish functioning as a welcoming community at the service of our city and Diocese. For about thirteen years, with only one or two other people alongside her, Jane gave lots of her time and skill in preparing and arranging floral displays across the Cathedral. It is this “behind the scenes work” which has a beautiful benefit for all who come into the Cathedral. Beautiful flowers lifting our minds and hearts to Almighty God in prayer. I have often praised the work of Jane and Catherine in their floral arrangements in the Cathedral. I do wish to record my deep gratitude to Jane, and to Peter her husband (for providing transport), for their work in this important part of our Cathedral life. Eternal Rest Jane and rise in glory! Amen. Fr Steve. 

November is a time we remember those whose lives have been a witness to us ... we welcome other words of witness. Please use our contact us form to get in touch.

Call for posts for our blog

Can you help by sharing your photos or stories and experiences of parish life which can be shared in our parish blog. We have a few series which you might want to use as a focus, and new ideas are also welcome, to let us know please send your contact details on the following link and we'll get back to you. #

Wednesday Words of Witness - examples of people sharing how they live out their faith

Friday Photos of Faith - photos of what we do in our lives, where we encounter God our creator, or experience examples of service either things we do or the things we see others do. 

St Peter's Keys - Over the summer some of our families have been taking a picture of St Peter or a bunch of keys to symbolise St Peter and we'll be sharing where they've taken the keys.

# Please note your contact details will be processed according to GDPR, General Data Protection Regulations.

Getting ready to come to church

Two videos have been prepared to explain the arrangements for coming to Mass at the Cathedral and also at St Thomas More.  These plans have been informed by the government guidance (for further detail Statement on reopening of churches) and it is clear that behind the scenes a lot of work and preparation have been undertaken ... our thanks to all those who have helped in cleaning, preparing signage etc. 

Guidance for the cathedral

Guidance for St Thomas More


Private Prayer
Arrangements continue at 1.30 to 2.30 and for further guidance the re-opening for private prayer video.

Lancaster Lego Railway featuring Lancaster Cathedral ....

As some of you may know there is a lego enthusiast lurking in Lancaster Cathedral and today pleased to share the latest creation which is now occupying the Cathedral Library. I used to think lego was small oblong or square shapes with bobbles on top ... how wrong I was.

Wonder whether we might set up a competition about how many pieces have been used? 
If any of our readers have photos of their lego creations please send them along for us to share ... you'll see our Lancaster Lego enthusiast suggests there is room for catechesis (faith sharing with Lego ... we look forward to that and sharing an adventure with Fr Leopald the Lego priest later in the week.)

Meditation on a Monday

Today for the 4th week Halton and Hala Meditators a group initially started by Sr Zela, when she was living at St Thomas More, welcomed others to what is now the online Halton and Hala Meditation Group.  The meetings last an hour between 7.00 and 8.00pm and provide a chance to take time, listen to listen to some music, a short talk from the World Community of Christian Meditation, meditate, listen to a prayer or poem, and then a chance to talk or socialise in small groups with people we know or to meet new people. 

If you would like to attend or learn more please email Ann-Marie on a.houghton at lancaster.ac.uk.

Photo montage of some of the meditators who joined
the online meditators group (5.4.2020)

Tonight we stayed as a whole group and shared ways in which meditation is helping at this time 

'a way of being not doing', 

'a chance to take time to be at peace',

 'an opportunity to slow down and to take time to breathe'

 'a chance to be with others, and gain support from them' 

Sunday Mass and Going to Church

As many of you will have heard there will not be Mass over the coming weeks, however, the Cathedral is still open.  Today we share a video from Cardinal Vincent Nichols who explains how we can still keep God at the centre of our lives, below that there are answers to some questions from our parish newsletter.



Some questions answered- from the Parish Newsletter

*Will our churches still be open even though there will be no public masses? 
The Cathedral will remain open daily, generally between 10.00am and 6.00pm. We will try to maintain these opening times for the duration of the current situation but sometimes circumstances might arise that cause the times to vary. Your understanding in this is appreciated. Please do make use of the Cathedral as a space for private prayer at this difficult time. (Reminder: all recommendations regarding hand hygiene and personal distancing should be observed.) 

* I have already requested that a mass be said for a particular reason. Will that mass still be said? 
Yes, the mass will be said but under the current restrictions there can be no congregation present.

* I’ve always understood that we have an obligation to attend mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Is this still the case? 
As the Bishops of England and Wales have said, this obligation is being suspended for the duration of the current health emergency. 

* Are there any ways in which I can somehow ‘attend’ mass during this time of restriction? 
If you have access to the internet, there are several websites that carry ‘live streaming’ of mass from churches around the world. 
There is one church within our own Diocese– Christ the Good Shepherd, Workington - Sunday at 10.30am and 6,00pm
Some other websites that stream masses are : Church Services TV  Catholic TV and a page from Aid to the Church in Need with links to online Masses and copy of Spiritual Communion. A chance to go to Mass all around the country.

* Holy Week is nearly here. What will happen about Holy Week services? 
We are awaiting advice from the Bishops Conference about Holy Week services. There will undoubtedly be services live streamed. While we do not have this facility at the Cathedral, we are in the process of putting plans in place to record services and upload them to Youtube and Instagram. Keep checking our website and newsletters for updated details. 

* There are no masses. Will there still be Confessions? 
Current advice is that confession will only be by prior arrangement with the priest. 

* Hopefully this will not happen, but what should I do if I have to be admitted to hospital or if a family member is admitted to hospital? 
The appropriate procedure is the same as the one that is already in place. On admission to hospital, you will be asked a number of questions, one of which should be about what faith denomination should be included in your official records. It is vital that, at this point, you ensure that you nominate as Roman Catholic and request that this information be passed on to the hospital chaplaincy team. This will alert the team to your presence in the hospital. Should the patient’s condition become life threatening, either the patient or his or her next of kin should ask the ward staff to page the on call Catholic chaplain

World Communication Sunday

In his message Pope Francis said

 "A community is that much stronger if it is cohesive and supportive, if it is animated by feelings of trust, and pursues common objectives. The community as a network of solidarity requires mutual listening and dialogue, based on the responsible use of language. ... 

He also explained how he wants people to use social media as a network, not a web:  

“not something that traps you, but something that frees you and that you make an instrument of freedom.”"

Screen capture Diocese of Lancaster Twitter Feed

There are lots of ways we can learn more about our diocese and parish via social media. 

Bishop Paul has his blog in which he shares what he has been doing and news of our wider diocesan family and a twitter feed.

Our parish blog and Cathedral website provide news of what is happening within the parish family and for some the parish newsletter which can be taken and shared with neighbours or those who are unable to get to church.  

We also have our Lancaster Young People's Facebook page which is an open page with messages for younger readers, but often with things that are of interest to adults as well.

First Holy Communion

Today ten of our young people received Jesus for the first time as they received their first Holy Communion.  

Fr Steve and Deacon Jim join the children who made their first Holy Communion 

Fr Steve in his homily reminded the children that they would always have a friend in Jesus who would be there for them throughout their life.  He thanked the parents and families who had brought their children for Baptism and continued to support them on their journey in faith.  
After Mass, Miss Hannah, headteacher from Cathedral primary school came to congratulate the children in the sacristy.

Miss Hannah and Children who made their first Holy Communion

There will be a celebration mass at St Thomas More on Tuesday 5th July at 6.30pm, where the children will receive their certificates, parishioners are welcome to attend.

Getting ready for Holy Communion

Children and their families have been preparing to receive Jesus in their first Holy Communion.  Over the coming week we'll be sharing with you some of their journey.

Here the children are leading a reflection on the Sign of the Cross, where we remember the three persons in one God.  We say this prayer at the start of every Mass and are reminded of how we are baptised:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

When you say the sign of the cross this week, please remember the children in your prayers.

Long Service Award -

Our Wednesday Word of Witness comes from Mary Garner who received a long service award for her dedication and commitment to singing in the choir.  Mary writes:

To receive an award for long service in the choir is a great honour as well as a surprise, something I had never expected. To be recognised for something you love doing is strange.

I have always loved singing—from very young, singing in the school choir, to then later in life joining the Cathedral choir. I have now been a member for about 28 years.

I moved into the Cathedral parish in 1982 from St Bernadette's, but it was a number of years before I thought to join the choir and use singing as a ministry. It is St Augustine who is reputed to have said that singing is praising God twice.

I have seen many changes in the Cathedral choir over the years. In the early years I can remember singing in folk masses with guitars and eventually mixed voice choir for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, under the directorship of Fr Callaghan and then Mathew Barker, who was a choir member and a teacher locally. The choir blossomed under his directorship and we sang some wonderful music for mixed choirs. But as with all things in life, people move on, some people left for jobs elsewhere, moved to new parishes etc.  

                  

Also over the years organists and musical directors have come and gone, and we went through a period of singing more simple pieces or mostly Hymns. It was with the appointment of Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue and his desire to improve the music in the Cathedral, that Canon Stephen was appointed. We then saw an increase in the variety and quality of the music and we found we were learning more ambitious and exciting pieces, from medieval to modern day, something we have all enjoyed being part of.

The composition of the choir also has changed over the years and eventually the number of men who could commit to singing regularly reduced dramatically, so it was decided 10 years ago to make the Cathedral choir ladies only with occasionally SATB choir on special occasions with the use of the diocesan choir.

I still enjoy singing in the choir and hope to continue to serve the Parish in this music ministry and hopefully help to enrich the worship.  If any ladies are interested in joining the choir, we would be very happy to welcome new singers.      Mary Garner              

Parish Social

On Friday night the parishioners from the Cathedral and St Thomas More parish gathered for an evening of games and company in the Social Centre.  On offer around the tables were dominoes, cards and darts.  Much fun was had by clergy and parishioners. A chance to chat and get to know each other, a great start to the weekend. 

Photo montage of Parish Social - October 2015

Thanks to Steve our seminarian who was home visiting and able to send us some photos.  If you are involved in activities within the parish it would be great to show some of the many things that are happening.  

Feast of Queenship of Mary ... Can you sing ?

Mary Queen of Heaven

Today is the octave (8th day) of the Feast of the Assumption we celebrated last week.  We celebrate the  Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - for a reflection from Living Space on the readings of the day or an earlier post on Mary's girdle. 
For a colouring page of Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven
Answer to our Assumption challenge - 36 angels if you count the one with the missing head!

See an earlier post 'Wednesday Word of Witness - the Joy of Singing' with Sam Ireland singing Ave Maria and read more about being a member of the choir.

Can you sing ? Would you like to …..?

In case you missed this in the newsletter a couple of weeks ago.  From September the Cathedral Ladies are looking for new members to come and sing (whatever the ability) for Sunday masses. We are a friendly bunch of people … all you need is a little bit of commitment and a willing heart! For more information speak to Damian Howard after mass or ask at the Cathedral office for more details.   

Choir Lent 2012

I would like to say how grateful we are to have the Ladies’ choir to assist and enhance our parish liturgies, especially the Mass. It is a wonderful legacy upon which to build. I wholeheartedly encourage more of our people to come forward and support the work of the choir for the glory of God. Fr Steve.

Gospel and Grub

Sunday 24th October is not on Feast of Christ the King, but also the next Gospel and Grub which is open to young people in the parish who have made their confirmation and those who are 16 to 30.  There is a chance to meet and talk with other young people - we are fortunate to have many students from around the world studying at the Universities of Lancaster and Cumbria who are keen to learn more about life in England and to talk about their own countries - a real sense of belonging to a universal Church community.  

Gospel and Grub after 6.30pm evening Mass at the Cathedral

After a catch up the group spends some time  in prayer using the Gospel of the day and being led in Lectio Divina which means sacred reading.  The approach used encourages those present to consider what the Gospel means for how they live their live.

Sr Charlotte from Nazareth House
Sr Katharine from St Thomas More
Sr Maria from Hyning Hall 

To read more about the religious sisters in the Lancaster Diocese  

Don't forget
Next Sunday is also the day of the final Table Top for 2013 11.00 to 2.30 in the Social Centre, chance to get diaries, advent candles, calendars and other things for Christmas 

Calendars and diaries also on sale after Mass at the back of church.

St Charles Borromeo - Parish Newsletter

Each week the newsletter includes information about a saint, or picks up a theme linked to the week or what is happening in the year.  Today we include a copy of this week's entry about Saint Charles Borromeo, whose feast day is on Monday 4th November - see below. Copies of the newsletter are usually available on the Cathedral Website.

Detail of altarpiece St Charles Borromeo Chapel

Colouring pages for November saints 

St Charles Borromeo - Feast Day 4th November

Pope St Leo the Great - Feast Day 10th November 

St Martin of Tours - Feast Day 11th November

St Charles Borromeo

Devotion to Saint Charles is particularly strong in England due of his association with many of our martyrs. When the newly-ordained priests returning home from the English College in Rome passed through Milan, Saint Charles offered hospitality and entertained them in his home. He knew that many of them were returning to certain death. Today, many English churches are dedicated to Saint Charles. Lancaster Cathedral has its own chapel dedicated to him. 

Charles was the son of Count Gilbert II Borromeo and Margaret Medici. He was born on 2nd October 1538 in the family castle at Arona on Lake Maggiore, and was educated at the neighbouring Benedictine abbey. In 1559 his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV. The following year, the Pope appointed Charles as his Secretary of State and made him a cardinal and administrator of the diocese of Milan. Charles served as Papal Legate on numerous diplomatic missions, and in 1562 was instrumental in having his uncle reconvene the Council of Trent, which had been suspended ten years earlier. Charles played a leading role in guiding and fashioning the decrees of the third and last group of sessions.

In 1563, upon the death of Count Frederick Borromeo, Charles refused the headship of the Borromeo family and was instead ordained priest at the age of 25. Later that same year he was consecrated bishop of Milan. Because of his work at the Council of Trent, he was not allowed to take up residence in Milan until the Council was over. He oversaw publication of the catechism, missal, and breviary called for by the Council. 

When Charles finally did arrive in Milan, the diocese had been without a resident bishop for eighty years. Immediately, he instituted radical reforms despite great opposition. The reforms were so effective that Milan became a model diocese. He implemented measures to improve the morals and manners of the clergy, he established seminaries, and he founded a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the religious instruction of children. He increased the Church’s assistance to the poor and the needy and was extremely generous in his help to the English college at Douai. He was active in preaching, resisting the spread of Protestant theology, and bringing back lapsed Catholics to the Church.

In 1578, he founded a society of secular priests, originally named Oblates of Saint Ambrose, but now known as Oblates of Saint Charles. As Archbishop, Charles took the initiative in giving good example to his priests and people. He allotted most of his income to charity, forbade himself all luxury, and imposed severe penances upon  
himself. During the plague and famine of 1576, he tried to feed 60,000 to 70,000 people daily. To do this he borrowed large sums of money that required years to repay. Whereas the civil authorities fled Milan at the height of the plague, Charles stayed in the city, where he ministered to the sick and the dying.

On the night of November 3rd 1584, Charles died of fever at Milan, aged 46. He was buried in his Cathedral, although later his relics were removed to a private family chapel in the same city. He was beatified in 1602 and canonized in 1610. His feast day is November 4th. 

Shoe Box Appeal

Last Sunday Jim Mann explained about  the Operation Christmas Child project (also known as "The Shoebox Appeal")

Operation Christmas Child Project - www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk

Shoe boxes are filled with gifts and sent to countries all over the world where they are delivered to children in time for Christmas. The children who receive the boxes would otherwise receive little, if anything, for Christmas. These shoe boxes are a real sign of God's love and they bring great joy. Receiving one has been known to completely turn a child's life around, through the feeling of being loved and cared for.

The children and staff of Cathedral Primary school are supporting this cause again this year. If parishioners would like to contribute a shoebox, please fill your box over the next two weeks. Full details of what gifts to put in the boxes can be found on the leaflets at the back of church, on the website www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk, or telephone Jim Mann on 07733 130409 for information.

Remember to stick the BOY/GIRL label from the leaflet on the front of your box, and include the £3 donation to cover transport and delivery costs (this donation can also be done online). 

Boxes can be left at Cathedral House or Cathedral School and need to be dropped off by Monday 11^th November in time for collection around 15^th November

Donating single items

If you would like to donate single items such as toothpaste, soap, toothbrush, flannel, small toy, football cards, hair accessories, pens, coloured pencils, etc, (which we will then use to make up complete boxes), please leave them in the large box at the back of church. 

Welcome Sr Katharine

Sr Katharine Glencross

Sr Katharine and Jean washing up after the
Spirituality session

We welcome, Sr Katharine Glencross who has come to join Sr Jayne at the Ursuline Convent at St Thomas More's.  Sr Jayne has recently been at the Ursuline General Chapter in Rome and we'll be posting more of her adventures in a future post.  You can also read more of what has been happening in the past month by looking at Sr Zela's Ursuline-Religious Life blog.  
Settling in already
After meeting parishoners on Sunday, Sr Katharine joined those gathered for the spirituality session on the Apostles Creed which has been one way the parish has been marking the Year of Faith.  It appears that Sr Katharine is already settling in as she helped clear away after the meeting.