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| Martyrs Mark |
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| Vestment English Martyrs Pray for Us |
October is identified as Black History Month a time to recognise and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of people of African decent. The Catholic church is universal and this month we take some time to learn more about some of the many black saints in the Catholic Church who have inspired the faithful in their devotions.
Kizito is the patron saint of children and primary schools. He was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and canonised by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964. To read more please see St Kizito on the Bishops of England and Wales website
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| St Kizito stained glass window |
God of infinite goodness, you said that children should be allowed to If readers have a favourite Black Saint perhaps one they chose as their confirmation saint then please get in touch
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| St Therese statue in cloister St Peter's Cathedral, Lancaster |
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| Roses with acts of kindness |
"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses."
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| St Peter and St Paul from Te Deum Window |
Later this year the Diocese of Lancaster will celebrate 100 years since its foundation by Pope Pius XI. This has a special resonance for us because it is the moment St Peter’s went from being a simple parish church to a cathedral. Beginning in November the Diocese will have a series of celebrations to give thanks to God for the 100 years of its existence. The official beginning of these celebrations will be on the feast of Christ the King, 24th November, with the Bishop celebrating our 10.30am Mass.
Next year is also a Holy Year, called by the Pope. So there truly never is ordinary time, but always an opportunity for grace and encounter with the Lord!
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| St Charles Lwanga Stained Glass Window |
Each day we will share a bible passage linked to one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, a hymn or short reflection.
St Paul's letter to the Colossians 3: 12-14 12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
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| Statue of St Therese in Cathedral Cloister |
Little acts of kindness are often linked to St Therese of Lisieux whose feast day we celebrate in October, but her little way is something we can follow every day.
To learn more about St Therese's Little Way and acts of kindess.
And a little act of kindness activity for our younger readers Acts of kindness activity. from Mission Together.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Firstly, to all those people for whom the Saint we celebrate on March 17th is significant...Happy Feastday! Many people share in the devotion to St Patrick, and his intercession has assisted many ambitions in the Christian life. No matter about the issue of where he was born (and the village of Aspatria near Whitehaven in the diocese has a claim to this!)... he is not celebrated for where he was born. He is celebrated as the Apostle to the Irish people. Long may his intercession benefit all God’s people.
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| St Patrick Stained Glass Window |
To be an apostle is to be one who is sent to share in the mission of the Lord. This “being sent” means that an individual agrees to go, but that the mission may demand several sacrifices to make it bear fruit within the life of faith. Think of many of the first individuals counted as apostles...their lives were often turned upside-down, for example St Peter himself! (and St Patrick for that matter). A humble Galilean fisherman, who with his brother St Andrew and his family kept the wolf from the door by catching fish in the Sea of Galilee. But then, recognising the promised Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, left all the security of family and location and followed Jesus wherever his itinerant life took him. Often sleeping under the stars he kept close to the Lord and his Gospel, even when it brought him into conflict with prevailing trends of his Jewish faith as it was lived by the scribes, pharisees, and ultimately when Jesus was tried for being “The King of the Jews”. Peter is remembered as one hailed by Christ as “the rock on which I will build my church”, and within minutes scorned by the Lord with the words “get behind me Satan!”.
After the Lord’s death and resurrection Peter was pivotal in helping the young church develop its own sense of Apostolic identity, himself being sent on a journey of life and faith which took him first to Antioch and then to Rome. In both places he became their Bishop, and in Rome suffered the same fate as The Lord. “Unless a grain of what shall fall upon the ground and die, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies it yields a harvest”. The death the Lord refers to this Sunday isn't a physical death, but rather an opportunity to die to self so as to be more alive in Christ. What greater example can we ask for in these closing weeks of Lent 2024? .jpeg "Wheat")
Unless a grain of wheat shall fall ...
Children from Years 5 and 6 who are
inspired by the example of St Francis of
Assisi meet
regularly as our St Francis of
Assisi Group.
Our St Francis of Assisi Group supports a different project to help others every half term. Since Christmas St Francis of Assisi group have been busy organising two events to raise money for the ‘Cathedral Heating Fund’ this half term. We had a ‘Comfy Clothes Day’ and a ‘Hot Chocolate Day’ – all the money raised will be donated to support the heating bills for the Cathedral.
They have helped to collect money and items to support CAFOD, Mission Together, Lancaster and District Homeless Action, Lancaster’s Olive Branch, NISCU, our local parish and more.
The children in this group show great dedication and commitment and help us all to live out our mission to bring God’s love and care to the whole world.
The prayer of St Francis has been put to music and is the familiar and popular hymn Make me a channel of your peace.
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| For further please see Year 6 Class Blog with photos of the Mass |
This week, Father Steve and Father Mathew celebrated Mass with our Year 6 staff and pupils in their classroom. They explored the theme of Conversion of St Paul. This was a very special time of prayer together and we are grateful to our priests for sharing their time with us in this way. To read more and see some photos of our pupils reading and sharing their own bidding prayers.
To learn more about the life of St Paul's conversion watch this short video on famous painting by Caravaggio.
Today is the feast day for St Angela Merici the founder of the Ursuline sisters who played an important role in the Cathedral and St Thomas More Parish. During their time the sisters helped re-establish the Company of St Ursula in England which is a secular institute of Pontifical rite and supported mothers with a more informal peer support group the Angelinas.
The Company was founded in 1535 by St Angela Merici who brought women together to support other women to meet together in support, spiritual development and mutual encouragement. The Company offers single or widowed catholic women, the opportunity to live this call from God in the world. Their vocation is described as 'leaven in the dough' and is sustained by a deep life of prayer, which is the foundation for their commitment to the local Church and community. We are fortunate to have several members in our parish as well as other parishes in the Diocese.
Although an informal group that was active during the time of the Ursuline sisters time living at St Thomas More, the vision and reality of the group was to allow mothers, especially of young children, to come together for peer support. They would often meet and take it in turns to share a meal, their lives and some prayer inspired by the teachings of St Angela Merici whose life is an inspiration to many women. More recently, we've had some online meetings to allow mothers who may need to be at home in the evening to still gather together and catch up. The group will be meeting on the 1st Tuesday of each month and will be discussing in February ways of organising in person gatherings.
Our 5th day of the Christmas Octave is a commemoration of St Thomas Beckett who was an English Bishop and Martyr. A day to send good wishes to those called Thomas.
To learn a little more about this saint and martyr who is patron of Diocesan Priests. We remember the many priests who have served us as a Cathedral Parish and all the priests of our Diocese.
Father, you confirm the true faith with the crown of martyrdom.
May the prayers of St Thomas Becket give us the courage to proclaim our faith by the witness of our lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
… St Thomas Becket, Pray for Us …
On this third day of the Christmas octave we celebrate the Feast of St John the Evangelist. We remember all those call John on their feast day.
We read that John was with Jesus at the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion, and raced Peter to the tomb on the day of the Resurrection. John is known as the disciple Jesus loved and was asked to look after his mother when Jesus was dying on he cross. He is the patron saint of caregivers. At this time of year we give thanks to all those who care for a family member, friend or neighbour and whose job it is to care for others.
Class Mass and St Leo the Great
This week, pupils at Cathedral Catholic Primary School enjoyed spending time with Father Steve who celebrated
Mass with the Year 6 children and teachers in their classroom on the feast of
St Leo the Great. Father Steve told the children all about the life of St Leo
and what we can learn from him. It is wonderful to celebrate the Sacrament of
the Eucharist in school and we appreciate the time our priests give us to help
us prepare and celebrate this important part of our faith.
To learn more about Pope St Leo the Great you may want to watch the following short video which includes some words which seem very apt as COP 26 comes to an end and we take time to think about what we can do to see the wonders of creation.
Rouse yourself and recognise the dignity of your nature remember that you were made in God's image, use creatures as they should be used, the earth, the sea, the sky, the air, the springs and the rivers give praise and glory to their creator for all that you find beautiful and wonderful within them.
He says we should see not just with our physical eyes but with eyes of our soul.
Today we share a video suitable for our families of younger children. The video starts at the point of reflection on what All Saints Day means, and what some of the saints in heaven have done. For those who would like to revisit the readings from Sunday watch from the beginning.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, “The Denial of Saint Peter,” 1610
Throughout Holy Week we will share some art reflections that shed light on the characters and events of this special week. Today it is an even that is shown in one of the windows of Lancaster Cathedral, where Peter denied Jesus.
It can be comforting to remember that Jesus willingly died not only for Peter who denied him, but for each one of us. Do you connect to the pain and sorry that Peter shows when he realises what he has done in denying his friend and master.
Today is the feast day of St Angela Merici who is the founder of the Ursulines who have played an important role in the life of St Peter's and St Thomas More Cathedral Parish in Lancaster. Sisters Jayne, Katharine and Zela left in 2016 to moved to Greenwich to continue their ministry there,
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| Urusline sisters and Fr Steve October 2016 |
St Angela was also the founder of the Company of St Ursula, below are the first two women in the UK to join the Company 479 years after St Angela formed the Company. They live their life as consecrated women sharing their gifts and giving service to those around them.
Below a video about the life of St Angela Merici
