Fourteenth Sunday of the Year - Year B

Cathedral Welcomers During the Festival, 1 -31 August

We need new “welcomers” after the great success of our Welcoming Initiative during the Festival last year. If you think you could possibly help please give your name at the end of Mass, speak to one of the priests, or contact the parish office. In addition, there will be a short meeting for all those involved on Saturday 28th July at 12 noon. This was a great undertaking last year – please do help again this year if you can.

Simon Leach - Our New Organist

As most of you will now know, our search for a new organist for the Cathedral concluded with the appointment of Mr Simon Leach. He is a prize-winning graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and a Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. He is a wonderful talent and we are very excited about what he will bring to our liturgies with his music. He also offers tuition in piano, organ and harpsichord for students of all levels and abilities. If you would like to enquire about lessons, please contact him here.

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, and Deacon Peter

Read the newsletter for 8 July 2018 (doc)

Read the newsletter for 8 July 2018 (pdf)

Thirteenth Sunday of the Year – Year B

Cathedral Hall

I was recently approached by representatives of Laing O’Rourke - the construction firm working on the new St. James’ Centre – asking if we would consider renting the Parish Hall to them for the remainder of the construction period because they are desperately short of space. Their proposal was forwarded to the Parish Council, the Finance and Hall Committees and the Archdiocesan Trustees, and after some intense negotiations, it was decided to accept. The Hall will, therefore, be rented to Laing O’Rourke for the next 30 months. The café-space and the toilets will remain exclusively for the use of the Cathedral, and the Cathedral will have use of kitchen on Sundays for teas and coffees. In addition to this the Cathedral will have use of the Hall for all our major events: SVDP events, Parish Socials, School events, and events like ordinations, the Red Mass and the Festival Mass. The deal will allow the Cathedral to invest in much needed fabric work on Cathedral properties, we still get to use the Hall, and importantly it buys us a period of time while we consider how best to use this extremely valuable space once the new St. James’ Centre is open. In addition, they will not use the hall on Saturday afternoon or Sundays, so that to all intents and purposes most parishioners will hardly notice the change. Laing O’Rourke will move in next week. To the extent that you are aware of them, I hope you will make them very welcome.

A huge “Thank You” to those who organise Teas and Coffees

Teas and coffees after Mass are now suspended for the summer. I would like to say a huge thank you to the small group of volunteers who have nobly given up their time to provide this wonderful service and who have kept things going through thick and thin. We wish them a good rest and look forward to teas and coffees after Mass again after the summer.

Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie, and Deacon Peter

Download the newsletter for 1 July 2018 (doc)

Download the newsletter for 1 July 2018 (pdf)

Solemnity Of The Nativity Of St John The Baptist – Year B

Solemnity of Saints. Peter and Paul

Please note that Friday is the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. It is a Holy Day of Obligation which means that all Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Friday.

Teas and Coffees after Sunday Morning Masses

The opportunity to meet and mix with fellow parishioners after Sunday morning Mass is something valued by many people. However, we have a chronic shortage of volunteers to help with this! As always with these things, if enough people volunteer it is possible to make up a rota which means that each group are on once a month or once every three weeks. So, once again, we are appealing for volunteers. If you think you might be able to help on an occasional basis – can you please speak to one of the volunteers in the café ion Sunday. Please think about it and please be generous – remembering our time is our most valuable asset.

On Going Fabric Issues in the Cathedral

 We have put in an application to the Trustees of the Archdiocese for permission to move ahead with four major fabric projects. The first is the renewal of the third boiler in the Cathedral, the second is the re-alignment of the ventilation system for the boiler room, the third is to repair the lift in Cathedral House and the fourth is to renew the CCTV system throughout the complex. All of these items have been reported to us as needing to be done and so I think we will just have to bite the bullet and get on with them.

God bless you all, Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie and Deacon Peter

Newsletter for 24 June 2018 (doc)
Newsletter for 24 June 2018 (pdf)

Tenth Sunday of the Year- Year B

Ordination of Patrick Harrigan

As you know a group of 25 parishioners will be travelling to Rome this week to attend the ordination to the Diaconate of our Parishioner Patrick Harrigan on Wednesday. Please keep Patrick in your prayers as he prepares to make this important step in his life and say a prayer for us that we will travel then and back safely. We will remember the parish in our prayers at the Holy Places in Rome.

Rosary Beads Wanted

The Apostleship of the Sea, the Church's maritime welfare agency, is often asked for Rosary beads by the sailors they meet. Do you have a spare set of beads? So why not look them out and donate them to a worthy cause?

God bless you all, Fr Patrick, Fr Jamie and Deacon Peter. 

Newsletter for 10 June 2018 (doc)

Newsletter for 10 June 2018 (pdf)