FROM THE EDITOR
Fr John writes Dear Parishioners, Friends and Readers of Oremus I write as the College of Chaplains composes itself for renewed activity in the Autumn – and as today’s newspaper speculates on lockdown again. However, Fr Mike is settled into the Precentor’s office and the lights are on in there until well into the evening. Fr Brian has already been seen by many of you and will be back from his retreat, duly refreshed, at the weekend. A sign of hope and hospitality at the Cathedral is the reopening of the Café, valued both for its welcome and food; Charlie and Annette look forward to seeing you there. We anticipate hospitality of a different sort on Friday 15 October, when clergy, choir and as many of you as can come are invited to Joint Evensong at Westminster Abbey to honour Victoria Street’s other resident saint, Edward the Confessor. During the time of Dr John Hall as Dean there, the Abbey worked hard to promote pilgrimage to the saint’s Shrine, and particularly around the time of his feast day; it will be good to respond to the invitation and support the Abbey’s deepened awareness of the saint who lies at its heart. I have also included in this edition a piece from the Abbey about the current excavations of its former Great Sacristy. The Cathedral was able to play a small part recently in assisting the organisers of the annual ‘March for Life’. Some marchers came to the Cathedral for the 8am Mass and at 9.30am we hosted a Mass at Sacred Heart church in Horseferry Road, concelebrated by Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Bishop John Keenan of Paisley and other diocesan clergy. It was good to see the church and gallery packed to standing room, with a sense of strong identity and warmth of singing. The church, although not now used for Cathedral Masses, is home to the Croatian Chaplaincy and we are grateful to Fr Simunovic and his community for maintaining the prayer there. As office workers and others return to the area, we hope to restart other activities at Sacred Heart as a useful resource for the Cathedral parish.
Westminster Cathedral Cathedral Clergy House 42 Francis Street London SW1P 1QW Telephone 020 7798 9055 Email chreception@rcdow.org.uk www.westminstercathedral.org.uk Cathedral Chaplains Fr Sławomir Witoń, Administrator Fr Brian O’Mahony, Sub-Administrator Fr Michael Donaghy Fr Hugh MacKenzie Fr Mike Maguire, Precentor Fr Vincent Mbu’i SVD Fr John Scott, Registrar Also in residence Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories Music Department Simon Johnson, Master of Music Peter Stevens Obl. OSB, Assistant Master of Music Marko Sever, Organ Scholar Cathedral Manager Peter McNulty Estates Manager Neil Fairbairn Finance Manager Agnes Dabrowska Chapel of Ease Sacred Heart Church Horseferry Road SW1P 2EF
To write of the ‘March for Life’ also makes me draw your attention to Bishop John Sherrington’s appeal to you in this edition. The forces in Parliament and elsewhere that seek to promote euthanasia seek repeatedly to change the law, and a Bill goes before the House of Lords this month. As Catholics we have a distinctive view of the value of every moment of life, drawn from Christ himself. Please, let us make our voices heard in witness to this generation. With my best wishes
OCTOBER 2021
Oremus
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