Day of Prayer for Year of Faith

To mark the start of the Day of Prayer in the Cathedral there will be a day of prayer and reflection.  People are welcome to join us at any time throughout the day, or just call in for a quiet private visit to the Blessed Sacrament.  There will be exposition throughout the day.
For a copy of the poster for display in your church click here

During the year of faith we will be sharing information about different traditional prayers. 

The Rosary is a traditional prayer to Our Lady, in Lent 2012, young people on the Cathedral's confirmation programme prepared a reflection and series of displays showing the five sorrowful mysteries, for more information click here.  

The Angelus, is a traditional a prayer in which we remember the incarnation it is traditionally said three times a day at 9.00am, noon and 6.00pm.  For a short video in which the Angelus is said first in English and then in Latin. 

Education Mass - Diocesan Year of Faith launch

Bishop Michael Campbell incenses three icons which will travel
around the Lancaster diocese during the year of faith

Thursday 27th September saw a full cathedral as teachers, governors, catechists, parishioners and priests joined Bishop Michael Campbell at Lancaster's Education Mass and launch of the Year of Faith.  Although the Year of Faith doesn't officially begin till 11th October, Bishop Michael Campbell will be in Rome attending the Synod for New Evangelisation and so the Lancaster Diocese has launched the year.  

After renewing our Baptismal Promises the Bishop
sprinkled priests and people with Holy Water 

More about the Education Mass in the coming week.  Meanwhile preparation in the Cathedral continues.  A timeline showing the Pope and key episodes in the life of faith of the Church is growing by the day and the Inspire display at the back of the Cathedral is being filled with objects that remind us of our faith. At the centre is a candle representing Jesus the light of the world.  It is painted with images, below we see the familiar Α (alpha) and Ώ (omega) symbols that are on the Paschal Candle, that is lit at the Easter Vigil. 

Explanation of Year of Faith Timeline

Inspire display: Lancaster Cathedral

Curious about ... Vatican Council

Over the past few years the Cathedral have run a series of talks for people wanting to know more about different aspects of our faith.  After we leave school it can sometimes seem that there are few opportunities to learn more about our faith and yet we may be curious to learn more either to satisfy our own curiosity, to help us answer questions that other people ask us including our friends, neighbours, or family members.  The curious series have included: 

• Curious about the Bible
• Curious about the New Translation
• Curious about the Roman Missal 
• Curious about the Triduum
• Curious about Mary
• Curious about Penance

Curious about the Vatican Council.

Window: St Peter
Lancaster Cathedral

During the Year of Faith there will be two series of talks.  They are open to anyone and there is no charge.

Series One: What went before? 

Starting Tuesday 16th October

Series Two: Vatican II

Starting Tuesday 8th January 2013

All dates (either Tuesday evenings 7.30 to 9.00pm or Saturday afternoon) are listed on our events page, for further details see this copy of the Curious about the Vatican Council programme.  We'll also give updates of sessions.

Where?

St Walburge's Chapel, entrance from Pastoral Centre car park, Balmoral Road.

The image is one of 12 windows about the life of St Peter, who was chosen as the first Pope and is patron saint of Lancaster Cathedral.  Here Peter is at the Council of Jerusalem guiding the Church.

For other opportunities for adults to learn more about their faith see Adults page

Catechists Prepare

During the year of faith, all the primary schools throughout the Lancaster diocese have been invited to visit the Cathedral, the mother church of the diocese.  To prepare for their arrival catechists have been preparing, by learning more about the cathedral.  Claire Dickinson, the year 6 teacher of the Cathedral Primary School shared ideas about what the primary school children will have been learning at school, and what they might be expected to know by the time they are in year 6.  Sr Maureen Coyne, shared ideas, about the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation, from the catechism, which we'll be looking at throughout the year of faith.

Catechists look carefully at the altar to see
what they can learn about the Eucharist 

When year 6 groups come to visit they will sit in the benches and be able to see the altar, tabernacle, sanctuary lamps ... they will be hear more about the how the importance of these objects of faith.

Catechists preparing for primary school visits

See school page for further details. 

A special day in the life of the Diocese
On Saturday 22nd September at 11.00 am at Lancaster Cathedral John Millar will be ordained priest. Please keep John and his family in your prayers.  For more details about John's preparation see Cathedral blog.

On Friday 21st September, the eve of John's ordination there will be a Holy Hour at St Joseph's, Skerton at 7.00 to 8.00pm for vocations and priests.  All welcome.

Raising and Carrying our cross: A symbol of faith

Crucifix on altar at Cathedral
What tells you this is the Cathedral?

On Friday we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation (raise on high) of the Cross. Today we celebrate Home Mission Sunday, when we are called to "take up [their] cross and follow [him]" (Matthew 16:24) for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21). And St Rose of Lima said:

 Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

Things to think about  ...
Every time we say the sign of the cross we remember the three persons of the Holy Trinity, we remember our Baptism, and we remember that Jesus died on a cross and rose again to save us. 

Ideas from Cathedral's Children Liturgy Group

•  Take time to notice what you do when you say this prayer
• Consider talking to others about what actions they use and if they've ever been told anything about how they hold their hands
• As a family think about taking time to say the sign of the cross at a family meal and asking God to help you all to carry your daily cross.
• Next time you make this prayer and say Amen, which means I agree, think about what that means to you.  

In the name of the Father, 

and of the Son 

and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

The cross is a powerful symbol of our faith - it reminds us of "how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16).  The readings on Friday remind us of other feasts throughout the Church year:

• Second reading Philippians 2: 8-11 ,,, [Christ] was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. And for this God raised him high,  ... is also read on Palm Sunday.
• Gospel Acclamation: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you; because by your cross you have redeemed the world is a familiar to those who pray the Stations of the Cross.  
• Gospel John 3: 13-17: For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved reminds us not only of Good Friday when Jesus was nailed on the cross, but of the joy of Easter that through his resurrection we are saved. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church 

CCC 617 The Council of Trent emphasizes the unique character of Christ's sacrifice as "the source of eternal salvation" and teaches that "his most holy Passion on the wood of the cross merited justification for us." And the Church venerates his cross as she sings: "Hail, O Cross, our only hope." 



Have you ever wondered ...?
What is the catechism?
What is a Council?
When was the Council of Trent?
In every walk of life there is technical language, over the coming months we will be trying to explain what some of the technical language of the church means - if you have any questions, please use our contact us form to let us know the things you would like explaining. 

Cathedral Year of Faith Blog

Our Lady, Lancaster Cathedral: Te Deum window

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady's birthday, we launch the Cathedral Year of Faith blog.  This is very fitting, as Mary's life is a shining example of faith.  When Pope Benedict XVI announced the Year of Faith in his Apostolic letter (Porta Fidei - which means "door of faith" (Acts 14:27) he finished by saying:

Let us entrust this time of grace to the Mother of God, proclaimed “blessed because she believed” (Lk 1:45).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (more about this book during the months ahead), includes a quote from Pope Paul VI that explains the importance of Mary: 

CCC 975 "We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ" (Paul VI, CPG § 15).

This quote was from Paul VI's Apostolic letter, Solemni hac Liturgia (Solemn Liturgy) known as 'Credo of the People of God' (CPG).  He wrote this letter to mark the end of another year of faith, the 19th centenary of the martrydom of St Peter and St Paul.  

When is the Year of Faith (YOF)?
The Year of Faith will begin on 11th October 2012 and finish on 24th November 2013, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King.   

As we count down to the Year of Faith we will tell you about the different sections of this blog and keep you posted about events and things that will be happening.  
For more information about Lancaster Cathedral Parish please look at the:  

• Lancaster Cathedral website click here
• Cathedral Parish of St Peter and St Thomas More blog, click here.