Cardinal Vaughan

An image of the founder of Westminster Cathedral, Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, third archbishop of Westminster (1892 - 1903). This portrait was published shortly after his death.

La Sensa 2007

The traditional Ascension day ceremony of the Wedding to the Sea ceremony was conducted with greater splendour this year ...

Salve et Vale

Today is the last weekend of pastoral placement for Kim Addison, our first-year seminarian from Allen Hall, the diocesan seminary. We marked his departure with a photograph of all the chaplains, taken after Vespers in the sacristy.
Front Row from left: Fr Tim Dean, Revd Richard Nesbitt (Deacon), Fr Denis Sarsfield, Fr Christopher Tuckwell (sub-Administrator), Fr Michael Seed SA, Sr Bridget Cullen
Back Row from left: Mgr Mark Langham (Administrator), Kim Addison, Fr Slawomir Witon, Fr Dwayne Bednar, Fr Michael Durand, Dominic Wells (intern). Absent: Fr Michael Archer

It is worth noting that we believe this to be is the largest community of diocesan secular clergy in the country - and larger than many religious houses.

Kim has been a wonderful and cheerful presence in our midst, and we are proud to have helped him on his first steps to priesthood.

We also welcomed Fr Jerry Bednar, brother of Fr Dwayne, who crossed the Pond to be with us. The Fathers Bednar are below.

La Sensa

Marking the Feast of the Ascension, last year we re-enacted the great Venetian Ascension Day festival, when the Doge was rowed out in his great barge of state, the Bucintoro, and threw a ring into the sea to symbolise the wedding of the great republic with the oceans (Canaletto's painting of the Doge's embarkation is below; the Bucintoro is to the right).

I had a few choristers at hand, a ring, a Doge's corno (pointed cap) and a garden pond, so we made do. But the words were the same:

'Desponsamus te mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii' (We marry you, o sea, as a symbol of true and perpetual dominion)

More Vault Work

Last time it was yellow; this time red. Yesterday evening, a slightly smaller version of the crane that inspected the vaults appeared in the Cathedral after closing time, to fix some brick work in the arch above the Grand Organ.

The workmen spent the first half-hour learning how to manipulate the great arm. I was horrified that they would crash into the arble organ screen, or one of the chandeliers.

Our maintenance staff, Tom and Bernie, together with Neil, our Estates Manager, were on hand to keep an eye - you can see them mid-right, enjoying the first of many cups of tea through the night!

The crane will pin some of the brickwork over the Organ (and indeed the organist!) that required urgent attention. Work on the vaults and domes will come later; we are investigating ways of scaffolding the Cathedral interior that will cause minimal disruption.

Centenary Congress 1950

A fascinating image of the Papal Legate at the Throne - note the two gentiluomini in their ruffs flanking him, while Cardinal Griffin is relegated to a faldstool on the right. In the stalls sits the Hierarchy, and the Chapter Canons are on their knees around the Throne (!).

The Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales was re-established by Pope Pius IX in 1850, with Nicholas Wiseman as first Archbishop of Westminster. Cardinal Griffin preached the sermon on the anniversary: "As Bishop Wiseman raised the sacred Host on the morning of the 29th September 1850, his heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving for great things were at hand. Success had at last attended the labours of many years of negotiation. The Hierarchy, which had been extinct for three hundred years, was that day to be restored."

The Cathedral Chronicle noted approvingly: "The transformation of the Cathedral for the celebrations was a magnificent achievement and conveyed an impression of great beauty and dignity. The thrones and tribunes which were put up for the occasion looked splendid in their scarlet and gold hangings."

Complex Breakfast

Not, what you might think, a difficult choice among complex options for breakfast, but rather an opportunity for Clergy and Staff throughout the Cathedral Complex to meet together. Just over a week ago, staff from Vaughan House, Archbishop's House and Clergy House shared breakfast together on the Clergy House terrace. It was a huge success helped, as you see, by glorious sunshine.

The Cathedral is only part of the huge operation that exists on this site: Vaughan House, next door to Clergy House, houses the Diocesan Curia (Tribunal, Finance, Education, Catechetics etc). Archbishop's House is the location for staff supporting the Cardinal and auxiliary Bishops; based in Clergy House are the staff and clergy running the Cathedral and choir school.

As often happens, although working in proximity we rarely get to intermingle, and hence to know each other. This breakfast was the start, I hope, of an initiative to bring all those who work and live in this large complex together. As I always says, those who can party well together, can work well together!

Gardening-wise, it is early days on the terrace - although you will see that the herbs (bottom left) are doing well, gathered around the smart new fountain.