1963: Dr Dixon's Panis Vitae

On this day in 1963 the Ashton Hall was the venue for the first north of England performance of 'Panis Vitae', a Eucharistic Oratorio by the Cathedral's musical director, Dr J. H. Reginald Dixon. The programme says of the work, "This lovely and deeply spiritual work was first produced in the Concert Hall, Munich in August, 1960 and afterwards at the Central Hall, Westminster in July, 1961." We will hear more of Dr Dixon next month as we mark 100 years since his appointment to St Peter's in May 1909. For now, though, a few more words from the programme for this concert will give us a sense of his importance: "The 76 year old composer is Resident Organist to the Lancaster City Corporation and Organist at St. Peter's R.C. Cathedral for more than 50 years and has been internationally famous for his Church Music."

Palm Sunday

Stumbled across in the archives, this photo shows a Palm Sunday procession of years gone by. Those with knowledge of cars could probably date the picture quite accurately!

1894: Alderman Thomas Preston

This is a portrait of Alderman Thomas Preston, who died on this day in 1894. The painting hangs in Lancaster Town Hall. Thomas Preston was the treasurer on the committee which oversaw the building of St Peter's, and he was a generous benefactor of local churches; Billington records that he gave £100 towards the building of St Mary's in Morecambe. He was also the first Catholic to be elected Mayor of Lancaster after the Reformation, as Canon Billington states: "It was in 1875 that he was first elected to the chair, but Protestant feeling in the town was so bitter at the time that it was considered injudicious for him to pay a state visit to St. Peter's. At his second term, in 1889, no opposition was raised, and an official visit was therefore made. His nephew, Alderman Robert Preston, elected mayor in 1894, 1899, and 1900, also visited the church in state." Robert Preston had two brothers who went on to be priests: Joseph and Richard, who went on to be an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.

2005: the death of Pope John Paul II

It was an event which got the attention of the entire planet. For several days in Easter week 2005 the world watched, hundreds of thousands gathered in Rome, and people waited, knowing that the man who had been Pope for over 26 years was nearing the end of his life. Over 200 world leaders attended his funeral, which brought together many who would normally never meet face-to-face. The Cathedral became the focus of prayer for the city of Lancaster and for the Diocese, as many came to pray for the Pope and to mourn his death.

The morning after the Pope's death a great crowd attended Mass, with the number present almost 50% higher than would be otherwise expected. These pictures are from a diocesan Mass which was celebrated on the evening of the Pope's funeral.

About 600 attended the Mass, with priests and people coming from all over the Diocese.

Red vestments are worn in a requiem Mass for the Pope. This is to show the unbroken link with the Apostles, most of whom were martyrs.

There was also an ecumenical celebration of Vespers, which was attended by many people and leaders from other denominations. A picture of the Pope on the sanctuary steps became a focal point for prayer, and candles were lit before it. Sadly these pictures are not of a great quality. If anyone has the originals, please contact us!

Votes for Clergy!

These days the Cathedral Social Centre is used as a polling station whenever general or local elections are held. Eighty-four years ago, however, the Cathedral had a different involvement in the electoral process. At that time Canon Blundell, the Cathedral Administrator, was standing for office himself, as the Notice Book entry of 29th March 1925 records: "On Monday April 6th the election for the Board of Guardians takes place. At present there is not a single Catholic on the Board – so the Canon is offering himself for election in the John O’Gaunt ward. Every Catholic that has a vote should record it. Those young men who are used to clerical work are asked to come forward to offer their services. They may give their names today to the Canon or to Mr. Tom Purcell. We shall need to begin the clerical work tomorrow night." The following week the issue is raised again: "In the election of Law Guardians tomorrow, all Catholics should consider it a duty to vote, if they have a vote. As yet there is not a Catholic on the Board. Make sure of the election of the Canon by voting only for him. There will be a meeting of supporters and those willing to work, in the Boys’ School after Benediction." The notice books make no further mention of the event: perhaps the Canon was not elected, or perhaps reference was made to the election in some other way, and therefore not mentioned in the announcements.

2008: The Ordination of Bishop Campbell

This is Bishop Michael Campbell, the first Augustinian friar to become a Bishop in England since the Reformation. At the time of writing this blog, he is preparing to be formally inaugurated as the Sixth Bishop of Lancaster.

It's a year to the day since Bishop Campbell was ordained in a wonderful ceremony - one of the grandest that the Cathedral has ever witnessed. The church was filled to overflowing, with over 30 bishops, 200 clergy and several hundred religious and lay people from across the Diocese.

Presiding over the liturgy was Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue, who was assisted by Bishop Brian Noble of Shrewsbury (who grew up in the Cathedral parish) and Archbishop Patrick Kelly of Liverpool (who served here as a curate early in his priestly life).

The two Bishops have had a joint responsibility for the Diocese since that day. On May 1st Bishop O'Donoghue will retire and Bishop Campbell takes on the task alone.

A number of people gathered in the garden and on the streets outside both before and after Mass, simply to watch the processions. The mitred heads of the bishops certainly formed an impressive sight.

It was also believed to be the only occasion to date when two cardinals had been present at the Cathedral. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, preached at the ordination; Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, also attended. The Pope was represented by the Papal Nuncio.

1601: Blessed Thurstan Hunt and Robbert Middleton

Among the names listed on the martyrs' plaque in the Cathedral are two Yorkshire priests who were executed in Lancaster on this day in 1601. Canon Billington says that their story has "something of the romantic" about it. This is, in the Canon's words, what happened: "Middleton, who had been brought up a Protestant, being converted when eighteen years of age, had been labouring near Preston, when he was in October 1600 captured by Sir Richard Hoghton. He was examined and sent to Lancaster, but on the way a rescue was attempted, the escort being attacked near Garstang. The attacking party, consisting of four horsemen and a footman, was driven off, and one member of it was taken and found to be another priest, Thurstan Hunt, who had lately escaped from Wisbech Castle. The two priests were sent to London to be examined, and being returned to Lancaster five months afterwards, were tried and condemned for their priesthood." At the gallows the two priests asked each other's blessing before being executed, weaing their cassocks. Seemingly many of the townsfolk sympathised with the priests. Billington records, "Every one lamented their death, for all the world perceived their innocency; and not only Catholics but schismatics and of all sorts strive to have something of their relics." He also quotes an earlier source which claims, "In all of Lancaster there could not be found any that would either lend horse of car or hurdle or any such-like thing for their death; so the sheriff was fain to take one of his own horses to draw the sledge."

The Liturgy at Dalton Square

To visitors standing in Dalton Square there appears only one significant difference between the former chapel as it stood in 1799 and its current appearance: the entrance. The doorway which now leads into the building from Dalton Square was not originally there; in fact, the altar stood just behind this opening. Sadly there are no pictures of the inside of the chapel, but Canon Billington does give us some sense of what went on there: "Though the building was simple almost to bareness, the ceremonies of the Church were, at least in its later time, carried out with the greatest solemnity and beauty. Mass on Sunday morning was followed by a catechising for the country children. The afternoon service was vespers, and the public catechising for the local children came at the end of it. Benediction was given only once a month." 150 years after the chapel closed, Vespers is now sung each Sunday afternoon in the Cathedral which replaced it; Benediction is also given - these days weekly, rather than monthly.

1830: The ordination of Richard Brown

This is the Lateran Basilica, the Cathedral Church of Rome. It was here, on this day in 1830, that a certain Richard Brown was ordained to the priesthood by the Patriarch of Constantinople. He was the nephew of Rev George Brown, at that time rector of the Lancaster Catholic mission, who went on to become the first Bishop of Liverpool in 1850. Fr Richard Brown worked in Poulton, Leeds, Kilvington, Whitby and Dukinfield. There, in Billington's words, he "caused the church, presbytery, and schools at Stalybridge to be built." Ten years after his ordination he went on to run the Lancaster mission, and oversaw the building of the present St Peter's church. His character is described by Canon Billington: "He was severe with himself and austere in his manner to others, but the flock knew a faithful pastor... He was regarded as 'a man of great culture, with a taste for archaeological and architectural studies which had been developed and enriched by his residence in Rome'." He adds, "No portrait of him is known; he refused to have one taken." Canon Billington is not slow to praise Fr Brown; he begins his account with the sentence, "The Rev. Richard Melchiades Brown, to whose zeal and self-sacrifice St. Peter's, with the house, convent, schools, and cemetery form a noble monument, deserves a more extended notice than the scanty records available admit."

Dolphinlee

"Dolphinlee from about 1580 was the residence of the Copeland family, who were leaseholders of the Daltons and acted as their agents... The house afforded shelter to the missionary priests." So writes Canon Billington in his parish history; the image here is also included in the book. Dolphinlee was one of many houses used for the celebration of Mass in the days when the practice of Catholicism was illegal in England. Billington refers to some of the Catholic families who lived in the Bulk area where Dolphinlee was to be found: "The Croskells and the Balls were yeoman families of great fidelity to the Catholic religion, and a number of priests sprang from them." One early source quoted by the Canon refers to a visit which took place on this day: "Thomas Tyldesley and his wife went to Bulk to 'prayers' on March 25, 1712, and he went again in the following April, but not later, so far as appears from his Diary." Sadly Dolphinlee is no longer standing; it was demolished in the early 20th century.

The Whiteside Chalice

This chalice - still in regular use at Mass - was given to St Peter's by James Whiteside in 1859, presumably to coincide with the opening of the new church. He died two years later, in 1861, as an earlier post on this blog recalls. The Whiteside family were great benefactors of the Cathedral, paying for (amongst other things) the 'Whiteside chantry', a side chapel to the south of the nave.

James Whiteside's mother, Catherine, died on this day in 1825, as the plaque in their chantry records.

The Whiteside Chantry contains a stained glass image of St Catherine. Presumably this saint was chosen in memory of Mrs Whiteside.

1925: the first Lourdes Pilgrimage

On this day in 1925 Cathedral parishioners were hearing of the first Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Led by Bishop Pearson, who would dedicate the Diocese to the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes, it has become an annual event. The notice book for this day in 1925 records the announcement: "Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. The Bishop wants as many as possible to join this pilgrimage. He himself is going and proposes to dedicate the Diocese to Our Lady of Lourdes at her shrine. He wants it to be known that he will accompany his own diocesans. Forms and all information can be had from any of the clergy."