THE CHURCH....
Off to London for a meeting of the small working team that organises the Towards Advent Festival every year at Westminster Cathedral Hall......yes, yes, I know....but to get this biggish event happening every year, we have to plan well ahead. (The date's Nov 3rd. Some brilliant speakers and a lovely choir. Lots of displays by Catholic organisations etc. Go on, put the date in your diary now, then you won't get into a muddle later on).
As we talked about the arrangements for promoting the Festival via parishes etc I found myself reflecting on the various Holy Week and Easter devotions this year....all those that I attended were absolutely packed, whether it was the Maundy Mass at Westminster Cathedral, or our own suburban parish on Good Friday, or the Oratory (St Aloysius) at Oxford for the Easter Vigil. Good Friday was especially memorable - it's always so moving to see the priest there, prostrate before the sanctuary - and the crowds spread from the church and porch right out into the street outside.......
I know we keep hearing that the Church is in a mess, Christianity fading out of everyone's lives etc etc etc....but it simply didn't feel that way this season.
2 comments:
I remember going to Westminster Cathedral for Palm Sunday Mass one year - took one of the daughters to encourage her. I was so relieved to find that the Church could still pull out all the stops and do things properly once in a while - but it made me wonder if the Cardinal et al really know what's going on in the parishes on a weekly basis. Do they think it's all done the way they see it on their visits?
From Amette - the computer will only let me sign on as Anonymous for some reason.
Agree with you as to the huge crowds this year. Westminster Cathedral on Easter Sunday morning was completely packed - seats, aisles, side chapels - and the whole piazza full of people of all ages and nationalities. It took half an hour to leave after Mass! Other Cathedral parishioners who have been so for years longer than me told me it was the busiest they'd ever seen it.
Could it be true that, in direct contradiction to the picture the media constantly try to paint, we are seeing a genuine revival in the faith? Well I certainly feel it - and thank God for it. Let's keep up the momentum. Veni creator Spiritus!
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