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The twinning of the cities of Liverpool and Dublin is now more than a year old and the deans of the cathedrals have each preached at their opposite’s civic services – our own dean most recently at the Liverpool Civic Service on 14 June. What an experience to preach in the largest single enclosed space in England!
An older twinning than that with Liverpool has recently come to light – one with San Jose in western California. Situated south of San Francisco, it is an idyllic area renowned for its fruit-growing and dried fruit industry and has a population of about half a million. Its cathedral is also Christ Church. We are to be visited by a member of the San Jose cathedral parish vestry – Mr Ian Delingei – on Sunday 16 August. He is a youth delegate attending the Lambeth Conference and will come to Dublin representing the dean of San Jose, The Very Revd Philip Getchell. The twinning of the two cathedrals has the support of the archbishop and we look forward to making fuller contacts over the coming months.
It was with some trepidation that we approached the parishes in connection with the cathedral appeal. It is barely thirty years since the parishes were last asked to "Safeguard Christ Church". And despite what we are told is the Celtic tiger economy we know that many of the parishes are stretched to the limit supporting their own buildings and needs. Somewhat tentatively, therefore, an optimistic figure of £200,000 was suggested as being a diocesan figure which would impress business and heritage groups that we were realistically contributing to the maintenance of our own property. Imagine our delight that, to date, from pledged and verbally promised contributions we are almost up to the £150,000 mark – with quite a number of parishes still expressing interest in the project and willing to help. Needless to say we are delighted at the parochial response and find it very humbling to have such support.
The Dublin skyline is currently full of building cranes. Perhaps a small one may appear at some stage on the north side of the cathedral. A planning application to Dublin Corporation is displayed in the cathedral gate notice board that seeks permission to erect a crypt exit, public toilets and office accommodation in the north yard. Many people, looking at the size of the chapter house area, have the impression that we even have space to rent out. Little do most know that the cathedral office is occupied by three desks and four noisy printing, folding and laminating machines; that the dean has to operate from the deanery; and that the director of music has a partitioned area in the music room where he has to compete with individuals and groups rehearsing choral music or practising their piano lessons.
Even if approved, it does not mean that all our problems can be solved overnight. There are almost certain to be objections to some of the ideas for the proposed building, money has to be found for the project, and there will be disruption as building takes place.
Months behind schedule the rewiring of the cathedral and the installation of new lights is nearing completion. The hidden lights at the triforium and choir stalls levels are complete and the dimmer systems (on the old organ loft) and emergency battery and control systems (in the crypt) are fully working. The temporary halogen lights in the nave will soon be removed and the first of the new lanterns will appear. When all is complete the computer-controlled switching gear will be set giving a variety of lighting levels for every possible use.
The heating, too, is ready for the coming winter. Coming from a heat pump in the civic offices, it will enable the old gas furnaces to be removed giving additional crypt space and also a saving in heating costs. This heating source will be used by much of western Temple Bar and also by Jury’s Inn.
Flying plastic bags are part of the menace the cathedral faces on a daily basis. The bags are blown by the wind with many of them landing in the leaded gutters on the cathedral roofs where they block the outlets to ground level. In some instances this has caused waterfalls within the structure. In other areas the downpipes have simply decayed with age and the walls have become saturated. Their replacement is high on our work list.
The exterior pointing of the north and south transepts (the oldest parts of the upper church) is also a cause of worry. The old pointing mix is possibly the cause of fragmenting stone which can only be cured by the mortar being deeply cut back and replaced by new lime pointing which contains less cement. This will be an expensive but necessary part of the restoration if the stonework is not to decay further.
Andrew was ordained priest [with Bernie Daly (Taney parish), Olive Henderson (Clondalkin union) and David Palmer (Glenageary parish)] in the cathedral on Sunday 28 June at 3.30 p.m. The following evening, Saint Peter’s Day, in All Saints’ Church, he celebrated the Eucharist for the first time, assisted by the cathedral choir singing Mozart’s "Coronation Mass".
Visiting Choirs are a feature of late July and August each year. It is a joy to have visiting groups from many parts of the Anglican world and from other traditions too. They bring a breadth of their own vision and also share in ours. In August we shall welcome:
| 29 - 30 July & 1 - 2 August | (Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun) | The Southburgh Choir, Norfolk |
| 8 & 9 August | (Sat,Sun) | Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis, USA |
| 10 - 12, 14 - 16 August | (Daily except Thursday) | St Peter’s, Bexhill, Kent, England |
| 19, 20, 22, 23 August | (Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun) | St Mark’s, Winshill, Burton-upon-Trent |
| 28 - 30 August | (Fri, Sat, Sun) | The Pegasus Choir, London |
Mrs Sylvia Pritchard has completely recovered from her nasty fall at the steps of the communion rails on Sunday last, 19 July, when her Budleigh Salterton choir was splendidly singing our services. She was taken to Saint James’s hospital where the cut on the side of her head was stitched. With marvellous spirit she was back in the cathedral for the middle of Evensong, dined with the choir on Sunday evening and spent Monday shopping before returning to Devon.
The Lambeth Conference began on Sunday 19 July at the University of Kent with an opening service in Canterbury Cathedral. As much information as can be gleaned from the internet has been put on the cathedral notice boards. It will be interesting to watch for developments as the bishops confer. On many subjects there are completely divergent views between bishops from the first, second and third world countries. The archbishop of Armagh has an important role as official Anglican spokesman on a number of subjects.
Christopher Shiell, our new administrator, has met most of the congregation and helpers around the cathedral and is getting so many jobs under way that we wonder how we managed before his arrival. He is coping well with us and everyone seems to have taken to him.
Councillor Senator Joe Doyle is a very good friend of the cathedral. On behalf of the Corporation he recently presented the dean with the first of five annual cheques for £20,000.00 towards the restoration. Everyone will therefore be delighted to hear of his election by his fellow councillors as Lord Mayor of Dublin. His will be an historic year. From 1999 onwards a new selection method will be in place which will for the first time give the people of the city a voice in the election. Senator Doyle hopes to be with us on 1 November for the annual Citizenship Service. He has always been a regular attender.
Material for the September Church Review must reach the dean by 12th August
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