Saturday, November 20, 2010

Consecration of a cathedral



A friend posted this on Facebook today. (Click on the picture above and you will be taken to the original page to play the video) It is well worth watching as a reminder of how times have changed. As the film doesn`t say at first which cathedral is being consecrated I thought it must be somewhere in Ireland given the way the streets were decorated with papal colours. Amazing to think that this was Liverpool in the 1960`s. I`m not sure anyone would be very bothered if a new cathedral was opened today. For whatever reason, Liverpool seems to have fallen off the ecclesiastical map somewhat in recent times. I wasn`t a fan of archbishop Worlock (nor Liverpool cathedral) but at least under him there was a sense that Liverpool was an important Catholic place. I remember being told by an old priest from South Africa who was from Liverpool that it had been the most thriving diocese in north-west Europe and looking at this video you could believe it.

Quomodo sola sedet civitas plena populo?

13 comments:

1569 Rising said...

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was consecrated by Cardinal Heenan and Archbishop Beck on 14 May 1967.

Affectionately known as Paddy's Wigwam, you can see why.

You could have had the decency to warn those of us of a nervous disposition that we would have seen Harold Wilson in the clip.
I am still recovering.

Rubricarius said...

A fascinating window on social history of the time.

There is something moving about the ladies white-washing their kerbs whilst wearing hair curlers and a 'pinny'.

It is also interesting to see an array of bishops in the manttelletum (along with some protonotaries). Interesting too to see surplices in use by some of the servers and lace limited to the prelates present.

I wish I could say I didn't remember Harold Wilson...

Then - and Now! said...

I had had enough after three minutes when the interior of the cathedral was shown. Up to that point it had been a poignant snapshot of a thriving diocese. It was remarkable with all that bunting and the white-washed kerbs, but Liverpool now is a desert.

Wonder what they will come up with to mark the closure of Ushaw. White-wash anyone?

Anonymous said...

the cathedral was actually consecrated by Bishop Augustine Harris, aixillary of the diocese because the ordinary was unwell

The Trad Troll said...

For any others of a similar nervous disposition to 1569 Rising who might be unwise enough to watch this video the clip showing Harold Wilson is at 7 minutes and 3 seconds and can easily be skipped. Unfortunately, the interior of the building cannot be avoided so easily but it does serve as a reminder to critics of re-ordered churches that things could be worse! What is little known is that in 1984 a Tridentine Mass (now the EF Mass, of course) was celebrated in the crypt of Paddy's Wigwam, possibly the only such Mass for many years.

Fr Michael Brown said...

Trad Troll would that be the Mass said by Fr Lemieux (sp?) of the SSPX? I heard about it when I was at Ushaw. I thought it might have been later than 1984 as the student who told me about it only started at Ushaw in 1985. I believe the crypt was booked for a `Youth Mass` as the youth wing of the SSPX was involved.

The Trad Troll said...

Thank you, Fr Brown. I have checked my files and it was indeed later than 1984 that the Mass took place. It was on Saturday 23rd February 1985. The press report stated that 'the congregation numbered approximately 70. Before Mass Fr Denis Marchel heard confessions while the rosary was recited by the congregation who also sang the Salve Regina and Faith of Our Fathers. The YRC then made their way to the cathedral's youth club where the abortion issue was discussed with the SPUC NE Regional Chairman'. Oddly (understandably, I suppose) our initiative was not greeted with any great praise from the SSPX Superior, Fr Black,when he received some flack from the cathedral authorities when they discovered what had taken place!

Fr Michael Brown said...

Thanks for confirming that Trad Troll. I have just realised that we at least better off than Liverpool in having had an EF Mass in our cathedral recently.

1569 Rising said...

The Trad Troll...

What brazen cheek! Catholics singing Faith of our Fathers, and in the city of the National Pastoral Congress!! I am so distraught, I will need to lie down.

I expect the Cathedral Authorities had the crypt steam cleaned and exorcised, in case there were any lingering notes of "dungeon, fire and sword" embedded in the stonework.

I will need a dose of liturgical dancing and a quick chorus of Colours of Day to restore my equilibrium.

Crux Fidelis said...

According to the Catholic Hierarchy site, Liverpool has far and away the highest Catholic population of any diocese in Great Britain - 46%.

1569 Rising said...

Apparently BBC1 are transmitting Midnight Mass from Paddy's Wigwam this coming Christmas. The celebrant is to be Archbishop Kelly, and the Choir will be singing Widor's "Messe pour deux choeurs et deux orgues".

Of course, all real connoisseurs of Sacred Music and authentic ritual will be at St Mary's Forest Hall at the same time.

No contest, really.

Adam said...

1569 Rising,
Believe it or not, "Faith of our Fathers" was sung not infrequently at the Metropolitan cathedral during Archbishop Worlock's time. Likewise, "God Bless Our Pope (the Ripley version) got at least an annual airing at the papal award holders' Mass on the Feast of the Chair of Peter.

Moreover, Archbishop Worlock habitually pontificated at the cathedral on solemn feasts to the tune of Haydn or Mozart etc., with full orchestral accompaniment. The cathedral orchestra stopped performing at Mass only after the arrival of Archbishop Kelly in 1996.

Incidentally, the then bishop Worlock can be seen in the video, seconds after Harold Wilson. The jewelled pectoral cross around his neck belonged to Cardinal Griffin, and is now in the posession of Archbishop Nichols, who wore it at his installation at Westminster cathedral (along with Mgr. Worlock's "council ring").

Adam said...

1569 Rising,

The cathedral is not known "affectionately" as "Paddy's Wigwam". Not a few of us in Liverpool, including the present archbishop and the administrator of the cathedral regard it as a denigratory term. Even Cardinal Heenan, who approved the design of the building, found the reference tiresome:
"During the coming months people will flock to Liverpool from all over the world to see the metropolitan cathedral. The jokes about funnels and wigwams already sound a little tired. The building shows that the architectural language of today can be used to the Glory of God just as fully as the languages of the Middle Ages."

Catholic Pictorial Souvenir Edition, May 14th, 1967, p. 7