Oremus September 2026

September 2026 | Edition Number 326 | FREE

Westminster Cathedral Magazine

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Oremus

SEPTEMBER 2026

CONTENTS

Inside Oremus

Oremus Cathedral Clergy House 42 Francis Street London SW1P 1QW T 020 7798 9055 E oremus@westminstercathedral.org.uk W www.westminstercathedral.org.uk

Oremus, the magazine of Westminster Cathedral, reflects the life of the Cathedral and the lives of those who make it a place of faith in central London. If you think that you would like to contribute an article or an item of news, please contact the Editor.

Patron The Archbishop of Westminster Chairman Fr Sławomir Witoń Editor Lorcán Keller Oremus Team Tony Banks – Distribution Zoë Goodway – Finance Anne Marie Micallef – Marketing Paul Moynihan – Proofreading Manel Silva – Subscriptions Design and Art Direction Julian Game Registered Charity Number 233699 ISSN 1366-7203 Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor or the Oremus Team. Neither are they the official views of Westminster Cathedral. The Editor reserves the right to edit all contributions. Publication of advertisements does not imply any form of recommendation or endorsement. Unless otherwise stated, photographs are published under a creative commons or similar licence.

Every effort is made to credit all images.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

On Monday 29 June 2026, the feast of Ss Peter and Paul, Archbishop Richard Moth received the pallium, the symbol of his office as Metropolitan Archbishop, from Pope Leo XIV in St Peter’s Basilica.

This strip of wool, ‘three fingers wide’, was originally a papal vestment, symbolising the Good Shepherd carrying the lamb on his shoulders, but now represents jurisdictional authority, in communion with Rome. © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

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Cathedral Life: From the Editor Homily: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Archbishop Richard Moth

5

6&7

Caritas Deaf Service – 50th Anniversary Mass

by Shell Roca

13

Cathedral History in Pictures: The Episcopal Ordination of the Rt Rev Richard Moth

19

10

Features: The ‘Salary of the Soul’

by Dr Minh Duc Tran A Reflection on the Reception of the Pallium

by Archbishop Richard Moth

8&9

15 10 & 11

A Belgravian Benefactress

by Joanna Bogle

12

In response to the Prime Minister’s support for palliative care

by Archbishop John Sherrington

18

Westminster Interfaith Events

by John Woodhouse

18

A pilgrim walking in St Francis’s footsteps

by Louise Daker 20 Book Reviews

by Antonia Moffat and the Editor A Pilgrim’s Blessing by Eileen Murray

19

22 & 23 27

Regulars: Monthly Album

14 & 15

The Friends

16 & 17

In Retrospect: 100 and 70 years ago Diary and Notices Crossword and Poems

21

27

24 & 25 26

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This is easy to do and makes a real difference to the Cathedral. Simply provide your solicitor with the following recommended wording: Westminster Cathedral, part of the Westminster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustee Registered Charity Number 233699

The Cathedral has meant so much to me during my life. I hope my legacy will help it continue its mission long into the future.

Paul If you would like to find out more or talk about the impact that you would like your gift to have, please contact Laura on the Cathedral’s Fundraising Team: cathedralgiving@rcdow.org.uk or call 020 7798 9058

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Oremus

SEPTEMBER 2026

FROM THE EDITOR

Westminster Cathedral Cathedral Clergy House 42 Francis Street London SW1P 1QW

Lorcán writes

Telephone 020 7798 9055 Email chreception@rcdow.org.uk www.westminstercathedral.org.uk

On Saturday 11 July, Archbishop Richard Moth celebrated the morning Mass for the happy repose of the soul of Ann Widdecombe, following the shocking news of her murder and the manhunt that ensued. May she rest in eternal peace. Her mortal remains were later brought to nearby Buckfast Abbey, where she often attended Mass, for a private funeral. The former MP and MEP was also well-known to Westminster Cathedral, having been received into the Catholic Church here by Cardinal Basil Hume in 1993, and as a reader at the Sunday evening Mass.

A staunch defender of the sanctity of human life, Ann was later created a Dame of St Gregory, in 2013, for her services to politics and to public life.

On a lighter note, the Grand Organ Festival will return each Wednesday evening from 9 to 30 September, featuring our own Simon Johnson and Peter Stevens, along with James Orford of St Paul’s Cathedral and Ulrich Walther from the University of Graz.

More information can be found on the Cathedral website. On Monday 14 September, Bishop Curry will celebrate the 5.30pm Mass with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. There will also be an opportunity to venerate a relic of the True Cross after all Masses.

The following Saturday, 19 September, His Grace will lead the annual diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham. A coach will depart from Westminster Cathedral that morning, led by Fr Witoń. Please contact Clergy House Reception to book your place.

Later in the month, we will also celebrate two significant anniversaries. On Tuesday 22 September Finchley Catholic High School will mark their centenary with a Mass at 2pm, followed that evening with a Mass for Cathedral Volunteers at 5.30pm.

Then, on Saturday 26 September, the Deaf Community will mark their 50th anniversary in the Diocese of Westminster, with a Mass (in word and sign) at 2pm, celebrated by Bishop Paul McAleenan.

All are welcome to attend. Bishop Paul will also return that evening to celebrate the International Mass for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees and, again, all are welcome.

Also in residence Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories: Sr Jesuina, Sr Angelina and Sr Mariana Music Department Simon Johnson, Master of Music Peter Stevens Obl. OSB, Assistant Master of Music Augustine Cox, Organ Scholar © Credit in here

Unfortunately, that same sanctity is again under attack, as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will return to the House of Commons on Friday 11 September for its Second Reading and vote. Ahead of this vote, His Grace the Archbishop will celebrate Mass, with a number of prelates from across Great Britain, for those attending the March for Life on Saturday 5 September.

Cathedral Chaplains Fr Sławomir Witoń, Dean Canon Gerard King Fr Patrick van der Vorst, Precentor Fr Michael Guthrie, Archbishop’s Private Secretary Fr Vincent Mbu’i SVD Fr Paul Zhao SVD Fr Hugh MacKenzie Rev Paul Christian (Cathedral Deacon) Fr Clement Abobo, Fr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz (priests in residence)

Cathedral Manager Peter McNulty Caption in here

Bold intro

Parish Safeguarding Representative Trevor Koschalka westcathsg2@safeguardrcdow.org.uk Cathedral Finance Manager George Kulasingham Cathedral Fundraising Manager Laura Dudhee Chapel of Ease Sacred Heart Church Horseferry Road SW1P 2EF

Main text

Finally, hearty congratulations to Bishop Paul, who celebrated his 75th birthday in July, and to Stephen Wang, of Sycamore fame, who has been appointed as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.

As he prepares to leave the Diocese of Westminster, a farewell Mass for Bishop-elect Wang will be held in Westminster Cathedral in late October, details to follow.

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HOMILY

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Archbishop Richard Moth Dear brothers and sisters, Welcome to this celebration on this great feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady into Heaven. ‘He who is mighty has done great things for me; and holy is his Name.’ Mary is assumed into heaven. The one who is the Mother of 6

the Saviour shares, at the moment of her death, in the consequences of her Son’s resurrection.

The first reading of today’s Mass provides us with the image of the ‘woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown

of twelve stars.’ This is, surely, an image of Our Lady, for the passage continues to describe the vision of the battle between Satan and her Son, the Saviour of the world. This image of Our Lady, given to St John in his visions that produced the Book of Revelation, crowned and in glory, is indicative of today’s feast.

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HOMILY The dogma of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady into heaven was only declared in 1950, by Pope Pius XII during the Holy Year. We might be forgiven for thinking that this seems rather recent, yet, as Pope Pius highlights in the Apostolic Constitution that accompanied his declaration, this has been the constant teaching of the Church since the earliest times. Pope Pius had a particular motivation for declaring this dogma just after the Second World War. It was a universal call to peace; a universal call to focus on the Kingdom, which this feast is all about. All that we believe about Our Blessed Mother points us to her Son. Just as her Immaculate Conception prepared her to be the Mother of the Saviour, so she was to share immediately, at the end of her earthly life, in the benefits that her Son has won for us through his resurrection.

For it would not have been right for the Mother of God to ‘know’, as St Germanus expressed it, ‘dissolution into dust.’ She is taken straight to heaven, as befits her status as the Mother of Christ.

So, in celebrating this beautiful feast, we celebrate our own hope; for we are called, through the death and resurrection of Christ, to come to the wonder of heaven. While we shall not be assumed into heaven, Mary shows us that our destiny is our true home, in heaven.

In the meantime, we are pilgrims – the Pilgrim People of God – given by Christ the mission to proclaim his life, and the destiny to which all people are called: the eternal praise of God in the glory of heaven. This demands of us a particular way of life, growing from our prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist, that makes of us, in the imitation of Our Blessed Mother, bearers of God’s love to the world.

Today’s feast is not simply the celebration of a historical reality in the person of Mary, called home by her Son. Is this not a feast for our time? For our society? For the world in which we live?

Surely this is so, since this feast calls us all to focus on the reality of our lives; lives that are not simply for this moment,

GOF 2026 A5 landscape.qxp_Layout 1 18/06/2026 07:23 Page 1

but for eternity in the love of the Father.

This reality, to which Mary calls us, transforms our very existence. Humanity does not exist simply for the appetites and gratifications of the moment; the self-centred, and short-lived pleasures to which so much of our present reality calls us. Our lives should not be about conflict and the scars this brings at so many levels of our lives, and beyond, on the world stage, marked by the desire for power that brings suffering and death to so many thousands. Rather, Mary, assumed into heaven, teaches us that through complete openness to the will of God, life itself is life-giving and brings us to the wonder of the life and love of the Kingdom.

May our every moment be informed

by Mary’s journey; a life given completely to the call of her Son. It is through life lived in this way that we can be bold to say, even of ourselves: ‘He who is mighty has done great things for me; and holy is his Name.’

GRAND ORGAN FESTIVAL 2026 A series of recitals given on the world-famous Henry Willis III Grand Organ Wednesdays in September at 7.30pm 9th

JAMES ORFORD | St Paul’s Cathedral

16th

Peter Stevens | Westminster Cathedral

23rd

ULRICH WALTHER | International Concert Organist

30th

Simon Johnson | Westminster Cathedral Tickets £15 £12 concessions available on the door

westminstercathedral.org.uk/music/grand-organ-festival

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A DOCTOR IN THE SACRISTY

The ‘salary of the soul’ and the care of those who serve the Church Dr Minh Duc Tran

When I graduated from St Mary’s University with a PhD in Business and Management, the news caused some affectionate amusement among my colleagues at Westminster Cathedral: one of the sacristans is now a doctor. The contrast is appealing. A doctorate suggests libraries, theories and academic debate. A sacristan’s work is much more tangible: preparing vestments and sacred vessels, placing books, lighting candles and attending to the hundreds of small details that allow the liturgy to be celebrated with dignity. Yet these two worlds are not as far apart as they might seem.

My doctoral thesis, The Salary of the Soul: A Human Resource Stewardship Model for Forming Gen-Z Catechists, Inspired by the Witness of the Vietnamese Martyrs, began with a question that is both organisational and deeply pastoral: what sustains those who continue to serve the Church when money, status and public recognition are not their principal rewards?

Why does a catechist return each week to prepare children for the Sacraments? Why does a volunteer arrive early to unlock a church, welcome visitors or arrange chairs? Why does a member of staff carry out work that may be noticed only when something goes wrong? What sustains a priest through the repeated demands of preaching, administration, pastoral emergencies and sacramental ministry? What, in other words, sustains the person behind the task?

‘Salary of the soul’ describes the interior and relational rewards that arise when people know that their work has meaning, that they belong to a community and that their contribution forms part of a mission greater than themselves. It is the quiet satisfaction of knowing that one’s labour, however modest or hidden, has served God and neighbour. This idea must be handled carefully. A spiritual reward is not a substitute for fair treatment, proper support or just remuneration. Nor should the language of vocation and sacrifice be used to excuse poor management or to demand unlimited generosity from those who are already carrying too much. Grace does not abolish human needs. It works through them.

Those who serve the Church still need formation, encouragement, honest communication, appropriate rest and the assurance that they are valued as persons rather than merely for the function they perform. The Church cannot speak convincingly about human dignity while failing to recognise the humanity of its own clergy, employees and 8

volunteers. A cathedral reveals how much ecclesial life depends upon hidden work. Before a solemn Mass begins, someone has prepared the sanctuary, checked the vessels, arranged the vestments, briefed the servers and solved the inevitable last-minute difficulties. When the congregation has departed, others remain to clean, restore, count, lock and prepare again.

This work is successful partly when it goes unnoticed. The practical arrangements disappear, allowing the congregation to attend to prayer.

There is a genuine theology in such hidden service.

Christ washed the feet of his disciples. The Gospel directs our attention towards small offerings: a cup of cold water, the widow’s coins, a few loaves and fish. Christian holiness is often formed through ordinary acts performed faithfully, without spectacle. Yet humility should not be confused with imposed invisibility. There is a difference between serving without seeking praise and belonging to a culture in which gratitude is considered unnecessary. Recognition is not vanity. At its best, it is the simple acknowledgement that a person’s offering has been seen and received.

My work at Westminster Cathedral has allowed the questions behind my research to take on a more concrete form. I came here to serve, but service also teaches us how to observe and listen. Working alongside clergy, staff and volunteers has made me increasingly aware of the lives carried quietly behind public roles. This is especially true of priests. At the altar, a priest may appear highly visible, yet much of the human cost of his ministry remains unseen. Behind every public celebration may lie private burdens, difficult conversations, pastoral crises and the constant expectation of availability. Ordination configures a man to Christ in service of the Church, but it does not remove tiredness, vulnerability or the need for friendship and care. The pastoral care of a Christian community must therefore include the care it offers to those who minister within it.

The same principle applies to staff and volunteers. Every person enters service with a history, gifts, responsibilities and limitations. Good leadership must ask not only whether the work has been completed, but also what the experience of completing it is doing to the person. This is the heart of what I call human resource stewardship. People are not resources owned by an institution. Their abilities are gifts entrusted by God, and leadership carries a responsibility to receive and develop those gifts without exploiting the generosity of the giver.

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A DOCTOR IN THE SACRISTY The sacristy has also taught me something about the theology of small things. Folding linen, preparing a chalice or placing a book may seem insignificant. Their importance lies in what they make possible. They serve the liturgy, and the liturgy opens the Church towards the worship of God. The same is true elsewhere. The person who welcomes a stranger, answers a telephone patiently, prepares tea after Mass or remembers the name of a quiet child may perform no dramatic act. Yet through such attention, another person may encounter something of God’s own attentiveness.

My degree is formally a PhD in Business and Management.

At times, however, I think that the deeper subject of these years has been ‘grace management’: not managing grace as though it belonged to us, but learning to recognise and cooperate with the ways God works through human weakness, relationships, perseverance and ordinary service.

It is a privilege to be part of the staff of Westminster Cathedral and to share in its daily life. The Cathedral has not simply provided illustrations for ideas developed in a thesis. It has deepened them by placing real faces and stories behind the language of motivation, stewardship and vocation.

The ‘salary of the soul’ is real. It is found in belonging, in meaningful labour and in the joy of knowing that even a small action may participate in the work of God. But those who receive such service on behalf of the Church also carry a responsibility: to receive it with gratitude, to steward it with justice and, above all, to care for the person who gives it.

Companions of Oremus

We are very grateful for the support of the following: Leticia Dominguez Abada Lagrimas Ambatali Zenaida Basbas Leonila V Bernabe Keith Best Dr Stuart Blackie Anne Veronica Bond Lolita Botanes Richard Bremer Yvonne M. Bridger Hajnalka Burai Lorenzo Cabrelli Mrs Erlinda Chin R & L Collyer-Hamlin Daniel Crowley Benedicta Jamogha Dako Caridad Dataro Angelita Caronan Duran Emmanuel Ekeweloem Sir Edward Elgar in memoriam Cora Emflorgo Angelita Emperador Ms Georgina Enang Fr Joseph Farrell K.H.S. Revd James Francis Friedenthal Euphrasie Mundele Kilolo Fred Gardiner William Gardner-Hunter Juanita Grecalda SEPTEMBER 2026

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Connie Gibbes Zoe & Nick Goodway Rosalinda Grimaldo Agnes Haein Kim Mrs Valerie Hamblen in memoriam Amanda Hill Jithro and Ira Nadine Hangad Bernadette Hau Mervyn and Barbara Hogg Mrs Cliona Howell Alice M Jones & Jacob F Jones Poppy K Rosanne Kay Mary Thérèse Kelly John Langan Raymund Livesey Alan Lloyd in memoriam Clare and John Lusby Tony McGee Linda McHugh Christiana Thérèse Macarthy-Woods Ms Ludivina Mangmang James Maple Paul Marsden Mary Maxwell Lourdes Miranda Dr Denis Moloney Dr George Morris Abundia Toledo Munar

Chris Stewart Munro Mrs Brigid Murphy Kate Nealon Monica Abiodun Oguntoyinbo Cordelia Onodu Nigel Parker Fr John Pascoe Cris Ragonton Alan Rainer Ann-Marie Rivers Clementina Rokosu Precy Salvador John Scanlan Veronica Scrope Sonja Soper in memoriam Tessa and Ben Strickland Yollie Sumayod Julia Sutherland Eileen Terry Robin Michael Tinsley in memoriam Lucila Torrefiel Christiana Tetteh-Wayoe Dr Timothy I Young in memoriam Teresa in memoriam and Peter Zurenkas and of our anonymous Companions If you would like to become a Companion of Oremus, see page 2

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PALLIUM

A Reflection on the Reception of the Pallium Archbishop Richard Moth On 29 June, the Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul, all who had been appointed as Metropolitan Archbishops, over the last year, gathered at St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father. It was a wonderful privilege to be amongst them and to be invested with the pallium.

The pallium is a reminder to an archbishop of his close relationship to the Holy Father and to the ministry of the Successor of St Peter. The pallia are brought to be blessed from the ‘niche of the pallia’, adjacent to the tomb of St Peter, where they rest prior to the Mass.

This simple, yet significant, vestment is worn in the dioceses of the archbishop’s province – in my case: Westminster, Brentwood, Northampton, East Anglia and Nottingham. The very fact that so many new archbishops came together in Rome was a reminder of the reality of the Universal Church.

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Archbishop Moth holding the pallium in the Venerable English College Oremus

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© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

This rather simple vestment carries great significance. It is made from white wool; a reminder that one is called to look after the flock and, in imitation of the Lord himself, to go after those who are distant and carry them home. It is then marked with black crosses, a potent reminder that the care of the Lord’s flock is also a sharing in the Cross of the Lord. For all who are his followers, the call is to take up the Cross and follow in his way. The many responsibilities, therefore, that come the way of an archbishop, are a burden that may seem heavy, but which, in the light of the Lord’s self-giving love, possess a certain lightness. The pallium is finally marked by three ‘pins.’ These are, in effect, weights that help to hold the pallium in place. They are reminders of the nails of the Cross, going through the hands and feet of the Lord himself. My particular pallium pins are quite simple in design, and very much in the shape of nails. A further potent reminder of the call to carry the Cross.

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

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© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

and for all who accompanied me to Rome.

I am sure, too, that it was a time of grace for the Diocese, for all were remembered very much in prayer, especially at the Mass with the Holy Father, over the tomb of St Peter himself.

I am grateful to everyone for their continuing prayers for me in my task as shepherd of the Lord’s flock in our little part of his Church. May the Lord continue to bless us all in the work he has given to us.

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

It was a blessing to be accompanied by a number of people from the Diocese of Westminster, from my previous Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, and by one or two very close friends. The Venerable English College provided delightful and generous hospitality, including a reception and festal meal that evening. We also had the opportunity to visit Palazzola, the English College’s villa above Lake Albano, for Mass and lunch with the students. It was certainly a time of great blessing for me,

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LADY HERBERT

A Belgravian Benefactress Joanna Bogle

This is not Bronwen’s first venture into biography; her book La Duchesse: The Life of Marie de Vignerot, Cardinal Richelieu’s Forgotten Heiress Who Shaped the Fate of France (Pegasus Books, 2023), is the first modern, scholarly account of the Duchesse d’Aiguillon, which brought rave reviews. Indeed, there appears to be a renewed interest in the role of women in the Church, with serious writers beginning to challenge the assumption that Catholic women were marginal and unimportant. Catholics, of course, have long recognised the importance of such figures as St Teresa of Ávila and St Catherine of Siena, Doctors of the Church, along with more contemporary saints, such as Edith Stein and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Bronwen McShea’s Women of the Church: What Every Catholic Should Know (Ignatius Press 2024) also gives a well-researched and accessible introduction to the subject, but it is often individual life stories that are most compelling.

An obvious example of this is Lady Herbert, born Elizabeth Ashe à CourtRepington in Richmond in 1822. By 1852, her husband Sidney Herbert, later the 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, had been re-appointed as Secretary at War before the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853.

During this time Lady Herbert played a key role, which included interviewing nursing volunteers for Scutari with her friend Florence Nightingale at the Herbert family home, 49 Belgrave Square.

Today, the house serves as the residence of the Argentinian Ambassador.

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© National Portrait Gallery, London

Belgravia, created in the early 19th century, still retains its elegance in the 21st. I recently spent a sunny Sunday afternoon exploring it with an American author, Bronwen McShea, who was in London researching Lady Herbert, a notable Catholic convert of the Victorian era, for her next book.

(Mary) Elizabeth (née à Court Repington), Lady Herbert of Lea by William Walker & Sons, 1863.

Following her husband’s death, Lady Herbert was received into the Catholic Church and moved to a new home nearby at 38 Chesham Place, now the Embassy of Finland. From here she pioneered a number of major Catholic projects. She was, as Bronwen notes: ‘An internationally famous philanthropist, institution builder, friend of Cardinals and even Popes, and writer and editor of numerous books and articles.’

These were not ecumenical days and the Catholic Church had, for some three hundred years, been viewed as an alien and dangerous institution in Britain. It was prominent Catholics and philanthropists, such as Lady Herbert, who helped to

soften that image and to show that the Church, her charitable projects, schools, publications, and activities, could fit quite naturally in the British public sphere. By the time Lady Herbert died, Westminster Cathedral had arisen nearby and new chapters of Catholic life were opening up.

For Bronwen, this traveller, author, and energetic worker for good causes, is part of a story that continues: ‘Her story seems to cry out for a booklength portrait. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to produce one that simultaneously does Lady Herbert justice, makes her and her saga relatable to contemporary readers, and gives some fresh perspective on Victorian times generally and on the Church’s history where women are concerned.’

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GOLDEN JUBILEE

Caritas Deaf Service – 50th Anniversary Mass Shell Roca, Head of Caritas Deaf Service

For almost a century, the Deaf Service have called Westminster Cathedral ‘home’. Initially, in the years before the Second World War, Cathedral Chaplains would celebrate Mass with the Deaf Community, followed by a breakfast for up to 200 people in Cathedral Hall. Confessions were also usually provided in the privacy of St Peter’s Hall, which once stood on the Cathedral precincts. Later, that ministry was entrusted to the Vincentians, before finally being incorporated into the Diocese of Westminster in 1976, under the direction of Fr Peter Sharp.

To mark this Golden Jubilee, Bishop Paul McAleenan and the Caritas Deaf Service will celebrate a Mass, in word and sign, in thanksgiving for 50 years in the

A signed Mass with Cardinal Hume

Diocese of Westminster, on Saturday 26 September at 2pm. All are most welcome to attend. We will also be joined

by Fr Peter Sharp and many of the priests who have supported, and who continue to support the Deaf Service today, including Canon Shaun Lennard, Canon Norbert Fernandes, Fr Keith Stoakes and Fr Paul Fletcher SJ. FOR MORE INFORMATION on the event, or for information about Caritas Deaf Service, please email deafservice@rcdow.org.uk, go to our website caritaswestminster.org.uk/ deafservice, or scan the QR code.

A signing choir in the Lady Chapel SEPTEMBER 2026

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MONTHLY ALBUM

The Dedication of the Cathedral

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

Having received the pallium from Pope Leo XIV on 29 June, Archbishop Richard Moth returned to his Cathedral to celebrate her Dedication on 1 July with Cardinal Nichols, the Metropolitan Chapter, and the College of Chaplains.

A fitting homecoming indeed!

Caritas Volunteer Fair © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

In early July, Caritas Westminster held their annual Volunteer Fair in Cathedral Hall, bringing together potential volunteers and a number of charities and community organisations. Pictured: Karen Anstiss (left), Head of Caritas Bakhita House, and Gail Williams, Head of Caritas St Joseph’s.

Requiem æternam On Friday 10 July, we were horrified to learn that former MP, MEP, and occasional Cathedral lector, The Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe DSG, had been brutally murdered in her home in Devon. May she rest in eternal peace. Pictured here, Ann gave the eulogy at the funeral of her close friend and former colleague Sir David Amess RIP, murdered in his constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, in 2021.

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Photographs © Lou Sonsino

Luminiscence On Wednesday 1 July, following Solemn Mass for the Dedication of the Cathedral (1910), Archbishop Richard Moth formally launched Luminiscence in Westminster Cathedral, which will continue until after Christmas. The performance was preceded by an address from the Producer and His Grace the Archbishop, and a short recital given

by Westminster Cathedral Choir. Tickets are available at luminiscence.com/London.

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THE FRIENDS OF WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

From the Vice-Chairman Evan WJ McNamara, Vice-Chairman

As this is my first opportunity, since the AGM in June, I thought I should briefly introduce myself. Having lived and worked in Westminster since 2022, I joined the Friends Council in 2025, subsequently taking on the role of voluntary Coordinator.

Thank you to all who attended the AGM, and especially to those completing terms of office. Simon Johnson stood down as Vice-Chairman and Elizabeth Gibson as Treasurer, Elizabeth will remain on Council. John Green, Monica Mbanefo and Monica Whyte also retired from Council. We are enormously grateful for their service to the Friends. Fr Patrick van der Vorst was elected Chairman, Andrew Hollingsworth as Treasurer, and I was delighted to be elected as Vice-Chairman.

We look forward to working together in support of the Friends. Mary Maxwell and George Pollard were also elected as members of Council.

We are establishing the Young Friends of Westminster Cathedral, with our first event planned for mid-October. Please email friends@rcdow.org.uk for more information.

Our events committee are meeting regularly and are planning some remarkable events for our Golden Jubilee in 2027. I was recently invited to Westminster Abbey, to meet the Secretary of their Association. We are pleased to announce that the Friends will enjoy an exclusive evening tour of Westminster Abbey followed by a reception in early 2027, helping to launch our Jubilee celebrations. Discussions are also underway for a potential reception at the Spanish Embassy. More details will follow in due course.

This is a very exciting time to be a member of the Friends! If you are not already a Friend, please do consider joining us in supporting our wonderful Cathedral.

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The Big Give As outlined in the previous edition, we plan to undertake an urgent fundraising appeal for the urgent and essential upgrades to the Cathedral’s sound system. Due to the urgency of this project, this will be our final Big Give appeal of 2026 and we will not be taking part in the Christmas Big Give campaign.

Much of our current sound equipment, such as the main control and processing components, is now outdated and officially obsolete. Should faults occur, repairs have become increasingly difficult, due to limited support and availability of parts. At present, the Cathedral relies on multiple, incompatible sound systems.

The Lady Chapel is served by an analogue system dating back to the 1980s, while the main body of the Cathedral uses earlygeneration digital systems. Together, these create inconsistencies in sound quality and reliability across the space.

Our goal is to install a single, modern, fully integrated digital sound system throughout the Cathedral. This upgrade will significantly enhance the clarity and reach of sound, ensuring that services, music, and spoken word can be heard with dignity and precision in every corner. Most importantly, it will greatly reduce the risk of system failure; something that could otherwise occur at critical moments, such as major feast days and special services.

From 12 noon on Saturday 19 September to 12 noon on Wednesday 30 September, we aim to raise £25,000 in online donations. With thanks to matched funding through the Big Give campaign, this could be doubled to £50,000 and, with Gift Aid, we are confident that we can reach the full cost of the project.

During this time, all donations made online will be doubled. Therefore, a gift of £100 will be matched to £200 and, for UK taxpayers, that same £100 will be worth £225. To donate, scan the QR code or visit tinyurl.com/FriendsBGSept26.

Please ensure that donations are made within the campaign window, as gifts made before or after these dates cannot be matched. For assistance, please contact friends@rcdow.org.uk

Looking Ahead Our programme seeks to balance accessible events which strengthen our Cathedral community with special fundraising occasions that enable the Friends to contribute towards major Cathedral projects. All September events are available to book online on the ‘News & Events’ page of the Cathedral website.

Quiz Thursday 10 September, at 6.30pm in Cathedral Hall. Tickets, £25 including a fish and chip supper.

A. N. Wilson On Thursday 17 September, at 6.30pm in Cathedral Hall, the distinguished author and biographer will speak on his recent book, The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Tickets, £30 including refreshments.

The Orion Orchestra On Thursday 24 September, at 6.30pm in Cathedral Hall the Orion Orchestra will return to perform Schubert’s String Quintet in C major, joined by Korean guest cellist David Son. Tickets, £30 including refreshments.

Sandham Memorial Chapel & Stanley Spencer Gallery On Saturday 26 September, at 9.30am, we will make a minibus daytrip to Cookham, to visit the Sandham Memorial Chapel and the Stanley Spencer Gallery.

Tickets, £30 including admission to both venues. Please book promptly, as transport places are limited, and bring a packed lunch.

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SEPTEMBER 2026

THE FRIENDS OF WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL Further Information For more information about any event, or if you are unable to book online, please contact: friends@rcdow.org.uk Do also get in touch if you have an idea for a future event or would like to organise one for the Friends.

The Orion Orchestra

Fundraising Dinner

Carols by Candlelight

We are delighted to announce that Archbishop Richard Moth has accepted the role of President. He will, therefore, be Guest-of-Honour at a fundraising dinner in Brooks’s Club, St James’s Street on Monday 5 October 2026. Guests are invited to contribute £250 per person: £125 towards the evening and a £125 charitable donation, eligible for Gift Aid where applicable. Places are limited and can be booked at friends@rcdow.org.uk.

On Monday 7 December, our popular Carols by Candlelight will return to the Lady Chapel, with refreshments and piano music from 6.30pm and a reception afterwards.

Tickets, £30.

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Further autumn events include Sir Simon Jenkins, Baroness Gillian Shephard and Lord Butler of Brockwell ‘In Conversation’, and two further quizzes. Dates to follow.

Join the Friends To join the Friends of Westminster Cathedral, please visit tinyurl.com/ CathedralFriendsMembership.

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LIFE ISSUES / INTERFAITH GROUP

In response to the Prime Minister’s support for palliative care Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool and Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops’ Conference, has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s call for palliative care services to be properly funded. The Prime Minister has stated that palliative care and social care funding need to be ‘fixed’ so that vulnerable people can have ‘peace of mind’ about the care that they receive towards the end of their life.

It is highly significant that the Prime Minister has confirmed his position about the need for proper palliative and social care ahead of the Second Reading of the fundamentally flawed Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in September.

life and opposed a bill seeking to legalise assisted suicide. This level of care can be found in many Catholic care homes and hospices, but the sector remains woefully underfunded and there is an existential threat to these places of compassion and care should this legislation be passed.

People who are dying are vulnerable and need compassionate care and spiritual accompaniment until their last breath. We have consistently called for meaningful investment in palliative and end of life care as an appropriate focus to uphold the dignity of all at the end of

I once more urge parliamentarians to vote against this dangerous legislation on 11 September and to work together to ensure that our palliative and social care services can be held up as examples of truly dignified care at the end of life for all.

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

Archbishop John Sherrington

You can also contact your MP to ask that they oppose assisted suicide on Friday, 11 September.

Visit righttolife.org.uk/Sept11vote.

Westminster Interfaith Events John Woodhouse International Peace Day On Wednesday 16 September, from 5pm to 7pm, the Interfaith Group will mark International Peace Day at an event in the Al-Khoei Foundation, NW6 6TN, with a chance to visit the beautiful mosque. All are welcome. To register email contact a.azam@alkhoei.org or woodhousesopten@btinternet.com.

Annual Interfaith Pilgrimage for Peace On Saturday 3 October, from 10am to 3pm, we will join the 37th Annual Pilgrimage for Peace, organised by Westminster Interfaith, an agency of the Diocese of Westminster, founded by Br Daniel Faivre SG in 1981. This year also marks the 40th anniversary since 18

the first Pilgrimage for Peace in Southall, West London, in 1986. The day will begin at 10am in St Anselm’s Catholic Church, UB2 4BE. Here there will be an opportunity to hear about the Catholic contribution to interreligious work in Southall, and to learn more about the life of Br Daniel. From

St Anselm’s, we will travel to various places of worship, stopping en route for lunch, and finishing around 3pm. Our exact itinerary will be updated once finalised. To reserve a ticket, please email westminsterinterfaith@ rcdow.org.uk, and let them know if you have any physical or time limitations.

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CATHEDRAL HISTORY A PICTORIAL RECORD

The Episcopal Ordination of the Rt Rev Richard Moth, 29 September 2009 Paul Tobin

Bishop Moth addressing the congregation at the end of Mass, with Archbishop McDonald seated before the the altar.

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© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

Archbishop (later Cardinal) Vincent Nichols laying hands on the new bishop.

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

On the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (Michaelmas), 29 September 2009, Mgr Moth was ordained to the Episcopate in Westminster Cathedral at the hands of the Most Rev Kevin McDonald, then Archbishop of Southwark, and co-consecrators the Most Rev Michael Bowen, Archbishop Emeritus of Southwark (1977-2003) and former Bishop of Arundel and Brighton (1971-77), and Bishop Tom Burns. The Rt Rev Moth would later serve as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton (2015-25) before succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols as Archbishop of Westminster.

© Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

In October 2008 the Rt Rev Tom Burns, Bishop of the Forces, was translated to the Diocese of Menevia, following the retirement of Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB. The following July, Mgr Richard Moth, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Southwark, was duly appointed to the vacant bishopric.

Bishop Tom Burns and Bishop Richard Moth holding the Bishop of the Forces’ crosier in the Sacristy.

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SFLG

A pilgrim walking in Francis’s footsteps for St Francis Leprosy Guild Louise Daker

Along the route, Phil visited the places where Francis himself encountered people with leprosy that changed the saint’s life. Eight centuries later, Phil walked many of those same paths so that others living with leprosy today might find healing, dignity, and hope. Phil’s journey was filled with moments of grace: meeting a modern hermit named Mario who welcomes pilgrims daily and sharing the road with a hare that approached him and another walker – a small, almost playful reminder of Francis’s kinship with animals and creation.

In this special anniversary year, the legacy of St Francis of Assisi has found fresh expression in our own time. To honour the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death, Dr Phil McCarthy, an experienced pilgrim and founder of the website ‘Pilgrim Ways’, undertook the 322 mile Via di Francesco, walking from Florence to Assisi and then on to Rome, to raise funds for St Francis Leprosy Guild (SFLG), the UK’s only Catholic leprosy charity.

Phil was a GP in Bristol for many years, and also previously held positions as NHS Clinical Lead for the Bristol Homeless Health Service and CEO of Caritas Social Action Network. He has been interested in long distance walking for many years and in 2008 he walked from Canterbury to Rome alone.

This experience awakened an interest in pilgrimage, and he has undertaken several since.

For Phil, on his latest pilgrimage, the connection to St Francis and the St Francis Leprosy Guild was deeply personal. ‘As a medical student in India,’ he recalls, ‘I saw the devastating consequences of this disease. It seemed the right time to walk the Way of St Francis and support SFLG’s work.’

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The walk was not simply a fundraiser. It was a walk of witness and a reminder that the Franciscan story is not finished. It is still being written, step by step, by those who choose compassion in action to help those in need.

SFLG’s Work: A legacy that still heals In Bangladesh, a woman named Janoki first fell ill as a young bride. Pale patches, numbness, and pain crept into her daily life: the signs of leprosy that, eight centuries ago, would have marked someone out for fear and exclusion and, sadly, can still persist today. Janoki’s inlaws whispered that she carried a curse.

Her husband, once kind, grew distant under the weight of stigma. Diagnosed with leprosy, she struggled alone for years.

When she was finally referred to Dhanjuri Leprosy Centre, supported by St Francis Leprosy Guild, everything changed. Her ulcers were treated, her pain eased, and she found what she had been denied for so long: care, dignity, and understanding. Today, Janoki manages her land, supports her son’s education, and lives with renewed confidence. ‘I was in a bad way,’ she says.

‘But now I feel stronger.’

Her story could have been told in the time of St Francis; instead, it is unfolding in our own.

This is the work SFLG continues today: restoring dignity, breaking down stigma, and ensuring that those affected by leprosy are not forgotten but embraced.

An invitation to walk with us As we mark 800 years since St Francis’s death, we invite you to honour his legacy in the most Franciscan way possible: by standing with those who still live with the stigma and suffering of leprosy.

A kind donation, large or small, helps provide treatment, education, and the simple but profound assurance that no one is beyond the reach of love. It helps us continue the work that Francis began with a single act of courage, and that pilgrims like Phil McCarthy carry forward today.

To support our mission, please visit stfrancisleprosy.org/donate, or scan the QR code.

Eight centuries on, the light of St Francis still shines in the hands that heal, the feet that walk, and the hearts that choose compassion.

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ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY YEARS AGO

In retrospect: from the Cathedral Chronicle Westminster Cathedral Chronicle, September 1956

Westminster Cathedral Chronicle, September 1926

The Death of His Eminence Cardinal Griffin Very early in the morning of the feast day of his patron saint His Eminence Cardinal Griffin died peacefully with the last Sacraments after a sudden collapse of the heart. His Eminence was a brave man and a great fighter. We who lived close to him had several times seen him beat off death with the cheerful courage so deeply rooted in his character, yet at last death came to him gently, letting him surrender his soul to Christ as a feastday gift. Ever since the series of his heart attacks began His Eminence knew that he was walking daily in the shadow of the valley of death; his time was short but we may truly apply to him the beautiful words St Gregory Nazianzus wrote about his dear companion and friend, St Basil:

Varia It is satisfactory to be able to record further progress in the work on the fabric of the Cathedral. The marblework in the Sacristy Aisle is now completed, and a considerable part of the marble in the Sanctuary and Apse has been cleaned. The work on the Grand Organ is still in progress, but the new Choir Stalls are almost ready, and it is hoped that these will be placed in position before long. A permanent system of lighting has been installed in St Edward’s Tower to replace the temporary lighting, which has always been defective and inadequate. The alterations to the east heating chamber rendered necessary by the introduction of a new system of air filtration are also practically finished.

‘ A little time didst thou still breathe on earth, but gavest all thou hadst to Christ, thy soul, thy body, thy speech, thy hands, Basil, the great glory of Christ and the bulwark of the priestly order.’

Outside the Cathedral, the huts have been removed from the adjacent ground, and the site is now being levelled. When this has been done, it is proposed to erect an outside altar near the back of the new St Peter’s Hall.

As we all came to realise more and more that active participation in strenuous public functions was a strain that exhausted him utterly, we grew to cherish his appearances more and more. His patience, and, above all, his obvious happiness to be among his clergy and his people on those occasions will be a precious memory.

An official announcement of the death of the Cardinal was made at all the public Masses on Monday 20 August, one of which was the Requiem Mass, allowed by the law of the Church on first hearing the news. After the Capitular Mass the De Profundis was sung by the Choir. Earlier the great bell of St Edward’s tower had tolled, and the Union flag was flown at half-mast. During the day messages of sympathy poured into Archbishop’s House from all parts of the world. The message from the Holy Father read: ‘ Holy Father, deeply grieved to learn of the death of dearly beloved son Cardinal Bernard Griffin, conveys heartfelt condolences to Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales and particularly the bereaved archdiocese of Westminster, invoking upon all heavenly consolations with assurance of prayerful remembrance for the repose of the soul of the deceased Archbishop.’

The message from the Queen read: ‘ The Queen has learned with great sorrow of the death of Cardinal Griffin. Her Majesty extends her sympathy to all those of her subjects to whom his life and character have been an outstanding example and to whom his loss will bring distress.’

After a Chapter Meeting on Tuesday morning the arrangements for the obsequies were made known. Work was begun at once on opening the floor of the Crypt where the body of the Cardinal will be buried under the spot on which stood, for so many years, the old wooden throne of the Vicars Apostolic of Penal Days.

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In the Cathedral Hall the oak panelling to the piers and side wall is now complete, and the Cardinal’s Arms have been fixed above the entrance door from Archbishop’s House. The summer vacation is being taken advantage of for redecoration of the Choir School, long overdue. .....

An American, it appears, can never pass a working day without ‘figuring out’ something or other. A correspondent of an American paper has been worried by the report of renewed attempts by women to swim the English Channel, and all his waking hours have been occupied recently in figuring out that the muscular energy expended by a woman who tries to swim the Channel would darn 456,232 socks, or sew on 523,465 buttons, or patch the seats of 83,724 pairs of trousers!

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BOOK REVIEWS

Shepherd of the Second Spring Antonia Moffat

DOMINIC BARBERI,

by Gerard Skinner; Gracewing, Leominster, 2021; ISBN 978 0 85244 977 6 (192 pages).

I was delighted to come across this spiritually enlightening book on the life of Blessed Dominic Barberi CP (1792-1849), that great Shepherd of the Second Spring, who received St John Henry Newman into Full Communion with the Catholic Church. It is highly readable, and I could not help but be overwhelmed by the incredible sanctity, and sacrificial life of Blessed Dominic; a life poured out in love, penance, and heroic self-denial for his vocation – the conversion of the English-speaking peoples. I am sure the book will touch the hearts of many.

Dominic had an exceptional mind, and wrote and taught entire treatises and courses in theology, philosophy, and Christian doctrine. He was a prolific writer, writing extensively on Passionist spirituality, the Holy Cross and on the spiritual life more generally. He even wrote an autobiography! In his prayer, The Lamentation for England, imitating the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Blessed Dominic describes the woes, or consequences, of the Protestant Reformation. It was a passionate hymn of all-consuming love for England, and an invitation to all Christians to unite in the One-Fold of Christ.

However, much of what he wrote has yet to be translated into English, primarily as his handwriting is almost impossible to read, but the slow process of deciphering it into readable Italian, and (hopefully) into English, is underway.

In the book, Fr Skinner takes us on a journey from Dominic’s birth and humble beginnings in rural Palanzana, near Viterbo in central Italy, to his death in the Railway Tavern Inn, by Reading Station. His life in Britain was short (184149), yet his ministry demonstrated great apostolic zeal and fruitfulness. Indeed, he led hundreds of missions and oversaw many Passionist foundations, and church building projects. The book draws beautifully from previous biographies, and from Dominic’s own autobiography, expounding on his earliest days of childhood, through to his decision to enter the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ in 1814, and beyond. The founder of the congregation, St Paul of the Cross, had an extraordinary call to pray for the Conversion of England, and this is instilled in all members. Dominic knew from an early age that his mission was for England, yet he never asked to go, relying instead on the providence of God and the direction of his superiors. His life as a lay brother, and later as a priest, was lived out in the various Passionist houses in Italy until finally, on 5 October 1841, he was assigned to England.

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Blessed Dominic’s cause for canonisation remains open, and I am sure that his time will come. In the meantime, I encourage you to read and re-read this wonderful biography, and to reflect upon the life of this great Shepherd of the Second Spring, before whom St John Henry Newman knelt to make his Confession, and to be received into Full Communion with the Catholic Church. We have no greater intercessor than Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God, to intercede for England before the throne of God. This book, I am sure, will fill you with gratitude for this great apostle of England, and passionate lover of Christ and his Holy Church.

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BOOK REVIEWS

A Quindecennial Anniversary Lorcán Keller

INTO FULL COMMUNION: The Story of Anglicanorum Cœtibus,

by Joanna Bogle; Gracewing, Leominster, 2026; ISBN 978 1 78182 202 9 (108 pages).

On 15 January 2011, the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham was erected by a decree of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) coinciding with the Priestly Ordinations of three former Anglican bishops, here in Westminster Cathedral: John Broadhurst, Andrew Burnham, and Keith Newton, whom the Holy Father appointed as Ordinary. Fifteen years later, Joanna Bogle has chronicled the events and attitudes that led to this event, and beyond, in her new book Into Full Communion: The Story of Anglicanorum Cœtibus.

Here, Bogle provides a short and balanced overview of Anglican-Catholic relations, from Catholic Emancipation in 1829 to today, through the personalities and politics at play on both sides. Indeed, much of the latter half of the book is devoted to recording the first-hand experiences of both laity and clergy who, often with a sizeable portion of their congregations, sought Full Communion with Rome, and the pastoral (and logistical) issues they faced. Although she does not shy away from the political and theological issues, Bogle presents the events of the last two centuries as a movement of the Spirit, including the influence of St John Henry Newman, ARCIC, and the fraternal meeting of Pope Paul VI and Michael Ramsey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1966.

Tonally, the book reads as a deep desire for unity, following Christ’s desire ‘that they may be one’ (John 17:21). It also presents the foundation of the Ordinariate as a perfect storm, with a sympathetic Pope (Benedict XVI), a sympathetic CDF, whole communities seeking Reception, and a desire to preserve the English Christian tradition, or patrimony. By the time the Ordinariate was established in this country in 2011, there had been almost 20 years of continuous movement across the Tiber which, as Bogle shows, negates the accusation that this was a group founded on controversy. Rather, she emphasises the pastoral nature, providing a formal framework for the reception of former Anglican clergy (and often their families), and communities, while maintaining the liturgical and musical traditions.

There is, of course, also a strong Westminster element to the book, and to the history of the Ordinariate more broadly, due in no small part to the role that Cardinal Basil Hume played. His invitation to Anglican clergy to join him in the packed Throne Room of Archbishop’s House, in 1994, was SEPTEMBER 2026

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a seminal moment, shaping the subsequent history of our Diocese. As Bogle notes, Pope St John Paul II encouraged Cardinal Hume to ‘be generous with these men’.

Although little of the last fifteen years has made it into the book, that is not a failure on Bogle’s part. Rather, it is evidence that the Ordinariate, having settled and matured, has just got on with the mission at hand. In the final chapter she takes a broad view of the parishes and chaplaincies, as they stand today. The foundation of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has been decades in the making, and this little gem is the perfect source for understanding the modern Church in this country.

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DIARY

2026 Benefactors’ Masses On the first Sunday of each month, a Mass is celebrated for the benefactors of Westminster Cathedral, living and dead.

Sunday 6 September, 5.30pm, Sunday 4 October, 8am, Sunday 1 November, 10am, Sunday 6 December, 8am

2026

For more information, contact Laura Dudhee, at 020 7798 9058 or email cathedralgiving@rcdow.org.uk

The Month of

The Cathedral is open from 7.30am and closes in time for 7pm.

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention

Monday to Friday: Morning Prayer 7.35am, Mass 8am, Mass (Latin, unless there is a Funeral) 10.30am, Confessions 11.30-12.30pm, Mass 12.30pm *, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 1.15-4.30pm, Benediction 4.30pm, Confessions 4.30-5.30pm, Sung Vespers 5pm (Latin, Choir, except Tuesday, English, Cantor), Solemn Mass 5.30pm (Choir, Tuesday: Boys’ voices, Wednesday: Men’s voices)

September For the care of water Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.

Saturday: Mass 8am, Morning Prayer 10am, Mass 10.30am (Latin, Choir,) Confessions 11.30-12.30pm, Mass 12.30pm *, Confessions 5-6pm, Sung Vespers 5.30pm (English, Cantor), Sung Mass 6pm.

Tuesday 1 September

Sunday: Mass 8am, Sung Morning Prayer 9.30am, Sung Mass 10am, Confessions 10.30-12.30pm; Solemn Mass (Choir) 12noon *, Solemn Vespers (Choir) and Benediction 4pm, Confessions 5-6.45pm, Sung Mass 5.30pm, Mass 7pm.

Wednesday 2 September

For full opening and closure times of the Cathedral and for confession and service times please consult the Cathedral diary on the website.

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation Feria Feria 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Thursday 3 September

* Live streamed via the Cathedral website

St GREGORY THE GREAT, Pope & Doctor 2pm WCCS Mass for the new academic year 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Tuesday 8 September

Friday 4 September

Wednesday 9 September

Friday abstinence

Feria (St Cuthbert, Bishop) 1.15pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations to the Priesthood (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Saturday 5 September

Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday (St Teresa of Calcutta, Virgin) 10.30am Mass with those attending the March for Life (Archbishop Moth) 8.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Sunday 6 September

Ps Week 3 23rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir) Palestrina – Missa brevis Croce – In spiritu humilitatis A. Gabrieli – O sacrum convivium 4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction (Full Choir) Victoria – Magnificat primi toni Poulenc – Salve Regina 4.30pm Mass for the Deaf Community (Cathedral Hall) 5.30pm Mass offered for Cathedral Benefactors, living and dead

Monday 7 September Feria 24

THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Feria (St Peter Claver, Priest) 7.30pm Grand Organ Festival (James Orford)

Thursday 10 September

Feria 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Friday 11 September

Friday abstinence

Feria 1.15pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations to the Priesthood (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Saturday 12 September

The Most Holy Name of Mary 6pm A Visiting Choir sings at Mass 8.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Sunday 13 September Ps Week 4 Education Day 24th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir) Magnus Williamson – Missa tertia Palestrina – Sanctificavit Moyses altare Domino 4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction (Full Choir) Bevan – Magnificat sexti toni G. Gabrieli – Iubilate Deo omnis terra

Monday 14 September

THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Veneration of the relic of the True Cross after all Masses 5.30pm The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem attend Mass (Bishop Curry)

Tuesday 15 September Our Lady of Sorrows

Wednesday 16 September

Ss Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs 7.30pm Grand Organ Festival (Peter Stevens)

Thursday 17 September

Feria (St Robert Bellarmine, Bishop & Doctor; St Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin & Doctor) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Friday 18 September

Friday abstinence Feria 2pm Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School Foundation Day Mass 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Saturday 19 September

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday (St Januarius, Bishop & Martyr) 6pm Westminster Cathedral Junior Voices sings at Mass 8.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed) Oremus

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DIARY & NOTICES Sunday 20 September

Sunday 27 September

Ps Week 1 25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 12 noon Solemn Mass (Bishop Curry) 4pm Solemn Vespers (English) and Benediction

Ps Week 2 26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir) Frescobaldi – Messa sopra l’aria di Fiorenza Palestrina – Super flumina Babylonis Philips – O quam suavis 4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction (Full Choir) Vivanco – Magnificat octavi toni Dupré – O salutaris hostia

Monday 28 September

Feria (St Wenceslaus, Martyr; St Laurence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs)

© Creative Commons /Public Domain Dedication

Tuesday 29 September

St Matthew

Monday 21 September

St MATTHEW, Apostle & Evangelist

Tuesday 22 September

Feria 2pm Finchley Catholic High School Centenary Mass 5.30pm Cathedral Volunteers’ Mass

Wednesday 23 September

St Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest 7.30pm Grand Organ Festival (Ulrich Walther)

Thursday 24 September

OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Friday 25 September

Friday abstinence Feria 1.15pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations to the Priesthood (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Saturday 26 September

Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday (Ss Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs) 2pm Deaf Community 50th Anniversary Mass (Bishop McAleenan) 6pm International Mass (Bishop McAleenan) 8.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed) SEPTEMBER 2026

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Ss MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, Archangels 2pm Caritas Ambassadors’ Festival (Bishop McAleenan)

Wednesday 30 September

St Jerome, Priest & Doctor 7.30pm Grand Organ Festival (Simon Johnson)

Thursday 1 October

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor 9.30am Red Mass to start the legal year (Archbishop Moth; Full Choir) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Friday 2 October

Friday abstinence Holy Guardian Angels Harvest Fast Day 1.15pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations to the Priesthood (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) 7.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Saturday 3 October

Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday 2.30pm National Altar Servers’ Mass sung by Gunnersbury Catholic School (Archbishop Moth) 8.45pm Luminiscence (ticketed)

Sunday 4 October

Ps Week 3 27th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 8am Mass offered for Cathedral Benefactors, living and dead 12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir) Tye – Missa Euge bone Palestrina – Vir erat in terra 4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction (Full Choir) Bevan – Magnificat sexti toni Byrd – Laudibus in sanctis 4.30pm Mass for the Deaf Community (Cathedral Hall)

Key to the Diary: Saints’ days and holy days written in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS denote Sundays and Solemnities, CAPITAL LETTERS denote Feasts, and those not in capitals denote Memorials, whether optional or otherwise. Memorials in brackets are not celebrated liturgically.

What Happens and When Catholic Evidence Guild

Clergy House Room 2, Tuesdays 7pm

Catholic Grandparents’ Association Hinsley Room, Second Sundays 12-3.30pm Charismatic Prayer Group Cathedral Hall, Fridays 6.30-9pm Divine Mercy Prayer Group St Patrick’s Chapel, Sundays 1.30-2.30pm Filipino Club Cathedral Hall, Second Sunday 1-5pm Guild of the Blessed Sacrament Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Mondays 6.15pm Guild of St Anthony Lady Chapel, Tuesdays 6.15pm Interfaith Group Hinsley Room, Third Wednesdays 1.30 -3pm Legion of Mary Hinsley Room, Monday 1.30-3.30pm Oblates of Westminster Cathedral Hinsley Room, Fourth Sundays 2.30-4pm Padre Pio Prayer Group Sacred Heart Church, First Thursdays 1.30-3.30pm Rosary Group Lady Chapel, Saturdays 11.15-12.00noon Walsingham Prayer Group St George’s Chapel, First Tuesdays 2.30-4pm Yoruba Association Hinsley Room, Third Sundays 1.30-3pm 25

CROSSWORD AND POEMS

AD MULTOS ANNOS Walsingham Amanda Hill Where once pilgrims, long ago, Anxious for Our Lady’s Care, Left their offerings, that so She might answer to their prayer; It slept many ages when, Now it called once more to men; Guided by a gift of grace, Hope-filled seekers found the place; And we pray our land be shown Mary’s Dowry and so known.

Try-Angles! © Alan Frost

Clues Across 1 Covered receptacles holding the Holy Eucharist (7) 6 Acronym indicating a person’s alternative identity (3) 8 Term used to indicate wartime air-raids on London and other cities (5) 9 Fish symbol in the Early Church around letters indicating Christ (7) 10 Item carried by dog in dream by 24 Across, a symbol of 25 Across’ Order (5) 11 Become a member (6) 13 Not capable of dispassionate judgment (6) 15 & 7 Down London monument near site of Tyburn Tree (6) 17 ‘Singular ------ of Devotion’, from Our Lady’s Litany (6) 20 Architect of Palace of Westminster and numerous neo-Gothic churches (5) 21 Opera by Dvorak with the famous ‘Song to the Moon’ aria (7) 23 Relationship of St Winefride to the priest St Beuno (5) 24 Blessed Joan of ---, mother of 25 Across (3) 25 Feast Day in early August of Founder of the Order of Preachers (7) Clues Down 1 Westminster theatre, home of the English National Ballet (8) 2 Place named by Jacob because there he saw God [Gen. 35] (6) 3 Book of the OT named after daughter-in-law of Naomi (4) 4 Bottomless pit into which the Gaderene swine were cast (5) 5 Fierce verbal attack on someone or something (8) 6 Mid-Atlantic islands with very Catholic population (6) 7 See 15 Across 12 What the hypocrite sees in his brother’s eye, but not the beam in his own [Matt. 7] (8) 14 Outer vestment worn by a deacon assisting at High Mass (8).

16 ------ Caeli, seasonal antiphon to Our Lady (6) 18 Treat for dinner on Friday? (6) 19 Statement of faith proclaimed by Mass-goers (5) 20 Tuscan city on the Arno with famous tower (4) 22 Son of Noah, an ancestor of Abraham (4)

Amanda Hill Senatorial son of Rome!

Angles greet you, from their home, In this distant time and place; Noting that their nation’s grace, To your care its source can trace.

God long since has made you great, Rightly do our annals state, Endless wisdom came through you Granting us a faith that’s true; Old in years but ever new.

Rather fitfully, I fear, You are honoured, year by year, This September, on your feast, Here in England, some at least Echo in your praise, their priest.

Gregory, before God’s throne Raise this land, whose faith you’ve sown, England needs protection still, All your learning and your skill, That her people do God’s will.

ANSWERS Across: 1 Ciboria 6 Aka 8 Blitz 9 Ichthys 10 Torch 11 Enlist 13 Biased 15 Marble 17 Vessel 20 Pugin 21 Rusalka 23 Niece 24 Aza 25 Dominic Down: 1 Coliseum 2 Bethel 3 Ruth 4 Abyss 5 Diatribe 6 Azores 7 Arch 12 Splinter 14 Dalmatic 16 Regina 18 Salmon 19 Creed 20 Pisa 22 Shem

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To submit a poem whether by yourself or another for consideration, please contact the Editor – details on page 3.

Oremus

SEPTEMBER 2026

CYCLE4HOPE

A Pilgrim’s Blessing Eileen Murray, ACN Community Fundraiser On Saturday 15 August, immediately after the 8am Mass, the Precentor Fr Patrick van der Vorst gave a pilgrim’s blessing to Andrew Foote on the steps of Westminster Cathedral, and doused his bicycle in holy water, as he prepared to depart for the Holy Land.

Andrew was surrounded by his parents, family, friends from the Young Adult Ministry in Farm Street, Cathedral parishioners, and representatives from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), all of whom clapped and waved as he sped off down Morpeth Terrace. Although he was clearly anxious to get on the road, we could not let him go without a few hundred photographs and an enormous coffee cake, baked fresh in the early hours of that morning by one of his friends.

Following an amazing, life-changing experience in Our Lady’s home at Ephesus, Andrew decided to make the journey to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by bicycle across 12 weeks to raise £20,000 for ACN. In doing so, he will cycle 2,900 miles to Antioch, following much of the Via Francigena, before travelling to Amman and walking to Jerusalem. We will share what we can of Andrew’s journey in the following editions, as he makes his way across Europe.

Andrew with his parents

To support Andrew’s journey, and Aid to the Church in Need’s work supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, visit tinyurl.com/Cycle4Hope, or scan the QR code.

A pilgrim’s blessing SEPTEMBER 2026

Oremus

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