Tuesday 26 June 2007

Preparations for St John's Day

The Welsh Guards came to help move the feretory of St John Southworth into the middle of the nave, for his feast day tomorrow. As far as I know, this is the first time since he came to the Cathedral in 1930, that his body has been moved. This relic is an indescribably precious treasure of Westminster Cathedral, a wonderful centre of prayer and pilgrimage, and a proud link with the Catholic past of our country.

The shrine is usually in the Chapel of St George and the English martyrs. We considered moving the feretory last year, it proved too heavy for our own maintenance staff. Luckily, Fr Christopher has good army connexions, and called upon the Guards to come to our aid. nnnnnnnnn
The shrine will be decorated with flowers and candles and will remain in the nave until next Monday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I first encountered St John Southworth when I visited Britain a few months before entering the Seminary in 1985, and ever since that first visit to Westminster I have been his client. Whenever I visit London I make a particular point of asking his intercession for my own priestly ministry, and burn several ounces of wax in his honour. I've never been able to be in London for St John's feast day, and I wonder if someone would be kind enough to light a candle for me on his Feast? Just ask him to pray for that Australian priest who visits him every year or two. Thanks.

universal doctor said...

Magnificent- what a sight!

Mark Langham said...

Paul Motnihan writes:
Ref your blogspot entry today on St John Southworth, I think his body has been moved before. I seem to recall that at the time of his canonisation in 1970 his body was moved to the front of the nave [usual coffin position] for a triduum in his honour.