The Dean's Corner....

Love, Prayer and Church Buildings

The Venerable David Sharples, Archdeacon of Salford

I was an undergraduate when I first read WH (Bill) Vanstone’s book Love’s Endeavour, Love’s Expense, which was ironic because I was living in London and yet the book was based on Vanstone’s experience as a parish priest in Kirkholt, Rochdale, just a couple of miles from my home.  Vanstone’s writing about the nature of love (limitless, precarious, vulnerable) and his assertion that these same characteristics are by definition to be found supremely in the God of our Lord Jesus Christ who is Love, I found compelling. Vanstone was described as the most intellectually brilliant of the many men who were ordained after the Second World War. After taking a double First at Balliol he could easily have gone on to enjoy a glittering academic career but he was determined to be a parish priest, and who could deny that his theology was all the richer and more authentic for being grounded in parochial ministry? If anything I found his next book, The Stature of Waiting, even more thought provoking as a protest against over-activism in the church and the need for prayer.

My mind turns to him (as it often does) as I anticipate ‘Sacred Space: Common Ground’ the National Cathedrals Conference to be held in Manchester Cathedral. Vanstone wrote about church buildings ‘The obstructive fact is that the building is felt to be neither a necessity nor a facility but an offering. Love has been expended upon it and expressed in the care of it. In that love and care the building has been offered to God’. Vanstone reminds us that Church buildings need to be resilient, sustainable and adaptable but above all they are places of worship and costly offerings to God.

Saint of the Month

Saint of the Month, 9 September: Charles Fuge Lowder, Priest 1820-80

 Albert Radcliffe

Lowder was born into a banking family in Bath and attended King's College School, London before going up to Exeter College, Oxford in 1840 where he attended the University Church of St Mary the Virgin and came under the influence of John Henry Newman. 

Lowder was ordained deacon in 1843 and priested in 1844, when he moved from a curacy near Glastonbury to become a workhouse chaplain, and then on to a curacy at Tetbury, Gloucestershire, between 1845-51.  This was the time of the early 'Ritualist Movement' when Roman Catholic practices like candles on the altar were gaining ground in the CofE.  After that period, Lowder was drawn to serve in the slums of St Barnabus, Pimlico where such practices were causing controversy.

Lowder contributed to the controversy when he gave the choirboys money to throw eggs at a sandwich-board man who was paid to protest outside the church on behalf of the low-church Calvinist tradition.  For this assault he was fined by a magistrate and suspended for six weeks by his bishop!  Moving to France for a quieter life, through his reading he was inspired by St Vincent de Paul to return to England and with five other priests found the highly influential Society of the Holy Cross.

In 1856, the Society moved to St George's-in-the-East at the London docks where Lowder was the first Anglican priest to be called 'Father' and wear eucharistic vestments.  Assisted by the newly founded female Community of the Holy Cross, Lowder went on to provide a refuge for prostitutes, a hostel for homeless girls, night classes, coal for the poor, poor relief and a dockers' insurance scheme.  His good works and popularity probably helped save him from persecution by 'anti-Romanists.' 

Lowder was a nineteenth century priest who helped make the Church of England the broad church it is today.             

National Cathedrals Conference

At the invitation of The Association of English Cathedrals (AEC), Manchester Cathedral will host a National Cathedrals Conference from 17 to 20 September 2018.  Entitled “Sacred Space: Common Ground”, the conference will see over 470 delegates gathering over four days.  This will be the first time that cathedral clergy and senior lay staff will meet to develop a strategic vision for the future direction of Cathedrals. It will be addressed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, giving them an opportunity to voice their vision for the Church and help Cathedrals develop as places of gathering, inspiration, delight, education, challenge and debate. The Lord Mayor of Manchester will host a Civic Reception on the Monday to welcome all delegates. 

The conference, chaired by the Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield and Chairman of the Association of English Cathedrals, will foster understanding of the beneficial roles that cathedrals play in our society and their work with communities, dioceses, local and national government, Church of England central bodies, ecumenical bodies and other faith communities. It will also give cathedral leaders the chance to network and share good practice.

For many delegates this will be their first time to visit Manchester and see the major developments we have undertaken in the Cathedral over the last ten years. The Conference has been two years in the planning, we are looking forward to welcoming every cathedral in England to the conference, together with a number of international cathedrals including four from Ireland, three from Wales, two from Australia and two from South Africa.

The programme, is now finalised and can be viewed via the conference website.

What's On

There are always lots of exciting events taking place at Manchester Cathedral. From our regular daily services sung by the Cathedral Choirs to Vintage Fairs, there is something for everyone.

Visit our ‘What's On’ page.

Contact Us

The Cathedral clergy and staff can be contacted via the Cathedral Office on 0161 833 2220 or via the Who's Who page on our website.