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SAYING THANK YOU
Christmas is a time many of us avail of, to say thank you. Here two parishes, one from the north of the diocese and one from the south, set us an example. From Our Lady & St. Joseph’s Carlisle, Mr John Routledge is thanked for 37 years as organist. St. John Vianney’s in Blackpool gives thanks for the completion of extensive restoration and re-ordering of the church building. Carlisle goes first.
Dear John,
It is hard to believe that it is thirty-seven years since you first started playing the organ at Our Lady and St. Joseph’s and fifty years since you served your Queen and Country in the Army Education Corps. It must have been at Ushaw that you developed your great love of Church music through the meticulous Plain Chant rehearsals of Canon Lawrence Hollis and spirited renditions on the College organ by the incomparable Fr. Vincent (‘Chinny’) Lang. That was where you first watched the long line of Professors and four years of Divines walking in step down the cloisters and into the College chapel to the music of Vidor’s ‘Toccata’ – a piece of music which you have played many times since. However your gift and talent as a musician has not been confined to Church ceremonies. Many parishioners would not know that as a regular performer with the Carlisle Music Society and the annual Carlisle Musical Festival you won the Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Rose Bowl no less than three times for playing the Lieder – (not forgetting your dear wife Irene who also performed as a soprano soloist at the Festival.) When you came back from Berwick on Tweed to live in Carlisle you became our permanent organist.It is difficult to fully assess the amount of pleasure you must have given during these last 37 years. Many wedding couples will remember ‘their big day’ all the more because of the quality of music coming from the organ loft. Add to that over 250 funerals and one begins to understand the massive commitment in time and effort over this period. But of course the weekly appearance at Sunday Mass, at one time for three Masses and/or Benediction, as well as the weekly choir practice were the backbone of your support for all Church services at Our Lady’s. Some of the more memorable Liturgical occasions must include playing for Bishop Pearson’s Silver Jubilee, for Fr. Martin Poland’s ordination, Fr. Tom Forster’s Silver Jubilee and of course Fr. Greg’s Ruby Jubilee. The arrival of Fr. Stephen Shield, a graduate of the Royal College of Organists, as assistant Priest and Choirmaster at Our Lady’s relieved you somewhat. The subsequent replacement of the old organ by the existing instrument together with great professional leadership and composing by Fr. Stephen was a time to look back on with much pleasure. But possibly one of the favourite organ performances of your long and distinguished career must be reserved for the three occasions that you played on the great organ of Carlisle Cathedral, at two Corpus Christi Masses and most recently on the day of the Requiem of Pope John Paul. Yours harmoniously,
Past and Present Members of the Choir,
Our Lady and St. Joseph’s, Carlisle.
THANKSGIVING AT JOHN VIANNEYS, BLACKPOOL
Kathy MacLeod & Ursula Walker.
The present church in St. John Vianney's phurch was built in 1958/9, from bricks bought for £1. Previously the church had worked from a hall in the Primary School. The Church was opened in August 1959. In 1983 Canon Waterson had the Parish Centre built which was called The John Paul II Centre in commemoration of the Pope’s visit to England in 1982.
In the sanctuary during the Mass of thanksgiving
Recently, faced with the task of removing asbestos from the lining of the ceiling, we coupled that work with the long-awaited re-decorating and repairing of the entire Church building. When Fr. Tony Walsh came to S.J.V. in September 2003, he looked at the large sacristy and altar servers’ room and thought, “Day Chapel”. He saw the old flower rooms on the other side of the sanctuary as a new sacristy and the `old` spare confessionals as a flower room and a cleaner’s store. What vision! It is all now a reality. We have a lovely Day Chapel for weekday Masses, at other times used for meetings or the Prayer Session in our Confirmation Programme. Just outside the Day Chapel is a toilet facility for the disabled. We have a good sacristy with all that is needed, plus an adequate flower room and cleaners’ store. In addition we now have a new heating system as well as a much-improved audio system complete with loop for those who are hard of hearing.Impressive bosses have been painted in the centre of each of the three domes representing the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These too were the idea of our Parish Priest, Fr Tony Walsh and executed by Year 9 pupils at St. Mary’s Catholic College. The work was completed in just less than twelve months. The Voice carried impressive photographs of the work in progress as well as of the pupils and their artwork. (February 2005) We are grateful to the college and indeed to The Voice. So it was that on Friday night October 28th 2005, Bishop Patrick concelebrated a Mass of thanksgiving together with 14 priests and two Deacons,served by seven altar servers. Afterwards, in the Hall we had a display from the parish archives. There were pictures from the building of the Church, the laying of the foundation stone, the opening, a wedding or two, ordinations of `boys` of the Parish. Also the old S.J.V football team, the `old` choir Cantemus and 12 samples of the Parish Magazine from the early 90s, plus photos of S.J.V. Pilgrims in Rome, The Holy Land, Lourdes, Aylesford and Walsingham. It was a lovely evening and a great celebration.Thirteen years ago a Young Adults Group of the Parish, which met weekly, and prepared music for the Sunday evening Mass had a favourite to song “Shine Jesus Shine.” In St. John Vianney’s he seems to be definitely shining now.
Bishop Patrick cuts the cake at the party after the Mass
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