PENTECOST

On Pentecost Sunday (23 May) about twenty of us from Churches Together in Padgate, Woolston and Birchwood travelled to Liverpool for the biannual Walk of Unity and Witness between the Cathedrals. It was twenty-five years since the first Walk was held back in 1985, in the days of Bishop David and Archbishop Derek. The sun shone (as it had last year for our local Group Pentecost Walk). We started at the Anglican Cathedral, where were treated to the wonderful sound of the Choir practising that great hymn that surely unites all Faiths Te Deum Laudamus (We praise thee O God) set to the inspiring music of Sir Charles Stanford. The highlight of the service was the address by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at The Vatican. He spoke cogently of unity wherever possible, while continuing to respect (and prayerfully discuss and debate)  conscientiously-held differences of teaching.

Several hundred people left the Cathedral to walk along Hope Street, passing (yes, still there, even now) the familiar anti-ecumenical demonstrators, some of whose banners we would in fact happily agree with: “Christ the Head of the Church”, “Put your Faith in Christ Alone” etc.  Half way along Hope Street we passed the fine bronze bas-relief statue of Derek Worlock and David Sheppard (which we at Christ Church contributed to), Joyce and Henry Ashcroft manfully bringing up the rear of the procession.

The bells clanging noisily above us, we climbed up the impressive flight of white steps and into the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King, everyone being greeted by several Bishops and the Cardinal. The sun shone through the bright hues of the multi-coloured windows as, led by ministers of all denominations, we prayed for forgiveness, unity, peace and reconciliation. Then as the organist played Louis Vierne’s Carillon de Westminster we greeted the Bishops again and re-emerged into the bright sunlight to locate our coach for home.

Richard Robinson