Two days of fitting celebration and
dedication have brought to a close a 20-month, £4.5 million renovation
project, signaling a new chapter in the history of St Andrew’s
Metropolitan Cathedral in Glasgow, and possibly the hierarchy of
Scotland.
As the cathedral reopens it doors to the
public for the first time, Catholics from throughout Glasgow and beyond
can marvel at the restored and enhanced West of Scotland ‘mother church’
on the banks of the River Clyde in all its Gothic splendour-as seen
this weekend by senior Church men, including Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop
Antonio Mennini, and civic leaders, such as the First Minister.
And, as the Bishop’s Conference of Scotland meets this week, news of change to come within it ranks is thought to be imminent.
Vespers
After recent light-hearted banter from within Glasgow Archdiocese
that work on St Andrew’s would continue until the eleventh hour to
complete the finishing touches on the extensive cathedral project, the
weekend events went ahead smoothly and on time.
On Saturday Archbishop Mario Conti, the driving force behind the
restoration project, welcomed Alex Salmond, civic leaders,
representatives from other churches and those who had worked on the
cathedral project, including artist Peter Howson who painted the St John
Ogilvie canvas that adorns the Blessed Sacrament chapel, for a night of
celebrations that concluded with Vespers.
Many were seeing the
dramatically lightened, brightened and newly adorned cathedral interior
for the first time.
During his homily on the history of Catholicism in Glasgow that
prompted the construction of St Andrew’s in the early 19th century,
Archbishop Conti (above) said: “It seems entirely appropriate that the
Archdiocese of Glasgow should take as its motto, the continuation of:
Let Glasgow Flourish which we see on its coat of arms and on the face of
the lectern from which the Gospel is proclaimed. Floreat Verbi Praeconio means literally in English, Let it (ie Glasgow) Flourish by the Proclamation of the Word.’
First Mass
Archbishop Conti welcomed Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Apostolic
Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the bishops of Scotland, bishops
from England and Ireland and the clergy of Glasgow Archdiocese to the
first Mass in the renovated cathedral.
At Sunday’s Mass and dedication of the new altar, which he designed,
Archbishop Conti said that between the martyrdom of St John Ogilvie at
Glasgow Cross in 1615 and the construction of St Andrew’s, Scotland ‘had
seen the virtual annihilation of the Catholic Church in the southwest
of our country, and the beginnings of its revival with the advent of
Catholics from other parts of the mainland and islands of Scotland, and
from the shores of Ireland.’
“Many contributed to the original building and many more to its restoration,” he added.
Nuncio
Following the blessing of the Sacred Heart Chapel at the end of
yesterday’s Mass, the Apostolic nuncio formally presented his diplomatic
papers to Cardinal O’Brien, president of the Bishops’ Conference of
Scotland, who officially welcomed him to our land.
Speaking publically for the first time in Scotland in his new role,
Archbishop Mennini told the congregation one of his first tasks will be
to ‘strengthen the bonds’ between ‘the Holy Father’ and ‘the local
Church.’
The nuncio is thought to be on the verge of announcing new
appointments to the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland as three of its
current members, including Archbishop Conti, have tendered their
resignations due to either ill health or upon reaching their 75th
birthdays.