We gathered at St Chad’s Cathedral on Monday 8 December 2025 as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ to celebrate the fruits of this past year.

On the Feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the Feast Days of the Archdiocese, a Chapter Mass is always held at the Diocesan Mother Church.

Yesterday's Mass took on extra meaning as we celebrated and gave thanks, as a diocese, for the Jubilee Year.

Representatives from across the Archdiocese were invited and included those from our parishes, schools and communities. All have embraced the Jubilee Year with a huge number of activities, events and pilgrimages undertaken.

At the Mass the Chapter of Canons, who form the governing body of St Chad’s Cathedral, gathered with celebrant Archbishop Bernard Longley.

The Feast Day also marked the 16th anniversary of Archbishop Bernard’s installation as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

His Grace opened his Homily with:

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

This year we are celebrating our Patronal Feast in thanksgiving for the Jubilee Year which is drawing towards its close.  I thank the representatives of different communities and organisations for joining the Cathedral Chapter in this Mass as we offer our thanks for the many different graces that we have received through this Holy Year.  

Together with the Feast of St Chad in March, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is our annual day of thanksgiving when the diocese recalls and celebrates its identity as a community of faith and we give thanks for the mission entrusted to us by our Lord.  

Read Homily in full

The Chapter of Canons, who care for the cathedral and its liturgical life, had met beforehand for a meeting. They are also the College of Consultors who advise the Archbishop about the life and mission of the Archdiocese.

Auxiliary Bishops David Evans, Timothy Menezes and Richard Walker were in attendance at Mass, along with Bishop William Kenney, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus. They were joined by newly ordained Bishop Kuriakose Mar Osthathios, of the Syro-Malankara Church, an ancient Christian community. Bishop Kuriakose resides at Our Lady of the Assumption in Coventry.

Members of the cathedral choir led the singing and several diocesan schools were represented including St Chad’s Catholic Primary School, Holy Cross MAC Coventry and St Patrick and St Edmund, Winson Green.

For those who could not attend please consider attending the Diocesan Closing Mass for the Jubilee Year on Sunday 28 December at 11.30am at the cathedral, to be celebrated by Bishop David Evans.

The Jubilee ends on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 2026, with the Closing of the Holy Door at Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome.

Mass Booklet

Jubilee Year in our Archdiocese

Photo Gallery