November 2024

Civic guests were welcomed to St Chad's Cathedral on Sunday 24 November for the annual Civic Mass.

Held each year on the Solemnity of Christ the King and World Youth Sunday, many of those engaged in public life in the city gathered in worship.

The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Longley, who began his Homily with:

Over the last two weeks, and in a variety of different ways at local and national level, we have come together in order to remember. November according to Catholic custom is the month of the Holy Souls when we call to mind and pray especially for those who have accompanied us on our own journey through life. Today’s Feast of Christ the King invites us to look forward to the eternal kingdom which we shall one day share with all those who have died.

Remembering in this way makes us conscious of our own mortality and the relative shortness of our lives. It also helps us to value the precious gift of each day and to seek within the time entrusted to us the beauty, goodness and truth that give meaning and fulfilment to the lives we lead.

Read Homily in full

Amongst the guests at the Mass were His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant, Dr Derrick Anderson CBE; The Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress of Birmingham, Cllr Ken Wood & Mrs Barbara Wood; the High Sheriff of the West Midlands, Douglas Wright, MBE DL and His Majesty’s Judges.

As it was World Youth Sunday a Second Collection was held to support the work of the Kenelm Youth Trust (KYT), the Diocesan Youth Service.

Yemisi Wisoba, Encounter & Evangelisation Youth Ministry Worker at KYT, also gave a short talk on the work of the youth service.

Photo Gallery by Con McHugh