Nearly 500 primary school children gathered for a special Jubilee Mass at Lichfield Cathedral on Monday 16 June.

As a local initiative for the Jubilee year, the Catholic primary schools of the Lichfield and Walsall Deanery arranged the mass for approximately 500 primary school children from twelve of our Catholic schools. 

On Bluesky, St Anne’s Primary School Streetly said: “What an amazing Mass as Pilgrims of Hope at Lichfield Cathedral. Twelve schools across the deanery were represented.

“Two of our boys were altar servers overseeing everything for Bishop Timothy. It is the first time since the reformation that a Mass was celebrated at the cathedral, truly momentous.”

Lichfield Cathedral honours the patron of our Archdiocese of Birmingham, St Chad, and even houses a relic, gifted to Lichfield by St Chad’s Cathedral. St Chad was born in the north of England, one of four brothers who all became priests.

He came to the Midlands and he became a bishop who was humble and simple in his way of life.

Bishop Timothy Menezes celebrated the Mass and gave a homily saying:

“It is such a privilege to gather in this way, during the Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope and as children of God[…]

“And it’s wonderful to gather in this amazing building of faith as fellow Christians who have welcomed us so joyfully to Lichfield Cathedral today.”

After the Mass, the children left the Cathedral via a walk past the shrine of St Chad and the relic given by St Chad’s Cathedral.

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