Chairman's Newsletter - July 2025

July 2025
 

 

REV. KATE MASSEY was installed as the Residentiary Canon for Arts and Reconciliation on the 15^th June 2025.  It was the first Installation Service at the Cathedral to be conducted by Rt. Rev. Sophie Jelley, Bishop of Coventry.
     (photo row 1)  Before the service members of the College of Canons and others gathered in the Chapel of Industry to witness the Canon-designate making the Declarations that are required by Canon Law.   In the presence of the Bishop she made her Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign and swore an Oath of Canonical Obedience to the Bishop.
     (photo row 2)   The Cathedral Choir (directed by Rachel Mahon) sang the Evensong Responses by Humphrey Lucas and the Canticles by John Ireland.
     (photo row 3)   The Bishop read out the Deed of Collation and the Licence before handing them to the newly appointed Canon.   Dean John Witcombe accepted her Declaration of Fidelity to the Cathedral Chapter before conducting her to her stall, vesting her with a cope and placing a Cross of Nails around her neck.
     (photo row 4)    The congregation joined in welcoming applause as these formalities were completed and Canon Massey responded with words of thanks.
     Canon Massey was ordained in Coventry Cathedral in 2011.   Prior to her ordination she worked as a doctor in the NHS, specialising in mental health and psychiatry.   She comes to the Cathedral from St Paul’s Church, Stockingford, Nuneaton where she has served as Vicar since January 2015.

 

 

At each FRIENDS AGM three new members are added to the Friends Council.    This is what our Constitution asks us to do, so that new members can bring new and different ideas to carry us forward.   
     This year’s AGM is on 4^th October 2025 (12.30pm), and there is room for three new members of the Friends Council.
     I have served the Friends as its Chairman since 2016, and it is now time for a change and for me to give way to fresh leadership.
     Would you like to join the Friends Council or do you know someone else who can help?
     Can you think of a suitable person to be Chair of the Friends?
     Candidates do not necessarily have to be current members of the Friends as long as they wish to support Coventry Cathedral.   They can always join later!
     I had no response to my request in last month’s newsletter, but without good support from members the FRIENDS will not grow and thrive.   The future is up to you, so please act now.   

 

COVENTRY CATHEDRAL ON FILM

AT THE FIRST of our 3 showings of film featuring Coventry Cathedral we watched a compilation of short films about the work of John Hutton.  
     Before he started to work on the Cathedral’s great west screen we heard Hutton explain how he developed an engraving technique with grinding wheels that allowed him greater sensitivity in his drawing on glass.   We were reminded of his other local engravings of characters from Shakespeare plays that adorn the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford upon Avon.
     Today not many of us recall the TV soap CROSSROADS starring Noelle Gordon, which had an audience of some 16 million viewers in its day.   Programmes were made on a shoestring budget in ATV’s Birmingham studios (notorious for wobbly scenery!) and we watched a series of scenes that used the Cathedral as location.   St Michael’s House exterior was transformed into a hospital complete with nurses and ambulances.   Noelle Gordon said that Coventry Cathedral was the outstanding location.
     In news footage we saw Archbishop Justin in Rome presenting Pope Francis with a Coventry Cross of Nails in 2016.   The occasion was the latest in a succession of meetings between the leaders of the two churches that started with Archbishop Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.  Their intention is the furthering of theological conversations between the churches.
   Other films from the 1960s were shown, but enough of the past event.  The next showing of Coventry Cathedral on Film is -

12^th July 2025 at 2pm
A brief word about some of the films to be shown.

     The Gulf War.   Today our TV news constantly reminds us of the conflict in the Middle East.   Back in 1990 Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the Gulf War began.   Coventry Cathedral was involved nationally through the friendship of two of the congregation with one of the civilian hostages held by Saddam Hussein as his “Human Shield”.   Stephen and Josie Brookes became a vital communication link in the Gulf Support Group.   (You may recall the recent documentary about British Airways Flight 149 that landed civilians in warring Kuwait.)
     In 1991 the BBC Sunday Morning Worship “Prayers For The Gulf” broadcast took place from the Chapel of Unity accompanied by the Cathedral Choir (director – Paul Leddington Wright).   A film of that short act of worship led by John Petty will be shown.
     Most Popular 20^th Century Building.   In 1999 the Sunday Telegraph/English Heritage poll established Coventry Cathedral as the country’s Most Popular 20^th Century Building.   A film was broadcast to announce and illustrate the poll result.
      “Machine On Black Ground.”    It is not often that we have the opportunity to view a film that has never been shown to the public.   This meditative art film was made by two students at Coventry University.   They have given me permission to show it for the first time to members of the Friends.
     Brexit.   Whatever your views on Brexit, it is interesting to see that Gordon Brown chose to record his political broadcast “Lead Not Leave” whilst walking through the Coventry Cathedral Ruins.
     Casket of Jewels appreciation.   Dr James Fox is an art historian who takes part in a regular art appreciation series online.   We will see for ourselves that he thinks highly of Coventry Cathedral.
     The final showing of Coventry Cathedral On Film is on

    26^th July 2025 at 2pm

Historic construction.   A showing of historic silent film taken by Barnard Reyner of the construction of Coventry Cathedral from the 1950s up to the Consecration in 1962.
      The film maker was a Coventry architect and film maker who was allowed access to the site during the construction of the Cathedral.   In the 1960s he often showed his film to church groups around the diocese and added his own commentary live.   I have a copy of his commentary script and can provide paper copies if I have some idea of the numbers attending.
     This unique film was digitised by the Friends of Coventry Cathedral, and parts of it were used by the BBC in the 2020 documentary about the building.   It is shown to members of the Friends for the first time.

The Coventry Cathedral on Film shows are all on Saturdays
and start at 2pm finishing by 3.40pm.
 

 

     SIR JOHN LAING was a generous benefactor whose construction company built the new Coventry Cathedral.   A committed Christian, Sir John ensured that all the company profits from that building contract were returned to the Cathedral in kind.
     Last month a commemorative blue plaque was unveiled at his former home in Newcastle Street, Carlisle.  
     Sir John Laing founded a construction business that became international.   In addition to the building of Coventry Cathedral his company was responsible for many iconic projects across the country including the M1 and the British Library.   The company built numerous shopping centres, offices and thousands of homes.
     As a committed Christian he believed in caring for people so he looked after his workforce.    Back in the 1950s, when such things were not so usual, in his company he pioneered the introduction of holiday pay and introduced a company pension scheme.
     The blue plaque marks the life and achievements of Sir John Laing.   We do not need a blue plaque as for us our Cathedral is his legacy.
 

 

PAULINE BLACK O.B.E. was the speaker at the annual Windrush Service – “Where are we now?” – on the  22^nd June 2025. (photo left)   One week later she appeared on TV singing with The Selecter on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival. (photo right)
     Windrush Day is a day of remembrance and celebration dedicated to the Windrush generation - Caribbean migrants who arrived in Britain between 1948 and 1971. It honours their contributions to British society and acknowledges the challenges they faced upon arrival.
     In her address, Pauline Black drew on her own life experiences to offer encouragement to the younger generation who share a Caribbean heritage.   Today she is known as a pioneering singer, actress, and writer.   She is still the lead vocalist of the 2-Tone band The Selecter, that she joined when it was formed in Coventry in 1979.  
    That band was one of the most successful ska bands of the 2-Tone era, and achieved several top forty singles in the UK Singles Chart.   Having co-released the first 2-Tone ska single with The Specials, they were one of the founding acts of the movement.
 

 


 

     (photo 1)   The Installation of Bishop Sophie Jelley as the 10^th Bishop of Coventry took place on Saturday, 7^th June 2025.   She is the first woman to hold this post.



     (photo 2)   The Ordination of 6 candidates to the priesthood took place on Sunday, 29^th June 2025.   They are Rolene Cort, Beks Rothnie, James Sampson-Foster, Adrian Thacker, Luke Thomas and Modupe Adeoye.



     (photo 3)   The ordination of 7 candidates to the diaconate took place on Sunday, 29^th June 2025.   They are Damares Gomes-Morris, Elizabeth Goodwin, Davd Jones, Ann McCabe, Mary Morris, Louisa Peet and Matthew Robinson.