Cathedral in Preston requires extensive repairs, council told
An initial assessment found entire roof timbers in some parts of the building were "saturated and decayed with wet rot".The church was part of the Diocese of Lancaster until 2014, when it briefly closed after the congregation declined.It reopened the following year to serve local Roman Catholics from the Indian Syro-Malabar community.Pope Francis designated it as a new cathedral in 2016.
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The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for local homeless people, invites them to lunch at summer villa
Pope Leo XIV spent the last Sunday of his summer vacation with several dozen homeless and poor people and the church volunteers who help them, celebrating a special Mass for them and inviting them into the Vatican's lakeside estate for a lunch of lasagna and roast veal. Leo celebrated Mass in the St. Mary sanctuary of Albano, near the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo where he is vacationing. The Mass was attended by around 110 people cared for by the local Caritas church charity, and the volunteers who run the diocese's shelters, clinics and social service offices. In his homily, Leo celebrated the 'fire of charity' that had brought them together. 'And I encourage you not to distinguish between those who assist and those who are assisted, between those who seem to give and those who seem to receive, between those who appear poor and those who feel they have something to offer in terms of time, skills, and help,' he said. In the church, he said, everyone is poor and precious, and all share the same dignity. Leo, the former Robert Prevost, spent most of his adult life working with the poor people of Peru, first as an Augustinian missionary and then as bishop. Former parishioners and church workers say he greatly reinforced the work of the local Caritas charity, opening soup kitchens and shelters for migrants and rallying funds to build oxygen plants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Later Sunday, Leo was to preside over a luncheon with the guests at the Borgo Laudato Si', the Vatican's environmental educational center in the gardens of the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo. The center is named for Pope Francis ' 2015 landmark environmental encyclical, Laudato Si (Praised Be). According to the Albano diocese, local caterers were providing a menu of lasagna, eggplant parmesan and roast veal. For dessert, the menu called for fruit salad and sweets named for the pope, 'Dolce Leone.' ___ Rosa reported from Albano, Italy, and Winfield from Rome. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Pope celebrates Mass for local homeless people and invites them to lunch
Pope Leo XIV spent the last Sunday of his summer holiday with several dozen homeless and poor people – and the church volunteers who help them, celebrating a special Mass and inviting them into the Vatican's lakeside estate for a lunch of lasagne and roast veal. Leo celebrated Mass in the St Mary sanctuary of Albano, near the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo where he is on holiday. Advertisement The Mass was attended by around 110 people cared for by the local Caritas church charity, and the volunteers who run the diocese's shelters, clinics and social service offices. In his homily, Leo celebrated the 'fire of charity' that had brought them together. Pope Leo XIV is cheered by faithful as he arrives to celebrate Mass (Gregorio Borgia/AP) 'And I encourage you not to distinguish between those who assist and those who are assisted, between those who seem to give and those who seem to receive, between those who appear poor and those who feel they have something to offer in terms of time, skills, and help,' he said. In the church, he said, everyone is poor and precious, and all share the same dignity. Advertisement Leo, the former Robert Prevost, spent most of his adult life working with the poor people of Peru, first as an Augustinian missionary and then as bishop. Former parishioners and church workers say he greatly reinforced the work of the local Caritas charity, opening soup kitchens and shelters for migrants and rallying funds to build oxygen plants during the Covid-19 pandemic. Later on Sunday, Leo was to preside over a luncheon with the guests at the Borgo Laudato Si', the Vatican's environmental educational centre in the gardens of the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo. The centre is named for Pope Francis' 2015 landmark environmental encyclical, Laudato Si (Praised Be). Advertisement According to the Albano diocese, local caterers were providing a menu of lasagne, eggplant parmesan and roast veal. For dessert, the menu called for fruit salad and sweets named for the pope, 'Dolce Leone'.
BBC News
13-08-2025
- BBC News
Wrecked English warship's cannon found on seabed off Kent coast
Cannons and coils of rope from an English warship that sank in 1703 have been discovered by Northumberland, a large 70-gun ship built in Bristol in 1679, sank off the Kent coast during high winds in what was known as "The Great Storm". The latest survey to inspect the site, held in July, also revealed wooden chests containing musket balls, swords and wooden Meara, one of the Historic England maritime archaeologists who went on the diver, said: "What we're seeing on the seabed is that big, big element of the ship structure. It's fantastic." Shifting sands means experts were able to see that The Northumberland, built for the Royal Navy by Bristol shipbuilder Francis Baylie, is more complete than previously thought."It's the exact kind of ship you think about when you think of great big warships of the age of sail," Mr Meara told BBC Radio Bristol. He said a long series of investigations and surveys will now take place to "answer more questions of the past".Mr Meara, who dived about 65ft (20 metres) to the ship, said: "On the dives we can see this great big iron cannon, there's large bits of wooden ship structure."But because it's so intact you can see a lot of the organic material you don't normally see - things like coils of rope, smaller wooden objects and organic artefacts like that. "They're all lying on that decking, exactly where they would have been when the ship went down." He added any work to lift the warship out of the sea is very expensive and would take significant restoration work."As soon as you lift it out of the water, it's at risk of decay," he said.
