An excerpt from the Dean's sermon for Sunday, 9 February 2020
God is not opposed to good architecture, fine music, good liturgies and powerful preaching; but religion that pleases God is religion that incarnates God’s love for the broken, the needy and the poor in ways that actually make a difference to their lives.
We saw an example of that just this past week when pope Francis ordered that one of the Vatican palaces be made a hostel for homeless men. Imagine the reaction among his advisors and the heritage committee!
But note the words spoken by the Pope: “Beauty heals!”
And we recall the Pope’s words when he was first elected in 2013 and called for “a poor church for the poor”.
Now that sounds like Isaiah 58 to me.
When we become a poor cathedral for the poor of Grafton, then we shall indeed be salt for this town and a light set upon a hill.
The full text of this sermon together with video may be found online.