Cathedral Chapters, were established to ensure the worthy celebration of liturgy in the Cathedral Church.  They were to celebrate the Divine office and assist the bishop of the governance of the Diocese. Nowadays there may not be a need for the Chapter to provide guidance and oversight to  the bishop in the governance of the diocese nor to pray the Divine Office other than Vespers twice a year. Hence, we are considering up-dating the Constitution to reflect a realistic mandate. If the Canons have a real function, it surely should be to support the life and mission of the Cathedral and the wider Diocese, through their prayers and their dedicated support of the Bishop. Prayer…so important. We live in an increasingly secular culture. How many of the pupils in our schools and their families practise their faith with flavourful salt as opposed to merely seeking a great education?  How many, indeed, truly believe in God?  How many priests in the world, even among those most honoured, truly live their vocation? Sadly, some, it seems, have exercised a priesthood not found underneath the Cross. At Calvary there was pure and intense love. The pure sensitive love of the Beloved Apostle and the intense exquisite love of the Blessed Virgin. It is she who will crush the Serpent’s head.To be there, underneath the Cross is to be touched and affected by this love. Not to be there leaves one open to the snares and wiles of the Evil One who loves to ruin the lives and souls of priests. When we read about the misdeeds of priests who have brought shame upon the Church, there is a temptation to seek anonymity -out there- by removing our clerical collars and crawl into our shells. That is not how to face such a challenge. No. Rather we must be even more mission minded than we were when we first legitimately wore the clerical collar and with the zeal we had on the day of our priestly ordination. That’s the kind of engagement with the faith that the synod seeks to bring about in us and among the lay faithful. We and they are to be not just cultural Catholics but intentional Catholics. Men and women who have embraced the faith in all its fullness, ready to bear witness to it in a culture which leaves less and less room for God and the things of God. And we can do so with confidence, knowing that Our Lord does not abandon His Church. Perhaps, among the young people who are so computer literate and media savvy, we need to find innovative and imaginative ways of proclaiming the faith…but never by watering any of it down. So, do the Canons still have a useful and effective function. Yes, we do…and it it to be passionate shepherds and pastors.