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IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

Canon Edward Probert, Chancellor (Wednesday 1st November 2006)

Because a lot of visitors come to Salisbury, I quite frequently am visited by old associates from the parishes in which I have worked. Inevitably I am asked about the cathedral, about my work here, about what I miss in parish life, and so on. Most people coming to the cathedral find it beautiful and moving, but would struggle to say what a cathedral is for, because their picture of Church life is formed by parish churches, with their regular congregations, local communities, and pastoral responsibilities. A cathedral is simply different. Yes, it has a regular congregation, strong sense of community and all the pastoral activities, but I think that the most distinctive difference between parish life and cathedral life is a cultural one. Church life in parishes is of course amateur and part-time; at the cathedral I am struck by the professionalism of colleagues working in very differing areas – building crafts, administration, tourism, music, education, and much more. And so while as a parish priest I was always a jack of all trades, these days I can let the experts take over in many areas. For example, no longer do I need to sing Evensong when I have two expert singers among my colleagues: it isn’t necessary to get away with it when it can be done well. I count myself very lucky to be in the midst of such professionalism, but there are losses as well as gains. The unavoidably amateur nature of parish life can be a great strength, because it encourages people to get involved, to take responsibility, to feel at home. By contrast, the expertise of others could be rather disabling – why get involved when it is already there on a plate? In fact, one of the things I like about our cathedral is the great efforts which are made to be a resource and to encourage others. For example, our musicians will be holding the annual ‘be a chorister for a day’ this month. This is just one of many ways in which they work to open eyes and ears to the possibility of involvement. Everyone needs examples of excellence, and we certainly strive to do things well here. But excellence does not exist simply for itself, but to serve God and to help the wider mission of his Church. Seeds are sown which will bear fruit in many other places.

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