Cathedrals Plus
Inspiring Lives
Cathedrals Plus is an ecumenical professional network, supporting colleagues involved in visitor engagement and learning in cathedrals, abbeys, minsters, major churches and shrines.
Our two-year project, ‘Inspiring Lives: Saints, Martyrs, and Missionaries’, will create a digital and in-print resource about people of faith at the heart of the community, historically or currently. By collating the shared knowledge and experience of our members, and researching further examples of inspiring individuals, we will create and curate a range of materials for cathedrals and churches to use in their outreach work with local communities, schools, families and individuals.
Our two-year project, ‘Inspiring Lives: Saints, Martyrs, and Missionaries’, will create a digital and in-print resource about people of faith at the heart of the community, historically or currently. By collating the shared knowledge and experience of our members, and researching further examples of inspiring individuals, we will create and curate a range of materials for cathedrals and churches to use in their outreach work with local communities, schools, families and individuals.
The ‘Inspiring Lives’ project was conceived to share the stories of the Saints, Martyrs, Missionaries and Pilgrims who are commemorated in cathedrals and major churches across the UK and worldwide. Cathedrals and churches play a vital role in our communities. Yet, whilst they are often iconic in the regions they serve, many residents and neighbours have never crossed the buildings’ thresholds to explore their histories.
Most cathedrals and shrines are dedicated to a specific saint. Some hold the shrines and relics of these saints, and we want to share their stories. These people have inspired faith and supported communities through their teachings, the examples of their lives and their pastoral work.
Yet local communities may know very little about the heritage and culture attached to their cathedral, abbey or church. Many people are unaware of the Christian values and foundations upon which their daily life and purpose are built. Built as pilgrimage sites hundreds of years ago, they still welcome pilgrims to their place of prayer, offering a safe space for peace and reflection to anyone seeking solace or answers.
In addition to their regular cycles of prayer and worship, cathedrals and churches have a mission to reach out to the marginalised, the poor, the dispirited and the disengaged. By sharing stories of those most famed for their love of God and for the sacrifices they made, Cathedrals Plus hopes to support its members in reaching new audiences with reimagined stories in the heart of the communities in which they serve.
Most cathedrals and shrines are dedicated to a specific saint. Some hold the shrines and relics of these saints, and we want to share their stories. These people have inspired faith and supported communities through their teachings, the examples of their lives and their pastoral work.
Yet local communities may know very little about the heritage and culture attached to their cathedral, abbey or church. Many people are unaware of the Christian values and foundations upon which their daily life and purpose are built. Built as pilgrimage sites hundreds of years ago, they still welcome pilgrims to their place of prayer, offering a safe space for peace and reflection to anyone seeking solace or answers.
In addition to their regular cycles of prayer and worship, cathedrals and churches have a mission to reach out to the marginalised, the poor, the dispirited and the disengaged. By sharing stories of those most famed for their love of God and for the sacrifices they made, Cathedrals Plus hopes to support its members in reaching new audiences with reimagined stories in the heart of the communities in which they serve.
Overview:
The project will produce a range of resources for Cathedrals Plus members to access and use in their outreach work, sharing the stories of Saints, Martyrs and Missionaries. Recounting the stories of how these inspiring individuals sought to serve God and live out their faith, links can be made to the challenging issues that today’s societies face. The project will also therefore collate and curate the stories of ‘living saints’.
We hope to discover and share the stories of ‘People of Faith at the Heart of the Community’ who work in and with our cathedrals and churches to improve the lives of others i.e. to improve the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness, suffering from inner-city poverty, inequality and prejudice etc. In sharing the legends of the past with the stories of today, the ‘Inspiring Lives’ project seeks to create new communities and new ministries of welcome and engagement in cathedrals and major churches.
We hope to discover and share the stories of ‘People of Faith at the Heart of the Community’ who work in and with our cathedrals and churches to improve the lives of others i.e. to improve the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness, suffering from inner-city poverty, inequality and prejudice etc. In sharing the legends of the past with the stories of today, the ‘Inspiring Lives’ project seeks to create new communities and new ministries of welcome and engagement in cathedrals and major churches.
The Project:
Whilst the detailed schedule and output for the project is still being developed, funding for the project in year 1 will support the Cathedrals Plus annual conference in Dublin in January 2026, where guest speakers and workshop leaders will focus on the theme, ‘Inspiring Lives: People of faith at the heart of the Community’. These sessions will be recorded and uploaded to our website.
From the feedback and output of our Dublin conference, funding for the project in year 2 will be used to develop the following resources for our members to use in their outreach work with schools, local communities, families, visitors and pilgrims:
From the feedback and output of our Dublin conference, funding for the project in year 2 will be used to develop the following resources for our members to use in their outreach work with schools, local communities, families, visitors and pilgrims:
- A printed booklet (also to be available to download) with a working title, “Inspiring Lives: People of Faith at the Heart of the Community”, including different ways to share, depict, represent, interpret and interact with these inspirational peoples’ stories.
- A digital archive of images for use in the story telling
- A resource bank of recordings of interviews with today’s community leaders who are inspiring lives.
For more information please see the Cathedrals Plus website, or the Cathedrals Plus Facebook page
