Cathedral Partners
Ministry of Hospitality For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Luke 12:34-36
Men and women of all ages from the Cathedral congregation and from parishes throughout the Diocese of Pennsylvania provide a ministry of hospitality, prayer, and spiritual enrichment for all who pass through the doors. By volunteering their time to perform these ministries, Cathedral Partners assist the Cathedral in fulfilling its mission of being “a seat for the Bishop, a home for the Diocese, and an open door for all.”
Through their welcoming presence, partners act as ambassadors for the life of the diocese, and by extension, the whole Church and the whole people of God. Partners give tours of the Cathedral, assist with Morning Prayer and the noon Eucharist, offer a compassionate and listening ear to those in need of hope and healing, and pray with those who seek God’s presence in their lives.
Partners help others to experience the Cathedral as a place of sanctuary, stillness, and prayer in the midst of the city. Many who visit the Cathedral, leave the names of their loved ones on the prayer list, knowing that they will be remembered in prayer by the Cathedral partners throughout the week. Family members of patients in neighboring hospitals are frequent pilgrims to the Cathedral for prayer. Visitors often light votive candles on the prayer tree or pray quietly in the beautifully renovated space, listening to the sound of running water in the baptismal font. Others participate in the daily Eucharist at noon. Cathedral Partners volunteer their time one to two times per month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There are two partners scheduled for each day. Coffee, tea, and snacks are always available. Free parking is provided.
For more information about becoming a part of the Philadelphia Cathedral Partners program, please contact danielt@philadelphiacathedral.org at Philadelphia Cathedral, 215.386.0234, ext 104.