25 June 2026
The Chelmsford Cathedral Day Chaplains are a valued and growing volunteer ministry, currently made up of clergy and lay members. Their presence is a gift to the Cathedral - offering welcome, a listening ear, pastoral care, and prayerful support to all who come through its doors.
The Revd Mark Pape, Curate at St Andrew’s Chelmsford and The Ascension with All Saints, Chelmsford and the Revd Eileen Rose, Priest-in-Charge in the Benefice of Little Ilford St Barnabas, are part of the Cathedral Day Chaplaincy Team. They explain more about this important ministry.
Eileen says:
“Having had a positive experience at Chelmsford Cathedral during my training as an ordinand, I was keen to volunteer as a Cathedral Day Chaplain. The opportunity to take on a role where I could pray and support those who ask for it was a privilege and also a personal interest as I could give back to the Cathedral.”
Mark explains:
“No day is the same, and we rarely see the same people, but it’s great to be part of a wider team supporting the work of the Cathedral alongside serving in the parishes”
Eileen adds:
“On rare occasions, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of those I have prayed for return and request prayer again. These moments feel particularly special, as I only volunteer a few hours each month and typically encounter different people each time. These encounters make me feel connected to the Cathedral and the local community, that I’m building a relationship from the inside and it's reaching outside into the world.”
Mark continues:
“Many visitors to the Cathedral are tourists, or they’re popping in on their lunch break, or they want to light a candle to remember a relative. But many more come with burdens, things going on at home, or something weighing heavy on them from work, or to do with their health. It’s a privilege to be a non-anxious presence in the Cathedral, to help them and for that short little time to help carry the load of whatever it is that has brought them through the doors of the Cathedral and to send them on their way, listened to and prayed for.”
If you’d like to find out more or are interested in becoming a Cathedral Day Chaplain, email: heidi.alderdice@chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk
This article is taken from the latest edition of WePray.