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St George’s News - Waterlooville’s Parish Magazine

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Easter 2026 issue

Mothers’ Union notes

Our February meeting was a Communion service in Christ Church Portsdown.

On 3rd March our speaker was Fr David Lindsay who was a School Chaplain and teacher of Religious Studies before he retired, and had been “encouraged” by one of the Sisters of Bethany to become a part time Chaplain in Portsmouth Cathedral. He told us about the history of the Cathedral.

In about 1180 a wealthy Norman merchant, Jean de Gisors gave land to the Augustinian Canons of Southwick Priory for a chapel to be built dedicated to St Thomas a Becket who had been assassinated 10 years earlier. The building became a Parish Church in the 14th century. It was badly damaged in the English Civil War by Parliamentary forces and rebuilt when Charles II came to the throne in 1660.

When the Diocese of Portsmouth was established in 1927 it was chosen to be its Cathedral. An extension was decided upon in 1932 but work had to be stopped during the 2nd World War and a “temporary” brick wall built. This remained in place for over 50 years.

By the mid-1980’s the wall had become unsafe and concentrated minds on finishing the building – work began in January 1990 and completed end of 1991.

Fr David’s duties as part time Chaplain include welcoming and greeting visitors – a varied assortment of locals and passers by, holiday makers and even passengers off cruise ships. There is usually a guide to answer questions, but many visitors come for quiet prayer or reflection or to light a candle, or need someone to talk to, and the Chaplain is there to help or just to listen if needed