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(PHOTO BY ANGELA GAIL BANCHI)
Floral arrangements at the “Festival of Flowers” at San Francisco’s Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption included this display above the baptistery at the entrance of the cathedral.
Cathedral’s ‘Festival of Flowers’ an inspiration for participants and attendees
November 4th, 2009
More than 3,000 people toured this year’s Festival of Flowers in early October at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco, where Father John Talesfore is rector.
“Twenty-two parishes took part in the Little Flower Festival this year, joined by 17 students from City College of San Francisco’s Horticulture and Floristry who also designed works for the Sacred Treasures Exhibit,” said Doug Benbow, director of liturgy at the Cathedral and a principal organizer of the Festival of Flowers. Ten florists from Ireland and England joined local professional designers to decorate the Shrines, baptistery and main altar, of the Cathedral, Benbow said.
“It was very moving to see so many people from as far away as Sacramento here to take part in the Festival,” he continued. “The most heartwarming thing for me was to hear on numerous occasions throughout the festival, from people who have lived here in San Francisco and the Bay Area all their lives say that they were visiting the Cathedral for the first time and were being inspired by the whole experience.”
Workshops were held for those who are responsible for decorating their parish church, and practical designing tips were demonstrated. Each of the two workshops was filled to capacity.
“The ‘Gala Preview and Reception’ was a big hit this year,” Benbow said, “with over 500 people in attendance, including Archbishop George Niederauer, Bishop Ignatius Wang and Bishop William Justice.” Dignitaries included the Consul General of the United Kingdom, Julian Evans and his wife Gayle; From the Consulate of Mexico, Jonathan Chait, consul for Cultural Affairs, and Gerardo Chong Lozano, consul for Commercial Affairs, attended.
A festival of choirs closed the event. Participating were groups from San Francisco: Cathedral of the Assumption, Mission Dolores Basilica, Notre Dame des Victoires, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Thomas More and St. Monica; San Mateo County: Mater Dolorosa, St Bartholomew, St. Catherine of Siena; Marin County: St. Hilary.
From November 6, 2009 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
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