The most important part of any monastery building is the church. Here at Maryton we took great care over all aspects of the design and contents of the church in order to create a truly sacred space. By summer 2014, the church was ready to be consecrated. On 13th July, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon presided over the ceremony in the presence of priests, architects, builders and many friends of Carmel. The ceremony began outside the church door with the architect handing over the key to the Archbishop. He led the sisters and congregation into the new church, accompanied by the beautiful singing of the Girls' Cathedral Choir who generously enriched the liturgy with their musical talent.
The Rite of Dedication, rich in symbol and profound in meaning, is closely linked to the Rite of Baptism both in its sacramental signs and purpose. The ritual takes place in the context of the Eucharist and challenges us to to become what we celebrate: living stones in the Temple of God. Several rituals are integrated into the celebration: the blessing and sprinkling with holy water; the sealing of martyrs' relics in the altar; the anointing with the oil of chrism and the incensing and lighting of the altar and church. After this, the Eucharist proceeds as usual. The primary symbol of a liturgy rich in symbols is the church itself and whatever is true of the church is valid for the Christian community and for each of one of us.