Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor challenges Christians in business

Christians in business were challenged to serve and witness to others "not just as individuals but corporately", by Cardinal Cormac Murphy -O'Connor, during the 64th Service of the United Guilds of the City of London, held in St Paul's Cathedral, on Friday 31 March. The first United Guilds' Service was held at St Paul's for the Livery Companies and Guilds in March 1943, to help lift the spirits of the City following the Blitz during the Second World War. "Until I came here today, I thought that a gathering of cardinals was, sartorially speaking, the world's most colourful event; but 107 liveries gathered together St Paul's is, I'll admit, serious competition. It was just under a year ago that I gathered with 114 other cardinals from throughout the world to choose, in the sight of God, the successor of St Peter. "Like conclaves, the guilds have a history which meshes the human and the divine, the practical and the spiritual, the everyday and the eternal. They are in this sense, very incarnational organisations, and therefore widely misunderstood." Cardinal Cormac concluded with a challenge: "Christians in business are called to a very special form of service to others, and to a very special witness; they are called to do so not just as individuals but corporately, to create communities. This service was instituted in order to remember the religious origins of the Guilds and to help to solve the needs of London in wartime. That was a long time ago, but London continues to have many needs, and your businesses are called to serve them." Peter Jennings was made a Freeman of the City of London on 2 June 1993 and admitted to the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Masons, an ancient Livery Company, formed in the City of London during the 15th century with the object of regulating the craft of stonemasonry. Sir Christopher Wren, architect of St Paul's Cathedral was a Master Mason.