The organist librarian

Glad that Andrew Nunn is to be Dean of Southwark. Sad that the Dean of St Paul's and Giles Fraser resigned. Saw the camp tonight from the bus - it certainly blocks a major right of way.

Swam 16 as got up late - have gained a couple of pounds! To mosaic and no tutor appeared - only 4 of us. 7 at tai chi. Home to read some more William James. Organists association visit to Kenneth Tickell organ (2009) at Lincoln's Inn Fields chapel. Most impressive cases and good sound. Adrian and Norman there, chatted to Dorio whose priest is behaving badly again. The organist Norman Shaw was scholat at Magdalen Oxford and studied with Helene la Rue. Home to watch Young apprentice.

Watched programme on young nuns on Saturday night. Clocks went back but woke several times in the morning. At Coulsdon we sang The eternal gifts and Give me the wings to "San Rocco". The service definitely started early as there was not enough time to play all of Howells Sine nomine prelude. Home for lunch and listened to radio programme about William James Varieties of religious experience and started to read the lectures. All Souls service at Coulsdon - sang Ps !21 to Walford Davies chant and Faure Pie Jesu. I played Vierne Epitaphe and Angels farewll of Elgar. Watched Antiques roadshow.

Choir practice and John Linney back but not with us on Sunday. Did 2 carols. I was tired and had a restless night dreaming I was singing in La Boheme for Martin How! To Heythrop for mass and carried on writing the first essay in the library while Liz was at the course. Got salads from M & S and had tea at French cafe before going to vespers and Mass with Fr Alexander who taught the congregation the revised St Anne's Mass gloria by MacMillan.

Sunday went as usual and I did some more reading resisting the temptation to go to the organ recital at Westminster central hall! Liz went to meet Louise at Westfield. Some of the choir were die to sing at St Paul's cathedral on Monday for the evensong to mark the anniversary of A & M but it was moved to Southwark cathedral. The demo at St Paul's caused it to be closed on health and safety grounds - £20,000 a day being lost but of course if the cathedral was free... yet again the church comes out looking bad. Later in the week Giles Fraser resigned as he was not prepared to condone the use of violence to eventually remove the protesters. Good for him! Monday we set off for Gatwick Liz having been up to Glyn close again as she found there were no lights on. The Aer Lingus flight went smoothly and we landed in heavy rain. Took taxis to go and see Joe and he appreciated it. At 3 p.m. we met up with a large collection of nuns and a few monks for the coach ride to Roscrea. We qu...

To St George's Beckenham expecting Andrew Kirk but he was ill so Norman stepped in - first time he had played a recital in a hoodie! Ridout 2 Nativity dances, Finzi Prelude and Bach Passacaglia - excellent. Saw Jo Harvey and Ken. Louise arrived with Ciarán - he has a nasty cough but enjoyed Cornwall. We enjoyed looking at the photos. To Sacred Heart Wimbledon - went wrong way! David Briggs on stunning form playing from memory. Guy Bonnet, Bach, Franck No. 3, Nimrod and Widor Toccata, Haydn and a 4 movement improvisation! The organ is splendid and a good audience. Liz to Heythrop and Louise went to visit Gemma and Sebastian. Ciarán happy to watch Thomas and Gruffalo and read Thomas books. Nasty cough but quite OK. Have now done all reading we were given on Helios and submitted first bit of essay on discussion forum. Watched the rest of Terry Gwilliam's amazing ENO Damnation of Faust on Iplayer. Fr Durand at mass and Huddersfield Boys choir sang Keith Roberts mass - met him - he...

A short lie-in. More reading on phenomenology - gave up on the Paul Ricoeur book. Train was late so arrived late at St Matthew Westminster for Rosemary Field's recital of Bach, Tunder, John Robinson and Leighton's Paean. She remembered meeting me in Birmingham and St Stephen Rochester Row is to have a new organ a Binns from Edinburgh.. Bus to Waterloo and time to look rounf the 2 exhibitions at the National theatre where I had won Tablet tickets. The Jonathan Miller stuff was tat but the Laila Ward Migration work quite lovely combining fabrics and ceramics. Really enjoyed the Authorized version of Psalms and Song of Songs. Patricia Routledge is a national treasure - who could forget her reading Psalm 23 and 121? Met the Beers afterwards and got X68 home and Liz went on to M & S.

Tuesday swam 28. Painted the bottom of the front garden wall and the porch floor looks great. Did some reading. Liz was busy in the garden. To first meeting of cathedral group Foretaste of heaven led by Mary Maxwell. Tina and Colette and we met in room 1 which is awful. Colette adamant communion is not a sharing or a meal! Oh dear! I will be missing 2 sessions any way. To Heythrop and met Kim Burke on the tube. At 5 5 of is gathered for coffee in the dining room as a result of my initiative and i invited another 3 later on - a useful chat. Damian covered phenomenology and Tony hermeneutics and Paul Ricoeur. Heavy going. Watched The Duchess about Georgina Duchess of Devonshire. Wednesday lie-in as not babysitting and had new bread, lemon curd and tea in bed! Chat to Ann. Did some more reading and watched Simon Rattle conduct the Berlin Phil in Madrid - superb Rachmaninov 2. To Heythrop for seminar CCID on spirit in Islam - Dr Hugh Boulter from Oxford diocese. Most interesting bits were...

Swam 16. To mosaic and Kim made some good suggestions about my project. More at tai chi. To Battersea Park library to pick up another book by Cox. Watched McGill lecture and question session with Charles Taylor and Jose Casanova on secularism - fascinating. To Croydon council meeting - not that many in public gallery. My question about library staffing not well answered by Sara Bashford - I think the tendering out of management with Wandsworth will mean more cuts. To dancing and we did the jive which is too complicated. Frances Novillo email on RSCM committee not good tone.

Arrived at Coulsdon to find there was a baptism and "Christ is the king" was replaced by Channel of your peace at the end of the service - not a good closer. We sang How's "Day by day". I played Saint-Saens transcription of 3rd symphony which David appreciated. Short organ practice before Refresh which involved the two girls so rehearsed with Sean. Read Cox on phenomenology of religion. To evensong Walmisley in D minor and Wesley's "The Lord hath been mindful of us" which was painfully slow and lugubrious! Pork for dinner and fruit pudding. Watched Antiques roadshow and Downton Abbey and listened to some of "Let the people sing".

To Heythrop for conference in Loyola Hall with 3 authors on their book about the uniqueness of Christ and other faiths. The Baptist Dan Strange was so patronising and offensive using YWYH and idolatrous. Gavin D'Costa from Bristol university billed as a trad Catholic thologian proved to be a bit muddled in presentation. Paul Knitter from US was much more to my liking with his open approach. Had picnic with Sister Jo and a Sister of Zion. Michael Barnes spoke to me and met Katarina from the Bishops conference introduced by Damian. Spoke to Archbishop Kevin - he said "something to do with Addiscombe I can't even remember what" so I just said I was at Heythrop and Westminster Cathedral. Our lives were wrecked and he can't even remember! It was a worthwhile day and met some interesting people including a former MA student. One of my questions was asked - the one about using YWYH. To Kensington High street to get mousetraps (I saw a mouse late one night in the lounge)...

Did some reading after my swim (30) and Liz did some painting. To Al Henry's funeral at St Mary's - Liz took me and picked me up so I could change out of my suit. A remarkable man - although he was a Catenian I only met him once when I presented him with his 40 year scroll - a much loved GP who loved fast cars, fine wine, poetry and his family. His nephew from New York spoke very well and his barrister son as well. 4 good hymns but the organist stopped at every comma and played with no fluidity of style at all but at least it was accurate and in time! To Heythrop for library and Kim's second seminar. The lecture was by Tony Carroll on Marx and secularisation. Room very hot and glad of fresh air and a full moon at the break! To Acton. Wednesday Liz took Ciaran to music and I went to Southfields Gurdwara for interfaith group visit - 8 came and Jasbir was a delightful guide. Mr SIngh the priest was also there. My frst visit to a gurdwara and enjoyed it. I met Liz at Ladbroke...

Swam 24. To mosaic and Kim standing in while Linda in Mexico. Cross completed and started on border. 8 at tai chi and started on a longer form. To Starbucks Croydon centrale for meeting about More than Gold in Croydon - 5 of us particularly impressed by Methodist youth worker who lives near here! At the end extempore prayer - in Starbucks? Did November music list and to dancing - cha cha, samba, waltz turn. Wayne Marshall organ concert. Watched a bit more of programme on Rostropovich and Songs of Praise from Salisbury cathedral with feature on RSCM Gold award.

I am on the back page of the Catholic Herald leading the procession last week! On bus to St George's cathedral and a warm welcome from the Dean Canon John O'Toole. The men were singing and good to see Norman Harper, Nick Gale and Mark Johnson. The turn out of Catenians not that great - about 50. We were serving but took a back seat. The servers arrived at the last minute and there was no MC and they certainly need training! Shambolic! The plainchant was far too fast and the whole Mass felt rushed with no silences at all. I'm not sure I woudl want to repeat the experience and I only went because of our deceased brothers. We came home on the bus and I started work on my first essay. Evensong from Exeter (again!) At St John's we sang Coleridge-Taylor canticles and Bainton's "And I saw a new heaven". Terence has a crutch but recovering well from the hip operation. Watched Antiques roadshow.

Saturday took Liz to station as circle line not running - her session was on the Bible. I went to London Bridge to go to Southwark cathedral for the day "Singing the Bible" marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Lovely to see Bernadette Farrell again and her workshop was excellent despite a certain man interrupting. (Later I saw him at the back of Westminster cathedral!) Canon Andrew Dunn the acting Dean gave a lovely welcoming prayer and we sang "Angel voices". Bernadette gave us the music for lots of good ideas. Nice to see Andrew Maries again but he did not give us the scores - good to be reminded of some fine songs by Christopher Walker and Bernadette and Marty Haugen. At lunch I helped on the RSCM book stall but I find Frances Novillo rather bossy! The afternoon workshop was a disaster! The leader a priest from Brixton said she can't sing but the 2 people she had asked lectured us on the community choirs they had formed. A lady said she was ...

Swam 34 despite being late up. Discussion about what needs to be done and I have loads to read. Liz to serve at schools Mass. I went to Beckenham for Nigel's half hour of Handel, Bach, Darke In green pastures (which as he said is a delight) Archer and German. Home by 1.30 to get on with reading articles. I sent Damian an paper on policing which duly apeared on Helios! Not sure I understand or agree with the articles and not sure I've got time to reread them! Is religion inherently prone to violence? Can an inside understand a religion? Evensong from Winchester 3 choirs featured Howells Te Deum and Stanford in A. The evensong from Exeter included Shephard canticles and Laudate Dominum by Ronald Corp written for the St Cecilia festival this year.

Liz and I to Heythrop for 1 p.m. college Mass in the chapel which was well sung and accompanied on the organ. One of the hymns from Laudate was by Jo Stanley and not singable at all and "Tis good Lord to be here" was to the "Wrong" tune and not "Carlisle". Hard to hear Fr David. We went to coffee with the chaplains in the quiet room and spoke to a nun doing her novitiate. Fr David did not speak to us but after Liz went off to student services (which was closed!) Fr Rocco chatted to me. To library to read 2 articles on laptop which seemed to have little relevance to Tuesday's lecture or am I not being subtle enough? Saw Larry and Nick had popped over from St Paul's shop where he is now working. Liz went to session with Kim. On 9 and 36 to Victoria to be acolytes at Mass for St Barnabas society - it supports ministers from other churches who become RCs. Spotted 2 past grand presidents of the Catenians in the small congregation. Had a coffee and apple...

Lots more from Damian to read some of it quite small so I think I will use laptop and enlarge it there. Swam 30.

In the morning to Upper Norwood to sign wills and got a card for Julian. Tuesday afternoon to library and borrowed 4 books and requested some. To Rahner room for Heythrop scholar seminar with Kim about referencing and guidelines. Met Brazilian student and several others on my course including the formidable Charles. Lecture 2 by Damian on insider/outsider and Cantwell Smith which I finished reading this afternoon! Mentioned to him that I could not hear some of the questions from students in the Brinkman room. Fr Michael Barnes was there and he greeted me - he is moving from Southall to Oxford. To Acton and quite tired. Wednesday took Liz to Marmalade in the car as her engagement ring had lost a facet and she collected her other ring after it had been adjusted. To deli with Louise. Ciarán enjoyed music. Straight to Hinsley room for spirituality day on kindness with Viv Stacey on Francisco de Osuna. A gentle measured reflection. She is from Cape Town. I got lunch from M & S and in t...

Watched Downton Abbey - excellent. Up early to get buses to cathedral for Red Mass - I was crozier and Liz mitre. Choir sang Victoria and Byrd and Latin mass. Saw Muriel. Baroness Scotland read the prayers.To mosaic for an hour - Linda is off to Mexico so has lent us tools. To St Michael Cornhill for Roger Judd's recital which included Parry, Stanford, Dame Ethel Smyth and Darke. Excellent playing and worth missing tai chi for once. I sang at St Michael's in 1973 when Harold Darke used to come to the carol service and sit on the vicar's lap Canon Norman Motley. Fred and Peter Stevens were there. Home on bus and fast train and then to Vickie's to choose music for December and Songs of Praise. Home for dinner and Liz resting after going to London Transport museum with Louise and Ciarán, Did some reading of Cantwell-Smith on the bus and train. To Catenians with Colin. Provincial President's visit and lots of visitors. They liked the chocs I bought at Tescos.

Just watched a remarkable film about an Orthodox Jewish butcher who falls in love with his male assistant and how the community treats him and the consequences for his family.

At Coulsdon admitted Sean to the choir and Ellie got her light blue ribbon. Barry's introit went really well and we sang "Jesus Christ the apple tree". Played Bach Fantasia in C minor. More cards! Straight to West Norwood to park and 68 bus to Briitsh museum. Community preview of Grayson Perry's Tomb of the craftsman - very intriguing with lots of themes - brilliant ceramics and tapestries. Cross dressing, pilgrimage, magic, religion, maps. Had an expensive coffee and to curator's introductory talk. Interesting that pilgrim shells only appear in the final piece. To Zizzi Central St Giles for calzone on special offer. Nearly left bag behind and got train to West Norwood so Liz could sing at St John's evensong. I went to Virgo Fidelis for mass for deceased Catenians - only 4 of us there!

Took Liz to station - her first day at Heythrop on Pastoral Mission course. Bruce took us to Heathrow. In the excitement forgot to pack Ciaran's quilt, nightlight and portable cot! He was watching Thomas DVD. He slept in car after we had popped into Battersea Park library. He ran to Louise when she came through and she was in tears. Had a fabulous time and bought loads of things. Dropped off at Gunnersbury Park despite traffic and got tube to Victoria. Acolyte at Blessed sacrament procession from Westminster cathedral to St George's cathedral Southwark. A glorious day. The rosary gang were there in force and occasionally sang Ave maria and eventually O sacrament divine. Benediction at the cathedral with Bishop Alan Hopes. Greeted by Fr John O'Toole and the MC about serving next Sunday at Catenian mass. Cathedral was full so reckon about a 1000 there! It reminded me of the Via crucis in Jerusalem - some indifference and some respect. Rebecca borrowed Liz's cassock and to...

Lots of nice cards and a lovely book from Liz of icons of Jesus introduced by Wendy Beckett. To Crystal Palace park to meet Calix and Boyan. Ciarán enjoyed the scooter and the helter skelter slide in glorious sunshine. Had coffee and cake and then back up to the zoo (it was not open earlier). Not much to see but saw ponies, alpacas, goats, rabbits and guinea pig. Had an ice cream. Home for a short rest. New nursery rhyme book came and I was playing them when Bruce arrived which was a lovely surprise. Ciarán unusually not keen to keen to be bathed after water play. He watched Night garden and eventually went off to sleep. Bruce took me to choir and got chocolate cake and Ferrero rocher. 14 came to White Hart Chipstead and it was delightful. More funny cards incuding hilarious one from Vickie. Bob and Jenny brought Liz. Home at 11.30 and David babysat. A great birthday!