The organist librarian

Mass and Henry played very happily eating an orange. To Penge congregational for a light-hearted programme on the fine Lewis organ. 30 there Penge festival. To Acton. Library backlog now only 3 shelves! Michael Dorey excellent on doubting Thomas at Hinsley room only 8 there. To Natural history museum fab wildlife photographer of the year. St Stephen's Gloucester Road fine art especially Sarah Bryant. English Baroque choir were rehearsing. To Sisters of Sion for Cardinal Bea lecture which was very interesting. Fr Andrew Gadney and Jonathan Gorsky excellent on Divinu Afllente Spiritu. Archbishop Kevin, John O'Toole, Rabbi Mark, Michael Barnes, William Rhind. Harriet Crabtree told me my emails were going to spam and use Mailchimp. 

Woke in the night dreaming I was in a church and everything was red. The apse and cross came towards me and I knelt and said "Stop Lord!" then woke up. What is that all about? I was thinking about Tony at tai chi talking (too much) about a higher being but who decides which of is is "right" in a dispute? So often I take the flight position and escape the situation but in the long term that may not be the right course. It was good to chat to Harry Bramma last night about Ivor and his preaching as Canon at Southwark cathedral. Doing more work on attaching old photos to the family tree. To Catenian council at Brendan's and then to Acton. Wednesday to Tamar's and Seán joining in with all of it. Took towels and clothes to Acton homeless concern and after lunch to Hinsley room. 15 came for the start of Laudato Si' series including some new faces. Archbishop Kevin on excellent form. William and I went to Brixton and had a coffee at Morleys and saw the David Bo...

Swam 20. Met Jon Dal Din and Sr Eileen waiting for circle line. Nice to be back at college and lots of people I know there not least Xavier, Fr John O'Toole. Also an opportunity to meet people from Peterborough, West Midlands and Dublin! Rita, Kim, Fr David, Sr Elizabeth, Alfred Agius, Damian. Michael Barnes is on sabbatical. Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald excellent and I got in a question about Paul Knitter to Gavin d'Costa! Cardinal Kasper unwell so not coming in person tomorrow which is a pity. Good lunch. Martin Ganeri was as always dull. Archbishop Kevin much better. To mass at cathedral and Brian gave an excellent sermon on the lost sheep. Buxtehude at the end. To St George Hanover square for concert by recorder, viola da gamba and harpsichord (Yao) which was excellent and nice eats. Helen introduced me to an adult piano student who paints and lives in Bromley.   New work by Freddie Meyers. 

At evensong we sang Eyre in D and Bairstow Blessed city. The prayers were rather long and although Adrian gave me a lift to Crystal Palace station I missed the train but got to Finchley a bit late. JW3 is most impressive and there was a good audience for the discussion chaired by Ed Kessler with Rabbi David Rosen and Archbishop Kevin. I asked a question about how few Catholics and Jews knew the document and was described as a champion of interfaith! William advised going to Finchley and Frognal which was much closer than West Hampstead so quickly to Willesden but then had to get a replacement bus to Acton. Louise had forgotten I was coming! Monday took Ciaran over to Issy's. Cleaner came and so I left and had coffee at JW3. Good turnout and several people I know for the 2 seminars - particularly liked the rabbi who had been in Sydney and of course Michael Barnes who I complimented as the best teacher ever! He said afterwards "you naughty man" but these things should be s...

Swam 22. To RUSI library for westminster debate on foreign policy and religious freedoms. 5 excellent speakers - the humanist particularly so. Jim Walters and a Catenian from Swanley were there. I asked a question about the rise of UKIP and German developments affecting foreign policy. To  Chrst the King Gordon square for organ recital by Matthew Blaiden of Richmond - Langlais, Reger and Alain. Did some sketching - very ornate and belongs to Catholic Apostolic church whatever that is. No tlalowed to applaud so thanked him. The chapel is the HQ of Forward in Faith. Had a look in Waterstones, picked up brushes from Cassart and posted music to Iain in Hereford. Came home for haircut and change. To Brook Green for servers dinner and I welcomed the guests the principal one being Archbishop Kevin. My speech ons erving and internet was well received. Very nice meal and good to chat to Canon Colin Davies episcopal vicar. Home by 11.30.

Swam 20. Snap decision to go to see film Barbara at mosaic had recommended at Clapham Picturehouse My Old Lady - loved it. Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kirstin Scott Thomas all excellent. Home for lunch. Very moving prayers for the Middle East at St Ethelburga's - I said I was uncertain because of the hidden forces like oil companies behind the conflict. William Rhind was there and met a Zoroastrian. To Heythrop for lecture by Charles Taylor - so much better than his book. Long chat to Archbishop Kevin, Siriol, Saira, Rita, Peter, Fr Michael Kirwan, Kim. Lovely to see them all. To Acton. Liz went to hear RAF band at Cadogan hall and enjoyed it. Wednesday had the boys on my own as Liz was serving schools nativiities at the cathedral. Sean was very lively at music and shouted out some things and he was very good at lunch and when we woke up. Ciarán was crying over not being able to skip straight away! To Brixton for Conversations - just 4 of us but enjoyed it. Watched Apprentice and F...

Friday swam 20 and Bruce arrived from Jersey. Took car to check tyres and who walked up bur Archbishop Kevin. He was going to confession with Fr David Standley and he has an article in this week's Tablet on Ecclesiam Suam. Ann Marie took Molly to the kennels and we set off eventually at 11 a.m. Got to Chedworth Roman villa (NT) and had sandwiches and cake and Liz and Ann Marie arrived as we started going round. The audio guide for a £1 was excellent and the mosaics are stunning. We did try the musical museum but we were too late. On to Hereford with a diversion in Cheltenham. Lovely countryside and arrived around 5 p.m. The family were here and the four of us had fish at Hedley Lodge. Liz and I went to compline. Dennis's train arrived at 11 but by then I was in bed. Up at 6.15 for vigils and lauds then Mass at 8 with Liz and breakfast with everyone. To Croft castle (NT) and delighted to play the piano (30s numbers) and the Samuel Green organ (William Croft and Purcell). Lovely...

Monday a.m. trains to Strawberry Hill and installed in comfortable room (although the bed was a bit narrow and I woke early every time). Unfortunately I managed to leave my conference file with my notebook and sketchbook behind so have to work from memory. The speakers were outstanding with contributions from Jerusalem, Rome, USA, Rome, Bangalore, Prague and Malta and from all over the country. I have made some new friends and contacts not least interfaith folk from Birmingham and Newcastle. We began with Norman Tanner on the history. It seems Paul VI in this encyclical influenced the Council and began the dialogue emphasis. Gavin d'Costa and Damian Howard and David McLoughlin were prominent. Mark Langham and Robin Gibbons came for 2 sessions and  Kallistos Ware. Abbot Timothy Wright introduced Of Gods and men and it was wonderful to see the film again and learn more of its context. On the Tuesday Archbishop Bernard Longley celebrated Mass and attended the reception and dinner. Th...

Did some more work on the Eckhart quotes. Set off early for the cathedral hall. I got a little peeved as it rapidly became clear that most of the team had not read the emails I had carefully prepared. I also had to insist that the welcome table could not go in front of the stairs! Katharina had allowed people into the hall long before the opening time but I insisted on briefing everybody at 4. Elizabeth O'Donohoe insisted on doing her own thing and Margaret Slynn was a liability.Jon Dal Din also tends to muddle through.  If asked to stay in one place why can't people do so? Any way it went off alright with lots of warm welcomes and gratifying how many people knew me and my emails! Nearly all the 100 guests came and I suppose there were around 220 there. The people filming arrived 5 minutes before kickoff! Marcin was doing photos. The actual prayers were done well and plenty of silences. Archbishop Kevn did well and I was particularly impressed by the Jewish and Muslim contribu...

Swam 20 which made up for missing out yesterday -got there no costume! Today was the Visitation and thought about lovely Ein Kerim and the Magnificat tiled panels. Booked 3 ENO operas for next season - had to ring box office in the end - they had old email address despite us changing that address before! The new secret seat for £20 should be good as you find out close to the time where you will sit in stalls or dress circle! I wonder what they do if everybody books that way??? On the other hand it must ensure more seats are sold. To Norwood and train to London Bridge only to find trains to Plumstead cancelled and very little advice. Luckily met Siriol and Michael Bishop of Woolwcih so to New Cross and then a long bus ride. They got off the bus too early - we got to the Greenwich Islamic centre after 2 and were ushered into the youth club in a sort of outhouse and given water and biscuits. No tea and no sign of loos. After some good speeches from Archbishop Kevin, the Bishop and local ...

Wet day - woke at 5 and read 3 stories to Ciarán at 7. Sean really trying to crawl forwards! They went off to Godstone farm with Liz and I did some work on the dialogue essay. Call from Lindy an Anglican Buddhist! To meeting in cathedral hall about Cardinal Tauran's visit went smoothly - Martin Foster was there! Washed floor - it was very dirty from the garden work. Catenian council meeting went well. The apprentice in Dubai. 

Tuesday to meet Angela Wallace a Christian scientist interested in interfaith at M & S Victoria. She is a charming Capetonian and we had much in common. Served at 5.30 mass with Fr Alexander and the boys sang Handel Wash me throughly and Lead me Lord and Goller setting. Took clothes to the Passage. Lecture by Archbishop Kevin on interreligious relations - he is not a good speaker but said some good things and answered my question about the tension between Jesus as the Way and dialogue.He does tend to waffle but he was friendly and Archbishop Vincent was there. 4 of the group were there and went on bus with Thomas from my class. The Augustinian seminarians are giving him a hard time. Back to Acton by 10.30 p.m. Wednesday another glorious day so to Bekonscot. Ciarán loved the trains and the slides - thought the Thomas engine too noisy. Went on the little train ride. It was a great day out and we came back via Amersham - very pretty. Sat in the garden and he made mudpies! To the cathe...

Liz to retreat day at Heythrop. I spoke to Lyn and met Judy in street on way to station to get train to Wapping. As I came out of the station I turned right which was wrong. Somebody called "Hello" and it was Archbishop Kevin and he had a map so we walked together and discussed the Jordan conference he went to. He mentioned Addiscombe. The talk became a dialogue and was most stimulating. He used the "I'm OK, You're OK" paradigm and said we should aim for all saying in dialogue "We're not OK". He also gave us a useful comparison of Judaism, Islam and Christianity based more on the Word of God rather than People of the Scripture. So our language is body language and we need to express the love we should feel for others. Many of my class were there and so was Alfred Agius. About 30 in all and the Hurtado Jesuit centre is very nice. But where was Damian? To the Whitechapel art gallery for the first time and most impressed. Some fine photographs and...

At Coulsdon we sang John Scott's arrangement of Creator of the stars of night. The hearing aids mean that I hear everything loudly and clearly especially some organ stops (organ has been tuned). I played Wachet auf and "Comfort ye" to match the first reading. It is disconcerting hearing my own voice and I could hear the bass really well, The hearing loop works very well. Practised with the kids and then picked up Dennis and to Acton. Goldsmiths Arms for the party on Thomas the tank engine theme - lovely cake. C gots lots of nice presents and very happily playing with the train set and the musical instruments and balloons. Took Dennis to station and the presents back to the house and then to South Hampstead synagogue. Rabbi Shlomo asked some tricky questions and Archbishop Vincent answered frankly and clearly. Archbishop Kevin less so. Met Andrew and his parents and had a good chat, also a lady who asked about spirituality and Philip Rosenberg and his parents. Kim Burke w...

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)...

To Brentford in the car for music - I had not been since before we went away. To Gunnersbury Park - Ciarán cried when put in buggy after being on the slide and swings. We had a picnic and headed for Chiswick house but ended up at Osterley and got some grey tiles. To St Mark's Road park where there is an excellent play area and there were nursery rhymes led by a librarian. Ciarán had slept in the car and enjoyed it all. Evensong from St Edmundsbury cathedral. Waited ages for a 70 bus and eventually 607 and tube to Ladbroke Grove and 52 to Chepstow Villas to the Sion centre for Encounter.The 41st Cardinal Bea lecture as given by Archbishop Kevin McDonald and Vivian Whineman president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The Archbishop waffled at question time and did not quote the Gospels! Chatted to Jon Dal Din, Fr Michael Barnes, Dr Harriet Crabtree, Sr Ellen and Sr Margaret Shepherd. Got 52 bus with Jon and Maureen Liddy so many useful contacts made and 3 people added to my...