The organist librarian

To Sevenoaks for a meeting at Brendan's about Catenian conference motions.

Conference was excellent. Grand President impressive. Fr Donnelly from Newcastle on youth. Bob Butler on moving on. Two bursary fund who went to Ethiopia. It helped the sisters out there too. Charities, interfaith, Catena editor all excellent. Had coffee and then to supermarket. Had a rest and off to Radisson Blu for Maltese buffet and cabaret - nice but not Maltese. Dancing, conga, New York. Good fun and good chats to Knutsford Jeanne who lived in Zambia and Declan from Harrow director for strategy. Seems the President was 45 minutes late and no apology. Home at 12 and slept to 7. Pentecost Sunday to Medina cathedral. Excellent seats at the side. Servers poor, communion took too long. Organ effective but loud, cantors did well. Played toccata in D minor as had sandals on. Turned out to be a Copeman Hart - fooled me. Lunch ftira with Kin Wang from Luton. To natural history museum very interesting. Tea and cake at Fontenella. Back to Spinola on two buses. Had a look in Carmelite churc

A lazy morning and got bus 14 to  Radisson Blu which is right at the end of the bay and the.bus goes  a long way round via Pembroke. At noon reception with Grand President and great to meet the Rowleys. The Brittos were there. Tie and jacket off and buses 14 and 2  to Birgu. Lunch in Victory  square. Grand inquisitor's palace is unique and loved the Christmas cribs. There is one in the apartment. You would not want to fall foul of the inquisition. Ferry back to Valletta and up in lift. Bus back changed and made mistake of not going to get coach. Festival in st Julian messed up buses and we ended up on a bus with a new driver who needed the passengers to tell him where to go. Got to reception too late for free drink but met quite a few including Andrew Pritchard. Got welcome pack -had seen David Lloyd earlier. Coach back to Cavalieri and home by 11.15.

Saturday May 11th up at 5 a.m. and took Liz to Proms queue where she was 48th. Got seasons OK and then went to college. The conference itself was interesting - long debate on practising Catholic issue which was defeated. We all had green, yellow and red cards to comment on changes which were approved. Australian was very funny about white ties being unknown in Perth and some Ozzies do not own a suit! Let's hope we see some changes! To cathedral on bus and servers all arrived except Emmanuel who had indicated he did not need to rehearse at 2 p.m. The choirs did well, Fr Tom cannot see well and animating was a problem for him. The booklet was a disaster despite the hours I had spent on it - an early version got printed so wrong collect, epistle and gospel, line out of Gloria, choirs wrongly attributed, most annoying. All went off OK and the people certainly sang. Group photos afterwards. We served at vespers and then changed into black tie for the reception and gala. Food was accept

Did some more reading. To Marks and Spencers Victoria for meeting about the Mass. Andrew, Errol and Ray all one time and they brought hymnbooks. All agreed. Marian came to say Duncan was delayed and he arrived soon after the others had left so I passed on the information. Apparently John Rayer does not know "Hail the day that sees Him rise"!! Duncan said he would find it on Youtube for him. Watched University challenge while we had dinner. My back is playing up near my shoulderblade - might have pulled a muscle.

Did some work this morning and then to St George's Beckenham for recital by Jon Payne of St Thomas Stourbridge and RSCM music advisor (Central and East). Preferred the way he played Bach concerto 593 to Catherine Ennis's version on Tuesday. Much more contrast and subtlety and slow movement more reflective. Lovely Lloyd Webber Benedictus and Hesse variations on the National anthem. Coffee and cake in aid of Macmillan cancer. To Beckenham bookshop and bought calendars - Gruffalo family planner and Monet.  At Victoria to St Paul's bookshop and got diary and Advent calendar for Ciarán. To Church House bookshop and finally used my book token from Marie and Caroline to buy Rowan Williams' latest on Faith in the public square. Also got a nice Celtic calendar for Ann and Paul and posted it off and a copy of "Sharing Eden" for Miriam. I kept meeting people - Reuben, Kate, Miriam. To Marks for tea with Duncan to plan Catenian conference Mass next May! Served at 5.30 Mas