The organist librarian

Mass, art, South London interfaith group lunch and my first committee meeting. Good to catch up with Jon Dal Din. It seems the seminarians are hard work! We heard about Tooting community kitchen's great work. Went to Farm Street but the talk is next week! I did see Dominic and my paintings could go on display in the autumn! I tried the Ecco shoes and my big toe did not hurt so much but I had a fright when I missed the brake pedal! Masterchef finals.

The Lord Mayor's show was terrific and we had great seats thanks to  Vicky Stone . Sean enjoyed it. To Swiss church for Focolare On the way to be one: exploring a spirituality of communion. Excellent speakers and bishops speaking of the pain of divisions. A variety too including a Bach cello suite. Old friends and new ones and great to see so many Catholics there. Acoustics bad. Fr Andrew Bowden at Mass and he sang beautifully. RCIA start. Royal British Legion festival of remembrance. 

Played Willan and Peeters on Carlisle and Bach chorale preludes. Simon did not give time to start Alleluia! King of glory by Harris well sung and a good practice.  To Amazing Grace interfaith dinner and concert at Union chapel Islington to greet the Jain guru. Particularly liked the Sufi and Jewish singers. Evensong from Christ Church cathedral Oxford and they managed the Walton Coronation Te Deum well. 

To Streatham for the interfaith breakfast. We heard about South London citizens, a movement to get MPs to contact bankers who gamble with our money and the police meetings. The meeting at Westminster Abbey Little cloister was in a lovely house with a Bluthner grand. It was a "meet and greet" with Clare and Canon Andrew Tremlett. Jon Dal Din and something may come of it. Oddly we were not offered any tea! To the Taj in Coulsdon for a large Indian meal which cost triple what it would have cost in India! Catenian outing and enjoyed a good chat to the Garveys.

Swam 23 and Liz came too. To Christ Church Methodist for Rosalie Hughes's funeral - packed church and lots of Our Lady's parishioners. Saw Fr Denis and warm greetings from many people. Alan Hickox played really well and excellent choices including Ave verum and How beautiful are the feet. Peter Clarke preached on communion. Nick sang well from Elijah, Arthur and Cath read inspiring readings very well. Fr Joe led prayers and gave the blessing. It was truly ecumenical. Great hymns sung with gusto Dear Lord and Father, Lord for the years, Love divine, How great thou art. Had time for tea and some chat and then to St John's to sing at Judith Wallace's funeral. The church was very cold. We managed Ave verum by Byrd - at least Frank kept in time in the end! Dear Lord and Father and Love divine (why can't we have the Stainer tune?) The King of love and The day tho gavest. Bridget played and conducted - Adrian and Terence in Laos. Nice eats and people had travelled a long ...

Tuesday evening to Religions for Peace meeting in the cathedral hall. Rabbi Professor Dan spoke on the 2 state solution for Israel based on the Jewish ethical tradition using Exodus and the Kingdom of God. The questions were tricky and he answered them well. Pity some people made speeches and Bishop John cut them short. Jon Dal Din, Siriol and Alfred Agius were there and Hannah and Margaret. Good turnout. To Acton. Played track with Ciarán and took him to nursery - straight into the garden and the sandpit! To music and Seán is taking more interest and very strong. Louise took a back seat. "Les Miserables" a good film but obviously a stage show. Russell Crowe can't sing but the others certainly can. An od subject for a musical and somewhat sentimental. Spotted Greenwich, Bath and Oxford as the settings. To Hendon for my first Westminster Interfaith meeting with Jon, Margaret and Sr Elizabeth. Offered to do emails and updating website entries. To Heythrop for dinner and le...

To Bexleyheath on trains and bus Geddes Hill URC for presentation and discussion on the shortage of organists especially young ones! Archdeacon made some good contributions. If all the area joins together for an event we might get somewhere! Then trains and tube to Southall - arrived early at St Anselm's. Bishop Alan dedicated plaque in memory of Br Daniel Faivre. I never met him but have some of his books. Alfred Agius, Jon dal Din, Michael Barnes also met the amazing Florence Murphy who is 90. MP and mayor there. Everyone had their say. I skipped the refreshments and got to vespers late. Fr Paolo at Mass with Scottish priest who sounded like John Bell from St Michael's school Finchley.

Thursday 12th to Regents Park as I was early and enjoyed the sunshine. To Cavendish conference centre for the conference which Jon Dal Din had asked me to attend. Good to see Alfred Agius, Katharina Muller, Celia Blackden and Nitin Palan. Lord Singh of Wimbledon spoke. We had good presentations and an excellent vegetarian lunch and 25th anniversary cake. Best of all was the workshop on religious/non religious and spoke to Lois Lee from Cambridge and Paul Weller from Derby university.

To Heythrop and had coffee and then worked in the library on essay 2. Served at 12 noon mass with Archbishop Vincent. I was crosier. Horrid white alb things with cinctures to hold them up as too long. All went well and an excellent homily. Nice buffet lunch and enjoyed chatting. John Ainslie and Jon Dal Din were there. Had tea at Marks. Ascension not smoke at vespers and gave Fr Michael my arm up and down stairs at Mass. Excelsis sang beautifully - Byrd 4 part mass, Durufle Ubi caritas, Mawby Ave verum. Lord enthroned and Hail the day were hymns. Louise came to stay. Watched programme on Cutty Sark and learning Shakespeare by heart.

Swam 30. Liz to take baby seat for Gemma and to see Fr Archer. To interfaith lunch and a good turnout. Jon Dal Din was there. To Heythrop and 6 at dinner time. An interesting seminar from Anton on the "Muslim gospel" and pluralism from Damian. I got his new book from the library. Home to watch Catholics part 1 about Allen Hall - very well done. University challenge was close. Voces 8 on Songs of Praise.

To Heythrop to be early for 11 a.m. requiem. I was usher asking people if they were going to receive communion - not a good idea at an ecumenical interfaith event! It was a beautiful service with music chosen by Hilda and Fr Robin gave an excellent homily. At the end we sang Be still my soul and watched the cars go off then to an excellent catered lunch in the convent. Alfred Agius, Nagase, Sr Margaret, Jon Dal Din and Sr Clare from Oxford who was at Roscrea. Reading library, meal in dining room and Philip came. Last session of the module so given essay questions to choose from, discussion about the course and returned assessment form on which I was quite frank! To Acton and woke at 5 a.m. so got up and read Nicholas Boyle The Way we are now. To interfaith group - delay getting key. 5 came and I talked about our journey. Met Liz at Chiswick and Ciaran had been to a play at Watermans as there was no music.

At practice last night delighted that Vickie joined the sopranos. We rehearsed "Rejoice in the Lord alway" and worked on diction in the carols. Louise came to stay overnight to borrow the car to go to Basingstoke for Rufus's birthday party - she had her work do and looked very glam. Ciarán did not like her silver shoes! To St Laurence Catford and arrived early. Michael Bonaventure played Games by Paul Patterson (enormous score) and a piece called The Swim which did nothing for me and Toccata by David Bedford who died this year. Coffee afterwards and interesting chat to choir member on art. To Heythrop for end of term party of Liz's course. Jon Dal Din came and good chat to Fr Dominic Robinson. Friendly bunch and loads to eat and drink. Did some more reading and Liz came home with tummy trouble from milk last night. I served at Mass and Fr Gerard sang beautifully (in pink). Nick was there and spoke to Eugene and I spoke to his Mum. To Turnham Green and taxi to Acton to...

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...

Saturday another glorious day. To Christian Education centre Tooting Bec for course on "Meeting God in friend and stranger". Jon Dal Din, Rosemary and Fr David Crawley and Maureen Liddy were there. Fr Michael was excellent but had to leave at lunch which was provided. Fr Martin's presentation was dull after lunch and hard to keep awake. Told Fr Michael I was looking forward to Heythrop and several people there had done the course. To Balham library to return books = Tracy and Fiona say morale is low as cuts are going ahead. To Battersea Park for picnic and then to Mass with Fr Michael Durand speeding through it.

Bank Holiday Monday woke early. To 10.30 a.m. Mass for migrants. The Cardinal was unwell but Bishop Thomas of Brentwood and Bishop Pat greeted us warmly. Also say Fr Adrian now at Streatham Hill, Bill Saunders, John O'Toole, Allen Morris, Alan McLean conducting the Southwark diocesan choir, deacon Kassa - big turnout of ethnic chaplains. Could not hear homily at all and the psalm was too long. Lots of Marty Haugen including "All are welcome" at start and end! We were consecration and communion torches. Met Deacon Joe Parsons from Purley, Sr Sheila was also there. I delivered Cardinal's present to Archbishop's House. Did not go to Strangers into citizens rally at Trafalgar Square - I prefer meetings to such big gatherings. Met Deacon Jon Dal Din from Battersea and went for tea with him at Marks and discussed interfaith in Westminster - very good to share ideas. Bought meal for 2 for £10. To Grandma's to cut back shrubs and watched snooker and Celebrity Cash in ...