The organist librarian

A fascinating day with Dennis Woodhouse at St Margaret Westminster on Newman. Ben King, Roderick Strange and Eamon Duffy, Angela Tilby and other excellent speakers. His hymns and poetry seem to me to have had the greatest influence. The Apologia and sermons are clearly very influential as well as the prayers. Gerontius has changed our view of the afterlife. Evensong was sung by the choirs of the Abbey and cathedral and they sang Bruckner Os justi and we visited the shrine of St Edward and prayed for our country. Saw Fr David Stansley. To the annual feminist theology lecture with Anna Macham. Asked about hymns not mentioning women apart from mothering Sunday and Mary. If we are an inclusive church why is everything so male despite the large numbers of women in ministry? I am not in favour of changing texts to inclusive language especially poetry but where are the new texts? Met a Methodist minister from Croydon who worked in S. A a Catholic working for women's ordination and the or...

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...

Swam 20 - have not been in the water for over a week! To South London interfaith group lunch and 23 there - some useful information. Saw Jon Dal Din and Fr David Standley. To Royal Academy for Australia exhibition lovely aboriginal and modern stuff, also some fine landscapes. Is there anything left in Australian art galleries? To Meditatio and Graeme Watson spoke well on the Cloud of unknowing. Liz got her freedom pass back and went to college and then Acton. She ordered a new car key as hers is definitely lost. Friday to doctors surgery - first saw Joy and of course syringing did not work so Ojo did it - I was supposed to see him in the first place!

Saturday helped Liz with Power Point notes. To Southwark cathedral to see display of photos from interfaith walks and Fr David was on duty! To M & S to buy picnic and Royal Academy to see the pathetic Mexico exhibition - mostly photos - once again Brian Sewell was right! Arrived at the hall at 1 p.m. and 4th in queue -did some reading of Maurice Walshe and Tablet (Brian has a short piece about World Youth Day). The talk was a bit dull. The concert performance was excellent and the BBCSO were transformed by Bychkov. All the singers did well. Nice couple next to me and chat to Matt when I was trying to cool off on the stairs. Bus and train straight away!