The organist librarian

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. 

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

Woke up late again - have not had a swim this week. Sean is gaining weight! To Hinsley Room for the whole of the spirituality day and great to be back! Michael Dorey did a lovely meditation on the vine and the branches and we ate the grapes on display at lunchtime! Cathedral closed for filming with Kenneth Branagh. Saw Anton in St Paul's and bought cards. He put up Sharing Eden poster and I took one to Church House bookshop. I shared Brian Wren's "I come with joy, a child of God". Crozier for Archbishop Vincent at Mass for Society of St Barnabas - not many of them. Paul M actually greeted me! They support Anglicans wanting to become Catholic priests. I wonder who supports priests going the other way? The Catholic church behaves really badly to such people - they become "persona non grata" and forgotten. Hardly very Christian! Liz went to RCIA group for her course and enjoyed it. Watched Citizen Khan which is hilarious, University Challenge and a bumper Come

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)