The organist librarian

To the Horniman to hear Yat play the Kirkman harpsichord. Although I normally do not like the sound I enjoyed it especially the Balbatre, JCBach and Le vertigo -  a fascinating piece. He was pleased we came,. Another miserable day.  To Royal Academy - delay on Jubilee line but was able to see the Anselm Kiefer which did not really impress and the fascinating Moroni which I loved. To Conway Hall for a fascinating encounter between humanists and 4 Muslims who were liberal and not really representative of conservative opinion. However the speakers were really impressive especially Sara Khan.    Jeremy was there. To music and Sean joined in more. Yat was there with Merle and Mia. A quiet afternoon and reading Shirley du Boulay. Came home to watch The Apprentice. Bruce and EJ arriving to go to funeral in Manchester.        

Got X68 to Russell Square and read The Tablet. To Senate House chancellor's hall for free all day seminar on Collaborative partnerships between universities and Muslim institutions: removing the roadblocks. Started with a really good exercise where we each had to meet 3 new people and find out ther skills and contacts. Good speakers and nice lunch - made lots of useful contacts especially Christian and Muslim ones. The day was quite interesting and I was thinking about Khadija - it seems going to Egypt to learn the purest Arabic is considered more highly than a Ph.D! Got bus home and disappointed not going to Acton but we are going to the Zoo on Friday. Completed mosaic for Seán while watching programme on the Louvre.

One of my favourite feasts and a day at the cathedral. Liz to college. 10.30 a.m. Mass I was boat and Emmanuel was smoke - he is a pain. All in Latin. Choir sang Tallis, Victoria Mass O magnum mysterium and superb Holst Nunc Dimittis. Dubois Toccata. Time for tea with Jason then 12.30 Mass for religious/with Bishop Alan Hopes. I was acolyte with Andrew. Fr Alexander was cantor and Edward did a clever improvisation on Christ be our light. Nice lunch in hall and saw Miriam and had a long chat to nuns from Hayes, Middlesex - two Sister Marys one who knows Michael Barnes and the other had been in Oxford and is now 84. She taught history in Moscow University. Did some reading and to St Paul's bookshop for sale and tea with Liz at M & S. St Martin Anglican choir from Roath, Cardiff at Mass with their vicar - excellent Mawby and Will Todd - one of the best. Home to watch Art Deco icons, a Spanish Hollywood house in Devon and the Orient Express, also Make me a Muslim  

Monday swam 28. To mosaic and tai chi, Liz to meet new tutor and mentor and to confirmation class. To St Martin's in the Fields to hear black theologian Robert Beckford on radical compassion. He sees the Lord's Prayer as a political manifesto! Interesting chat to my neighbour about Constantine. He had some good points but a poor presentation.  Pancakes with nutella, To More than Gold HQ for borough champions meeting. Pleased to see Lindsey and meet Christine from Bromley. We heard of various needs and met in local area groups. Then to Conway Hall for Faith Matters MOMA Measuring anti-Muslim attacks. Mansoor there. Clearly a major problem and Peter Oborne chaired. The Deputy mayor for London did not show but we heard from Simon Hughes and Eric Pickles. Javed Khan from Victim support and I spoke to him afterwards about professionals feeling they must leave their faith outside the door at work. Impassioned appeal from a young woman. Pity there was no question time. Sat in Red Lion...

“Treasures of the Faiths” an Exhibition by the British Library Sacred: discover what we share The world's greatest collection of Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy books Forthcoming exhibition 27 April – 23 September 2007 Admission free Sacred. This groundbreaking exhibition brings together some of the world's most important and beautiful religious texts for the first time. Exquisite and rare examples of Jewish, Christian and Muslim sacred texts from the Library's collections will be presented alongside treasures on loan from other institutions in a unique and compelling modern context. Sacred marks the first time that sacred texts from these three faiths will have been displayed and explored together, side by side, in a major UK exhibition. This looks like an excellent exhibition. I saw something similar at the Ashmolean in Oxford and it was stunning!

On 8 February I went to a fascinating study evening at Heythrop College organised by the Association of Heythrop Alumni and advertised in The Tablet. Dr Jonathan Gorsky and Dr Mohammad Shomali spoke about "interreligious dialogue from our own perspective". It was wonderful to hear Jew, Muslim and Christians all sharing their common heritage and how much we had in common. It was stated that the best way to do interfaith work is to get to know one community and a graduate student spoke of his love for the Suni community which he had not previously known.