The organist librarian

Served at Morning prayer at the cathedral. Superb choir and strepitus. Not sure it was a good idea to kneel for the Anerio. I was extinguisher 1.  Having a lovely family day at Acton delicious lunch and a sleep! The 3 boys are having fun! Back at midnight from serving at a fabulous Easter Vigil at the cathedral. The Vierne and anthems from the choir were absolutely stunning and the organ was just magnificent. The Cardinal again gave a fine homily and there were 4 baptisms and 12 confirmations. The neo-catechumenate attended in large numbers. Now to bed and up at 4 a.m. !Arrived at church 4.57 amazing full moon. The porch decorated with Easter eggs and flowers.Both Easter services went really well with good singing from the choir and cooked breakfast in between. Played Hallelujah chorus and Saraband for the morning of Easter and we sang 4 vigil psalms, Sing choirs of heaven and This joyful Eastertide. Fell asleep watching Pope Francis! Now enjoying St Mary Warwick broadcast. I...

Met Robert organist on the train. Three hours at Caterham with some stunning art. 3 in choir and went well. To Soper Hall to see Tandridge art society exhibition. Pictures of poppies and birds sell! Hard to know how to price paintings. Britain's Easter story with Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson (she directed the Gospel choir at the royal wedding and I met her on the bus!) also watched Pilgrimage to Rome. Pilgrimage the road to Rome came to a wonderful end with a moving meeting with Pope Francis. James Jones's meditation on Good Friday on Radio 4. Played favourite bits from St Matthew Passion and Messiah on the piano. BBC Young South Asian dancer was amazing.

Both to Mass. Some good work on the painting thanks to much encouragement from Nelson Ferreira. To the Mandela exhibition which is terrific! Alas Liz could not come after all waiting for electrician.  We heard sparking but nobody turned up. Darren having lots of work done next door and the system is linked. Great film "Pope Francis - a man of his word" by Wim Wenders at St John's.

Mass, art, went to interfaith lunch only to find I had the wrong week. To Vaughn House Fr Paul Rout Franciscan from Brisbane on St Francis and Pope Francis and mercy.

Up at 4.40 a.m. to get to Caterham for the vigil at 6.15 a.m. 4 psalms and had fun looking up some of the saints in the litany! Breakfast then 10 a.m. which drew a much larger congregation. The choir did well "Sing choirs of heaven" by Richard Shephard. Great to have Ben with us. I played Hallelujah chorus and Saraband for the morning of Easter. I have wriiten about the Easter organ music in the April magazine. To The Chalet Caterham to see the gardens for the NGS and owls and vintage cars and a helicopter! Fancy having that on your lawn plus a Rolls! Now beef and red wine for lunch when Dennis Woodhouse and co arrive. The Lenten alcoholic fast is ended (it didn't work too well on the cruise!) Slept after lunch. Missed Bruce's call. At evensong Stanford in A and Te Deum in B flat. Liz sang the solo in Blessed be the God and Father beautifully. Had wine and chocolate. Watched Generation game, Urbi et Orbi. Durrells, Sheffield cathedral,

Played Henry G. Ley on Down Ampney and Bach Piece d'orgue. First time I have played the whole piece in public and it went well. Good presentation International Needs. Nice lunch with white wine as there was no evensong. Wrote to PM and Home secretary about reneging on the Alf Dubs agreement to bring 3000 unaccompanied children to the U.K. Sang songs from the Edwardian songbook and enjoyed Painting challenge at Whipsnade painting flamingos and elephants and the pottery throw down. Call the midwife dealt with GCM and electroshock treatment. Songs of Praise. Watched the Pope's visit to Anglican church in Rome much of it in Italian.

Liz was awake in the night with stomach ache and aches in chest and back so slept until 12. I got her some toast. I went on the tour to the other part of  the city with a view of the huge River Plate, the cathedral of San Isidoro and cruise on the river Tigre in the delta past lots of houses on the water. Weather cold but dry. Marcel got us opera huse tour tickets for tomorrow. We went by taxi to the Zoo which is old and a bit run down. Many of the buildings are historical. A huge hippo and quite a lot of African animals. Interesting to see South American cats, bears and deer, also monkeys, agoutis and capybaras. Back by taxi which cost slightly less and to supermarket. We were going to eat at Favour but it does not open untl 8 and is expensive so we went to La Ramblas where we had delicious food and excellent Patagonian lager for around £37. Taxis are not so expenisve here. I did a drawing of different lamps in the city which is called the Paris of the South - it has no beaches o...

Despite a fire at Victoria we got there in time to be acolytes. The singing was superb - Pizzetti and Holst. Not sure that Cranham was a great choice for the remembrance hymn Think O Lord in mercy, The new anthem worked well, Shirley Williams fluffed her reading. Excellent sermon from Canon Christopher and the Canon from the Abbey was very friendly. Saw Dorio, Paul Joslin, Freddie Mayes and Alistair afterwards. Had lunch downstairs, Patrick Rogers gave us a tour of the marbles - not very interesting. There are 129 varieties! To interfaith group and 13 came including 2 from Brixton. William Rhind spoke well on Gandhi and interfaith. To LSE and the prof from Columbia, USA namedropped and did not quote Pope Francis on pvoerty and never mentioned previous Popes or Catholic social teaching. Liz went to sit and I watched The Apprentice.

Kept waking up as had to be up early. Gave Liz her book and card and got early train to East Croydon - result at Euston far too early for 8.22 train to Coventry whcih only cost me £7.50. Daquise on the train and Kris Pears picked us up. Martin Foster did a workshop on seasons then 4 servers and 3 priests at Mass - Martin Barry's setting was good and the choir sounded good. The church is spacious and the parish priest and MC friendly. Cooked lunch and then we had the AGM and Fr Kevin McGinnell took over from Caroline who will be much missed. Fr Andrew Cameron-Mowat gave the Crichton lecture on Francis a Jesuit Pope and liturgy. He's a bit dour and one would have liked mor eof the joy but it's interesting that Francis mentioned beauty so much. We saw a mockup of the new website and then I served Vespers and Benediction and all went well depsite the thurible sticking before the service! Lift to station and quite a lot of us in the quiet coach. Somebody was in my seat but no m...

To Goodge Street and Malet Street garden for Ramadan Tent project ably run by Omar and his team. I spoke for 10 minutes and took 3 quotes from Pope Francis on dialogue especially with Muslims. Several people took fliers and photos of us! Delicious hot meal served after prayers. Most impressive. Home at 11.10.

Watched the mass concelebrated by the 17 new cardinals and the Pope from St Peter's. Nice brass and the choirs sang well especially the Westminster boy who sang the psalm beautifully. Liz went from Kent house. I played Webber and Gade on Lobe den herren and Willan and Hurford on Song 24. Practised some Faure. We took the Sebo to John Lewis because it keeps cutting out - turns out we had the wrong bag! Evensong from St Alban's an archive recording directed by Barry Rose. Watched programme on Sicily, Blandings and Call the midwife. An interesting programme on Lutyens and Castle Drogo and the impressive closing ceremony of the Sochi Olympics.

To St Michael's West Croydon for a rare visit to the organ recital by Michael Bonaventure. He did play Bach and Widor but predictably modern stuff by Huw Morgan (who was present), David Bedford and himself. Got the new printer connected to my laptop and scanned photos for Peter and Joanne in Canada from old album. Served at diocesan Mass for Pope Francis - I was mitre and crozier! Then to Silence in the City talk by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on word and silence - very good and he led meditation using the Jesus prayer. Home to watch tributes in Parliament to Mrs Thatcher, University challenge and Question of sport.

Liz went off to the cathedral for morning prayer and Sung Mass. Completed the Tablet crossword - still have 1 and a half issues to catch up on! At St Michael's decided Howells Saraband would not work at all -  the trumpet stop is quite strident so played Orgelbuchlein. We used Common worship and the "carousel" setting - composer unknown for Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus - it lacks appeal. Thine be the glory, Alleluia sing to Jesus, Alleluia! give thanks to the risen Lord and The day of resurrection. Psalm and Celtic alleluia confidently sung. Biggest attendance of the week - 32. Average for the Triduum around 18 in church. Hallelujah chorus was appreciated. Car to Selhurst and got to Acton via Willesden Junction. Jo, Terry, Cara and Jack came for a delicious lunch of lamb and lemon meringue pie. Took Sean's mosaic and he was on great form. Ciaran was tired and had too much chocolate. Liz liked her luxury egg - it got cracked at Heythrop. Home to Antiques roadshow. Watche...

Saturday set off at 2.20 and picked up Liz at Hollingbourne station in rain. Mercure hotel very nice and had a swim and jacuzzi. Mass at 6 for which I played the keyboard. Carpet made the room very dull for singing. Fr Paul from Farnborough presided. An excellent meal for John and Anne Rayer and enjoyed sitting with Duncan's daughters and Luis's daughter and their husbands. Speeches were light and we were up until midnight. Liz won a Jamie cookbook on the raffle. Sunday had a swim, steam room and jacuzzi and a good breakfast chatting to Duncan and Marion. Home in rain at 1.15 - 82 mile round drive. Heard Damian Howard on radio 2 about the Pope who has a very different style which is great.

Tuesday to Heythrop for the forum which was on "What is yoga?" Good presentations on history and development and modern yoga and its commercial aspects. Nice lunch and good networking. Next time issues need to be addressed like the Catholic document on yoga. It was worth going. Martin Ganeri hardly spoke to me - has he been told about my moans? To Acton and played with Ciarán. Liz was at servers council. Watched Masterchef. Wednesday took Ciaran to Maples nursery and Seán to music. Picked up Ciarán and enjoyed walk in Acton park and tea in the cafe then I went to Heythrop for dinner and lecture. Thursday met Louise at Tate Modern and enjoyed Roy Lichtenstein retrospective and had coffee in the members room. To Heythrop for Mass and Richard Price gave an excellent homily on the new Pope Francis I who was announced last night. Liz was interviewed by BBC London but was  not on TV. Heythrop Feastival featured football between philosophers and theologians, a fashion show, short t...