The organist librarian

To Shoreditch on overground. Walked around from Hoxton (back of Geffrye museum) trying to find the hospital and it turned out ot be opposite St Leonard's church where Rev is filmed. Carol service with Heythrop schola and we sang In the bleak and O little one sweet. Mince pies and mulled wine followed by a tour of the hospital. Costs £3 million a year, currently 16 patients living in and 16 day visitors. Old building being rebuilt.

6 and a half million abortions in the last 40 years. The hymn by Fr Francis Gordon set to Gordon Slater's "St Botolph" is very fine. Begotten of His Love Divine Before Creation's dawn Let God's own Son our hearts incline To cherish the unborn. For clothed like us in human clay Of heav'nly glory shorn, Th'eternal Word, incarnate, lay In Mary's womb, unborn. "Take heed", said He, "that you forswear These little ones to scorn" - Created by God's will to bear His image, though unborn. For every artist, saint and sage, Whose works our world adorn With virtues each succeeding age, Like Him, were once unborn. Eternal Son, Incarnate Word, The Child of Christmas morn, In mercy let our prayer be heard For those as yet unborn! Throughout this service I was thinking about the child that Liz miscarried. A boy or a girl? I know I was very upset that I could not get to the hospital that night as I had to play at a Christmas service and relieve...

Our last day was an interesting drive from the Station House hotel where the wedding reception will be and we had enjoyed outstanding food and accomodation, to Dublin airport. At dinner I had filo pastry with 3 Irish cheeses, seabass, citrus sorbet and delicious bread and a terrine of icecream made with brown bread and mint! Breakfast was equally good.On Thursday we drove around Sligo and Rosse Point and up the coast to where Lord Mountbatten was assassinated. The weather broke after 3 lovely days and we drove to the hill of Tara (very wet). The plane was 30 minutes late so as we were late back we didn't go to the St Chad's centenary service. Saturday to Justice and Peace group at the cathedral (only 4 came) but Brother Volodomir of the Antioch community gave an inspiring talk about active ecumenism and the Sword of the Spirit movement. Then to the ecumenical service in the cathedral to mark the 40th anniversary of the Abortion act. Very well attended and some fine music includ...