1st Sunday of Advent, Dec 3rd
Yesterday, the first Northern Festival of Catholic Culture, held in the fabulous crypt of Liverpool Cathedral. A school choir sang, Bishop made a speech. Happy atmosphere, lots of wonderful things on sale and display, including some lovely Christmassy things for children from St Paul Publications (books about the Natiovity, Christmas videos, DVDs), a wonderful array from books from various publishers, etc. Attendance was quite good during the morning, but tailed off during the afternoon - they will need more and better publicity in local parishes next year. However, at my stall (Association of Catholic Women, with books from Gracewing) I did pretty well, over £100 worth of books sold, and I made lots of contacts, chatted to fans of EWTN, etc. General feeling was that the day was pretty good for a first effort, and we must get MUCH larger crowds next year. Highlight of the day was a talk given by Fr Paul Watson of the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham. Later he visited my stall and we had a good chat - Maryvale is doing really well at present, and is giving a great many people the chance to study so much about the Faith......I also attended the talk given by the excellent Father Mark Elvins,whose book on Chivalry has just been published by Gracewing. I bought a copy, and carried it home gleefully to Jamie, who was so thrilled by it that he sat up late reading it even tho' it was after 1 am by the time I put it in his hands.....

At the Festival, everyone seemed to be talking about the H. Father's visit to Turkey, with much relief that it had all gone so well, and some pride in his dignity and composure in such complicated circumstances. Hurrah for Papa Benedict!!!

I seem to have spent much of the weekend travelling - caught the train to Liverpool late on Friday after a brief look-in at a party at Farm Street (Jesuit Church) to mark the launch of the new book about Stonyhurst. The speaker was journalist Paul Johnson, whose writing I much admire....in his speech he referred splendidly to the "insolence" of the Govt in attempting to control Church schools "when the whole history of education in this country belongs to the Church". That needed to be said and it was good to hear some one being robust like that. I arrived in Liverpool after a pleasant journey spent catcjhing up on lots and lots of reading, with no interruptions...bliss. Then by half-past midnight, I was with my kind hosts, checking on my emails and, along with them, pouring over news-websites telling of the Holy Father's activities in Turkey......