Auntie goes to Soho...

...to give a talk to the excellent young people at the St Patrick's School of Mission. A great team, with students from China, Germany, and the USA as well as Britain. We prayed the Rosary together, as they do every day, in the little downstairs chapel before going into the big church for Mass. A little-known fact is that St Patrick's is home to a big Chinese Catholic community - the room where we lunched had lots of cheery Catholic posters and notices in Chinese and is host to the social gatherings after Chinese Masses.

Next week is a party to launch my new Yearbook of Seasons and Celebrations. I shall wear the beautiful new skirt sent to me by my sister in New Zealand, which I also wore for the Catholic Women of the Year Luncheon (see blog entry for a few days ago)....I know it's a bit daft to write about clothes on a blog, but this skirt really is a joy, all swishy and delightful, fits like a dream, and gives huge pleasure, and was commented on very favourably by other guests. As I not infrequently have a just-arrived-by-bike-sorry-I-look-a-mess appearance, it was gratifying to have a different feel...

In November I'm off to Bath where I'm speaking to Catholic groups at Bath and Bath Spa universities. I'll also be speaking at Prior Park School, as part of the Tamezin project on journalism.

An excellent report from Rome, at the ordination to the diaconate of a number of young men, including the son of friends of ours...it was evidently a glorious occasion. The North American College, where all the young deacons have been studying, now has more students than at any time in the last 40 years...

News today about the Holy Father having a warm and friendly meeting with Jewish leaders. A while back, I was sent some horrid anti-Jewish material, denouncing the Pope, from a group claiming to be Catholic. I am proud of our courageous Holy Father who quietly and prayerfully does the right thing and shows us how we should behave.