At the weekend...

...I went to Newman House, the central Catholic Chaplaincy for London University. An absolutely packed Sunday Mass, excellent singing, a glorious Litany of the Saints, Latin, incense, wonderful atmosphere with so many young people. Only problem was that it was uncomfortably hot - the chapel is too small for current numbers, and having been built into the back of the (??Georgian?) house in Gower Street it has no proper windows except some skylight ones into the roof. It was a glorious Mass, with a baptism of a baby, born to a young married couple who had met at the Chaplaincy...the baby yelled magnificently at the exorcism prayers, which is just what is meant to happen, and then was absolutely happy and gurgling after the baptism, all enchanting in white gown and downy head...afterwards a student lunch (excellent fish-and-chips) and I was guest speaker, on "Celebrating traditional feasts and seasons" and it was all enormous fun.

On to the suburbs, putting bike on the train at Victoria. A change of mood and "feel" as we chugged out of London. November. All Saints/All Souls... I arrived just in time for the Blessing of Graves in the small local cemetery. In slanting Autumn sunlight with golden and brown and orange leaves lining the paths, the priest from St Elphege's led prayers and blessed the graves with holy water, in the traditional way...I went to my dear father's grave and prayed there...afterwards, walking back with old friends, talking and exchanging news...memories...