Canning Town...

...is not the most beautiful part of London, having been sliced in half by a gigantic motorway on stilts. But it's a friendly place, and the Community of St John is right there in the heart of it all. I spent a lovely morning there, beginning in the church of St Margaret - which is now their parish, and thriving - with Mass and Adoration of the Bl. Sacrament, and continuing with a cheerful time of talk in the kitchen, and then a useful meeting mulling over a number of matters that I had badly wanted to discuss...they've invited me to return one Sunday for Mass and lunch, and I will do so with huge pleasure.

They are busy - one young brother is in charge of a large group taking part in World Youth Day, there is much work done locally (Canning Town is in a very mixed, and not-at-all-rich part of East London), there is a large congregation with good numbers coming on weekdays as well as on Sundays, they are involved with work in schools and youth groups, and there are talks and conferences and retreats...and they need to expand their accomodation at Canning Town so as to be able to accomodate more people...