January 6th...

...the feast of the Epiphany, and this year we are able to celebrate it on the proper day. Now, as a gift to us all in this Year of Faith, please dear Bishops of England and Wales, CAN WE HAVE ALL OUR PROPER FEAST-DAYS BACK?  We want to celebrate them on the proper days - Epiphany,  Ascension, Corpus Christi, the lot. PLEASE!!!

Today, High Mass at Westminster Cathedral. I hadn't planned to be there...set off to go to Ealing Abbey, but the Tube system was "undergoing routine maintenance work" on bits of the District Line, so things were muddly and  I ended up at West Kensington. Note: don't bother to go there. Dreary place. Thanks to a kind chap from London Transport  (or TransportforLondon or whatever name they now call it. Why do they keep changing?) , I was directed to a number 28 bus and got myself to Fulham Broadway and civilisation and by then it wasToo Late for Ealing so I nipped on to a Tube that got me to Victoria. And how providental, too - the Mass was glorious and we had the proper, full magnificent  SUNG  "Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts", chanted from the sanctuary and it was splendid:

"Know, dear brethren, that as we have rejoiced in the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, so by leave of God's mercy we announce to you also the joy of  his  Resurrection, who is our Saviour.

On the 13th of Frebruary will fall Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the fast of  the most sacred Lenten season..."

...and so on right through to "On the 1st of December, the first Sunday of Advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever Amen."

Most satisfactory.

And then on the steps of the Cathedral I ran into Dan Cooper, and we ended up having a cheery Epiphany lunch together, during which he told me about the excellent FAITH Movement Winter Session, from which he had recently returned. Some 170 young people, lots of priests, two bishops,  beautiful liturgy, some excellent talks...which will be available to hear on-line shortly (on that link I've given). I hope some one writes it all up: FAITH is a great Movement doing all sorts of good things, but it doesn't publicise itself enough. There is, however, info about the Summer Session etc in due course on their website, so check it out and book early - the FAITH events are always popular and over-subscribed...

Then I went on to Ealing. My reason for going there was to visit a friend who has been unwell, and of whom I will be writing later. And after spending some time with him, I headed for home territory and an dear elderly relative, with whom I spent the evening. We enjoyed a glass of Baileys, and a box of  (Fornum and Masons!) fudge, a present from grandchildren.

And that was all a good way to celebrate the Epiphany.