...was what friends said when I announced my intention to go to Mass at Blackfriars, Oxford. Well, actually, the roof hasn't fallen in - but the chapel does need some work and restoration, and so at present Masses are celebrated in the Refectory. It's a good sized long room, formal, panelled, with a fine ceiling - but it is smaller than the church and so Mass was absolutely packed and it all got rather warm. But it was a most delightful and inspiring Mass - whereas the Sunday morning Masses attrract families with children, this evening Mass in Oxford of course sees large numbers of young people, They filled every available space, including the Medieval-style long benches lining the walls on either side. Splendid singing - the Mass is combined with Vespers, so the psalms rang back and forth, the strong voices of the young Dominicans (there are lots of them!) mingling with those of the young congregation. A young girl was being confirmed, ands we all joined in the reaffirmation of Baptismal promises: "Do you renounce Satan?" "I do" "And all his works, and all his empty promises?" "I do"...
It was a delight, afterwards, to exchange news with Fr Richard Conrad, a longtime family friend and coincidentally one of my lecturers when I was doing my first Degree at Maryvale. and with Br Samuel Burke...
And then I hurried to the station and am writing this on the train to Paddington, looking out from time to time at the most glorious glowing sunset over the passing countryside.
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