Cardinal Paul Cordes...

...has an interesting feature article in the latest issue of FAITH magazine.

Send a Comment to this blog WHICH I WILL NOT PUBLISH, giving your full name, and postal address, and I will arrange for a copy of the magazine to be sent to you.

Travelling home...

...I took the delightful West Somerset Railway as far as Bishop Lydeard, Most enjoyable.

A traditional Christmas Midnight Mass...

... preceded with carols, all by candlelight, in a country church. Young people doing the readings with clear strong voices. The Creed always seems to mean so much more at Christmas. And at the Acclamation we sang "Venite adoremus..."

Then a traditional Christmas Day with family: affection and fun and gifts and a delicious dinner and a lovely walk down across the weir and along the river...and then we listened to the Queen's traditional Christmas speech, which was exceptionally good this year. How lovely that she mentioned Mother Teresa - and noted that it is now SAINT Teresa. And how lovely that, talking about Christians she stated clearly "I am one of them".

FREEDOM AT CHRISTMAS...

is an issue....read here...

...and God is very near to us...

...as noted by Cardinal Jospeph Ratzinger at the beginning of this new millenium...a new analysis of this is here

and the Bishop of Shrewsbury...

...has a ringing Christmas  message for us...

Tradition...

...established over several years, has seen Auntie with various friends from Wallington, singing carols at the beautiful Home where my mother lived. Today we kept up the tradition, to a loving welcome. I am glad we did it, and the true message of Christmas has a greater meaning than ever this year.

Distributing prizes...

...is always a most agreeable way of spending a winter afternoon. It was a delight to go to the St John Bosco College in Battersea to present prizes to three students whose work was of special merit in the St Nicholas essay project organised as party of the TOWARDS ADVENT Festival.  We had two joint First Prize winners this year, one from St Edmund's College, Ware, and one from St John Bosco College - and two runner-up prizes from the latter. I was warmly welcomed to a special Assembly in order to present these to the students...they each received a book prize, and the winner a modest cash prize, and all were wrapped up with Christmas ribbons and some chocolate coins...

St John Bosco College is a vast brand-new building, and the school cherishes its Salesian roots and style alongside a sense of starting afresh on new premises. I liked the bass-reliefs on the walls featuring St John Bosco and other saints - and was also impressed with the smart new technology,  which meant that minutes after the presentation of prizes, pictures of the event were up on the website, visible on the screen in the main entrance. All this plus a very friendly atmosphere, students in smart blue uniforms, a sense of order and courtesy...I enormously enjoyed my visit.

with the four candles glowing on the wreath...

... and after enjoying some mince pies and ginger wine, we sang together "O come O come Emmanuel..." as we do every Sunday evening in Advent...

...and for a solemn, but beautiful and somehow encouraging read...

...try this   (I have had the book for some while and have already blogged about it. An excellent read, and a book to keep and re-read)...

And this seems rather touching...

Children tugging...

...a great Christmas Tree up the aisle, while others in the choir practise  glorious chant for the Christmas Masses. Cassocked parish priest organising the creation of a massive Nativity scene at a side altar with a team of parishioners. Relays of people bringing assorted shepherds and angels out from the big cupboard  behind the sacristy...

I absolutely love the preparation of the church for Christmas...

And here at home, the writing of many, many Christmas cards, the pleasure of connecting with old friends.  Ann is a penfriend from Girl Guiding days  almost half a century ago - we have been faithful correspondents over the years and this year we finally met, and had a lovely, lovely day together...our exchange of cards and emails this Christmas gave a special joy and satisfaction and, yes, we'll be meeting again 2017!

Traditional carols...

...rang out across London's Victoria station for two hours this evening, and it was glorious. Circumstances didn't seem ideal - a noisy rally connected with the ghastly rail strike was happening across the other side of the concourse, and it was a relief when they finally marched away, shouting slogans and blowing whistles. As they marched off, we were just finishing a carol, so we paused to let them pass before starting the next one. (Having looked up the pay and conditions connected w. this dispute, I am underwhelmed by the claims of the strikers and their bullying tone).

The carolling team, led by the excellent Yvonne Windsor, were under the banner of  St Joseph's, Roehampton, but  included volunteers from different parishes. We all sang with relish and a number of people came to join us, some just staying for a carol or two, some for half an hour or more of singing. We got lots and lots of donations - all funds raised will go to charities helping children  - and lots of people took selfies with us, , or brought their children to watch us, or stopped to applaud. It was lovely.

Singing carols at railway stations is for me one of the best bits of Christmas. Next week it'll be London Bridge, organised by the Ladies Ordinariate Group.

Let's stop being intimidated...

...by people who think Nativity plays are no longer allowed...read here

Read THE PORTAL...

...the on-line magazine of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham here

London Catholic History Walks...

...for January and February 2017:

TUESDAY January 17^th, For King and Country, a look at Westminster and St James. Meet 2pm, steps of Westminster Cathedral. Nearest tube: VICTORIA

TUESDAY Jan 24^th Smells and Bells, exploring London’s Catholic culture over centuries. Meet 2pm steps of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nearest tube: CHARING CROSS

TUESDAY Jan 31^st The King’s Good Servant, walking in the footsteps of St Thomas More. Meet 2pm, steps of the Church of Opur Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More, Cheyne Row, Chelsea. Nearest tube: SLOANE SQUARE, then walk/bus along the Kings Road.

TUESDAY February 7^th Lift up your heads, O gates! A City walk. Meet 2pm on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral. Nearest tube: ST PAUL'S

More information here

We invite a donation of £5 per person, £3 for the shorter St Thomas More walk.

Students, Unemployed, Senior Citizens: contribution according to your means. Children (under 16) accompanied by a full-paying adult: free. (Max 3 children per adult). Priests, Religious, Seminarians: free. (However, to keep numbers manageable please do not turn up in groups of more than three).

Grateful thanks...

...to all who have sent such kind and prayerful messages following my mother's death. These are all most warmly appreciated.

Normal service at this Blog will follow in due course.

Announcement

My dear mother, Ursula Mary Nash, went to God on November 30th, fortified by the sacraments of the Church and surrounded by the love and care of her family.

Wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was greatly loved.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon her...
May she rest in peace.

There will be no entries on this Blog for the next two weeks.