Pondering the Holy Father's visit to Germany...

...I came across this thought-provoking piece about a significant anniversary...

The throne room...

...at Archbishop's House, Westminster, was packed and consequently rather uncomfortably hot as we gathered on Wednesday evening for a reception given by the Friends of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Cardinal Levada was there from Rome and spoke with enthusiasm of the Ordinariate, urging that it be given all possible support. You can read more about the evening here.

There were dozens and dozens of people there whom I knew, and it was one of those milling-about-and-talking occasions where you intersperse inconsequential greetings with sudden lengthy discuissions on rather important subjects...

It is hugely important that the Ordinariate flourishes.It needs funds. Scope here for serious generosity on the part of those who want to see the Church flourish in Britain and reach and heal our poor old country...

I'm off to Walsingham in a couple of weeks...

...and if you are interested in the shrine there, you can read about it here...

And you are coming, aren't you...

...to the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday? (Oct 1st) Starts 1.15pm Westminster Cathedral. This week I was working on the hymn-sheet...we are starting of course with veneration of the Blessed Sacrament, so O Salutaris Hostia...and during the Procession we will have some of the best hymns, including "Sweet Sacrament Divine" and of course Newman "Praise to the Holiest in the height...."

WE NEED YOU to come and join us.

After Mass...

...at Westminster Cathedral, an invitation to view some of the art of Greg Tricker, on display in the chapel of St Andrew and in the aisles. There were some things well worth viewing: among much else, some good stained glass, a wonderful image of Christ as a boy painted on wood, and a stunning carved depiction of Joseph of Arimithea bringing the Chalice from the Last Supper to Britain by boat. This last, carved out of a great piece of oak, is a fine piece of work...the Glastonbury legend has long fascinated so many of us, and here it is renewed afresh in Westminster Cathedral...

Sister Wendy, whose own books on art have made her deservedly well known, spoke about Greg Tricker's work, and then we all went for a celebration in the bookshop next to the Cathedral, where Tricker's book was launched with wine and speeches, and there was a convivial party atmosphere and much talk...

A well-filled hall...

..for the annual meeting of the Assn of Catholic Women on Saturday. We had an excellent talk by Dr Philip Howard on medical ethics and the inspiration of Blessed John Paul, followed by a DVD about BlJP from Rome Reports. I most warmly recommend the latter - it's simply called "John Paul the Great" - and indeed other DVDs from Rome Reports...well-produced, authoritative, and hugely watchable.

The ACW has had a good year. Our Schools Project grows and flourishes, with children sending in essays from Catholic primary schools across Britain, and generous parcels of book prizes going out thanks to the wonderful support of the Catholic Truth Society.We had a happy pilgrimage to Minster recently. Our work in helping teachers using Art and Music (notably Gregorian Chant)in teaching the Faith goes on steadily. Our annual gathering at the Westminster Cathedral Chrism Mass to show public support for priests was again a cheering event. And at this AGM we gained some new members and looked at plans for 2012 and beyond...

To the Notre Dame university building...

...just off London's Trafalgar Square, for a celebration with Catholic Voices, and the launch of two new books. One is by CV's founder Jack Valero, and is a good read, telling the story of this adventure of this Catholic initiative,how it grew, how it linked to the Papal Visit, The other is a sort of handbook for Catholics on some of the major topical issues that the Catholic Voices team has been tackling: I'm finding it useful and stimulating. This was a youthful, lively, happy evening with an impressive range of young people. Some of us went on to a pub and there was lively talk until a late hour...

And the Holy Father...

...has been welcomed in Germany where, contrary to the predictions, there was a warm welcome, vast crowds at an open-air Mass, a friendly meeting with the Jewish community. He gave an excellent address to the German Parliament - worth reading: here.

This is a Pope of rich wisdom, especially on the relationship between faith and reason, and the respective roles and duties of Church and State. The Lefebvrists, now busy pondering on whether or not to rejoin the Church, are stuck in a muddle on the latter issue and those that do decide to return will find a good way forward here.

But why won't the BBC and much of the British media just give themselves a break and start reporting things fairly? The Pope, answering questions on the plane en route to Berlin was at ease with the idea of people turning out in protest demonstrations against him, noting with goodwill that they were free to do so. In the event, numbers protesting were far smaller than expected, and the real news is that - as in Britain - that people are finding this gentle and fatherly man of God some one who brings a message worth hearing.

To the convent at...

...Tyburn, for the launch of a really superb new DVD. It tells the story of these remarkable Benedictine sisters, who now have convents in mountain sites in South America, the New Zealand bush, and the heart of Rome, among other places. Lush scenery, glorious photography, scenes of convent life that are touching, funny, frank and beautiful.Lots more about it here.

VOICES...

...is a magazine run by a Catholic women's group in America. Auntie writes for it from time to time. The Michaelmas issue is here...

St Mildred, and Mass, and Saxon buildings...

...and a link with Germany. All this and more at Minster Abbey, where a group of pilgrims from the Association of Catholic Women and the Continuity History Walks had a most beautiful day. The Abbey dates back to pre-Norman Conquest days,was closed under Henry VIII, and in its more recent history has links to Eichstatt in Germany, from where a group of six sisters arrived in the 1930s. There are now more than twice that number in the community, and we met the latest novice, and an Oblate, along with Sister Benedict who looked after us during our pilgrimage.Exploration of the Abbey, its garden and paths. The office of Sext and then Mass in the convent chapel with its great windows giving the glorious sweep of the trees and the sky above the sanctuary. The timeless reality of the Eucharist, the unchanging link binding us to long-ago Saxon sisters, and our voices raised in Newman's "Praise to the Holiest..." A potter around the village. Picnic lunches eaten on the Abbey's wide lawns. A presentation of the Abbey's history - which gave me the idea of perhaps doing a feature on St Mildred for EWTN, so watch for more on that. The peace of it all, a happy day. Final farewells over tea...

There was a train back to London which agreed to depart from Minster station, to our mild astonishment (see below). We were all a bit sad to leave, and we'll be back.

The people who run the railways...

...have their own ways of doing things. Just because one buys a ticket to Minster-in-Thanet, and gets on a train that is going there, and has regular announcements stating the fact, it doesn't mean that the train will actually take one there. Our small group of pilgrims to Minster met, as arranged, at Westminster Cathedral and hurried to Charing Cross to catch the train - all went well and we chatted merrily as we whizzed through the London suburbs and out into the Kent countryside...and then a voice announced that the train "will not be calling at Wye or at Minster". When an official materilised in due course,we asked why. "Well, there was a delay. We might be late." So apparently the only thing to do was to hurry past some of the stations where passengers might, irritatingly, wish to alight. He seemed to be a bit puzzled by our concern. We found this amusing for a while, and speculated about where we might end up - perhaps in France since this is the Channel Tunnel line? - but since we were unable to leave the train, and my plan about pulling the communication cord was deemed too expensive (£70 fine, or is it £100?)we were hurtled on to Ramsgate. We whizzed through Minster - I urged everyone to wave as the train rushed through, just in case any of our fellow-pilgrims were there. And indeed we learned later that Sister Benedict from the Abbey had gone down to the station to meet us,having carefully checked the train times...and was waiting faithfully when the train rushed through without stopping. She telephoned the railway company - and was connected to some one in India who was very polite and told her that the train had been "cancelled".

At Ramsgate we were told that we could catch a train back to Minster - only an hour to wait.

We piled into some taxis.

For more on...

...Sunday's Mass to mark the anniversary of the Holy Father's visit, read here...

An overnight bus...

...to the West Country, and a stay in a b-and-b while I visit some relations. This morning, I dropped in to Mass at the beautiful little Sacred Heart Church in Minehead. There was a surprisingly large congregation for a seaside town on an ordinary Monday morning. A good and happy way to start a busy day...

Somerset all green and cool and gently rainwashed. Bright berries on the hedgerows. Cows sitting down with huh-it's-going-to-rain-so-what? expressions in wide damp fields. Sudden lovely vistas from the bus windows - that glorious view of Dunster Keep, or a surge of wonderfuil rounded hills...

Pottering about on domestic errands. It is over 30 years since I first came to this corner of England and met the family into which I was to marry...

Today's newspapers make me realise yet again what a loopy country Britain is at present. There are plans to abandon the statement on passports announcing the holder's sex - because some lobby group is claiming that some people don't know what sex they are, and are trying to change into being the opposite one.

One year on...

...we celebrated the anniversary of the Holy Father's wonderful visit to Britain with a glorious Mass at Westminster Cathedral. It was a priviledge to be there...wonderful singing from that superb choir, and the huge congregation joining in the Credo, and the Pater Noster, and Newman's hymns, and a magnificent Te Deum at the end...

A bishop....

...writes about World Youth Day. See here...

The BBC....

...contacted me to ask if I would talk about the revival of the no-meat-on-Friday rule. Delighted. In the event it turned out that there were so many people 'phoning in to talk about the previous subject on the programme - corporal punishment in schools, for which a majority of parents have apparently come out in favour! - that the discussion about Fridays was postponed for almost an hour. But then when it did take place we had a full and lengthy discussion, and it was in fact the first time in a great while that I've been on a radio programme where I could actually answer questions properly and get things across. The usual things came up: "But how can it be a penance to be sitting down to a delicious salmon instead of, say, a meat pie?" etc.It was good to be able to explore the whole subject, and we tackled all sorts of things - the significance of Friday and Christ's death on the Cross, the value of traditions, what penance is all about, why obedience to the Church has value, and more.

For various reasons, I was doing the interview standing in our small garden - Jamie was sorting out various bits of Army equipment in one room, the washing machine was blaring in the kitchen, and the gardenn was the only quiet place. Felt odd to be standing there next to the apple tree, with a neighbour watching from a nearby fire-escape, talking on the radio about Bishops and Fridays and fish pie...

Tea with...

...a priest of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. There is plenty going on in the Ordinariate - see some of the latest news here. But I would so love to see - and surely so would lots of other people? - Ordinariate groups being given the use of some of the old and currently unused or under-used churches that are around Britain. Of course some may be in places that are of no use to Ordinariate groups. But others...

At present, Ordinariate groups simply use local Catholic churches. But these are already busy places, with lots of Sunday Masses, and so the Ordinariate group has usually been given a "slot" on a Saturday evening...this is probably all right as a short-term measure, but it really won't do as things develop.

It's in everyone's interest - I mean everyone's - that fine old buildings get used and cherished.It seems daft that some old C. of E. churches may end up as warehouses or simply left empty...when they could be used by Ordinariate groups...

This is simply Auntie's view - not neccesarily shared by any Ordinariate clergy, who are busy getting on with things. But let's get praying, and we can hope that some good things could develop as time moves on...

Get a parish perspective...

...on World Youth Day by clicking on to this link here...

London in bright Autumnal sunshine...

...somehow has a sense of history that it lacks in other seasons. It is an Autumn/Winter city, not at its best in summer's searing heat. Today, a visit to an art exhibition in Kensington, then a chatty family lunch. Then a meeting with Patti Fordyce, a colleague from the Assn of Catholic Women.

The ACW has its Pilgrimage to Minster next week: SEptember 21st. Join us! Meet 7.45am at Westminster Cathedral. Bring a packed lunch.I've been working on the hymn-sheets and programme for the day (we'll be singing Faith of Our Fathers, and Praise to the Holiest....)

And do come to the ACW meeting on Sat Oct 24th, starts 2pm St James church centre, George St WI.We are celebrating the beatification of JP11. Speaker: Dr Philip Howard on "Blessed John Paul - a personal perspective on his influence on contemporary medical ethics and practices", followed by a film on the life of Bl JP11. All welcome. ACW meetings are friendly and welcoming and you will be meeting women who are active in the Church and enthusiastic about their faith...