Off to New York...

...and thence to Tennessee for various lectures ....

Gender ideology...and a bishop speaks...

...with wisdom, courage, and common sense.

Do read this excellent and helpful letter to Catholic teachers...

Knights and Dames of the Order of St Gregory the Great...

...together with other papal Knights and Dames, gathered at the Church of SS Anselm and Caecilia in Kingsway, London, for the annual Mass yesterday. Superb music from the Schola of the Cardinal Vaughan School. Knights in splendid uniforms, Dames in cloaks...

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor spoke at dinner. This year marks the 60th anniversary of his ordination.  He spoke  rather well, telling of the different Popes he had known during his years of priesthood....and then at the end he spoke about  going home, and the final Homecoming  of us all...and as he is rather famous for inviting people to sing together, we all ended up singing "Keep the home fires burning"....

The Catholic Young Writer Award...

...is sponsored by the Catholic Union Charitable Trust, and I am one of the organising team. I spent part of this week packing and posting prizes to the various winners. Info here...

Evensong....Evensong....

...I've become mildly addicted.  The evening light slowly fading behind the high windows, the church glowing with  candles on the altar and a choir singing the psalms back and forth up by the Chancel. The day's work  doesn't dither into a rushed muddle, it goes gently and firmly into evening with reassurances of God's care.

We have Evensong every Thursday here. Of course one can  - clergy must, lay people  are encouraged to  - say the Liturgy of the Hours every day. Reading the evening office in a train has its quiet joy. One can use the excellent daily  Magnificat booklet  specifically designed for the busy person.   And it is glorious to sing Vespers and Compline when in a monastery or convent or simply with a group of friends....

But there is something lovely about Evensong: a gift to the Catholic Church from the Ordinariate.

In the October evening...

...A Thomas More Walk around Chelsea, part of the Catholic History Walks.  We began at the Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More. then headed down towards the river, and along through Roper's Garden to Chelsea Old Church and the More statue...ands then on down Beaufort Street to Allen Hall...

I had spent the day working on wrapping and posting prizes won by young people at Catholic schools in the 2016 Catholic Young Writer award, sponsored by the Catholic Union Charitable Trust.   Topic for this year was "Saints of the British Isles"  so after taking the batch of prizes to the Post Office at London Bridge, it was somehow suitable to head for a walk in the footsteps of Thomas More.

American readers of this Blog might like to know that I will be speaking at Aquinas College, Nashville, Tennessee in a few days' time...

...and while on the subject...

...of Weigel, this is worth reading...

George Weigel...

...author and columnist, best known for his biography of St John Paul and for his Evangelical Catholicism   spoke at St Patrick's. Soho, on Monday, on St Francis of Assisi,  as part of a series of lectures marking the Year of Mercy. It was superb, a well-researched exploration of the life and message of this most popular of saints, drawing out the profound and challenging messages of his life. A really good evening. The hall - in the crypt beneath the church - was full. Father Alexander Sherbrooke, in welcoming us, noted that it was five years since the church and halls were all removated and restored....Weigel had been a guest speaker during the various celebrations. And the chief guest during those celebrations, Cardinal George Pell, will be another speaker during this nw series of lectures...info here...

The Alliance of Pro-Life Students...

...has sent me a note about a forthcoming event which I am glad to promote:

Celebration & Fundraiser event on Thursday 20th October in a stunning central London location. We are pleased to welcome Dr Peter Saunders, CEO the Christian Medical Fellowship, as our Keynote Speaker. Attendees will also hear from Niall OCoinleain, Chairman of APS, who will share an exciting announcement you won't want to miss about the future of APS and its mission. Spaces are limited, and our RSVP deadline is 12th October!You can get your ticket at www.allianceofprolifestudents.org.uk/fundraiser2016 

This has been a Dominican week...

...culminating in  joyful afternoon in Portsmouth Cathedral today with Sister Mary Catherine of the Dominican Sisters of St Joseph  making her vows at a glorious Mass  celebrated by Bishop Philip Egan. 

Earlier, on Wednesday, I was in Oxford, visiting some young friends and their enchanting new baby, Joseph....recently baptised by Fr Richard Conrad of Blackfriars. It was a happy afternoon over tea and gingerbread, with the baby giggling and enjoying life, and all of us reminiscing and talking over lots of things...and then later I was myself at Blackfriars for Vespers.  The strong young voices singing the psalms back and forth, a sense of reassurance, of confidence in the Church and the future...and then a warm welcome and a  hearty supper in the Refectory , preceded by Dominican grace said in the Cloister. Over supper, a wonderful mixture of banter and good theological conversation...and then more good talk over wine  afterwards, ranging over St John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis, evangelisation, academic work, the nature and purpose of post-graduate study, cookery, and the importance of ceremonial cakes ....home on a late train to London with a sense of a very well-spent day...

Then today, a cathedral filled with joy - glorious singing by a young girls' choir, fruit of the Sisters' wonderful work with young people through "Fanning the Flame"  and other youth gatherings. The moving and impressive sight of Sister Mary Catherine kneeling before the Bishop to make her final vows.Then a delicious tea with lots of cakes, and the great joy of meeting lots of friends...

While in Oxford I had been impressed by the youth of the Friars...but now today a group of novices were among the guests,  from  Blackriars, Cambridge - the newest and youngest of the Dominicans in England. Golly...the Dominican Order, in this 800th anniversary year, is thriving and is going to be a big part of the New Evangelisation of our country...

Read about...

...a Birthday, the "Our Father", carol singing, and a celebratory lunch...

All in Auntie's page in The Portal, on-line magazine of thre Ordinariate... Read here