First a duo from the East (well, Wickford and Colchester anyway)
Fr Paul from Oxfordshire found Fr Keith (Salisbury Group) in enigmatic vein (maybe it was the orange juice).
We began, of course, with notices, from the p-p of St Patrick's, Fr Alexander Sherbrooke [here in Air Hostess mode, showing us the nearest exits]. Mgr Keith was in good form, pressing us to be more serious about raising money - there is a great need for us to support the stipendiary clergy more generously, and to get to grips with the difficult matter of money for pensions.
We also had Fr Stephen Wang's final appearance before he goes to his new post as Chaplain to London University (and overseer for all the University Chaplaincies across London). Here he is deep in conversation with Mgr Keith: later we were able to thank him for all he has done for us - prolonged applause, and a little cash donation - our Ordinary suggested he might be buying a new Saxophone with it!
It is always uplifting to enter St Patrick's, and never more than today when we had the privilege of assisting at the 12.45 Mass.
Now I have to get packed for Walsingham; rain is promised, and I managed to leave my one really waterproof coat in the cloakroom at St Patrick's. Some of us from our Group are going by coach early tomorrow morning; others are already there. We are due to return on Monday. Meanwhile, Jane goes to London for the wedding on Saturday of our one nephew ... bad timing. Oh yes, there are some of our priests running catholic parishes (here are two of them) while trying to hold ordinariate groups together - not an easy task.
The next plenary for our priests is on September 19th; meanwhile these few photos will give a taste of who was there today.
Forgive this rather self-indulgent blog, but I was rebuked for not having posted much lately, and pictures say so much more, and so much better, than words. Maybe Walsingham will prove photogenic?
