As Fr. Tim has pointed out, the Faith Summer Session is a great opportunity for networking. I suspect that there are quite a few bloggers around today, especially as it's the day for visitors. If we manage to get a bloggers' photo, it should prove interesting.
Two priests were giving out First Blessings after Mass today... I think both of them are leaving the Conference this evening, so they couldn't be spread out. I did, however, manage to get one of the First Blessings last night, so I was hopefully able to clock up two Plenary Indulgences for the Holy Souls.
I was delighted to be able to chat with James MacMillan last night - yes, it was the James MacMillan, the composer, not someone with the same name, nor a drug-induced hallucination. I was extremely flattered (and somewhat flabbergasted, to be frank) when he told me that he'd read my blog. Not very frequently, to be sure, but he'd read it. Yes, I'm name-dropping, and I don't care who knows it! So now I can claim to have bought a drink for Delia Smith (yes, the Delia Smith, she of the egg-cookery-instructions... though that was a few years ago) and James MacMillan. James was even kind enough to buy one for me too... (I discovered that the bar at Woldingham stocks Bailey's)
I'm really looking forward to his lecture this afternoon: it's not particularly concerned with music and the liturgy, but will address evangelisation through music (at least that's what I recall of the conversation from my alcohol-induced haze!)
I also got to meet up one of the speakers involved with Catholic Voices. Very nice chap... he seemed pretty on the ball and very articulate, so I'm quite encouraged. He said that he, too, read my blog... but only the spat with Mr. Ivereigh, which might explain why he seemed a little wary of me...
Heheheheh...
I believe you handled the 'spat' with Austen Ivereigh very well.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I was aggrieved that Austen was curt to James Preece, and personally insulting in a 'we must hide you away when the bishop is around' way...I was, however, very impressed with Austen Ivereigh's very clear and impressive defence of the unborn. I heard Austen debate at the 2009 Battle of Ideas and he was the lone person in the room who spoke up for the voiceless, and Austen took on Ann Furedi. Ann Furedi sounded very vicious, but Austen calmly pulled apart her arguments. No mean feat.