The three of us had arranged to attend 12:30pm Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Thursday last, before lunching together. However, preparations were being made within the Cathedral for a huge concert that was to be held there that night and I was informed that holy Mass would be celebrated in the Cathedral hall.
Not having previously been to the hall, I was intrigued. It turns out to be smallish room between Archbishop's House and the Cathedral. Given its small size the fact that it was crowded to overflowing was unsurprising but I managed to find a seat just in front of the other two old HCPT pilgrims. Why is it that in many catholic churches people tend to sit at the back rather than take up front seats I wonder? Maybe we all believe that other members of the congregation unlike ourselves, are not sinners.
Mass was quick, no sermon and despite the crowd took only about half and hour.
Afterwards, Bernie announced that she would pay for our lunch together. We decided though to lunch at Bill's rather than at The Ivy given the season of Lent. Perhaps many others had had the same idea as we had to queue for a while before being shown to our seats.
Bernie, who is to travel to northern Iraq next week, and Paul both said that they preferred the more solemn longer mass to the short form we had just attended, whereas I far prefer the short form.
I wondered whether many young people who have ceased attending mass would have ceased or even return, if the length of Sunday mass service, was under half an hour rather than an hour or more?
We had a very enjoyable meal together and Bernie said that she would also pay for our next reunion lunch if Paul, whose NHS op due next week was cancelled because of the junior doctors' strike, has by then undergone successful surgery.
Risking a train from London Waterloo despite the strike, proved worthwhile as a train calling at Wimbledon departed just after we had boarded for home. The guard almost amusingly, warned passengers for Wimbledon, that the train had 12 carriages, relevant for those alighting at Wimbledon where platforms are only long enough to accommodate the front 10 carriages.
I had a lovely time too. Promises to send u and Paul post card from Qaraqoush/Mousil , north of Iraq. Every time I see you and Paul , I remember all the happy memories of Lourdes/HCPT.
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