Sun 1 All Saints’ Day

Our festival – & 10 am High Mass was a musical extravanganza! As usual, we had bagpipes to take us in & out. They also accompanied “Amazing Grace” after Communion – a new innovation. We sang the offertory hymn (Hark the Sound of Holy Voices) to a tune written by our organist, Bob MacLeod, which he has dedicated to our congregation. I preached one of my best All Saints’ sermons – & I have preached quite a lot in 30 years! HC visits after Mass, then lunch at the wedding family’s home. Real tacos & lots of compliments about yesterday’s Nuptial Mass. Back to church for 5 pm Evensong & Benediction, at which we sung Bob’s tune again! 75 present – the conclusion to a delightful day 🙂 

Mon 2 All Souls’ Day

I had a relaxing day off, said the 6 pm Requiem Mass & then watched “North by North West” on TV.

Tues 3

Busy morning in the office – lots of calls for financial assistance. HC visit in the a/noon & dinner with parishioners at 6 pm.

Thurs 5

This morning I drive to Placentia, in LA, for SSC chapter. I was celebrant & homilist. When I got there I saw that on the car dashboard the “anti lock” light was on. I consulted the manual, which told me to get the car to a Volvo dealer! After the meeting I drove back to SD (praying that nothing would happen to the car!), arriving at my auto repair shop at 3 pm. They discovered that the alternator belt had come off. So they fixed it & I collected the car at 5 pm!

Fri 6

2 Aussie guests arrived yesterday, Nigel & Alison. Nigel helped run my youth group when I was a young priest way back in 80/81….haven’t seen him for 28 years! Tonight I will show them the church & take them out to dinner. Meanwhile, usual Friday things. We laughed during bible study at a most appropriate gospel for Pledge Sunday – the window’s mite. I was pleased with the end result of my semon, helpd by the bible study (as it often is).

Sat 7

After 9 am Mass I ran off new copies of the offertory hymn as an insert for High Mass……I discovered bad mistakes in the bulletin! At 11 am I am taking the Aussies to Ocean Beach, etc. HC visit at 4 pm.

Sun 8 Pledge Sunday

Today everyone brings their pledge & they are offered during Mass. I will be hoping for a good result! This a/noon I go away for 3 days – Wed is Nov 11, veterans day. The holiday gives me a chance for me to visit a priest who has been in trouble. Even priests need comfort & support (esp priests!!)

Thurs 12

I had a nice 3 day break. Saw the musical “South Pacific” – gr8 songs! Weather delays caused me to miss my flight home, but United rebooked me & I got back at 12 midnight. Office has been quiet all week. Now for a busy a/noon & evening.

Fri 13

As always, a happy morning. Bible study was fun as we tackled readings about end of the world. In the a/noon I wrestled with the readings for my sermon. The 2nd coming is a very unpredicable subject – literally! In the evening I had 2 parishioners over for dinner.

Sat 14

Monthly Societies of Mary today: Rosary, Mass & a lovely lunch. In the a/noon I have some HC visits, then the usual quiet Saty night :-)

Sun 15 – Pent 24

Another lovely sunny day in SD! Good attendances, with several visitors. Excellent music & hymn-singing at 10 am. In the evening I went to see the new movie, 2012 – which I mentioned in my sermon.

Mon 16

What do I do when I have my day-off at home? Catch up with emails & household chores in the morning, then to Balboa Park for a few hours. We are so fortunate to have such a lovely park in the heart of our city. Later I had drinks with a parishioner & then watched a 2.5 hour movie on TV.

Tues 17

My 1st job is to write thank-you notes to all who have pledged……72 thus far. I do it in my hand-writing, to show it is personal. Jim will give me the total later – I am anxious to see how we are going. After Mass I meet with Terry. Vestry at 7 pm.

Wed 18

A busy morning, then 2 HC visits. During the 1st I started to sniffle. No dogs or cats in the house, tho! Went home, kept warm & drank brandy!

Thurs 19

A quiet day today – very unusual. Time to catch up on emails & letters….yes some people still write letters to me! 6 pm Mass followed by confirmation class. 

Fri 20

Usual busy Fri morning, followed by sermon prep at home. At 7.30 pm we have a concert in the church – Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, by Grossmont Symphony & Master Chorale. It should be gr8 – will it be petite or solemn, or both!

Sat 21

The concert was magnificent! 3 of our soloists – Pauline, Martha & Ron – sang superbly & the whole performance was wonderful. About 80 attended.

Sun 22 Christ the King 

One of our gr8 festivals! Good attendance at 8 am (51 communicants). Excellent music at 10 am, incl the motet Exsultate Justi by Viadana & 2 hymns I have introduced at All Saints’ – Lord Enthroned in Heavenly Splendour & Hail Redeemer, King Divine (sung to “See Amid the Winter’s Snow”). At the end of High Mass we had the traditional Eucharistic Procession & Benediction. I wonder how many churches do this? Afterwards I had a meeting of the Personnel Review c/tee. After a pastoral visit at 2 pm I spent a few hours wandering around Morley Field – somewhere I had not visited yet!

Mon 23

My day-off & a beautiful sunny day. So I drove to Julian – another new discovery.

Tues 24

Another sunny day! Everyone is busy shopping for Thanksgiving. The parish office is busy, too :-)

Wed 25

Today is the feast of St Katherine of Alexandria – the patron of my 1st parish 81/85. I remember my happy years there. I was supposed to be having lunch today with Canon Howard Smith from the diocese, but he had to cancel.

Thurs 26  Thanksgiving Day

Solemn Mass at 9 am – then I flew to DC for 2 days, to visit the White’s. I am looking forward to seeing them in their new home!

Fri 27

In the morning I visited the Freer gallery (part of the Smithsonian) to see the famous Peacock Room, & the American History Musem, where I saw an exhibition of shop-front Christmas displays & Julia Child’s kitchen. I got caught in the rain & now have sniffles! In the a/noon I caught the subway to the White’s. We had a lovely time & beautiful dinner.

Sat 28

Flew back at 12.30 pm via Chicago – upgraded to 1st class all the way! All flights early, with friendly flight attendants :-)

Sun 29  Advent Sunday

Fr Krulak celebrated 8 am Mass to commemorate his 47th anniversary of priesting. He also preached at both Masses. Good attendances fr Thanksgiving w/e. Excellent music at 10 am. It rained overnight, but sun is out this morning. However drama after 10 am – the office safe had been raided during High Mass & the 8 am collection stolen. So poIice were called, amidst much hand-wringing by everyone. After a HC visit I thought how to respond to this. I emailed various parishioners who would have been affected & decided to phone others tomorrow. We need better security!

Mon 30

Various chores in the morning (washing, gym, shopping) then to the church at 11 am to follow-up the burglary. Terry, George, Ralph & I discussed security & arranged new master-keys. Lunch with canon Howard Smith, then phoned 20 parishioners I had not been able to email about their offerings. At 3 pm went home to start on my Christmas letter. In the evening I watched “Into the Storm” – a BBC movie about Winston Churchill 1940-45.