On Saturday I played/sang for a funeral of a boy who lived for only 48 days. If it were not for the gift of John Bell I would not have known what to offer in the way of music. As it is I was able to sing CRADLING SONG before the Mass began and THERE IS A PLACE before the end. I also used John’s setting of Psalm 77 which berates God for seeming to pay no attention to us in our time of need but concludes in the recognition that God has done great things in the past and will continue to do so.

Most of the folk at the funeral were from the Philippines and I was invited to join them afterwards for a splendid feast in our own Higgins Hall. An awful occasion brought me close to some of our parishioners.

A particularly off the wall priest celebrated the two evening Masses and asked ‘if Christ is the good shepherd and we are the sheep, that doesn’t say much for what Christ thinks of us!’ Smelly and stupid?

I was tired so when I got home I was in bed soon after. The same was true the following day when after 4 Masses I came home for a break and could not keep my eyes open for long. Fortunately I set the alarm. During the day I had bought an inflatable armchair from Goodwill only to get it home and puncture it on the door handle. Now I am looking for a repair kit!

I spent Monday by the sea, imagining that the weather forecast was going to be correct but the cloud lifted and it was fine all afternoon. In the evening I drove to the Salesian church where my predecessor was directing a choir. It was something of an olive branch to him but when I got there I also bumped into Marty Purcell, the retired musician I had met only last Wednesday. The choir numbered only 11 persons and 4 of these were from St Lawrence Choir! They were pleased to see me there.

Today was a hard-working day with the planning of next weekend, the First Communions the following weekend and an application to attend the NPM in Grand Rapids in July. A high point today was a skype call from my brother Pete, bless him.

Still knackered I came home, watched a film with a pasta meal and went early to bed. Whatever it is that hasa hold of me is making me very tired all of a sudden.