Off last night to one of the East End churches to celebrate a mid-week communion. Its very rare indeed that I celebrate anywhere other than St Mary’s Cathedral. Indeed, I’m not sure whether I can remember doing so since I came here. Bishops (and I suspect Deans) must spend all their time dotting around celebrating in different places. Its always slightly unnerving as everywhere does things differently. I’ve not celebrated anywhere before where there was a devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham as a part of the mass.
Anyway, it was a good and very welcoming crowd – there were fifteen of us there last night (16 if you include Our Lady) which is pretty good on a wet November night in Baillieston. That felt like a good turn-out as it would be quite a strong percentage of those who belong to that church; much better than the turn-out for the Glasgow North East by-election that was going on at the same time. There, it was a bad night for everyone except Labour, though the lamentable turn-out was an indicator of where politics has got to right now in the UK and makes me think there was nothing in that by-election for anyone to crow about.
17, since there were more than 2 or 3 of you!