Fr Daniel French

P.1168 Dennis planning to go to the Cook islands in 1998. P.1170 recording of Brahms Requiem at the Albert Hall. P.1173 all 3 of us had spoken to Prince Charles at the reception after the Brahms. Dad thinks this was at the Albert Hall but I think it was the Festival hall. We never got the chance to tell him we met in the chorus and we now had Louise singing with us! P.1176 Midnight mass recording. P.1182 the new organ at Addiscombe at last .Paul Moynihan and Fr Peter very supportive. Paul would relay Fr Peter's enthusiasm for my playing e.g. Crown Imperial on Christ the King. He once commented that I had played the homily before Mass when I played "Come unto him" from Messiah to match the gospel. P.1183 Dad visited 2 houses for us and clinched Enmore Rd T upper St which was near Ann. Brendan O'Connell had tried Catenians - The possible house in Gordon sounds huge! Brendan arranged for me to visit most of the Sydney circles. P.1185 Richard Hurford and the Guild. Louise was going for university interviews and Nellie was reluctant to offer overnight accomodation. She insisted her new hip had made her an invalid  p.1185. P.1188 they never planned to stay! P.1192 Louise at Huddersfield and visiting Nellie.
P.1193 I had been in touch with Philip Mathias at Newcastle cathedral. We replaced our Escort with a Ford Fiesta. Dennis going to South India to help in hospitals.Catenians gave him a bursary. P.1193 organ improved which did not go ahead.p.1199 saw Dennis off. P.1202 why Addiscombe went digital.- the real reason was space. It was true that the church would be full Good Friday, first communions and confirmations.  p.1206 Daniel French's ordination Bernstein involving percussion and Adrian conducted and Palestrina. The real sensation was Salve Regina from Sister Act during first blessings which we sang twice. Daniel came to dinner and could not open his car so I drove him back to the presbytery where the Polish priest appeared in pyjamas to let him in. Next day after Mass brought him back to our street. He had tried to open the wrong car! bishop John Jukes did the ordination. Everything was ready but he insisted on seeing me beforehand about the Veni creator. Fr Peter said you don't have to come. I pointed out  t hat I was due on  t he organ in 2 minutes. Oh they can't start without me. Later Paul said they could start without the bishop. The bishop explained everything that was already in the booklet. - infuriating! Daniel organised neon vespers and had loads of confidence preaching. In Canterbury he married and is now an Anglican priest in Salcombe.

More activiity

 ACertCM presentation by the Papal Nuncio because Cardinal Hume could not attend includes Michelle Aitkens next to the nuncio Archbishop's House

Fr Peter at Louise's wedding 2007

p.827 Louise excellent results, Dennis climbing in Snowdonia and Bruce on a cricket course. p.829 I sent a service for the rededication of the organ at Notre Dame. I have been involved in two such ceremonies - the new Cathedral digital at Addiscombe and the organ at St Michael's. p.835 Dad wrote out music for me or this might be an extension of "Be still for the presence of the Lord". p.836 details about Ralph Downes and ffrench-Beytagh. p.839 videos I had sent. p.841-2 the composition of the Bishopthorpe suite which I still play. The march was played at their funeral. p.847 Dad is 74. p.854 Bruce's guitar exam. p.855 I wrote from Birmingham. This could have been a weekend when we sang at St Philip's cathedral. p.865 we both gave up singing in the chorus for a while to complete our Archbishops certificate in church music. For this we went to Heythrop college for the first time and had lectures from Tom Creagh-Fuller (he later became a priest). Very flamboyant we would get onto his favourite subject five minutes before we were due to finish e.g. Odo then he would sing old Catholic hymns loudly on the tube back to Victoria (if the floor could have opened..). He was very knowledgable and needles to say we both passed. The choir at Our Lady's were more nervous than I was about the exam when I had to direct them! The examiner was the director of music at St George's cathedral and she was very charming. The certificates hang in our dinging room and are signed by Cardinal Hume whom we met briefly. We had to visit various places - Liz went to the Adventists at Selhurst and the Streatham synagogue. p.871 Robin Milford pieces I had sent "Papa". p.875 I praised the Advent carols service choir and the Bishop! p.877 phone Dennis was working in Croydon I think at the outdoor shop. p.884 Christmas organ voluntaries and Dad remarks that the priest-in-charge appeared not to appreciate all my practice. I think this must be Monsignor John Moran. He had worked for the Catholic children's society and was sent to one of the biggest parishes in the diocese. His desk was always a muddle. He would get an envelope out and put my cheque in it. The best thing was that he did not interfere and left us to get on with it! Fr Peter Stodart was the curate and unusually succeeded the Monsignor. I was actually rather fond of him. In the end when he had to retire he was reluctant to leave the presbytery and moved into a flat. A bridal couple in the block said they kept an eye on him. He would go to his regulars for whisky. His funeral went really well but it suddenly hit me that I would never see him again. His favourite hymn was "Breathe on me breath of God". Fr Farmer no less complimented me on the music at that funeral - he said priest's funerals were usually abysmal!

Fr Peter and Mgr Moran

Peggy on left At the back Tony Potter and John Beers who composed some items for us

Ted in the middle with alto Kit Bradley and Mary Endacott, Ada Macdonald is at the back next to me.

Ralph Downes who died in 1993

Fr Farmer preached and remarked that the music was good! 

Mgr Moran died 1995

RSCM magazine