This was very informative, re recusancy and Anne Vaux, but you did make me laugh! I never thought that Jonathan Baker would do anything as ridiculous as that. Surely he would keep an episcopal purple dressing gown for such occasions, and matching slippers! 10pm on a Saturday night is not particularly late, although the City is pretty dead at that hour. However, I do take exception to your comment that Abba is 'a racket'. As much as I like my polyphony and plainchant I do still like a bit of the Swedish stuff. As for Bishop Baker I think he met his 'Waterloo' that night! 😜
When I started reading this my mind immediately went to the story of William Gladstone chasing the organ grinders away from his home. Was it anywhere near the same neighborhood?
Thanks for the story about Anne Vaux.
Bishop Baker really blew it. The answer was "Yes, it is God's house. He does not sleep here, but I do." The 'mate' epithet must have really unnerved him.
I enjoyed reading this excellent and informative article very much this morning until I read the line, 'a woman of ample proportions- double as both verger and security guard' . I'm a woman of ample proportions, will I be mistaken for a security guard when I attend Mass this morning? Body size and weight is weaponized against woman and girls all the time. Perhaps I'm being over sensitive, but it just struck me as being unkind.
You rival the Bard’s wit in communicating a serious and important message…. and I couldn’t help smiling throughout! Thank you Dr Ashenden and Catholic Unscripted.
I understand the venue was booked till 11pm, in which case the fault was the bishop's. And the verger's. If she was the bouncer, she must surely have known.
Having found a snippet of it on MSN, the audience (congregation?) appear to be mostly in their thirties and older.
Several times in this otherwise delightful piece the word "they" appears where the referent is obviously singular and male. I know this barbarism is endemic in our society, but could we please be spared at least in these precincts?
This was very informative, re recusancy and Anne Vaux, but you did make me laugh! I never thought that Jonathan Baker would do anything as ridiculous as that. Surely he would keep an episcopal purple dressing gown for such occasions, and matching slippers! 10pm on a Saturday night is not particularly late, although the City is pretty dead at that hour. However, I do take exception to your comment that Abba is 'a racket'. As much as I like my polyphony and plainchant I do still like a bit of the Swedish stuff. As for Bishop Baker I think he met his 'Waterloo' that night! 😜
When I started reading this my mind immediately went to the story of William Gladstone chasing the organ grinders away from his home. Was it anywhere near the same neighborhood?
Thanks for the story about Anne Vaux.
Bishop Baker really blew it. The answer was "Yes, it is God's house. He does not sleep here, but I do." The 'mate' epithet must have really unnerved him.
I enjoyed reading this excellent and informative article very much this morning until I read the line, 'a woman of ample proportions- double as both verger and security guard' . I'm a woman of ample proportions, will I be mistaken for a security guard when I attend Mass this morning? Body size and weight is weaponized against woman and girls all the time. Perhaps I'm being over sensitive, but it just struck me as being unkind.
You rival the Bard’s wit in communicating a serious and important message…. and I couldn’t help smiling throughout! Thank you Dr Ashenden and Catholic Unscripted.
Thank you Gavin!
I understand the venue was booked till 11pm, in which case the fault was the bishop's. And the verger's. If she was the bouncer, she must surely have known.
Having found a snippet of it on MSN, the audience (congregation?) appear to be mostly in their thirties and older.
Gavin you're killing me! 😂 🤣 I'm laughing so much the kids are asking what's wrong. More of these P. G. Wodehouse style articles please 😄
Several times in this otherwise delightful piece the word "they" appears where the referent is obviously singular and male. I know this barbarism is endemic in our society, but could we please be spared at least in these precincts?
You are mistaken. "They" appears five times, always for a plural.