A joyful feast of Corpus Christi to everyone. The weather has cooperated today. Possibly because we cannot rely on the weather, we do know how to enjoy it when it happens. There is always a great feel on these nice Sunday mornings when people can gather outside the church. The Children are playing on the grass. All is well in the world and no one is rushing off for other things.

(By the way because of this enjoyment, people who because of disability drive up to the church doors, please take extreme care. Children rightly see the front of church as a safe play area and do not expect to see cars. So please take extra care.)

The Corpus Christi procession after the 1245 mass today was very nice. It was special for me to carry the Blessed Sacrament out of the church to the entry gate where we had a temporary altar arranged. Those children who received their first communion last month were on hand to make an honour guard for the Blessed Sacrament. They threw rose petals before the Blessed Sacrament. Though truth be told, a few of the boys could not resist throwing the petals at me. The large turnout of the first communion children was pleasing to see. The catechists who worked with them these past months should find great consolation.

I remind everyone that Wimbledon College will be reconfiguring their entrance from our car park starting tomorrow, 15 June. There efforts should take three weeks or so. A gate slightly higher up the hill will be open on Sundays so we will still be able to use their parking spaces. We are all thankful for their cooperation. The work planned should make that key entrance to the school much more attractive and also provide a more efficient flow of traffic.

Parking continues to be in my thoughts. I had one of those infrequent sparks of insight. But like most insights they can be costly ones. If we have some extra millions of pounds laying around I would like to tear down the Old Presbytery, which is not well suited for adaptation to permanent church offices. In its stead, I would love to put up a combination church offices and multi-storey car park. After two or three levels of parking the church offices could be built. An elevator would take people from the church offices and car park down to the level of the church, making plenty of space available for all who grow weary of walking up and down the hill. At last I fear such thoughts are only in one’s dreams. But it is good to dream.