ANYONE STILL LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY READING, or for consolation upon having just returned, will find in “Basil Hume Ten Years On” a perfectly delightful series of affectionate remembrances of one of the holiest exemplars of Christianity many of us can recall. And since I was first aware of Basil Hume’s existence I have loved the fact that his holiness flowed out of a deep and generous humanity. Page 102 has this from Teresa de Bertodano:

One of my ‘collapsed’ Catholic friends agreed to come to a meeting ‘as long as the Cardinal doesn’t wear all that scarlet and stuff’. I assured her that we had never seen him in ‘scarlet and stuff’. The next meeting took place on a very hot summer’s day. The Cardinal arrived slightly late. For the first time he was wearing his scarlet cassock! His smile disarmed my friend and he began with an apology: ‘I’m very sorry to be dressed like this, but I can’t take it off because I’m not wearing much underneath!’

Could it be that some glad and laughter-filled day we might know an Ampleforth on high? How I hope so.

“Coach” – Thought for the Week for PURE FM 107.8