As you walk out of the Holborn Tube Station on the Picadilly Line, Southampton Row becomes Kingsway. It is a fairly normal stretch of city street with tall grey buildings on each side of a traffic clogged road. You would certainly not be blamed if you missed the full glass doors that grace the front of the Roman Catholic Church of St Anselm and St Cæcilia. The current church

building dates back to 1909. It replaced the chapel of the Royal Sardinian Embassy that had gradually become a parish church for the area. The old chapel had a long history that included destruction centuries ago during anti-Catholic riots and bombing by the Nazis during World War II. The current church is said to keep aspects of the old chapel and, indeed, the coat of arms of the House of Savoy (Sardinia and Italy’s former Royal family). When I first entered the church, it seemed like, maybe it was a bit plain. But then I took a better look. And these photos show some of the simple beauty I saw within and the peace I felt from the several people I saw kneeling in prayer throughout the church. The first row shows traditional statuary of saints not found as often in more recently built Catholic churches, but very popular in churches in Italian parishes throughout Europe and America. See my pictures of the Italian Church in Clerkinwell that I visited the morning that Queen Elizabeth died. In the first picture, it would appear that the feet on the Statue of Saint Peter, the first Pope, have been rubbed to a shine by years of passing pilgrims and worshipers. No, folks, I have no idea why. I believe that is Saint Christopher next to the side Altar in the second picture, and that is a statue of

Saint Thomas Moore in the third picture. The cold war between the Anglican and Roman tradition lives on in small and large ways in the UK and in Rome. As a “cradle Catholic” who has come to admire the good aspects of both traditions, it saddens me that they cannot find a way to reconcile their differences. The second row of photos begins with a sculpture that older Catholics will recognize as the Sacred Heart of Jesus, another very traditional statue. The middle is the very lovely, very simple altar. Third is Mary, holding Jesus. The third row shows some of the pipes for the organ, to the right of the altar, a painting of Jesus being taken from the cross, and next, one of the stations of the cross that are found on the walls around the church, another traditional Catholic devotional form of prayer. The final large picture is a lovely stained-glass window depicting the resurrection of Jesus.

The next day on my Finals Week Tour I started with a quick trip to Craven Cottage for a visit to the Fulham FC shop to spend a bit of money. After buying a colorful shirt to wear at the beach or pool this winter and a few ornaments for my Florida Christmas tree, I decided that rather than getting a taxi or uber, I would walk back through Bishopsgate Park on a fine October day and take the Tube from Putney Bridge Station. Below are some pictures I took as I walked through this beautiful park that always provides me with such happiness no matter how the results of a Fulham home match turn out.

I had two more churches in South Kensington on my list that I hoped to visit before returning to home base. The First was Saint Augustine’s. When I arrived there, I saw a crowd of people lined up outside. I noticed that the front glass door appeared to be open, so I went in. The worship space had tables set up with tablecloths where the pews would be. A gentleman told me that they were preparing for a community event, I snapped a quick photo and left. The church looks lovely, it is on the list for next year.

I walked over to the second church which was on the other side of the “South Ken” tube station. Much to my dismay, it was locked up. It is only opened on Wednesdays and Sundays! This was Holy Trinity Church on Prince Consort Road. As Arnold would say, “I’ll be back!”

So, second interesting church closed, I started walking back toward the Tube station and realized I was near the Royal School of Music and the back side of the Royal Albert Hall. I took a quick picture of each of them and then noticed the Imperial College of Technology and Science Building with the entrance of the Royal School of Mines on the side I was passing. Having worked with many great scientists and engineers (including mining engineers) I had to take a picture of this fine building too.

From there I returned to Russell Square and headed over to Caffe Tropea where I found my friends Elain, Muriel and Muriel’s sons who are like a comic routine. The two guys love their mother, who, as I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, is a wise woman and a very funny one as well. Her sons have inherited her good qualities and we always have some great laughs when “the boys” come along.

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