Sometimes things just seem to work out right and this appears to be one of those times. Some time ago, I was at the house of two of our parishoners having a long, lazy Sunday lunch. After our excellent rib of beef from Wales and the pudding and the cheese and the chocolates there was still some port left being passed around. The conversation turned to Church Vestments and the marked upturn in quality of most of the products available now. I was idly speculating how long it would take me to save up for a Pietrobon Bruno chasuble from the F A Dumont catalogue. Realising that it is doubtful that there would ever be a time when I can spend one and a half thousand pounds on a Chasuble I resigned myself to Mrs. Ormsbys second hand rail where, I bemoaned, one is unlikely to find beautiful cloth. My hostess then came downstairs with a long piece of silk damask which her mother had produced many years ago and she wondered if I 'could do anything with it'. It seemed about the right size for a humeral veil so I gave it, in turn, to my mother who found some backing material and fringe. We also saw some wide braid on the vanpoulles website which gave it the essential ecclesiastical touch and, last night, I went to my parent's house to see the finished article which you see arrayed for your perusal above. We decided to go for the bow fastening, which is traditional, as the more usual clasps can pull on the fabric and eventually rip it. Hidden inside are two pockets for holding the Monstrance. It is marvellous and we shall, I think, use it on Maundy Thursday for the procession through the Church to the Altar of Repose. So thank you to Pat's mother, Pat and particularly my mother for putting in countless hours over the sewing machine to create such a fine humeral veil. Today veils, tomorrow high mass sets!
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