Got all my work done in the morning. Nannie came for dinner and Miss O’Brien was expected, but didn’t turn up, and Mám was very disappointed as we had a lovely dinner prepared especially a new apple-pudding. Afterwards she came and all the plans were made out. We are really going to Monatrea for a week on Tuesday! After tea I had to go up to Fr. Willie O’Brien for a bag in which to pack books for his sister Darkie, a nun in London, and bring them to the ship to-morrow. Fr. Willie is killing – he never stopped talking the whole time while eating his tea. In the end he hadn’t the bag and I will have to come up to-morrow morning. Amongst the things he told me – there are only two abbots in Ireland, the Abbot of Mt. Melleray and that of Roscrea. These have only power over their own monasteries, but attend the general synods. In Monte Casino there is an Abbot who rules over 70 parishes! Read ‘Ben Hur’. The book is really moving and convincing.
