What Paddy Shot At

Sorry to be so behind but I have had a busy two months.

The good news is that I have had a lot of visitors in May and June. I’ll just tell you who came and not write about the visits.

I had two visits from Madonna House, DC and they came with two ladies from the area. Kevin Potter, his mom and our friend, Peg came and we had a great time. He mailed me some tape to hold the rug in the parlor in place and it has made a big difference.

Dan and Stephanie Poje came with Sister Kass and Joan Beall. So good to catch up with our Memphis connections. Barry Fitz has come a number of times. He came with the Bob and Sue Chambers. Also with Barb Ostrye. She has come with her family as well. Just the other day, she, Paul and Sharon came and visited me in my suite.

Mary Alice McGreevy came with her brother, Brian and their aunt Marilyn Cavallaro and our friend, Kate Berry. They drove in from West Virginia. Also Doug and Kathleen Hanratty came and letter in the month, Bill Feeney came down. He joined them for supper one day as I was not up to a visit. I did learn that he has been ill; so please keep him and Bob Norton in your prayers. The golden years aren’t as easy as we were told.

Fr. Kevin O’Reilly and Deacon Dave came down from Barnesville, which was nice as I miss being able to go out to St. Mary’s to help;. Fr. Damian Shadwell, who was at St. Peter’s, when I was at St. Michael’s and is now pastor of St. Margaret ‘s in Seat Pleasant, dropped by and although he had a hard time getting into the building, we has a great visit.

The Petrones brought Fr. Trancone out for a visit and that was great for all of us. John Bohrer and Joe Stoutz took the train down and we had lots of laughs as I am going through old pictures and found some “doozies” from seminary days.

Lila, the principal of St. Michael’s stopped in as she had a meeting at the  pastoral center. She brought me a big crab cake and I loved it – and visiting with her.

Joan Ward and James, who works in the parish office are great about daily visits where they help me get settled. Carolyn B also helps me with stuff as do Colleen and Monty, whom I married just a month ago. All of these, I call my “angels” as they make my life much easier.

Colleen and Monty are EMTs and they took me (and my machine) to the anniversary celebration for the priests’ ordination. It was 60, 50, 40, and 25. There were about 150 priests there and it was great to visit with them.

My “look alike” cousin, Rick Jensen took me to the retired priests meeting at a nearby parish. Again, it was great to see old friends. On the following Saturday, he and his wife, Peg, their daughter, Kate and her husband, James and their 17 month old son, Will arrange for me to get to the McMahon family reunion in Baltimore. We saw lots of people from that branch of the tree and again, I had lots of pictures and we laughed and talked about those memories.

My next big trip is to participate in Patrick Mullan’s first Mass at St. Jude’s on Sunday, the 16th. He will be ordained on the 15th at the Shrine. Joan and Carolyn are taking me. I am really looking forward to it. He was my summer seminarian at St. Michael’s and we have kept in touch. Please keep him, his family, and the other 9 men being ordained for Washington this weekend.

Lastly, after a visit to my doctor and conversations with the pastor, Fr. Bill Foley, it has been decided that I will stay here in the rectory – as my Pulmonary Fibrosis has reached the point where I must have oxygen 24 hours a day -So rather than go to a nursing home, I will stay here in the rectory.  I am grateful for the pastor’s support and that of the other priests and the parish. We have a very nice summer seminarian, named Ben, who is very good to me. Keep him and all his classmates from JPII seminary in your prayers.

I have been meeting with Hospice people for about two weeks and am in their program BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN THEY OR I EXPECT ME TO BECOME BEDRIDDEN SOON OR TO DIE VERY SOON. I will, hopefully, still get over to the church on weekends to do Mass. I am saying it, in my room on weekdays. So keep me in your prayers and pray for all those who are caring for me.

I still use the phone a lot. I do run out of steam but I make the other person talk while I build up my oxygen. I talked with Fr. Dwight, Pat and Kate Berry, David Haas and his sister Becky (she had three grandchildren). I call my sister, Maggie, Joan Beall, and Fr. T almost every night. Her daughter is expecting this weekend. Maggie’s 77th birthday is Saturday. I called Tish Rossi for her birthday on the 14th. Please keep Mary Mudd in your prayers. Her birthday is July 4th.  Also please pray for Msgr Jim Lockman and for Bill Vita, who died recently. Pray for their families and friends as well.

I had to limit my meeting people in the parlor but I hope to start again in a few weeks. Keep that in your prayers as well. I am exhausted as I imagine you must been from reading; so I will close. Know that you and your families are in my daily prayers. Keep me in yours.

I have a “full” Sunday, and as I will stay in my pajamas all day and fill my six small tubes (which will take about 7 and a half hours, I though I’d try to update and publish a Paddy.

When last I wrote, it was May 2nd and I had a lot to share on as I went out to a number of events and was visited by a good number of friends.

So let me bring you up to date. On Friday, the 3rd and Saturday, the 4th, I stayed in my suite and kept going through the piles of paper I have tried to separate into Genealogy, St. Bernard’s history, and material on St. Michael’s and the Popes – I haven’t given up on trying to write another manuscript so I keep trying to “whittle” the paperwork down. I also ordered and received three books that I thought I might like to read. One of them was just published, “The Election of Pope Francis” by Gerard O’Connell (No relative!). It was so interesting that I read it in less than 24 hours. I shared on it at my Tuesdays group and I do recommend it. It takes you behind the locked doors of the conclave and, for me, it deepened my appreciation for the Cardinal from Argentina – who had no expectation of being elected until the 4th ballot showed him with lots of votes.

I’m glad I relaxed because Sunday, May 5th was another full day for me.

( It is now May 20th and as soon as I wrote that last line “full day for me”….. I was sick to my stomach and spent most of the day in the bathroom or bed)

I am better now, so I will continue with May 5th….Carolyn came and picked me up and she drove me to the parish center. I got on my cart and rode to the chapel for  an 11:30 Baptism. It was wonderful.  I had baptized two earlier children and it was great to see all the family again. Please keep William Grey and his family in your prayers.  Then I had the 12:30pm Mass in the church. Deacon Leo preached and so it was an easy Mass for me. Then I went back to the rectory and Gail Battle, her parents – Vera and Jim Degenhardt, Joan and Tom Johnson, and Bob and Sue Goldbeck came and we had a delicious lasagna dinner and lots of laughter and stories. It was a great day but I was in bed by 6pm.

I think I “recovered” in my suite on the 6th and 7th. On Wednesday, the 8th, Rosalie drove to the dentist and Joan went with me. I had cracked a tooth and it bothered me for a week. Dr. Boylan fixed me up.

ONCE AGAIN, I WASN’T FEELING WELL AND AFTER A VISIT WITH MY COUSIN JEAN DENNY, I WENT TO BED AND HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO MY SUITE ALL WEEK.

IT IS NOW TUESDAY, MAY 28TH AND I JUST RETURNED FROM TUESDAYS WITH FR. MAURY AND I THINK I WILL PUBLISH THIS AND TRY TO START ANOTHER PADDY THAT WILL BEGIN AROUND THE 11TH OF MAY.

When last I wrote, it was Holy Saturday. I had participated in Holy Thursday and the 3pm Good Friday service but I decided not to join the Vigil as I think we were having a number of Baptisms and Confirmations. I ended up watching the Pope in Rome and fell asleep early.

Fr. Regis joined me in my suite for coffee and a sweet role and then he headed back to Delaware. I relaxed and called some family and friends and around 4:30, Carolyn came and drove me over to the sacristy. I had the 5:30pm Mass and it was full.  Deacon Angel did the sprinkling and he read the Gospel. I preached from the chair and then went to the stool at the altar. I used the machine and had sufficient oxygen for the whole Mass. After Mass, Carolyn drove me home and I used a large tube to come back. She made eggs and bacon for us in the kitchen and we had a great Easter Dinner/Breakfast. I was in bed by 9pm.

Next morning, even though the office was closed, Joan came and brought my cart over so I could ride over to the parish main room and visit with Nora Walsh. She is from Ireland and has been a member of the Tuesdays with Maury group. She had a fall and is living in a residence just down Connecticut Ave. A lot of parishioners visit her but some arranged for the van to bring her here for a “reunion”. She went to church and saw all the Easter decorations, then we had some refreshments and visited. Father Mike Roach, from Baltimore and Father Larry McNeil, a Harrisburg retired priest – who was with me at St. Vincent’s in Latrobe – and like Michael is a church historian, came and joined us. Nora was thrilled – three priest and all Irish. Mike goes to Ireland every year as he still has relatives and some are near Nora’s people. Then Mike, Larry, and I came to the rectory and talked clergy stuff. When they left, I went and took a nap. It was a fun day.

On Tuesday, Denise, a nurse liaison from Sibley Hospital, came and met with me about Hospice. I asked Joan to join us as I don’t always remember what information. It was very informative and when I am not able to do things at church, I can stay in my suite and I would qualify for hospice. That may still be, pray God, moths or even years away but as I must have the oxygen 24 hours a day. There will come a time when even at 100%, it will mot be enough. My body will just wear out but I am preparing for that – again not soon. I have 2 baptisms in May, a first Mass in June, and a wedding in September. I am hoping to be able to do to Priests Day in July at St. Vincent’s, so I just needed to get information and paperwork. I’m glad I did. Also that day, I got a great delivery of 16 E tubes of oxygen

Wednesday, the 24th, I had a full day of visitors. I think I used three tubes that day but it was so much easier to talk. First, Sharon Beall came to visit. She was president of the Teen group at St. Camillus and now is a retired Secret Service agent. She is also a grandmother of two darling children, whose pictures I demanded she bring with her. She is also, like me, interested in genealogy and so we laughed and reminisced. I had a great time.

Later, June and Barbara Jean Rainy, whose grandparents I use to bring Communion to when I was a young priest at St. Camillus, came to visit. I had re-connected with them, when their mother was ill at Leisure World. I went to visit her a number of time and we had great talks about the old days in DC. She was a close friend of my cousin, Catherine O’Connell Jensen and my Uncle Will and Aunt Josie. They brought some pictures I had not seen on my visits to their Mom. We laughed and cried a little – I had their Mom’s funeral a couple of years ago at St. Patrick’s in Norbeck.

Then at 4pm, Msgr. Charlie Parry, who is now the pastor of St. Patrick’s and whom I have known since he was in high school, came to visit and have supper. We use to travel together and during Lent, the TV kept showing pictures of the Holy Land, so I called him. We had a great pilgrimage to the Holy Land with nine other friends and I kept seeing us saying Mass at Bethlehem or at the Tomb. He moved out to a neighboring parish and I called and welcomed him but then I got tied up with the oxygen and we didn’t get together. Fr. Alex joined us for dinner and I found out that he had been with Charlie as a seminarian almost nine years ago. We had a great time and a very good dinner. I think we’ll try it again soon.

Thursday, I stayed in my suite and recovered. I did ride my cart over to the church around 6pm for a wedding rehearsal at 7pm. The groom to be drove me home and I went to bed.

Friday, the 26th, I did a lot of “clean up” at my desk and stayed in my pajamas all day.

Because there was so much going on in the church, I came over to the sacristy around 10am. I got on my machine and sat in the sacristy. There was a funeral at 11 and I wanted to be sure that everyone will be out around noon; to get ready for the wedding at 1pm. A very nice seminarian named Ben, who is at John Paul II seminary and will be our “summer seminarian” came and helped me. He was great and I told him that I’m looking forward to his living here with us. The wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom just glowed. There were over 200 guests but I wasn’t up to going to the reception – but I hear it was great also!!!

I had the 12:30pm Mass and the deacon preached, so I came right home and met with Sister Agnes and some of the SDC group who had been at the reception. We had a great visit. Then two ladies, one from the parish – Julie, and the other – Margaret Witte, is a friend whom I met through Mike Roach, when we were working at Camp Vincent de Paul. Years later, I reconnected with her through a family at Good Counsel. Catholic circles are large and inter- connected. Both of the ladies were roommates at Georgetown school of nursing. We had a lot of stories to share. They accompanied me to my suite to make sure my oxygen was up – I had been talking so much, I didn’t notice it was in the red. But we continued the visit till I was “rosy cheeked” again. What a great day that was.

On Monday, I called for another delivery of oxygen for Tuesday and spent the day in my suite filling the small bottles.

Tuesday was the first anniversary of Agnes Zane’s death. She had been a great friend at St. B’s and I celebrated a memorial Mass for her last year. The Zane family lived on 59th Avenue in Riverdale and I am close to her daughter, Daria and her husband, John. I got my oxygen delivery.

Today is Gail Douglas’ birthday. I’ve been trying to talk with her for about six months; I finally did yesterday and we “caught up”.  She had heart surgery and is even now in rehab. She seems to be good but can’t drive and so we will try to work on someway to get together.  My cousin, Rick came and took me (and 3 tubes of oxygen) to the retired priests’ meeting and luncheon. He is so good to me and was willing to stay and listen to all of our stories about being young priests and all the characters we knew. Lots of laughs.

I started this when I got home around 2pm but I ran out of steam and left it as a draft. It is now Thursday, the 2nd and I talked with Joe Stoutz today and we might try to get together during the summer. Anthony, Fr. T’s nephew is in a rehab place but doing well. Keep all the sick in your prayers. Tomorrow, May 3rd is Sister Kass’ birthday. More next week.

It is a quiet time (If you are not a parish priest and getting ready for Easter with all the many people who work on the liturgy) and I am “resting” in my suite. I just had some company – Fr. Regis and our seminarian, Conor. They brought me some flowers and we visited for a few moments. Fr. Regis will spend the night as he has the 7:30am Mass tomorrow. Conor is a sponsor for a young man whom he taught in 4th grade and he will be at a neighboring parish tonight. I will probably watch the Mass from Rome as I can sleep in tomorrow. I have the 5:30pm Mass on Easter.

I had a good week. I talked to Dwight, John, Fr. T, Pat Berry and Carmen. On Tuesday, I said Mass over in the senior center ( a custom Fr. John began a few years ago and I have continued). Joan arranged for the new machine to be there. Also, I got 16 E tubes of oxygen that day and I’ve been using them so my level doesn’t go below the 90’s. Also all 6 of my little tubes have been filled. I also have had that large machine over in the church and I’ve used it to keep my levels up during Holy Thursday and Good Friday services. It has been nice to have it to depend on.

During the week, I have met with a number of people in the parlor and a few came up to see me in my suite. I saw Pat McGrath and Kevin Collins. Brother Elliott, from St. Vincent’s  came and spend a few days on his way to Richmond to give some talks. It was great to see him and he visited with me and Fr. Bill and Fr. Alec in our “community” room. On Thursday, we had a special dinner with the priests at 1pm and then we had the Holy Thursday Mass together. I sat in the choir stalls but I was glad to be there. On Good Friday, I joined them again at 3pm and then I met someone in the parlor at 5pm. I was glad to get in bed. Today, I just have felt tired and will stay in my suite and try to get this message out and to make a few phone calls.

On Monday, although the office is closed, Joan is going to arrange for me to ride over on my cart and see Nora Walsh, who is coming from the nursing home to the 11am Mass and to see some of the senior citizens for a little refreshment. Also I think Fr. Mike Roach may come for a visit. That will be very nice. We have been friends since 1964.

I will have Colleen and Monty’s wedding next Saturday. I have the 12:30pm Mass next Sunday. I will stay in my suite next week. Know that all of you and your needs are in my prayers. A Happy and Holy Easter.

Today is the day before Psalm Sunday and as I have the 5:30pm Mass on Sunday, I thought I would begin a message as I plan to spend the day in my suite.

When last I wrote, I was going to our parish town meeting. It was very good and well attended. Two people from the Archdiocesan staff spoke and answered questions. I think it will help in the healing process. On the following Tuesday at our session with the seniors, we continued the discussion because some people were not able to come to the Town Meeting. Those that did come, we able to add their impressions to our discussion. It was one of our best.

Also, it was announced this week that Archbishop Gregory of Atlanta will become our new bishop in May.He is a good guy and I’m sure he’ll help us to heal.

A lot of people took me up on the offer to come over to the rectory parlor for confession or just to talk. Also had a lot of friends stop in. I saw the Ostrye family (I married Billy, who was at GC,  about 25 years ago) His oldest daughter is looking at colleges. I  really am old.Mrs Casey and her daughter, Marsha and friend, John came to last week’s Mass as did, the Darias, and  many others who just wanted to say they miss me at daily Mass.  My cousin Jean, Doug and Kathleen Hanratty, Barry and Barbara, and Colleen and Monty (whose wedding I will have in two weeks) also came to visit. I’ve also phoned and talk to Bob Norton (whose is making a slow but steady recovery from his surgery), talked to the Munson’s in New Jersey, Jean Morere in Florida, and John Haag in Pa. Mary Lynn (whom I went to my senior prom with) and Dolores Maranacio who was a very active parishioner at St. May’s and now is at St. Anthony’s in North Beach.  We had great conversations full of lots of laughter and memories. Today is also the first anniversary of the death of Father Beattie. Hard to believe, it was a year ago. Today is also Anne Lee’s birthday. She moved from Florida but I don’t have a new address yet but I saw it on Facebook and sent her a greeting. Brother Elliott, from St. Vincent is coming and stopping by on his way to Richmond.

I have alternately clean my desk and made phone calls and I am tired. I think I’ll close and take a nap. Have a very blessed Holy Week. Know that you and yours will be prayed for and have a very Happy Easter.

I am here in my suite waiting to be picked up by my niece, Mary Pearson and my sister, Maggie. They are taking me to Frank’s house in Calvert County to celebrate a Mass for members of the SDC (Separated and Divorce Catholics) group. We had a great day of recollection on March 16th that was attended by forty some men and women. We used two the the reflections written by Father Vince O’Brien, S.J. who was one of the earliest supporters of the group. Some of the same people will participate in the Home Mass and cover dish dinner. I am a little nervous about the distance and the need to take 4 or 5 of my large tubes of oxygen. But I’ll just put that in the Lord’s hands.

Last Tuesday, I participated in the funeral liturgy for JoAnn Adams. She was Maggie’s best friend and traveled with us on many of our cruises. I mentioned her about t month ago, as she had had a heart attack. She recovered and Maggie and she flew to the Dominican Republic. She wanted them to have a “special” trip to an inclusive resort and ride around on carts. They had a ball and three night after she returned, she died peacefully in a chair, where friends found her when they came to pick her up for work at the ARC center. Her funeral was a great celebration that reminded us that there is much good that can be done by one person who believes that love is what matters. Many people spoke of groups and activities that she organized for young people, those with special needs, and for many who were homeless. Maggie’s daughter, Annmarie and she family brought me down and took great care of me and the 5 tubes I had. I recovered the next couple of days.

I am not saying weekday Masses because of all it takes to get me over and back from the rectory; but I still say a weekend Mass. Last Sunday, I reminded the congregation that I was available for confessions or a visit. A number of people came to see me this week; so I still feel like I’m doing priestly things for Lent. I have some more coming next week.

I use the phone a lot and caught up with Tish Rossi, Patrick Berry, John Bohrer, Tom Kredel, Carmen, Betty Deluca, the Morris’s, Joe Stoutz, and Anna Marie , I am also keeping up with my Lenten program, which is to write a number of notes.  Brian brought my cousin, Mike Caruso over here for lunch on his birthday and I caught up with that part of the family. I wasn’t feeling up to my dinner with my 4 priests friend, so they came here. Humberto made a great meal for us and we laughed and caught up.  in the midst of all this,  I am also working on my Taxes, so the days go by quickly.

I have the 12:30pm Mass tomorrow and then I will attend the Parish Town Meeting, we are having in the gym.

Please keep JoAnn’s family in your prayers. Also for Bob Norton, who had surgery. I will try to write during Holy Week but know that you are being prayed for.

Today is actually the Feast of St. Cyril and I mean him no disrespect; but I just wanted to get a message out today.

I haven’t been writing because I have been really tired. I am trying to stay close to the rectory and the oxygen so I can keep it up to the ninety level. Just moving around and talking a lot uses up a lot of oxygen. I can refill the small tubes on my large machine but it takes 75 minutes to refill – and it often takes only about 23 minutes to use it up if I must get my numbers up into the 90’s. I can use the E tubes that the company brings me as replacements once a week but even they are only good for about 2 hours. I get 8 at a time, so I try to conserve them for Mass or a meeting. Also when I am not using the machine to refill the small tubes, I can get a steady stream of oxygen that keeps me in the 90’s. It has been quite an experience – learning the world of oxygen. Fortunately I have lots of “angels” who help me in the process.

Two Saturdays ago, two of them, Colleen and Monty came and took my large machine apart and drove me out with some tubes of oxygen to Good Counsel High School for the 31st Gala. I saw people I haven’t seen in 30 years and I was on my machine and talking easily for 4 hours. They brought me home and put the machine together and in half an hour I was asleep and breathing well. Had the 12:30pm Mass on Sunday and Barry Fitz came, he had been with me at the Gala . I also saw John and Daria (St. B’s people) afterwards and then to bed and slept in on Monday. I had a great time but I am tired – even now.

On Saturday, the 16th, we hosted a day of recollection for SDC (Separated and Divorced Catholics). I didn’t do it but I rode around in my cart. It was wonderful and about 35 came. I had the 5:30pm Mass and was able to sleep in on Sunday and stayed in my suite and celebrated St. Paddy’s Day by phone with a number of my Irish friends and family.

Tomorrow, I will concelebrate the funeral of Bill Bray, who was a vice president of Riggs Bank and was very good to me when I was a pastor. He and his wife are parishioners here and I baptized his two grand-daughters. Afterward, we will have a Tuesday with Fr. Maury to celebrate St. Joseph and then again to my suite to recover. Rest of the week, I’ll stay here and try to start work on my taxes.

Am sorry I’ve been so slow is writing but know that you are daily in my prayers for Lent.

Today Lent begins and I shall try to be faithful to Paddy during the 6 weeks.  I am well but still finding it hard to get my oxygen level consistent; but I am working on it.

Today was a full day with spiritual direction in the morning. My sister, Maggie, my niece, Sue, my cousin, Jean and two ladies from the parish came to the rectory for “picnicking in”. We had a great visit and this afternoon, a mother and her three boys stopped by to talk and Colleen and Monty came to see about a second machine.  Also talked on the phone to Sally Barrett and yesterday to Keith and Shelia Morris. I watched the Jeopardy Million Dollar competition and enjoyed it. The outside has been so cold that I have been glad to stay home. I missed the Tuesdays with Fr. Maury yesterday because – as I’ve said before – a tiredness just comes over me and I go to bed. I will spend  Thursday in my suite and will do the 5:30pm Hunger Mass on Friday and do Stations. I’ll have Saturday to recover.

Keep praying for me and know you are daily in my prayers.

I am writing this brief note to assure you all that I am OK. I have been having trouble with the regulating of my oxygen and it has thrown off my schedule a bit. I will feel fine and suddenly am very tired and have to lay down.

Today is a snow day and as it is a Wednesday, my “day off”, I will try to restart myself and will write a message later today or tomorrow.

In the meantime, I count on your prayers.

It was planned to have a gathering of some of the St. Camillus young people ( who now are grandparents!!) but the snow that has blanketed DC has made it necessary to delay the gathering till next Sunday, January 20th. Same time and in the rectory here at Blessed Sacrament.

I had the 5:30pm Vigil Mass last night and the church was filled as I think everyone hoped to get to church before the heavy snow that was forecast.  I was driven back to the rectory and have spent last night and all day today, writing Christmas cards and trying to clear my desk. I got a lot done and since I have the evening Mass on Monday, the 14th, I can sleep in tomorrow and so I decided that I would start to update Paddy and maybe get it out by tomorrow.

I last wrote on Sunday, December 16th. I had the 7:30am Mass (a rarity for me) but Carolyn came and drove me over from the rectory and after Mass, she made breakfast (eggs and bacon) for us and we had a nice visit. I spent the rest of the day working on Christmas cards.

On the 17th, Colleen came and cut my hair. I had let it go out for St. Nicholas but I looked shaggy. We had a nice visit and then Patrick Mullan came by to pick up the ornaments for the teachers and staff at St. Michael’s. He just began semester break from CUA and was going to St. Mary’s for a visit. As it was raining, Carolyn came and drove me over for the 5:30pm Mass. She brought me back and I am really tired of the rain.

Tuesday, the 18th, I went over to hear confessions at 10am and stayed till noon. Then I went to the senior center for Tuesdays with Fr. Maury. We talked about Advent. I rode the cart (between the raindrops) to the rectory. We were having our Christmas staff luncheon. It was good food and nice to spend time with the staff. I went and took a nap and then was driven over for the parish penance service at 7pm. I was tired and glad to get to bed.

As Wednesday is my DAY OFF, I slept in till around 11am. Then Fr. Terry Odien, who is retired and lives in the Camden diocese came by to visit. We had a great time and “caught up”. He is enjoying being retired as he was the personnel director of priests and worked 7 days a week. He was the deacon at my first Mass and it was so nice to see him relaxing.

On the 20th, I had the 8am Mass and relaxed and met someone for spiritual direction in the rectory. At 1pm, Colleen drove me over to St. Luke’s for confessions at the Advent Penance Service. I do so enjoy that. Around 5pm, Patty and Philip came and got me and brought me back to the rectory, where we met Fr. T and Rose for Pizza and cookie decorating. Fun but I was ready for bed.

On the 21st, I concelebrated the funeral at 11 and then came back to the rectory. Heard a confession and went to my suite.

On the 22nd, I had the 11am Mass and then the Girls came by.  They had done some junk food shopping for me and I was now ready to face more rain keeping me in my suite.

On Sunday, the 23rd, Carolyn drove me over to the parish center. I concelebrated the 10:30am Mass and then had a baptism in the chapel at 11:30. It was so nice to see the family again. I had baptized an older child two years ago and it was great to a sibling.  At 1:30, Colleen and Monty came and took apart my oxygen machine and took it and me to my nephew, Ronnie’s home in Dunkirk. They are EMTs and put it back together, got me settled in and I had no problems with breathing. Then Maggie and about 35 of the nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephew, and one great grand nieces came in – with enough food to fill an army. We had such a good time and got time to listen to what is going on in their lives. My friends got me home and put the machine together and I was peacefully in bed by 8:30pm. What a great day. There was a very good picture on Facebook and if Fr. Alec has time, he will see if I can add it to Paddy.

The 24th was Christmas Eve and I had the 6pm Mass; then I concelebrated the Midnight, and I had the 9am Mass on Christmas Day. They were all great and well attended.

On Christmas afternoon, a family had offered to picnic in with me at 2pm. The wife was ill that day but the husband, Jim, and an adult son, James (who did all the cooking and baking!) came and we had a great time. All three of us being native Washingtonians and all good talkers.

On the 26th, the office was closed but I went to the chapel for a baptism at 3pm.

On Thursday, the 27th, I had the 8am Mass and the 11 and then a baptism at 11:30 and at 1pm. They were members of families from the parish who lived in Texas and Peru, so we arrange everything for while they were visiting for Christmas. It all went very well.

On the 28th, and 29th,  I had the 5:30pm Masses. Carolyn came and drove me over and back because it was raining.

On Sunday, the 30th, I had the 10:30 Mass and it was still raining.

On Monday, New Years Eve, I had the 5:30pm Mass and I was in bed by 8pm and woke up around 11:45 and watched the ball fall in NYC and then back to sleep.

I didn’t have Mass on Tuesday or Wednesday.

On Thursday, the 3rd, I had the 5:30pm Mass and on Friday, the 4th, I had the 8am and 5:30pm. The pastor is away and all of us priests have extra Masses for nursing home, etc. It’s not bad.

On Saturday, the 5th, I had the confessions from 4 to 5pm.

I had the 9am Mass on Sunday, the 6th but I didn’t feel well afterwards, so I cancelled a trip down to Maggie’s to see the grandkids in a play. It was a good decision as I was ill much of the night.

On Monday, the 7th, I had the 11am and came right back to my suite.

I felt better by Tuesday, the 8th, when I had the 8am Mass and the 11. Then I went to the seniors for a very good discussion on difference and how to deal with them.

On Wednesday, the 9th, my cousin rick took me to my barber in Wheaton and I had my haircut and my beard trimmed. I felt very good but another cousin, Jean was to join us for lunch but she was ill and so I sent Rick home and went to bed myself. It was cold outside.

On Thursday, the 10th, I had the 11am and the 5:30. My tooth began to bother me and so Joan called and got an appointment for Friday morning at 11.

On Friday, I said the 8am Mass and Monty came and took me to the dentist. Colleen was ill and he stayed with me and brought me back to the rectory before noon. My dentist called and got me a 2pm appointment for a foot canal. The office ladies drove me and Joan stayed with me. It didn’t hurt but he gave me something to help me sleep and I did.

On Saturday, the 12th, we had a big funeral for Bill Mullan, 95 years old and a great parishioner. the funeral was well attended and the music was tremendous. Hi grandson, Rev. Mr. Patrick Mullan (who was my seminarian at St. Michael’s in Ridge years ago) preached and it was excellent. Pat will be ordained a priest of Washington on June 16, 2019. I came home for awhile and took a nap. I had the 5:30pm Mass. Carolyn came and drove me as the snow was supposed to be heavy by then. It wasn’t, but when she drove me home at 6:15, it was beginning to stick to the road.

I wrote to the 25 people who were coming for the “reunion” and told them, we’d try again next Sunday. And I spent today, finishing up – almost – my Christmas cards and phoning some friends I knew would – like me – be inside.

And that’s brings us up to date. Keep me in your prayers and know that I do the same for you and yours. Let’s recommit ourselves to our Baptismal promises and ask God’s blessing on all the baptized – especially the new ones.