What Paddy Shot At

It is now the 25th of January, the conversion of St. Paul.
I returned from Alaska on the 19th. The retreat went well and I think the 20 or so people who participated felt it was a relaxing time with the Lord. I gave five conferences and preached for three Masses. We had Adoration, Holy Hour, Rosary, and Benediction. I was available in the “off” times for confession or just to talk.
I had not realized that the retreat was adversitsed as a “silent retreat” but that was a pleasant surprise. We were silent at meals and when we were not at prayers. I went to my room early in the evening after evening prayer and opened and read all my Christmas mail. It was – as it always is – wonderful to read the yearly missive about family activities and to see pictures of children I baptized who are now in college. I enjoyed the time to visit and “catch up” and I even began my christmas letter, which I anticipate to be out before Lent.
After the retreat, I flew to Fairbanks to see what it looks like in Winter. I had been there in the summer with the group from St. Michael’s. It was very different. For one thing, in the summer the sunset was around 11:30pm because there is 17 and a half hours of daylight in the summer; the opposite is true in winter and the sunrise was at 10:43am and sunset was at 4pm. I had a nice cab drive to the places I had visited in the summer and they looked like a winter wonderland. Also, I went for a short walk and my beard froze as it was minus 21 degrees. I returned to my room, hit the pool and hot tub and retired early to watch TV. I saw, “the bucket list”, which I enjoyed greatly.
I returned to St. Mary’s for a doctor’s visit. Oh, by the way, I have lost 21 lbs since July 7, 2009 and so some nice donations will be coming to St. Michael’s school from those who took up my challenge to donate a certain amount to the school for every pound I lost.
Also, I want to share this good new that the pastor, Father Lee announced last week. The school had collected enough money for next year that the Archdiocese has allowed it to announce that it is open and accepting students for school year 2010 – 2011. Thanks to all who have made that possible.
I have been busy withfunerals both here and at St. Bernard’s. The one here was Ann Thompson, the wife of our deacon. The two from St. B’s were John “Jackie” Healey and Elizabeth “Liz” Kehoe both from long time parish families and friends of mine. It is always hard and good to come back to St. B’s and see former parishioners. It was the most fabulous parish in the Archdiocese and I feel very lucky to have grown up in that community.

Also in my haste to get out my last posting, I neglected to mention that I had rushed back from Florida by way of Philly to attend the funeral of my dear cousin, Ann O’Connell Treadway. She was the last remaining child of my great uncle Willie and his wife Josie. Willie was my grandfather O’Connell’s brother and I was very close to these cousins, Ed, Bill, Catherine, and Ann. Ann was in the hospital since November in Virginia and I had seen her a few times.  She had broken her hip and was in a lot of pain. Her nephews, the children of Catherine and Ray Jensen, gave her great comfort and care and so I ask you to remember them and their children in your prayers.

Well, I close for now. I just finished my grades for the mystudents and now we begin the third quarter. We are studying the Old Testement and are about to learn about the Kings of Isreael. This class continues to be a real joy -as does all my activities here at Blessed Sacrament.

Know that you and your needs are daily in my prayers.

Affectionately,

MO

Hello again, today is January 12th and I thought I’d bring you up to date on my travels. On January 3rd, I drove to Philly and met Joe Stoutzenberger and John Bohrer and on Monday, the 4th, we flew to Miami, Florida. We met there with Dwight Birket and Roger Menting and boarded the Carnival ship, Imagination for a cruise to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico. All of us were seminarians together in 1964 at Mt. St. Paul Seminary in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Over the last 45 years, some of us have gotten together and we keep in touch but this was an opportunity to have a mini reunion and we had a ball. We laughed so much, our stomachs hurt. Three had never been on a cruise so they didn’t want to be too far out of sight of land in case they were sick and wanted to fly home. Fortunatey, John was sick but only for a short time and once he got the “patch” he was feeling fine.
We were met in Key West by another former classmate, Paul Clayton. He treated all of us to a wonderful trip around the Key on the Conch train, where we saw Hemingway’s house, the winter White House of President Truman, and many other unique sites. It was a great visit, although I think Paul was disappointed that the weather was cool – it was in the 50’s – a rarity in those parts but as Roger had come from Wisconsin, Dwight from Kansas, and the rest of us from the freezing Mid-Atlantic states, we though it was balmy!
Cozumel was in the 90’s and even when we returned to spend an overnight in Miami, it was in the 60’s and we thought it was tropical – especially to arrive back in Philly to -5 degrees.
We also sent and received email from Steve Bleistine in New Jersey, Denis Gavigan in Grand Rapids, and Dave Haas in Detroit, Michigan, all former classmates with whom we have re-established contact recently. By the by, none of us can remember if Father Gordon’s name is his first or last name. We just called him “Fr. Gordon” or “Flash Gordon”. Does anyone out there know?

Now, after a few days at home, I leave to give a retreat in Achorage, Alaska. Please no comments! Our Savior said to his disciples, “Go now to the ends of the earth”. Some people take that as a suggestion. I have taken it as a command and so I am off to see Alaska, which I visited last summer, but need to see it in the winter. The kind lady who arranged for the retreat, asked if I would like to go anywhere else in Alaska. I said, “I had such a great time on the train trip from Fairbanks to Achorage one summer, that I’d like to see that same area in the winter, so maybe I could take the train north?” She hesitated and then said, “Monsignor, remember how you had 17 and a half hours of daylight when you were here in August? Well there will be 17 and a half hours of darkness in January. Maybe you should fly to Fairbanks.” So I am. I will be home on the 19th. I will be praying for all of you at the retreat; please keep me and the retreatents in your prayers as well.
I sure was verbose, so I will close for now.
Affectionately,
MO

Ps. I just noticed that it says you can’t make comments so I will contact the person who helped me to set this up and get that changed. I want to get your comments. mo