What Paddy Shot At

Yesterday, I presided at the 11:00am Mass. Fr. Jim, who makes the schedule is very kind to me in that he seldom assigns me the 6:30am Mass because he knows I am not a “morning person” Even the 8:00am Mass is only once or twice a week. I usually have the 11 or the 5:30pm.

It is so impressive that at any of those daily Masses, there are regularly 40 or 50 people. Some come on the way to work or coming home. Others come with small children when they drop off the older children at school and a lot of the older parishioners come to the 11, although again, some of the workers nearby will come on their lunch hour. It is a very prayerful community.

Spent much of yesterday in the waiting rooms of doctors and had a chance to begin a new book that is a sequel to one I just finished. The first book was called, “Swampoodle” and was set in the area around Gonzaga and Sts. Aloysius and Dominic churches, where much of my ancestors lived and worshiped.  I enjoyed it greatly.

In the Providence of God, my friend, Fr. Michael Roach met the author and told him how much I enjoyed the book. The author, P.D. St. Claire contacted me and sent me a copy of the sequel, which is called “St. Patrick’s Day” and is set in this parish, the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.

So yesterday, I was able to read a great deal of it and am enjoying it as much a the first. I hope to meet the author in the next few weeks.

Last night, I gave a presentation on prayer to our RCIA group. I enjoyed preparing for it because I realized that I do lots of different manners of prayer in my own life and I enjoyed answering questions and sharing ideas about the different types and styles of prayer.

I just finished presiding at the 8:00am Mass for the feast of St. Andrew. I prayed for all the Andrews I know – and I know quite a few!

I have always thought that Andrew was a “good brother” because he found something good and he could hardly wait to share the knowledge with his brother, Peter. The first reading said that “how can they know unless someone tells them”, and that reminded me of the Pope’s call for a “new evangelization”. We Christians have a lot of work to do if we want to be good siblings and see that everyone knows about Jesus.

Today is the first anniversary of the death of Linda, the daughter of my long time gradeschool friend, Gail. So we are going to meet later today. Please keep her in your prayers. I think it was John Kennedy who said, “It is a sin against nature for a parent to bury their child.” I have always thought that such a situation must be really difficult for a person and they must have great strength and equal faith.

Happy feast day to all you Andrews!!!

I have just returned from presiding at the 5:30pm Mass. It is a very popular Mass for families and young people. The music is done by a great group who sing beautifully and are most inviting for participation.

The Little Sisters of the Poor were at the doors as people left. One of them, Sister Pauline spoke after Communion. They are a wonderful group of women who provide a home for the elderly poor. Sister had two young women with her who are postulates. It was good to see that they are still young women open to God’s call to committed relilgious life. They were happy and friendly. I saw some of our young people talking to them after Mass.
As we began this new liturgical “year of grace”, I shared in my homily what a marvelous Thanksgiving Day I had.

Many of you know that I have three sisters, Marie, Maggie, and Maureen. Marie and Maggie and most of their children live in this area. Maureen lives in Georgia with her husband, Rick and two of her sons live nearby. Her other son, his wife and five children live in Florida.

In 2007, Maureen was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. It is a hardening of the fibrosos in your lung and limited the ability to breathe. They don’t know the cause and there is no treatment but as the fibrosos harden, it is necessary to rely on oxygen. Maureen uses oxygen in a limited manner but she runs out of “steam” if she moves to much.

When she was diagnosed, she made an interesting decision. She told her sons and daughters in laws and grandchildren that she would like them all to come up to Maryland for Thanksgiving 2010. My other two sisters told their children as well. The cousins from the South stayed in the homes of some of the local cousins. My sisters, Rick, and I all stayed at my sister, Maggie’s home in Dunkirk and we got the use of the volunteer Fire Department for the dinner.

Some came in to the area starting on Sunday, the 21st and did things like the Aquarium in Baltimore and sightseeing in Washington. My sisters and their children prepared list of foods that we needed and there was cooking and baking going on all week. Uncle Maury brought Honeybaked hams and people cooked three turkeys and lots of side dishes and deserts.

Each family wore a particular color, Marie’s wore White, Maggie’s wore Blue, Maureen’s wore Red, and Uncle Maury wore Black. We took lots of pictures. Cousins came from New York and Florida. Other relatives came from Kansas and members of our extended family came from the neighborhood. One grandson, who is a Marine in Okanawa wasn’t able to be there but we had his picture. In total we were 73. 

During grace, we thanked God for our parents and grandparents who gave us life and faith. We thanked God for the many blessings we have recieved and especially for the opportunity to come together and celebrate this feast. We thanked Him for the safe arrival of all and asked His protection as people returned to their home. We asked God to bless those who prepared for this feast and to be with all the sick in our family and community. Lastly, as we share this good food and our company, we asked Him to bless those who have little to eat and no one to share it with.

In my homily, I mentioned that the Gospel tells us to be prepared for the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus and to be prepared for the next coming of Jesus. It will be at the end of time and also for the end of our own lives. 

I closed my homily by this reflection.  As I looked over my family – and like most of you we have a “real” family, I realized that as different as we are on such topics as diverse as religion, politics, lifestyles, to the type of dressing for the turkey, we are united in love and acceptance of each other. We try to live as Jesus commanded us “to have love, one for another”. May that love touch each of us so that Jesus will find us waiting with joy for His coming.

Dear friends, it has been my intention to write this blog almost as a journal so that people who read  it will have an “inside view” of the life of a priest.   My life as a priest has been filled with laughter and blessings, travel and surprises, and marvelous human beings. I want people, especially my friends and young people to see what a great life a priest’s life can be.

I often think of my good friend and confessor, Fr. Peter Holden, S. T. and the last few visits I had with him before he died. Once, I was sitting by his bed, reading in a chair when I noticed he was crying. I asked him if he was in pain and he laughingly said to me, “These are not tears of sadness, they are tears of gratitude for all the wonderful people God has put into my life as gifts. I am running them through my mind and I am remembering the joy we had.”

I am going to try to make this blog a journal in which I can record some of the blessing that God keeps pouring into my life.
Today, is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year 2010. I have spent thirty eight liturgical years as a priest. Next Sunday will be the First Sunday of Advent for the Liturgical Year 2011. I will make a very serious attempt to write daily starting on November 28th, 2010.

I am sorry that I still don’t know how to alllow you to respond or make comments about the blog; but you can write to me at moconnell@blessedsacramentdc.org. I am working on a way that I can write, you can respond, I can read, and I can share with others all at this sight; but I haven’t figured that out as yet.

Know that you and all of your beloved dead has been in my prayers and Masses this Month of the Holy Souls.

Fr. O