What Paddy Shot At

The dinner last night was very enjoyable. I think all the people who came – many with spouses – were pleasantly surprised by how “normal” we four priests were. Fr. Tesfaye, who is our resident from Ethiopia and a student at Catholic University, was also there. Fr. John gave a short welcome and then we sat down to a delicious meal that Humberto prepared for us. I sat nixt to a semi-retired doctor, who like me grew up in the pre-Vatican II church and had lots of questions. I think we are going to get together again and talk some more. It was interesting to hear people’s journey and a bit embarassing to hear about how some priests treated them. So often, it just seemed to be miscommunication rather than hostility but it still hurts. Landings has been going on for about 10 years and has healed a lot of people. Keep its team in your prayers.

Fr. Jerrry Trancone and I are going out to lunch with Glenn Rosenberger for Christmas. The Rosenbergers lived two houses down from me on 62nd Ave. and have I have been an “add on” family member for years. Mrs, whom we all called “Mother” and whom we miss terribly, died early this year. We, (Jerry and I) use to visit and so we want to continue the custom.

I just got off the phone from ordering some Christmas ornaments from the White House Historical Society. For the last few years, I gave them out as Christmas gifts to my family and some friends. They are always beautiful and this year is no exception. I guess I am getting into a little bit of the Christmas spirit. I have so enjoyed the “quietness” of Advent.

I began this early in the morning and kept it as a draft but it is now 4:30pm and I have returned to the office.

Before I headed out to lunch, I found out that the first grade puts on a oratorio called, “The Grumpy Sheepherd” with 60 first graders. It was delightful and the kids are real troopers. They sing out and do all the gestures (almost together). It is a tradition here but I must have missed it last year, so I’m glad I got over to the hall this morning.

Jerry and I drove out to pick up Father R at his house. I got lost because I tried a different way. I called my friend, Jeff at OnStar and he got us there. We went to Olive Garden and had a lovely meal. We caught up on all the news and then Mary, the youngest of the children, stopped by to join us for desert. It was good to see her and be updated on her family. I told her she was too young to be a grandmother but she is! Father R will be 89 in January and he looks so fit. He’s lost some weight since Mother R died but he says he eats well. I know we all did today!  Also saw Fr. Mike Wilson, pator of St. Mary’s in Laurel and we had a few laughs together.

I called Jerry Hudder, a friend from my days in Bogata, Columbia who lives out in Arkansas. He’s had some health problems but tells me he is doing well. I also heard from Patricia Sinclair Langlois that her husband Jean is home from the hospital and rehab where he has been since the Spring. Such good news. They live in Oklahoma and Pat and I went to St. Bernard’s together.

While I was out today, I decided to go to confession. I miss Father Peter especially at this time of the year because he would always call and remind with a serious deep voice message on my answering machine, “Haven’t heard from you lately!!!” and I would call and make an appointment. I have been preaching about the sacrament at lot lately, so I thought I’d take my own advice. It was great and now I know I am really entering into Advent.

When I got home, I found a nice email from John and Louise Lynch, who are old friends from GC and St. Catherine Laboure. They live now in Leisure World and I had written to ask them about some geanological information. I have been playing with my family tree for years and now that I am on Ancestry.com I am really getting into it and even scanning old picture. It makes the time go by!

And so now I’m off to supper and early to bed as I am meeting an author for coffee (hot chocolate) at nine am.

I had the 11am Mass today and in the gospel it said, “while John the Baptist was the greatet man born of woman, the least in the Kingdom is greater than he.” or something like that. I spoke about Juan Diego, the simplest man (in the best sense of the word”) in the New World. A convert whose faith was not intellectual but human and his love for the Mother of God so great that he would find the courage to approach a bishop and bring her message to him. Wouldn’t we all like to have such simple and deep faith? I know I would and I pray daily to only seek God’s will and plan. Our altar has a lovely picture of Our Lady that was placed there for yesterday’s Mass and each day, more flowers or candles show up as we approach the feast of Guadeloupe.

I did spend most of the day trying to make choices and clean up this desk. It looks a little better. I also phoned my sister, Maureen and had a good talk with her and Rick.

Tonight we are having a special dinner at the rectory. It is for a group called “Landings”, they are people who have felt alienated from the church and accepted an invitation to meet witha wonderful couple, the Vittone’s (whose sons were at GC, when I was there) and seek some reconcilation and peace. I hear their discussions are great and tonight they will join us for dinner to see if there are willing to give Blessed Sacrament parish a chance. Please keep them (about 10) and us in your prayers.

I slept in today as I have the evening Mass. It is very cold and I just didn’t want to get out of my nice warm bed. I didn’t go over to the office till around 10.

I tried to clean my desk but am over whelmed and just don’t know where to start, so I spent much of today playing spider solitaire.  I did have to go up at 3pm and expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration and at 5pm I went up again, did benediction, and reposed the Blessed Sacrament. I also presided at the 5:30pm Mass. It was a special Mass in that it is called the Raposa Mass. It was a custom in Germany and many of the Eastern European countries that on certain days of the week during Advent, a Mass would be offered before Dawn by candlelight in honor our Lady who was to bring forth to our dark world, the Light of Christ.  So our sanctuary was lit only by candles all around the place. I think there were some light in the body of the church, so people wouldn’t trip but it was very peaceful and reflective. Many of the choir members came and sang the Goria in Latin, which many of us could join in. I think it was the one we use to sing in the seminary. There must have been about 250 there and there was a picture of Our Lady of Guadeloupe surrounded by candles that we incensed during the offertory as the Ave Maria was sung. I think it was a warm and prayerful experience before we had to return to the darkness, the wind, and the cold outside.  I really enjoyed it. Salve, Salve Regina.

This is kind of a p.s. to yesterday’s message. Just before I went on the altar for the 5:30pm Mass, Fr. Jim said there were two ladies who were in the second pew and asked if he or I could give one of them the Sacrament of the Sick. They were planning to come to Mass, so he suggested to them that I could do it after Mass. The reading at Mass were about making the road straight and how the tops of mountains would be chopped off and used to fill in the valleys. In my homily, I talked about my first trip to the Holy Land and how it took us 2 and a half hours to drive from Jerusalem to Jericho. After a whole day of the Dead Sea, Cumram, Massada, and the Jordan River we returned to Jericho for dinner. It was just getting dark, when our tour guide said it was time to head back to Jerusalem. I remember dreading the long ride and was really just getting settled into the bus to try to take a nap, when he announced we were home. And there before us was the city of Jerusalem. He said to us, “We took the old road that ran between Jerusalem and Jericho in the time of Jesus this morning but tonight we took the new super highway that was built a few years ago. I thought it would be an audio visual for you of the words of Isaiah about the valleys being filled and the mountains laid low”. Well I was I never hear that reading that I don’t remember how happy I was that the Lord’s Highway was there. After Mass I went and anointed the one lady, whose name was Mary and spoke afterwards with she and her sister. It turned out that Mary is undergoing treatment for cancer and had an appointment on Wednesday of this week. She felt that the Sacrament gave her peace and I said “Yes, it does that”. Then she told how much she enjoyed my homily because she just completed twenty years of working in the Holy Land and it reminded her of her own experiences of the Scriptures coming to life in her travels. Holy Good is the Good God!

As I write this it is Tuesday evening. I have had another wonderful day.

I went to StoneRidge School to preach and to hear confessions for the middle school students. My friend, Pat is campus minister and invited me. Who do I meet at the front door but Sally Foley, an old friend of mine and the housemate of Pat Davis, who was the art teacher at Good Counsel. I didn’t know that both of them were teachers there. I couldn’t visit today but I hope to see them again soon. We had a very nice penance service and then myself and two other priest from the neighborhood were available for individual confessions for about two hours.

I arrived home and was able to go to the 5th graders’ “Lessons & Song” concert in the church. They were great and used the theme of the Jesse Tree to sing and play instruments for us. It really put me in an Advent mood. Then I took a nap.

At 4:10 myself and five other priests were in the church to celebrate reconciliation with the students of the School of Religion. Again, it was such a pleasant experience to talk with these young people about their deepening relationship with God and how it effects their relationships with others.

At 5:15, I had benediction in the chapel to repose the Blessed Sacrament, which had been exposed in our chapel today from 3pm. I thought we might have Mass in the chapel because all day long both in my prayers in my brevary and in preparation of my homily I was thinking of St. Ambrose, the tremendously important bishop of Milan who converted Augustine. Just as I was suggesting that we have 5:30 Mass in the chapel, the organist came in to the sacristy and reminded me that our Mass was to be the Vigil of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We would music, the Gloria, and the Creed and different readings. Fortunatly, I had just been to the students concert on the Jesse tree and so I was able to change my homily to how that promise was fulfilled by the Virgin Mary’s “Yes”. I think it worked

So, not only do I wish a happy feast day to Fr. Kevin Kennedy and all the parishioners of St. Ambrose parish in Cheverly but also I wish you a happy Vigil of the Immaculate Conception, the patronal feast of our country.

A few weeks ago, a kind lady spoke to me after Mass to tell me how much she was distracted by my looks at Mass because she kept thinking of Santa. So I told her to think of me as St. Nicholas, as in my previous parishes, I use to dress up like him and give out chocolate coins covered in gold and ask them to do a good deed.

Last week, that lady whose name is Grace, brought me four bags of coins and said she hoped I would do that at our school.  I had decided I would try it but I wasn’t sure I’d have the energy to walk throughout the school. Last Thursday, Fr. John asked if I could come to the gym around 8:30am on Monday and be St. Nicholas.

After Mass yesterday, I went and bought some red conscrution paper  and made a miter. I just returned from my visit to the school assembled in the gym. St. Nicholas was greeted with thunderous applause and after a special prayer to God that St. Nicholas be the instrument of protecting all the children of the world from bullying, from lack of food and shelter, and from anything that could harm them. St. Nick gave coins to each teacher for their children (It just made more sense to do that). The older students went off to their classes but I put my miter on Fr. John and delegated him to take coins around the school to the older students. He just returned with enough coins left for an appearance of St. Nicholas at our senior citizen’s meeting this afternoon.

I think I’ll save this as a draft and finish it this evening.

1PM. I just returned from our senior citizen’s group that meets every Monday at our center. St. Nicholas made an appearance and told the story of the coins for the young girls and gave out to each person some chocolate gold covered coins and after a prayer for children asked them to do a good deed and/or pass the some of the coins on to grandchildren. We had the most delicious bread pudding and now before my Mass at 5:30pm, I think I’ll take a nap.

These evening Fr. John will have a special Mass for our Mothers group and Fr. Jim and I will be available for confession. I can’t think of a nicer way to end a very happy St. Nicholas Day.

I went to sleep around 11pm on Saturday and was very pleased that the way Kerri showed me (to use my cell phone as an alarm clock) worked well. I got up at 5 and drove up to DC. I was surprised by how many other people were up at that hour but the drive up was easy and I used RT 4, which becomes Pennsylvania Ave all the way to Connecticut Ave and was home in just over an hour.

I drove around the capital building, which I haven’t done for quite a while and was sorry to see that there are all kinds of roads that use to be open that are now blocked and with little gate houses. I am afraid that the terrorist have affected a change in what use to be a very nice and close car ride past our government building, lit up so majestically.

I presided at the 7:30am Mass and my homily was about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I hope that many of our people will take advantage of that healing experience during Advent. At the close of Mass as the other ministers recessed, I stayed in the front and welcome up the children to receive a special prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas and a small candy as a remembrance of his  feast day. About 30 children were there and each said “Thank you” as I said “Happy St. Nicholas Day” – no, I didn’t take one for myself.

Then we four priest went to the school building and celebrated the Sacrament with the students in our school of religion – grades 3 to 5. It is one of my favorite things to do and I was glad to be able to remember some of the students who had come to confession last Spring.

Then I presided at the 12:30pm Mass. Again I spoke about John the Baptist calling us to prepare for the Lord. At Offertory time, a soloist sang part of the Messiah about preparing by making the crooked road straight. It was long and after washing my hands there was still a long period where the deacon and I stood at the altar during the song. It was beautiful and the last time I remember hearing it was at the Kennedy Center and this young man was definitely as good. I said to the people, “That audio visual was to augment my homily” and we applauded him.

Again at the close of Mass, the children came up and got a blessing and some candy. At first the children were hesitant so I said, “No age limit” and as a grandfather came up for candy for his 4 grandchildren, the children came up. This was the first year we did this but I liked it.

This afternoon I went shopping for red construction paper and then I took a nap to make up for the short night I had.

Now I have just finished evening prayer and I think I’ll watch TV and then go to bed. Remember to wish all the Nicholass you know a happy Feast Day tomorrow.

Sorry to be sending this on Sunday but yesterday got away from me. I concelebrated the funeral Mass of Barbara Sullivan, a very sweet lady who sang in our choir and was one of the first people to welcome me to the parish. I changed my plans, which was to go to Maggie’s Friday afternoon and spend the night; and I’m glad I did. Miss Sullivan and I were related through marriage and some of my cousins – from the Denny branch of our family tree – were here and got to meet some of their children, whom I have not seen in twenty years.

After the funeral, I drove to St. Mary’s county and visited with part of the marriage group that I am a chaplain for. It was a cookies and drink meeting and it was nice to visit with those who could make it.

Then I went to St. Mary’s Nursing home and said a prayer over Matt Blair, whom I’m sorry to say may not have known I was there but I wanted to see him. Also saw Frances Iacombi Krilich, another St. Michael’s parishioner who seems to be doing very well with her therapy and may be home soon. It was great to see them both and pray with them.

Then I went over to Calvert County and met with Kerri, my niece and her fiance, Tim and then they, Maggie and Marie and I ate a wonderful Italian meal at Mama Lucia’s. We returned to Maggie’s and played card. I know this will be hard to believe but I think I was the loser in all three games. We didn’t play till 2am as we often do, because I had to get to sleep so I could get up at 5am to drive back to Blessed Sacrament for the 7:30am Mass.

Happy Feast to all the Barbaras in my life and if you know a Barbara, wish her a Happy Day after your Feast Day!

I slept last night for almost 10 hours. It was a real treat to wake at 7:00am, turn on the Today Show and then fall asleep again to wake 3 hours later. I am tired a lot and I suppose that is why my doctor told me to go and buy B complex. I did that today and maybe I’ll have more energy.

At noon, I took my oils and went to visit the Cullen family. Mrs. Cullen called me yesterday to ask me to come today and give her mom the Sacrament of the Sick. Her name is Mary Jordan and she is from Scranton, Pa. Her son is also visiting her as I think it will only be a few more days till she goes peacefully home. She was conscious and could speak. I always like the prayer “Lord, in St. James’ epistle, he says ‘if there are ill among you, call for the priest. He shall lays hands on them and anoint them and the Lord will give them peace’.” I think it is consoling for all of us to feel the presence of the Lord and His angels hovering about. We laughed and talk about the Jesuits since the children had gone to their high school and the University. Well not the son, he left to go under the influence of Holy Cross at Notre Dame. It was a lovely visit.

I had the 5:30 Mass and I preached about St. Francis Xavier. There was a portion of a letter he wrote to Ignatius about how he wished he could go to the universities of Europe and encourage young people to come to Asia as missionaries. I talked and prayed for all those young college students who today answer that call by joining the Jesuit Volunteer program. We all prayed for them and former volunteers.

I called Barry Fitzpatrick to wish him a happy St. Francis Day. I have such happy memories of the 8 wonderful years I was chaplain at Good Counsel and worked with the Xavierian brothers and the great community we had there.

It was a very pleasant surprise that today I also recieved my first Christmas card. It was from the Collins family and was a great picture of the four children, most of whom I baptized. I also married Kevin and Quinn. I always enjoy the pictures I get at Christmas and I love to post them on my bulletin board in my office. I think I might have gotten this one so early because I complained to Kevin that I didn’t get one last year. He is dean of admissions at GC now and stopped in to see me when he came to visit our 8th graders before the open house. So now the first and only picture I have so far is up on the wall waiting for company.

I am remembering in my prayers all day today, those wonderful people that God brought into my life through the years at Good Counsel High. May Our Lady of Good Counsel wrap them in the mantle of her love.

Finished the book, St. Patrick’s Day with a couple of tears in my eyes. Am going to meet the author for coffee on Saturday, the 11th.

Today I had the 8:00am Mass and the intention was for Dr. Carl McCartee. A lot of his family was there and after Mass, I stopped to speak with them to see if it was the anniversary of his death. His son, Bill said, “No, it’s my birthday and a family that is close to us, had it offered for Dad”. Then I met some of his family and his two sons, who are students in our school. They were allowed to go late to school to attend the Mass. It reminded me of the wonderful days when our family would go to Mass on the anniversary of one of my grandparents death and afterwards we went to breakfast. Some of the rituals of my youth are still good!

I gave a reflection on Advent and Our Lady to the Sodality at the end of their Christmas luncheon. Just before the luncheon, the kindgarten students came over and sang for us. Bill’s son, Stephen was one of the students and he was so happy that I remembered him and was able to tell the ladies I had just met Stephen this morning. Ah, the joys of a senior priest!

I’m just returning now from a talk by Fr. Jim Greenfield, the provincial of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. As part of our year long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the parish, a group of parishioners has scheduled 6 gatherings that are similar to the “Theology on Tap” program, which are a series that are usually held at bars in the Washington area and invite young adults to come and hear someone speak about a particular spiritual topic. We are going to hold ours in our auditorium, which they set up with a bar, a buffet, short tables and bar high tables and chairs. There were about 70 people there – babysitting was in a room nearby. Jim was excellent and his talk was about “Why be a Catholic?”. I loved it and got a lot to reflect on for Advent and my spiritual state.  He is coming again in Lent to give, with a confrere, our parish mission. I am looking forward to that. 

Off to bed early although I have the 5;30pm Mass tomorrow. Maybe I’ll try to clean my desk

Once again, I had the 11:00 am Mass. The scriptures were about Jesus feeding a multitude. Years ago I read a poem by Carol Houselander entitled “Philip speaks”. In it we learn that Philip resented that he and the other apostles never seemed to have time for themselves together. He described the “always out-strenched hand, always the upward gaze seeking the healing hand of Jesus”.  But he describes this miracle by stressing that while Jesus did the blessing, he handed it to the apostles and as they gave away the bread or the fish, it repleneshed itself in the hands of the apostles. Philip says that now when he see the “outstretched” hands, he is eager to give them whatever he has. I wonder if we realize how often Jesus uses our hands or our tongue to respond to those in need. Maybe we would be less afraid if we knew that Jesus is still here with us feeding the body and soul of so many.

I also went to see the hemalogist who did a bone marrow procedure on me a few weeks ago. She reported, that although my white cells are still high, I do not have lukemia and I don’t have to come back to see her till sometime in February. One more thing off the list of medical questions that surfaced during my last bout of pneumonia. Praise God.

I had a wonderful hour long talk by phone with Mr. Milton “Mac” McGreevy in Colorado. He turned 90 in August and except as he says, “my legs give out on me and I can’t climb ladders like I use to.”  His mind and tongue are as sharp as ever. He is the father of Regina, who was a classmate of mine at St. Bernard’s and I first real date in my sophomore year of high school. Their whole family has been like family to me.

I also spoke to Frances Krilich, a parishioner from St. Michael’s whom I had the priviledge of blessing her and Jim’s marriage a few years ago. She is at the nursing home in Leonardtown as she has been battling cancer for a long time. Please keep them in your prayers.

Heard from Eileen Lee Baughan today and she has gotten a job in her field of counseling, which is great news.

Tonight, we three priest ate supper together. It was such fun. We are trying to do that a couple of days a week during Advent. The others are so busy but we are going to try to do it.

I will go to bed early tonight as I have 8:00am Mass tomorrow and then I am giving a reflection to the Sodality about Our Lady after the 11:00 Mass. Say a prayer to the Spirit for me.

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