What Paddy Shot At

I had planned to write this yesterday on the feast, which of course, is the patronal feast of this parish but I went to bed. So, it is Monday morning, June 27th and I am leaving for Pittsburgh within the hour but I thought I’d report on last week.

Maggie, Marie, and I had a great time in AC and then on Thursday, they headed out to Canada and I haven’t gotten the report on that yet.
On Thursday, I headed to North Carolina. It was a very relaxing trip and I turned in early to a Hampton Inn in Elizabeth City. I used some of my points and it cost $16 in taxes. I went to a Golden Corral for supper and read my book. Went to bed and got up early. I didn’t know how far I was from the Outer Banks. It was about 30 miles and I got into Kitty Hawk by 11:00am. My room, is a beautiful hotel on the shore wasn’t ready yet, so I read about 9 magazines that I had brought and then when I got in my room. I took a nap.
The rehearsal was at Corolla Chapel, which is about 20 miles up the coast. It’s a two lane road and it was packed so I was glad I had left an hour before I planned to be there. The wedding co-ordinator, whom I called “B” was superb and the rehearsal took about an hour and was run like a military exercise. I got lost going to the dinner but arrived during cocktails, which I don’t like anyway. I sat with some of the aunts and uncles and had a ball. They are old Washington people and went to school with relatives of mine and knew lots of priests I know. I stayed for the toasts and learned a lot. On the road, I called my cousin Ann Brown O’Connell and I checked on some of the people I was meeting as she knew them also.
As a “senior priest” I was allowed to leave early and went back and read for awhile. I had a balcony, where I could sit and listen to the ocean. Relaxing night.
Saturday, I just relaxed till I left for the wedding. It was at 3pm and actually started at 3. “B” is very organized. All went well and the Mass and the couple were beautiful. The reception was at the Duck Woods Country Club and was just magnificient. Again, I sat with family and enjoyed meeting their children and grandchildren. One couple came up to me and said, “Didn’t we see you last week in Darnestown?” I said, “Yes, one of the nice side effects of being a senior priest is, No one knows where you are and its hard to hit a moving target!” I also learned that a cousin of mine use to babysit the bride. Small world in those “Catholic circles”.
On Sunday, I went to the church to see the pastor and give him some papers. I thought I’d go to Mass at 9:30 but the Mass was at 9. So I went and got breakfast and returned to talk to Fr. Bill. He is an Oblate and of course, we knew people in common.
I decided to head back to DC. It was about 300 miles based on the trip on Thursday so I also decided that I’d stop off and sleep at SBS. I got home around 4pm and Fr. Jim. and I talked. I didn’t have the energy to preside but he let me concelebrate because as a Catholic I still had to go to Mass. It was nice to hear him preach about the Body and Blood of Jesus on our feast. I worked a little at my desk and then read some more of my book and went to bed. Although the beds in hotels are comfortable, there’s nothing like your own bed.

It was a great success. Not financially but my two sisters and I had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. We walked a lot of the Boardwalk. Ate some good food – And laughed and laughed. J, J, & T couldn’t join us as there are NOT retired and we understood. We watched TV, they went to a $10,000 Bingo while I read a book in my room. It just was a lot of fun.
Got home and helped my cousin Lauren Werner with a car problem – NO I did not work on her car! I drove her over to pick it up. We had a nice evening and we “dined”. I am now about to go over to the rectory and pack up for the trip sometime on Thursday towards the Outer Banks. If I can, I’ll write. If I can’t, you probably won’t hear from me till July 2nd.

Well, I guess I did “crash” on Saturday because I didn’t write yesterday. It was a lovely day. I had the 7:30am Mass and then went down to my office and watched all the Sunday morning shows. I really do have concerns for the way our form of govenment (still the best in the world!!) is looking badly because of selfish elected officials – On all sides. Where is the selfless love that Jesus came to teach us??

I then had the 12:30pm Mass and I think it went well. At both Masses, I pointed out how Trinitarian our faith is and the many times we celebrate our faith in the Trinity by our sacraments and our liturgy.

I phoned Mr. McGreevy, Mr. Cavallaro, and Mr. Rosenberger to wish them each a very Happy Fathers’ Day. I prayed for my Dad and all the men who have “fathered me” over the years. We had a nice blessing at Mass for Fathers.

At 2pm, I had three Baptisms. An infant boy, Jackson Joseph, and a 8 month old girl, Martha Hedwig, and her 3 year old brother, Klemmons. Each family had their families and friends (one godmother has six little boys) so they place was alive with the sounds of our future. We all loved it!!!

I watched the rest of the golf and fell asleep until about 8pm. Then I packed and went back to bed. My sisters, Maggie and Marie are coming to the 11am Mass today (which is for Claire,Mac, Regina and their families on what would be Regina’s 67th birthday). She was older than me.
Then the three are heading to Atlantic City to waste time and money and just enjoy each other. I think Joe, John, and Terry might join us on Tuesday. We’ll be back on Wednesday and I’ll rest up for the ride to the Outer Banks for a rehearsal on Friday and a wedding on Saturday. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks and am looking forward to it. I’ll probably write on Wednesday to tell you of our sucess in AC>

I had a memorial Mass today for a man, whose died last October and Fr. Jim had done a funeral Mass for him. However, a lot of his family and friends were not at it and so we had this Mass today in the chapel at 11:00am. It was a big Irish family, originally from New York but who had lived in Blessed Sacrament for years and all the adult children (in their 60’s) went to the school. So in addition to family, many parishioners came as well. I was able to use a lot of Fr. Jim’s homily as well as my own thoughts. His brother spoke after Communion and said, ” Well Fr. O, besides looking like Santa and Anthony, you certainly captured his personality”. He had great stories and comments and so afterwards we all went to a bar called Mussels?? in Bethesda and laughed and talked. I knew people who knew people and it was fun.

I drove out to Darnestown and heard confessions and then said the 5:00pm Mass. There were two First Communions, Jason and Amanda. It turns out that Amanda was baptized here at Blessed Sacrament, so I told her that the pastor asked me to come especially since she had started her journey of faith here in Chevy Chase. I really had a good time and then Fr. Ray, Javier, the cantor, and John, who often goes to the deaf center for Mass, and I went out to an Italian restaurant. I really do have to cut out all this Italian food but its sooooooo goood!

Have the 7:30am Mass and the 12:30pm Mass and then three baptisms and then I think I’ll just collapse and go to bed.

Today was a very quiet day. I went over to the office around 10am and Fr. Ron Potts, our new pastor came for a visit. It was great to see him as he was a seminarian at St. John’s in Hollywood, Md and we’ve been friends every since.
I got to St. John’s because in January 1980, Fr. Beattie who was director of priests personel called me at Good Counsel. I had been there about three months and he said, “What are you going to do this summer since you’ll be off school for three months”. I said, “I hadn’t thought about that”. and he said, “You want to go to Hollywood for a month?” I said, “Sure” and he said, ” Good, go to Waldorf and make a left and go thirty miles”. So I did and for the next 7 years, I spent one month at St. John’s, one month at Our Lady of Grace, Leisure World and one month on vacation. It was a great assignment and my first introduction to Southern Maryland.
Fr. Ron will be coming on July 6th and we are all looking forward to his coming.
The rest of the day, I was on the phone or trying to get medicare and retirement information settled. It is a labarinth and impossible. I’m sure I won’t get any money in July.
I had the 5:30pm Mass and Fr. John came and joined me. The Mass was for Madeline Firth, a very dear lady who died a few weeks ago and was very involved in Blessed Sacrament and a Baptist church nearby. We had a large congregation of her neighbors and friends.

After Mass, I drove – on the beltway – over to Bowie. I dropped off some marriage papers at Sacred Heart rectory and then went on to Annapolis where I met Rose and Patty Petrone, Molly and Philip Levine, and Jerry Trancone at a nice Italian restaurant on Riva Road. We laughed and talked for hours (I think about three) and it was so good to be with them. I love fast wit – even when I am the butt of it!!!
Got home and tried to communicate with Sacred Heart by email but wasn’t very successful. I wrote a friend nearby and asked her to check on the papers. The wedding is not tomorrow but next Saturday and I want to be sure all the paperwork is right – I’m not very good at that.
Have a busy day Saturday, so I’m off to bed.

Yesterday, I got up early and said the 8:00am Mass. Then I went to the office and had intended to spend a little time there and then go by St. Bernard’s and see the older gentlemen who meet there on third Wednesday for Pizza and laughs. Mr. Utermohle had kindly invited me. However, I was needed at a meeting to discuss our changes and by the time that was over, I went for a ride. It was a lovely day. I dropped off a yearbook from the school for Pat Mullan at his rectory. Then I came home, ate some tortolinis and ginger snaps and went to bed.
I was sick all night.

This morning, I slept in (well I went back and forth to bed) and called Kass and told her I couldn’t come to see her new parish. I stayed over in the rectory (drinking ginger ale) and came over to the office around 3pm. I’ve done a lot of cleaning and throwing away and filing. I did the 5:30pm Mass and told the people about St. Romauld, the founder of the Camoldolese hermits. I also prayed for Fr. Romauld Dibble, SDS, who was a great friend and mentor from Mt. St. Paul days.
I’ve cleaned out all my voice mails and emails and now I’m reading to go home. I will have some chicken soup and I hope sleep well. Have the 5:30pm Mass again tomorrow and can sleep in but the new pastor is coming around 10:00am and I want to be over the office by then, so he doesn’t think the senior priest thinks he is “retired” already!!!

Yesterday was a perfect day. I was suppose to have the 8:00am Mass but switched with Fr. Jim for the 11. He had a conflict with a nursing home Mass. So after the 11am Mass, I headed downtown and rode twice around the statue of Columbus in front of Union Station and on the second time around, there were Joe Stoutz, John Bohrer, and Terry Odien waiting for a pick up. We drove around trying to find a Clyde’s on capitol hill but couldn’t and so instead we drove out to Bethesda and went to the Clyde’s there. We took almost 3 hours to just eat and catch up (and solve the problems of the Church). Afterwards we went to the Newman Book Store and “looked around”. I think everyone bought at least one book but we read through a lot. It was the same experience that I use to have when I was a young priest and would just go to Newman and spend hours “updating myself”. Then I took them back to the station and I think they caught a train around 6pm. I came home and read 100 pages of a book I got at Newman’s. As my friend Kass said, “Lunch with friends and then a trip to the Newman book store. Life doesn’t get better than that”!

Today I didn’t come over till 3pm. I read some more of the book. I had an appointment at 4 and then Mass at 5:30 and have been at my desk since. I listened to all my voice mails (16 saved) and answered or deleted them. I cleaned up my emails as I had 1300 and they are down to 650. I deleted or answered them. I usually keep about 400 that have information that I don’t want to lose. So it’s been a good and I am going home and will watch “The Good Wife”.

Rain down your Spirit……
Happy Birthday, brothers and sisters.
Our church is beautifullly decorated with red streamers hanging down from the red votice lights that are on the pillars of the body of the church. Two banners hang on either side of the tabernacle as well. It just made you feel festive.

I slept in and watched the Sunday talk shows from bed and didn’t come over here till around noon. I have group baptisms at 2:00pm and then the 5:30pm Mass. Then we priests are going to the Gorman’s for a farewell dinner for Fr. John around 7pm. I’ll leave this as a draft and will finish it from the rectory when I get home tonight.

My Baptism, Fletcher Jude went very well. A big family and I loved doing the baptism. Ryan assisted me.

I had a very good homily and I actually talked with a few people after Mass because they like it and had questions.
Then John drove Jim, Ryan, and me to a going away party. We had a great time and ended up staying longer than any of us had planned. These were the people who run SHARE, which is a program to help those in need of food. John began it a few years ago and it has just taken off and has much support from parishioners and also a dedicated group of volunteers.

I stayed in a chair and “held court”. There were a number of old time Wahington families and I had a great time talking with them. Also the Rahills, who were in St. Camillus when I was there and now live in SBS, were there and we had a great visit.
I traded the 8:00am Mass tomorrow for the 11am as it turns out the Joe, John, and Terry, who are coming down by train for a visit and lunch, cannot get here before 1pm. So I’ll meet them at Union Station and we’ll have lunch and a stop at the Newman Book Store before they head back around 5pm.
I’ll try to write tomorrow evening.

Again, two days have passed and I failed to write a message. It must be the heat. I only want to sit in my office or lie on my bed, with fans at both places blowing right on me. Thursday, particularly I didn’t go out during the day. I had the 11am Mass and then a very nice couple from Virginia came to see me about having their marriage blessed. Then nap time! In the evening, I went to a parishioner’s house and joined 7 other men to be taught by a professional gambler, how to play “Texas Hold’em” and other poker games. It was really enjoyable and it gave me a new appreciation for the games on TV. This could develope into a monthy poker night with these guys. Anther thing off by “Bucket List”.
Friday was another “scorcher” and I had the 11 and then I drove to Maggie’s and took a nap. Then she, Marie, and I went to St. Michael’s for the annual auction. I saw lots of people and it was nice to “go home” for a bit. I think the auction must have been a big success because they were lots of items and lots of people.
Then we went to Mary’s, Marie’s daughter, for a graduation / 18th birthday for her daughter, Erica. It was a pool party and there were lots of young people there. All of Erica’s aunts and uncles were there and it was great to sit and “catch up” with them and their lives. I got home around 1am and feel asleep easily.
This morning at 8:30, I met with Annie, a 4th grader, whose former neighbor from Connetticutt died and Annie’s mom called me yesterday to ask me to talk with her about the death of this “adopted grandmother”. We had a great talk about the “last things” and I think she left ready to face whatever happens at the wake and funeral. Now I am off to the deaf center to be available if anyone attending a workshop on children with special needs, wished to speak with a priest about the sacramental preparation needed for their children to recieve sacraments. It should be very interesting.

Lastly, I have confessions at 4pm and then I am going to dinner in Gaithersburg. I am having dinner with Mike and Sue McLaughlin and Maggie to celebrate Maggie’s birthday. I’ll probably go to bed early and I can sleep in because I am free till Baptisms at 2pm on Sunday and the 5:30pm Mass. Stay cool.

Today we (all the staff) were suppose to have a luncheon with Fr. John. However, it was cancelled because the Cardinal wanted to meet with John. That meant that I was free all day. I was suppose to have the 8:00am Mass but I traded with Fr. Jim and took the 11:00am. Then I stayed in my office and Pat McGrath, a student from G.C. days stopped by and we had a great visit. Then I decided to come over to the rectory and stay out of the heat. It was another scorcher today. So I’m going to bed early and keep the fan on me.