What Paddy Shot At

I came over early to the office to get yesterday’s message taken care of. Then I worked on the ornaments and the January Calendar that I give to my family for Chritmas. I think I have most of that done.

Then Jim Vidas came to see me. You may remember my mentioning him. He and his wife Sandy were in my Team that I had while I was at St. Bernard’s. On November 2nd, there was a tragic fire in their home. Sandy died and Jim has extensive burns. He was in Washington Hospital Center – burn section until Thanksgiving. He is now spending time between his two children’s homes. He looks good for all he’s been through. The grafts were very sucessful. Sandy’s wake and service have been scheduled for mid-January. Please keep him in your prayers.

I had the 11:00am Mass and Jim came to it. Then he had to head back to the hospital for a conference. Don, our IT person came and worked on this computer and it does seem to be running better. I went to lunch at the rectory and Don came and did some “magic” to my computer in my room. He tried to explain but all I know is that it does not lock up; so I am very happy.

I am heading out to Maggie’s. I have lots of stuff that I want to get down to Southern Maryland for Christmas. She is going out tonight but I will stay the night and hopefully we’ll go to the pool tomorrow. I don’t have anything here at the parish till 3pm, so I think I can get some stuff done at Maggie’s. I have the HSA teachers’ luncheon at 4pm tomorrow and then the 5:30pm Mass. The intention is Dr. John Dhuly’s brother in law and I’ll go out to dinner with him and his wife and some other relatives. Then I’ll drive down to Maggie’s and spend the night. We leave by bus on Saturday for the Christmas trip from Jesus the Good Shepherd parish. So you won’t hear from me until next Monday night.

Again, I don’t know how I missed yesterday – it may have been the two margueritas!

Yesterday, we had the rest of the school confessions from 8:30 till around 10. Of course, they were wonderful and lots of kids were reminded of how much God loves them – and isn’t that what Christmas is about!

Then I met with one of my RCIA makeups and then had the 11:00am Mass. I preached on St. John, who is one of my favorites and for whom I have a special place in my heart. On his feast day in 1972, I trudged over to the church at St. Camillus for the 6:30am Mass. It was dark and cold outside and it had snowed. I could see the footprints of Mrs. Dolan, our housekeeper, who had already trudged over for Mass. When I got there, she and a woman in the back of the church were the congregation. I got through the Mass – I was even less a morning person then! And afterwards, the lady came into the sacristy to ask why I hadn’t preached about John of the Cross. I said, “Who?”. It seems that she had a great devotion to him and although she had 12 children, she had trudged – well no, actually driven – through the snow to hear a reflection about him to get her through the day. That woman was Loretta Favret and it began a long friendship that endures to today. Actually on the road today, I phoned – hands free – she and Andy and announced myself as the spiritual director of the Saint John of the Cross Society and I was surprised not to see them at the 11:00am Mass at Blessed Sacrament. We had lots of laughs and I got updated about the familly. Ah, St. Camillus – the best parish in the Archdiocese for a newly ordained.

After Mass, I went to the Christmas luncheon at the Knights of Columbus in Rock Creek park. My cousin, Ann Brown O’Connell had invited me. She has a great little group of ladies from St. Jane de Chantal parish who come to this and I have met them many times. It was good to see them and meet some more friends of hers. Also Jean Horan, who is the godmother of one of the Murphy children (from Virginia) was there and we had a nice visit.

As I was to hear confessions out at Barnesville at 4, I decided to go out early before the traffic on 270 got bad. I got out around 2 and took a nap. The bed was so comfortable and there wasn’t a sound outside. Confessions were great and then, Fr. Kevin, Fr. Jack McFarland, and Fr. Luis, a Jesuit who teaches at Loyola College all had a delicious supper and then had a parish service at 7:30. Again the confessions were great. I was home by 9:30pm and went right to bed. I didn’t want to come to the office and I’m boycotting the computer in the rectory for now – so that’s why no message yesterday. St. John of the Cross, pray for us and help us to handle better our crosses.

I guess I confused some people by writing early this morning – but that was really for yesterday. I am having the computer in the rectory looked at Thursday.

Today, I came over early because I was scheduled to be at the Scholars’ class at St. John’s High School. The teacher is a parishioners and asked me to come and be available for questions about Philosphy and Religion. I enjoyed it very much but I was very nervous.

It also provided me the chance to see Barbara Younger, who use to teach computers at St. Bernard’s and is now the guidance counselor at the school. We had a great visit and she brought me up to date on her children, Sean and Nicole.

Then Joan and I went downtown and got my car inspected. It had to be done by December 15th – nothing like waiting to the last minute!

At 2pm, I went to Colllin’s Funeral Home to attend the wake for Theresa Zwalick, a lovely lady from St. Catherine’s, whom I had visited about a month ago for tea. She had cancer and decided not to take more treatment and so I stopped by and she showed all the pictures of the family and we laughed. I would love to be concelebrating her funeral tomorrow but we have school confessions from 8:30 to 10am on Wednesday and I am needed here. She’ll understand. I did get a chance to see some of her children, to say a prayer, and also to talk with her grandson, Brian who was at Good Counsel and now is married and has two children.

Then I had the 4:10pm Mass for the school of religion, which was a kind of St. Lucy, Advent, and Christmas Mass combined. I talked about Lucy, who is the lovely young girl who brings Light to the dark winter of Scandanavia. She is a sign of hope that the sun will return to govern the sky for 17 hours.

Fr. Jim came by and he and I drove over to D’Carlo’s for supper with Fr. John. We spent two and a half hours dining and having a good time together.

I think I’ll go home to the rectory as those two priests made me have two margaritas! I think its time for bed.

Today, we had a confessions for our school children from 8:30 till 10:00am. They were as always delightful. Then I had the (At this point, the computer in the rectory froze up and I just unplugged it!)

To continue:

I had the 11:00am Mass and I wore the vestment that the Spanish community at St. Bernard’s had given me as a farewell gift. It is the image of Nuestra Senora. I preached about the feast and after Mass invited parishioners to come up and see the image. I answered questions and closed with a blessing in Spanish.

Then I had a relaxing rest of the day. Had lunch and supper with the pastor. Met a couple for marriage prep at 7pm and then drove over and visited Joan Beall. We had a nice long talk. I was home by 9:30 and tried to write a message. I went to bed before 11pm.
I will write about today (Dec. 13th) later today (from the office computer)

Have had a wonderful day. Had the 7:30am Mass and I preached about the “last Gospel” from the pre-Vatican II Mass and why it was so great and what it said to us. It is the prologue to today’s Gospel, where we hear John the Baptist preaching in fullfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy about the voice of one crying in the wilderness. The Beginning of John’s gospel was read just before we left Mass to share with us the totality of who Jesus is. He is the Word that was there at the beginning. He came to bring the light. I told them we heard just before Mass ended so we could go out to share that light. That command hasn’t changed even though we don’t say “Ite, Missa est”!
Then my wonderful cousins, Rick and Peg Jensen, who had come to the Mass and I headed to the local diner and had breakfast. Then we headed out to Gate of Heaven and visited Ann O’Connell Treadway and Dwayne Treadway. Then her brother Ed O’Connell, who was also my Godfather.
Peg and Rick had brought wreaths to place on certain graves. We also said, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and the blessing “Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord and let perpetual light shine on them. May they and all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace”.
Next we went to Mt. Olivet, where many of our older ancestor are buried. We went to see Rick’s maternal grandparents – Josie and Will O’Connell, his uncle, Bill and some “unknown” Hazel relatives. We went by Nellie O’Brien, her parents and her brother, Joe. Then we went to see my paternal grandparents, Maurice and Ella O’Connell. We also went to see the Lohmeyers – Peggy was Rick’s Godmother. We stopped to pray for Aunt Mamie and the Dennys. I mentioned that Nana (Ellen Lynch – our mutual great, great grandmother) is buried there also but I need to find the plot for our next visit.

Then we went to Arlington. It was so impressive. Over the last few days, volunteers have put wreaths on almost all the graves (I looked it up when I got home and that is over 90,000 graves.) We went to visit Rick’s parents, Ray and Catherine O’Connell Jensen. And Peg’s sister in Law, Hildreth, who is in the columbarium. That visit was very interesting and the symbols on the graves covered all and no religious affiliations. Then we went to Peggy’s parents, Col Frank and Katherine Brophy. They were a lovely couple and I was privledge to officiate at their funerals. It was another privledge to pray at their grave today.

In a conversation, I mentioned that I had officiated at a very sad burial at Arlington in 2008. Ryan Patrick Baumann, at whose wedding I was to officiate in January 2009 was killed by an IUD in Afaganistan in August 2008. I didn’t remember where his grave was but Peggy went on her something berry and found where his grave was. We went to visit. It was one of 90,000 that had recieved a wreath but we said our prayers and it was so good to be with Ryan again.

Then we headed over to Clyde’s and had a little lunch and just talked. They dropped me off at Blessed Sacrament and I had the 5:30pm Mass. It was very nice and packed! I think the homily still worked. Joan, our office manager was at the Mass and so I asked her to ride with me down to the Kennedy Center and she picked up the tickets I had ordered for Pat Berry (who is coming at Christmas to visit), his brother Bill and his wife, Kate (all part of the cruise group), Joan Beall and Betty Neary – and as of today, Rick and Peg and me. We are all going to the center on December 28th at see “Anne”. It is a one woman show about Anne Richardson (I think). She was governor of Texas and very colorful. The lady portraying her is Something Taylor, who plays the mother in Two and a Half Men. I saw her last night on Arch Campbell and she was delightful. I’m sure we’ll all love the show.
Before we could leave for the center, some strange lady came to the office window and knocked. It was Maggie and JoAnn. They were returning from a party and were dropping off some ornaments for me. We had a nice visit but I threw them out so Joan and I could head out to the JFK center.
We got the tickets and then I dropped Joan at her house and headed home. And now I am heading to bed. I think we have school confessions in the morning. I think I have the 11:00am Mass so I am turning in

Met the family at Rock Creek Cemetery and we had a very nice service. It was sunny but cold but not windy.

Then I went to Toby’s dinner theatre in Columbia and met Mary Ann, who was our host as this was a Christmas gift from 2010. Marie, Maggie, JoAnn, June, and Linda (Mary’s roomate from College) and her Mom, Dorothy and me. I love being surrounded by beautiful women. The show was “White Christmas”. It was the first matinee that Toby’s ever had. It was full and I think a big success. The show was clever and entertaining. The only bad thing was it ran over time. The buffet began around 10:45 and the show didn’t start till about 12:45. It ran till 3pm. I had to leave immediately as I had the 4pm confessions. I made it!!

Then I helped with Communion at the 5:30pm and have been busy here at the desk filling out the forms for the St. Michael’s School Calendar Raffle. I give it to all my family (and that is getting to be 57) and to the families I give a White House Ornament (that’s getting to be 16). This year I am determined to get them out BEFORE Christmas, so I’ve been busy for the last three hours.

I think now I’ll head over to the rectory as I have the 7:30am Mass tomorrow and then my kind cousins, Rick and Peg are going to take me around with them as we decorate our family’s graves. I’m looking forward to visiting the family and saying a prayer. I have the 5:30pm Mass, so I may write tomorrow and let you know how the pilgrimage went.

I am over in the rectory and since this computer is always “freezing up” on me. I will make this short.

Went to the office around 8:00am to get a good start. My 9:30 appointment came by around 8:30 and we had a great visit. She is taking cemo and we keep in touch by email and visits. Please keep her in your prayers.

Had Hugh Joseph’s funeral at 11:00 and it was a packed church. Three other priests joined me and his son gave a very touching and humorous reflection. My homily touched on what a joy it is for we priests to see a family where there is great love between the couple and faith that is past on and lived by the children and grandchildren. Mary told me that her immediate family is about 100. And there were lots of extended family and friends at the wake last night and the funeral today. There was a luncheon but I had another appointment and couldn’t go. However, I’ll have the interrment tomorrow at 8:30am at Rock Creek. So I’m of to bed now.

I am sitting here in my office waiting for the 8:00pm prayers that I will lead upstairs in the chapel for Hugh’s wake. After I am through there, I will head back to the rectory and go to bed.

Got up at 7am and finished up all the prep for the Mass. I took my copy of Magnificat to use for the prayers and my binder for everything else. The Mass at Stone Ridge was at 9:05 and for the middle school. It was very nice and those young ladies give me hope for the church.

Afterwards I came home and I tried to clear up 16 new voice mails. Then I had the 11:00am Mass, which was very well attended. Fr. Ron and I were talking at lunch that all the Masses were full today. We had a school Mass and there were so many people here that I had to park on Western Avenue.

I took a three hour nap and it was very refreshing. I drove Joan home and on the way we pick up some prescriptions ( One is still there and I forgot it). I hope to get it tomorrow and be back on track with my medicines.

Got an email from Sr. Kass. Her Dad is having some problems with his circulation. Please keep him and her in your prayers.
Also heard from Pat Watters. She is back in Newfoundland and continuing her recovery by trying to take it easy. Keep her in your prayers also

I had supper with Fr. Ron and we talked about Christmas week and January. We’re going to be very busy as Fr. Percy will be in India most of January. Life is full but it was sunny today.

Yesterday, the feast of St. Ambrose was busy for me. It rained all day and I really don’t like rainy days.

I came over to the center around 7:00am and began to clear my voice mails (16) and my emails (27). I waited till 8:30 to phone people. I must have made 30 phone calls over the day. It was great to talk with Betty Neary, Berta Rohn, Muffin, and others. I didn’t get too much of my desk cleared but I had a productive day. I met with another RCIA person and then I went over to the St. John Vianney house and met with the retired priests. I had a very nice lunch and discussion with Fr. Vince Gatto and Fr. Frank Kasista and of course, saw Frs. Kane, Beattie, and Duffy. I do enjoy those meetings.

Then, I had expostion ( I got a chance to talk with John, the leader of the play reading group. I hadn’t been able to get to the meeting on Tuesday and I wanted to hear how the first reading and discussion of “The Last hours of Judas Iscariot” went. It was lively!)
I had the 5:30pm Mass. I thought it was the feast of St. Ambrose and had a homily on him prepared; but I forgot it was the Vigil Mass of the Immaculate Conception. We had music and about 60 people. My homily was definitely from the Holy Spirit.
Afterwards, I met with my cousin, Elizabeth and her fiance, David. I will officiate at their wedding on March 17th at the Cathedral.

I did some more work on my “missalette” for the Mass at Stone Ridge and then went home. More later today about today.

I woke up in the middle of the night, at 1:24am and wondered where my miter for St. Nicholas was. I looked around and found it in my closet with my red stole. Now I was ready so I went back to bed.
This morning, I got up early around 6:30am and trimmed by beard and showered and came over to the office to get the coins ready. Then I went to the gym for morning prayer with the school children. It was nice and I dressed like St. Nicholas and told them about the coins and doing good deeds. I led them in a prayer for children. I had over 500 coins, so I gave them to the teachers to distribute at a time that was good for them and the children.

Then I came back to the office to prepare for the senior citizens (that’s when I found that I was a day late!!). I called Fr. Damian Shadwell at Holy Family parish in Hillcrest Heights and asked how many students he had. He has 280, so I drove over and gave him 300 coins. It was great to see him. We had some great times in St. Mary’s county.

One thing I did not consider was that it might take me a long time to get back around the beltway. I had to call and Joan arranged for Fr. Percy to take my 11:00am Mass since I couldn’t get back in time. I offered to take his 5:30pm but he has people coming so I am doing his exposition at 3pm.
I had lunch with the other priests and then I went to the church for the 5th grade’s presentation of songs and lessons. It was the presentation for the school community and it was very uplifting to hear the children tell the story of the Jesse family tree in song, readings, and with instruments. There were about 60 performing. I sat with the kindergarden and we loved it – especiially our last song, Felice Navidad!!

I just finished with exposition and now we are getting ready for confessions for the 4th thru 8th in CCD in the church. I will leave a basket with coins near the sanctuary and tell them to take one as they leave as a reminder of the Sacrament and the feast of St. Nicholas.
Then I’ll have supper with the priest, see Andrea about RCIA and then go up to the library for the play reading group. We are beginning to read the Last days of Judas Iscariot. It should be very interesting. I’m sure I’ll be ready for bed when I get there.