What Paddy Shot At

I am in Greensburg, Pa at the Hampton Inn. I am with Maggie, Marie, Joan Beall, and Betty Neary. We came up yesterday and arrived around 7pm. This morning we went to St. Vincent’s Archabbey for an 11am Mass. It is Priests’ Day. I then dropped the ladies at an Eat’n’Park and went to a reunion with Bob Norton and Tom Kredel. Then I picked up the ladies – who by this time, had found a Dollar Store and were having a ball. I drove them out to show them Forbes Road, where I taught CCD and we stopped in to visit Josephine Merenda. We had a great time and in about an hour, we’ll go to the restaurant at the Latrobe airport and meet Tom and Bob.
Don’t know what the next day looks like.
I haven’t had access to the internet since last Wednesday so I’ll bring you up to date on the wedding next time. The knee is doing much better.

I suppose it is this knee that makes the time fly by. I was amazed that I hadn’t written since Saturday. After Mass, I did go to bed and slept through till 6:10am. I had the 7:30am Mass on Sunday. I didn’t process as my knee really hurt. John Williams assisted me and I didn’t give out Communion. Right after Mass, I took a pill and went to bed.

Got up around noon as I was meeting a couple about their wedding in August at 1:30. We had a nice meeting and got a lot of things settled. I had a baptism at 2pm. Samantha Grace! Then I went home and fell asleep watching TV.

On Monday, I had a funeral at 11am. She was 94 and lived to see her children’s children’s children’s and surrounded by her family, she died peacefully in her home. St. Joseph, patron of a happy death, was with her.
After the service, as there was no burial as she will be buried in Arlington sometime in the future, I drove out to therapy. They really worked my stubborn muscles and I was exhausted. When I got home, I had the 5:30pm Mass and then I took a pill and went to bed. I was suppose to meet another couple about their wedding but I just couldn’t get in the car and drive to Annapolis to meet them. My knee is really getting on my nerves.

Today is the feast of St. Sharbel, a Maronite monk who lived at the end of the 18th century in Lebanon. Fr. Bob Wild’s poustinia is named for him and I have gotten to know a lot about him. I had the 8:00am Mass and preached about St. Sharbel.
I came down to the office and tried to contact my sister, Marie, and Msgr. Tom Duffy. I think I’ll be seeing them later today. For now, I think I’ll go and take a nap.
I received some wonderful news yesterday in the evening. Maureen’s appointment with the doctors at Emory has been moved up from the 31st to this Friday, the 27th. Please keep her in your prayers.

Don’t know what happened to yesterday. I thought I had written but I guess not!!
I had no Mass as I was scheduled for Chevy Chase House and Fr. Percy offered to take it for me. I had therapy at 10:30 and then I was to go to hear confessions at 2:30; so he kindly took that Mass for me.
The therapy hurt but I felt much better afterward. I drove to confessions and got home just before the rain. It rained all night but I took a couple pills and slept fine.

This morning, I was picked up by Rita and we drove to a nearby restaurant called The Blue 44. It is right up the street and has a nice menu. I had tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich – Comfort food!
We joined TC, who is a classmate of Rita’s and we laughed and talked about the old DC. Both went to Immaculata for high school and they know everybody. It was fun!!
When I got home, Conor was here and we played two games of chess. Each of us won one and so we’ll have to have a re-match! Again, it was fun.
I have the 5:30pm Mass and then a couple of pills and back to bed. I have the 7:30am Mass tomorrow and although my knee has no hurt much today, I am ready to go to bed.

Today has been a strange day.
During the 8:00am Mass, my knee was hurting so much, I almost cried. After the Mass, I took some Ivprofen and went back to bed. I slept till about 2pm. I got up and had some eggs and toast and then came to the office. My leg felt a lot better – I guess just being off it helped.
Spent much of the afternoon calling people and “catching up”. It was fun. Joan went and got me some more pain pills, which I’ll use tonight. I met with a couple who are getting married in August and needed someone to help them with paperwork. They were very nice and I’ll send the paperwork off tomorrow. Leaving now for the rectory. Have therapy at 12:30 tomorrow and no Masses, so I can sleep in.

Yesterday was the feast of St. Camilllus. It use to be on the 17th but in the new liturgical calendar it was moved. Still I offered Mass yesterday for all the parishioners and staff of St. Camillus parish in Silver Spring – living and deceased. There is a treasure trove of memories of that parish.
Yesterday, my knee hurt all day. I had the 11am Mass, Exposition at 3pm and the 5:30pm Mass. The rest of the day, I tried to keep my leg up while I worked in the center. I took some pills but it still hurt and after supper, I went to bed and fortunately slept through the night. We had a storm but it didn’t keep me awake.

Today, I have the 8:00am Mass and then I hope to rest most of the day. Am meeting a couple who want to get married and I am doing the paperwork for them tonight at 6:30. Then I hope to go to bed early. The heat during the day and the storms and knee at night are all I really remember of a day.

I didn’t notice till the office last night that yesterday was the feast of Mt. Carmel. One of my favorite feast and I love the Carmelites. So I said a special prayer for all those who are and all who love their spirituality before I went to bed.

I also had long phone conversations with Betty Neary and with Joan Beall. Haven’t done that for awhile and it was fun to “catch up”. Like most of us, Betty has been suffering with the heat but also she has been to Disney World to see a grand daughter dance and then she worked the Lion’s club carnival in over 100 degree weather; so she has been sticking close to home and the airconditioning – and drinking water, which she doesn’t like but she was dehydrated. But she is good now and we had a great visit.

I slept well. I think the therapy put some of my muscles and tendons to rest. I got up early and had the 8:00am Mass. I am going to try again to drive around the parking lot. I do miss driving. I couldn’t get the seat correct yesterday and it was so hot, I gave up quickly. Before it gets too hot, I will try again today.

I hope to drive over to pick up Msgr Duffy at 5:30; so we can meet Msgr. Beattie for dinner at DeCarlo’s at 6pm. I’ll let you tomorrow how I did. No therapy till Friday but I am doing some exercises at home.

The funerals and wakes and the retreat all went very well. I would write about them except that I had therapy today and I am really tired. I am going to bed in a few moments.
They tell me at therapy that I am right on track but sometimes I just get exhausted and sometimes the exercises hurt; but I just keep at it. I didn’t have Mass today because we had a funeral and a family member who is a priest did thing. I have the 8:00am Mass tomorrow and then I’ll do some work at my desk. I’ll write about the high lights of the last few days. Good night.

I wasn’t feeling good all day yesterday. I did say the 11:00am Mass but spent most of the day lying down.
Joan drove me to DeCarlo’s at 6pm where I met Fr. Beattie and Father Duffy and Fr. John Clark, who lives with Fr. Duffy and drove him. As always, we had a delightful dinner and talked and laughed. Fr. Beattie drove me home, through a pouring rain. I was soaked by the time I got into the rectory. I got out of the wet clothes and went to bed around 8pm. Slept soundly till 2am and then was awake the rest of the night. Couldn’t get comfortable. Finally fell asleep around 5 and was up again at 7.
Didn’t have Mass today because a visiting priest had the funeral at 11. Went to therapy at noon and they really worked me. I feel good and feel tired at the same time.

Am waiting now for my sister, Marie to pick me up and take me to Southern Maryland. A good cousin of mine, Jack O’Brien died and the girls and I will go to the wake tonight in Edgewater. Then I’ll stay at Maggie’s and tomorrow the three of us will go to the funeral in Annapolis.

In the afternoon, we’ll all come to Beltsville to Larry Pendergraph’s wake. He’s a friend of mine from St. Camillus and St. Bernard’s and his wife is a classmate of Marie’s from Notre Dame. We’ll all drive back to Maggie’s and come up Friday morning for the funeral at St. Joseph’s in Beltsville.
Then the girls will drive me to Camp Maria, near Leonardtown to join the Blessed Sacrament Family retreat. I will miss the morning session but will join in around 3pm. I’ll stay there till Sunday, when someone will drive me back up here and I will do the 5:30pm Mass. Then I think I will just collapse into bed. So, no more news till Monday.

Please keep Jack, Larry, another cousin, Mary Ann, who is recovering from hip surgery, Anna Marie Kinerney, from St. Bernard’s who is recovering from knee surgery, and all of the “Bay Believers” who are on the retreat, in your prayers. That should keep you busy! Know that you and all your needs are being sent to God through STS. Benedict and Scholastica!!!

Sunday, I got up around 7am and had Mass at 8:15. Jay provided the music and again, it was nice to see everyone. Deacon Jim helped me as I couldn’t stand for Communion. One of the parishioners brought me a Snickers and told me he misses me! How charming!
After Mass, I had breakfast at Judy Raley’s. She also invited Jack and Fran Cullison and the deacon. The food was great – but that’s no surprise – she always made a great breakfast for me when the nuns were down for a visit.
Then we had the 10:30 Mass. The choir sang and again it was so great to see all the families and how the kids have grown. I saw Mr. Potter and had a chance to talk. Afterwards, Pat Hall and Mary Rego helped me get stuff together with my sister Maggie and my niece, Kerri so that they could take me home. I had planned to stop by the brunch for the wedding crowd but I was really tired. I did see Kay and Ernie Fenhagen, who were in the rectory before I left. They are dear friends from my stay at St. Michael’s and have been a guest of their family many times.
The trip home took about an hour. It was 105 degrees outside. When I got home, I said the 5:30pm Mass and went to bed. I had turned off the air-conditioner while I was away but it cooled down the room by the time Mass was over and I slept very well.

This morning, I had the 11am Mass and went to the center about 9am. I wrote this morning article and after Mass, Joan drove me to therapy. I had felt so well this morning – the good night’s sleep – the lower temperature, it was 77 degrees this morning – and no pains in the leg. Well, they did some new therapy and when I came out, I was really exhausted. When I came home, John, the seminarian offered to take exposition and so I went and took a nap. I got up and did the 5:30pm Mass, had supper with the pastor (and learned about the trip to Ireland, which he enjoyed) and now I am bringing you up to date and going to bed.

Had a great weekend. My niece, Kerri and my nephew, Michael picked me up around 9:00am. I had celebrated the 6:30 and 8:00am Masses and was all packed and ready to go. They went to my room in the rectory, and my office here in the center and gathered all the things I had put together to take with me. We got to Maggie’s around 11:00am and took a breather in the cool of her house. Then we headed South. We had lunch at Stoney’s in the Solomon Island. I had the Ceasar Salad with crab meat. It was delicious and I think – healthy. As we are leaving, I run into Steve and Liz Matera, friends from St. Bernard’s. I had seen Steve at my celebration and he had brought me up to date on the family. Liz couldn’t come that day, so it was great to see her. She plays in the military band that was performing at St. Mary’s College that evening. What a nice surprise to welcome me back to the county.

Once I was unpacked, I sent the family home before the base let out and the traffic would be terrible. Marian Ann Blair, a dear friend, had dropped off a casserol for me. One of those great traditions from my years there at St. Michael’s was that the back door was never locked and people would drop off tomatoes, crabs, a casserol, or a cake. It was always a pleasant surprise and always quickly eaten. This gift, I only tasted as I knew that I’d be eating all weekend. I brought it home in a styrofoan container and it is in my frig. I had some late Sunday night. Then I took a nap.
The wedding rehearsal was at 6pm and went very well. Afterwards, I rode with Muffin and John (the bride’s parents) to the reception. We did a “ride through” on the way. The rest of the McCoy family was having crabs, etc as a picnic at the farm; and so we rode up to the house and the picnic area. It was great to see so many of them. Beth McCoy, the matriach of these 12 children, was one of the first friends I made when I came to St. Michael’s in July of 2000. She was a Washingtonian and we had great times together. She died in 2008 and I still miss her and her wit! It was a custom to come around July 19th and have a family reunion for her birthday; and the family has kept the reunion going. This year, with the wedding of one of the grand daughters, they moved it up.

The rehearsal dinner was at the Broom – Howard, a bed and breakfast in old St. Mary’s City. The food was great and I enjoyed getting to know the groom’s family. We had some nice conversations and there were some very nice talks and toasts. Around 10:30, I began to fade, and I was glad to be brought home and get to bed.

I had forgotten how quiet the rectory is and I slept very quickly and very soundly. I didn’t wake till around 10:00am. Judy Raley, who lives nearby picked me up and we drove to Sheibel’s. We met Shirley and John Kovich for breakfast. Shirley just retired after 35 years as the parish secretary (and all around person who knew what to do, how to do it, and who could help in the parish). There had been a party last week, but I couldn’t make it, so we used breakfast as our party.

When I got home, Brenda Ridgell came by with crab cakes and we had a little visit. Then I took a nap.

I celebrated the 5:30pm Mass. It was great to see so many familiar faces. I was pleasantly surprised how easily names came back to me.
I didn’t give out Communion because it is hard to “free stand” but I did process to the back and leaned against the door to say “Good bye”. It was amazing to see children I had baptized or given First Communion to, who tells me they’re in junior year of high school or already in college. People I married are introducing their children to me. It was just great!!!

The wedding was spectacular. Kristin looked terrific and everyone had a wonderful and relaxed time. Kristin and Rick had planned the whole ceremony and it was so like them in it’s simplicity and beauty. The reception was also lovely. Lila (the school principal) and Dan, her husband drove me to the dock for hor’deuves and drinks. It was hot but a slight breeze off the river made the time together good. Then they drove me to the reception in a tent near the old town hall in historic St. Mary’s City. We had a fan over our table and so it was more than bareable, it was pleasant. I enjoyed my tablemates and the conversations. The food was very good and plentiful. However, once again, I began to fade around 10pm and my drivers kindly took me home. I was asleep in about 10 minutes.

More about Sunday – later today.