What Paddy Shot At

Monday, Feb 11th, the Pope resigned!!! I couldn’t believe it when I heard it on TV. Since then, I realize that I really admire him for taking this step. He is a natural born teacher and I think, he wanted to remain one but the Church asked him to become a bishop, then to work in the Vatican, to become a Cardinal and then to become Pope – but he remained a teacher. Now he is teaching us by example, that we must always do God’s will and not our own. He tells us that he is not well enough to continue to do the job and that he will step down and have the cardinals choose another. He will return to reading and reflecting and maybe writing. He will continue to be a priest and a bishop but another person will be the administrator and shepherd. I admire his courage to break 600 years of tradition and teach us (like Blessed John XXIII) that “…in 2000 years, you pick up a lot of baggage…” May God give him length of days to enjoy retirement.

I had the 11am Mass and a couple of Confirmation interviews.

Tuesday, Feb 12th. Joan called me this morning to tell me that Eileen had died during the night. It was very peaceful and everyone seems to be OK. Joan, Mary Mudd and Eileen were great friends and all lived on Cottrell Terrace. There were 63 kids on the street and all the women looked out for them just like mothers.
After that, at 10AM, Fr. Dan Morales from Texas was in DC and I picked him up and went and got Maggie and Marie and we all went to Stoney’s to have crabs. AnnMarie, Maggie’s daughter slipped over from work to join us for awhile. When Fr. Dan was here before, he got to spend some time with AnnMarie and Mike and their children. Kathleen loved to sleep on his chest and did so throughout a St. Michael’s auction when she was three months old. We are two dozen crabs! It was great. I dropped him at the hotel and then I had two interviews and the 5:30pm Mass. Then I picked him up again and we met Fr. Beattie at D’Carlo’s for Italian. Again, it was a lot of fun. Dan and Stephanie called me and I hope to visit them going or coming from Texas in March.

Wednesday, the 13th, It was Ash Wednesday, the begining of Lent. I had the 11AM Mass and Fr. Duffy came to concelebrate. When I said at the start of Mass how happy we were to have him, there was thunderous applause. I gave out ashes but not Communion. The church was full as it was at all the Masses.

After Mass, I picked up Fr. Dan again. We went to a number of Verizon stores trying to get me an I-Phone. We had no luck as I got a replacement phone in November and I’m stuck with a contract till November 2014 or I’d have to pay a lot of money. I am very content with my present cell phone for now. I’m really in no rush to learn more gadgets!!
I took Dan back to catch his limo to the airport and then I had some interviews and the 5:30PM Mass. Again, a big crowd. Then I went to Phil and Eileen’s house and met with him and the kids to plan the liturgy for her funeral. I just love that family.

Thursday, the 14th is actually the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius but some people celebrate St. Valentine! It was my day off but I came to the office to celebrate JoEddie’s birthday. I was planning to get some work done on my 2012 Christamas letter but was unsuccessful. I did meet Jeff and Colleen Smith for an early supper at RIP’S in Bowie. It was so good to catch up on the family and to just sit and talk. I really enjoyed them and their family when I was at St. Michael’s. They have a grandchild and another on the way. We’re hoping to get together with two other couples and spend another evening together soon.

Then I went to Eileen’s wake at Collin’s. I saw lots of St. Camillus people that I hadn’t seen in years. It was a continuing celebration of her life. She looked great and just like she was sleeping. There were lots of photos and a slide show of pictures that were great to see and relive memories. I am blessed in my family!!!

I have been very busy and that’s why I haven’t written. I will try to “catch up”
Saturday, Feb 9
I drove down to Leonardtown and had a luncheon/meeting with my TEAM. We caught up on the highs and lows of our life. I only had highs. We just began a book, “When the Rain Speaks” by Sister Melannie Svoboda, SND. It is a series of short reflections on nature and we all love it.
I stopped in to see Maggie and picked up my coat, which I had left when we went swimming. She is in the midst of three bathrooms being created or repaired. We had a nice visit.
I had the 5:30pm Mass and it was the last of the three sessions on the Cardinal’s Appeal, so my homily was short.
When I came back to the office, there was a message that my cousin, Eileen O’Connell Ballenger was very ill and might die that evening. I had gone to see her a week or so ago but I asked if I could come over that night. Phil, her husband, said, “Oh you could come tomorrow. It’s late” but I said, “Do you mind if I come” and of course, he assured me they’d love to have me and that lots of the kids and grandkids were there. So I went and anointed her.

But it was more than that! It was one of the best evenings I’ve ever spent. Eileen was aware of us but most of the time, kept her eyes closed. But people sat on her bed and held her hand and told her they loved her. We prayed and laughed and told stories that made her laugh. Her favorite prayer is the Memorare and we said it (Actually one of the grand-daughters, who knew it by heart led us).
I think I left around midnight It was the best example of having your prayer to St. Joseph about a “happy death” answered. She didn’t die that night.

Sunday, Feb 10th, I met with a young man who wants to get married here. He lives in NYC so we had some paperwork.
Then I had the 12:30pm Mass. Same short homily but I also had a baptism – keep William Shaderson and his family in your prayers! It was just lovely and our people are so supportive of Baptisms at Mass.

Afterwards, I ask Martino (the seminarian) if he would drive me to Stone Ridge, a school nearby. Our 8th graders were playing basketball against St. Peter’s in Olney and Eileen son coaches. We went and had a ball. Both teams played hard and we saw lots of people. Came home, ate soup and went to bed.

More to follow!

Sunday, Feb 3rd, I did have that Baptismal class. There were 6 couples and three babies. It was fun and I finished in 45 minutes and told them to go have a sandwich together before they went home (kind of a spontaneous date!). I went home and went to bed early. I forgot to watch Dalton Abbey.

Monday, Feb 4th, I slept in and only came over in time for the 11am Mass. I went and had soup and then from 3 to 5, I had Confirmation interviews. I really enjoy them and its fun to learn why those chose their Saint’s name and their sponsor. Also to hear about the service projects they have done. Today, one girl helps children with special needs to ride horses. It sounded wonderful. Had more soup for supper and then taught a class at RCIA on Holy Orders. We had a big discussion on Women priests. I think I threw them all when I said, “The reason we don’t have them is that the present leadership does not believe he has the authority to change a 2,000 year tradition”. Even the seminarian looked up in the Catechism and read that Pope John Paul II says it cannot change. I said, “Yes, and Church History authorities have said that never before in 2000 years has a Pope tried to tie the hands of a successor.” So time will tell. The candidates didn’t look too upset.

Tuesday, Feb 5th, I had the 8:00AM Mass. It was the feast of St. Agatha and I told them about her. Then I had the 11am Mass and then after soup, I went to take a nap. I worked on my presentation on Vat II and read about 20 pages of a book I am reviewing for the Washington Catholic Historical Society. It is about Daniel Rudd. He was the owner, publisher, and editor of the largest Black Catholic newspaper in the US in the 1800’s up till the 1930’s. It is very interesting. It’s called “A Cry for Justice”. After supper, I went to a parishioner’s house and met with 2 married couples and 4 engaged couples for Pre-Cana. Now, that was interesting and fun! There are four sessions and I’ll come again for the fourth one.

Wednesday, Feb 6, When I got home from Pre-Cana, I sat down to relax and play Spider Solitaire; next thing I knew it was 3am. I slept in and came over just in time for the 11AM Mass. Then I went to my first Wednesday luncheon with the other retried priests. Had a great time and we got Bishop Olivier to tell us funny stories of his priesthood. We laughed a lot. When I came home I had Exposition and then some interviews and then the 5:30pm Mass. I went to bed early – no solitaire.

Thursday, Feb 7th was my day off and I think I stayed in my pj’s in my suite for most of the day Humberto brought up soup!!

Friday, Feb 8th, I had the 11AM Mass and went home for lunch, soup. I took a nap and then I read some more of the book. Just finished the 5:30pm Mass and now I’m heading over to St. Elizabeth’s for First Confessions.

I did have lots of phone calls and caught up with lots of friends. Spent time looking at the maps for the trip to Milwaukee and the one to Houston. I think the driving will be fun.

I’ll try to be more faithful to writing every day as part of my Lenten program. It starts this coming Wednesday. Hard to believe.

On Friday, the 1st, I slept in and did not get to the talk by Jane Belford, our Chancellor. I heard she was good and later that day, I understand that the Obama administration has made some adjustments to their health care plan, which is what she was speaking about. I hope it all works out.

I did go to the school Mass for Catholic Schools week at 9am, but I didn’t help with Communion as I had a funeral at 11am. The kids choir sang some beautiful Latin hymn.

The funeral was for James. I had stopped by the funeral home to meet his family because I did not know him. He and his wife had moved to North Carolina but when they lived here, all his children went to the school and got married here. The funeral went well and they had asked for the parts of the Mass to be sung in Latin. It wasn’t what I would call “full and active participation” on the part of the congregation but it sounded nice. It is very cold here and so I asked Martino to go to the cemetary, which he did. I also did not get down to the hospital to see Heavy as Joan had therapy and even if she dropped me at the door, I’d still have to walk down those long corridors. I did call and talk with Brenda. Also I went to lunch late and Humberto made me chicken soup! Ah, good.

I had the 5:30pm Mass and afterwards joined Martino, Fr. Ron and Fr. John Dillon at the table. I didn’t eat because I didn’t feel good but by the time supper was over, I felt better. Then Ron offered to make a fire and the four of us sat in the big room and relaxed, talked and laughed. Around 8:30, I went upstairs and played Solitaire and watched TV. I was glad to get into the nice warm bed.

Today, is the feast of the Presentation and in my office prayers, I am remembering all those religious who made vows on this feast. I called Sister Natalie. I am going to visit her when its not so cold. Neither of us wanted to go out in the cold.

I had the 11am Mass and said it for Carolyn’s parent because today is her 70th birthday. Her sister flew in from St. Louis to help her celebrate. It was a nice Mass. Afterwards, I met with a lady to talk about her grandson.

Brenda called to tell me the surgery went well and that he is on machines and unconsciencious and so she and kids have gone home. He won’t know they are there for a couple of days. They all need a break and some rest. Keep them in your prayers.

I have confessions at 4pm and there is a pot luck dinner for the bay retreat group. It isn’t far but I don’t know if I’ll go out in this cold.

Tomorrow, I have the 7:30am and the 10:30 in the church but don’t have to preach as Ron will be showing the film of the Cardinal and having the In-pew collection for the Cardinal’s appeal. I don’t miss that pastor’s responsibility at all. I’m going to the first grade and bless their throats; I don’t think we’re doing that in church but a CCD teacher asked me to come. I have the baptismal class at 1:45 and then I’ll go home, watch the game and relax.