What Paddy Shot At

As I predicted: It’s been a quiet week here.

On Tuesday, I had the 11am Mass and then returned to the rectory and stayed in the air-conditioning. It was hot and humid.

On Wednesday, I had the 8am Mass and worked on baptismal matters most of the morning in my office. I used the oxygen for the exposition and the 5:30pm Mass. Went home right after Mass.

On Thursday, Brian came and picked me up and we went to the pastoral center to meet about the can goods’ drive. It went well and they are happy that we are doing it.
Then I met Maryann and Marie for an early dinner and to be early. Terrible storm during the night that woke me up – no easy task!!

Today, I just hung around my suite and used the oxygen. Joined the guys for lunch. John Williams was there and is heading out to Indianapolis to teach at a Jesuit school. He’ll be a great teacher. Jack just put out the monstrance for adoration in the chapel as there is a wedding rehearsal at 4 in the church. I will have the 5:30 in the church and then go home. I kept the oxygen on most of the day. It does make a difference on these “muggy” days.

Tomorrow, I have the 8am Mass and then I’ll drive to Leonardtown for my TEAM meeting. Joe Stoutz might stop by in the evening.

I believe that I have not reported on the week of June 16th to the 21st, so here goes:

On Monday, the 16th, we had the annual “pool party” for the seniors at Rita’s brother’s home. It is always a lot of fun and good food. Jack, the seminarian and I went and picked up Msgr. Duffy. Everyone was happy to see him. When we returned, Jack did the exposition for me and I took a nap. Then I had the 5:30pm Mass and after supper, I said the prayer at an Eagle ceremony in the chapel. It was as impressive as I remembered it down in St. Mary’s county.

On Tuesday, I had the 8am Mass and then drove out to Bowie and met Jim. He is from Wisconsin and we met through Mike Witte. I really enjoyed our visit and he talked like Roger (a seminary friend from Wisconsin). I was planning to go to see Mike Roach but a kind lady pulled along side my car and said, “Sir, I don’t know if you know this but your left tire is almost flat!” Well, I didn’t know it and I stopped and got air but on the road to Mike’s, I stopped for gas and the tire was low again. I got more air and came home. That night was the Play reading group; so I went there and had a great time.

On Wednesday, the 18th, the facilities’ men checked the tire and put on the spare. I went back to where I bought the tire and they checked it (It had a nail!!) but they repaired it and I came home for exposition and the 5:30pm Mass. that night, was our deanery cookout (we stayed inside the air- conditioned rectory). I met a number of young priests and saw old friends like Ron Jameson and Jim Lockman. Later that night, I drove up and visited Loretta and Andy Favret, which was very nice. I stayed the night at a hotel in Frederick, Md.

On Thursday, I got early and went to see Fr. Michael Roach. It was like we’d been together last week. I do love and admire him.
Then, I went and heard confessions; got some food and went to Fr. Mike Blackwell’s wake with Fr. T. Then I drove to Lexington Park and stayed at the Hampton. I slept very well.

On Friday, the 20th, I met Pat Mullin for breakfast and a nice long talk. Then I had a light lunch with Susan Cassidy and went and had a nap. The wedding rehearsal was at 6pm at the old chapel and we ate, drank, and laughed at the McCoy farm. I got to meet Steven’s family and see Mary Beth’s !!

On Saturday, I met a lot of the McCoys in the lobby of the hotel and then Fr. Mike Dolan picked me up and we got a bite to eat and then went to his son’s home on the St. Mary River and just talked and talked. The wedding was at 6pm and about 180 people fit into the chapel. It was warm but not hot and the ceremony, which they had developed was lovely and meaningful. The reception was at the farm under a huge tent and with a very large dance They had a big chair for me and people were kind enough to come to me. Oh, so many kids whom I though were still 11 years old are now in their 20’s!!! But I loved seeing everyone even if I only had time for a kiss. I’ll see many of them again and have a chance to talk on July 19th, Mrs. McCoy’s birthday celebration at the farm.
I drove home that night and was asleep very quickly!

I did write on the morning of Sunday, the 22nd and so this brings you up to date.

Sunday afternoon, I did host that reunion of the St. Camillus Teen group and we ate (they brought too much food!!!) and laughed for hours. I think the last guest left around 10pm. It was great to see them all but we all were so glad that Mark and Valerie (from the West coast!!) could join us. Douglas Lee should do “stand up”. He was a riot!!! Also it was Jay’s birthday and I think we sounded like the Sistine Chapel choir as we say “Happy Birthday”. It’s still true: Like your first girlfriend, your first parish always has a special part of your heart!!!!

So, today is Monday, the 23rd. I will have the 5:30pm Mass and then go home to supper. Fr. Damian came to visit and he and I met Lila (the principal of St. Michael’s) and Robin, her office manager for lunch at Clyde’s. I am stuffed. It was a quiet day at the parish center but I did get a new computer and it is so much faster and more dependable than the old one. I just have to learn its’ tricks.

This week is not very busy so I may not write till the end of the month.

Well, I didn’t get back on the 17th and now it is the 22nd. I just finished the 7:30am Mass and am going to just stay around the office till the 12:30pm Mass, which I will concelebrate for this feast day of our parish. There is a procession after Mass but I will go instead over to the rectory. I am hosting a “get together” for some of the former teen club members of St. Camillus parish. Mark Gribbin is in town for his Godchild’s marriage and he and Valerie, his friend have come here from Seattle for the wedding. So we asked them to join, Joan Beall, Sharon Beall, Doug Lee, Eileen Lee Baughan and her husband, Jay, and Mike Jones and I for some food and drink and laughs! Looking forward to it.

But first, I think I stopped on Wednesday, June 11th.

On Thursday, the 12th, I had a wonderful experience. I met Fr. Ray Fecteau at a nice seafood restaurant and he brought with him, Michael Raleigh. Mike was a student at Good Counsel who graduated in 1982. He has been a police officer in Montgomery County for 24 years. Fr. Ray is the chaplain for the police and he arranged the little reunion. We laughed and remembered – for a couple of hours! We hope to get together again.
That evening, we had a very fruitful meeting (and delicious dinner) with the baptismal prep group.

On Friday, I concelebrated the last school Mass of the year and then had the 11am Mass, exposition at 3 and then the 5:30pm Mass. I was tired… and went to bed early.

On Saturday, I had the 8am Mass and then a delightful blessing of a marriage at 11am in the chapel. It was a small group and I went out with them for lunch. We had a great time. I came back in time for the confessions at 4pm. I was suppose to have a meeting at 7pm but he didn’t come, so I went home and went to bed early.

On Sunday the 15th, I had the 9am Mass and then concelebrated the 12:30. Rob Maro, who had ordained a deacon the day before, preached at the Mass. His homily was excellent and very pastoral. Everyone was so proud of him and happy for him!!
I had to skip the reception and go and pick up my cousin, Ann O’Connell. Then, we stopped and picked up Marie and Maggie and drove to Mary Beth’s, where Maggie’s kids had prepared a great cookout. The kids used the pool and us elders just sat and “caught up”. Got home around 10pm and was glad to get to bed.

I don’t have my appointment book with me and so I don’t know what happened last week – I’ll write again later this week.

A week and a half have gone by and I’ll have to read carefully my appointment book to see where it went.

When last I wrote it was the Vigil of Pentecost. On Sunday, I had the 12:30 Mass and talked about the Pope and the meetings in Rome. Since we are 6 hours later than Rome, the prayer service was going on during our Mass and I asked everyone to join in praying for the success of the gathering. After Mass, I watched it on TV. I do hope that something good and lasting can come from their time together. Keep that in your prayers.
I then joined Fr. Jerry Trancone and the Petrone family for dinner at a Greek restuarant in Colesville. I’d never eaten Greek and I liked the lamb and other things they ordered (and told me not to ask what it was). We laughed and had a great time together – it had been awhile since we did that!

On Monday, I met with Ann about the baptismal program in preparation for a working dinner with the whole group on Thursday. It is quite a program and needs some “tweaking up”. I had the exposition and the 5:30pm Mass.

On Tuesday, the 10th, I picked up Joan Beall and we drove up to see Betty Neary. She is coming along well and was able to go out to lunch with us. Mary and the girls joined us. We had a great time. Betty’s therapy is going well and she might be able to go back to her apartment soon. She didn’t seem to have broken any bones. I got home late and went right to bed.

On Wednesday, the 11th, I met our summer seminarian. His name is Jack Barrard and he is a third year student at the North American College in Rome. He is the 5th of 10 children and his family lives in Prince George’s County. He went to Rossevelt High School. I think he’ll fit in well here at SBS and the people will like him. I do!
I met with a couple whose marriage I will bless on Saturday. Then I had exposition, 5:30pm Mass and met with a married couple who were in the baptismal prep program. Early to bed.

More later – I have to go upstairs for the 8am Mass.

I can’t believe a week had passed but it has!

On Friday, May 30, I had an appointment at 10am; and then the 11am Mass. Then I went and picked up Tom Duffy; and he and I went and picked up Jim Beattie. Then we drove to Fratelli’s, an Italian restaurant near St. Bernard’ and had lunch with Paul Hill. I do so enjoy being with these guys and we decided at our retirement meeting that we needed to get together. I dropped everyone off and got home for the 5:30pm Mass. Fr. Justin is on vacation and so we take turns having two Masses. I don’t mind but I went to bed during Jeopardy!

On Saturday, May 31, I had four baptisms and then graduation. I went and took a nap and then had the 5:30pm Mass. Then I just sat around and watched TV because I only had the 5:30pm the next day.

On Sunday, June 1, I watched the TV talk shows and then I had the “clergy-led baptismal class” at 1:45. I think I did a great job and making them feel welcomed and not to be nervous at the ceremony. I knew many of them through emails as we scheduled their dates. Grace, the sacristan was ill and so I set things up in the chapel. After the meeting a lovely couple (Kathleen Rosemary’ parents) spoke with me and told me that their baptism would be in New York. They asked me to write to the pastor and tell him they had taken classes and had permission to have the baptism at his parish. They gave me to envelopes – one addressed to the parish and one to send a copy to them. I said “sure”! And I went and said the 5:30pm Mass

Well, on Monday, June 2, I spent most of the morning retracing my steps to see if I could find those two envelopes. Had Mass at 11; exposition at 3pm and Mass at 5:30pm. I went to bed early because I was so annoyed with myself.

Got up early on Tuesday, June 3, since we were having the last session of “Tuesdays with Fr. Maury”. Our topic was “Graduations I remember”. There were wonderful stories of their graduations. I leaned that in France and Venezuela, there have no graduation ceremony or party. One lady told us of the tradition her Mom began when the first of the nine children graduated from high school of a special party that all the relatives came to. The cooked for days before and cleaned the whole house. She lived out on a farm in the country and relatives travelled over 40 miles but each child felt special on their graduation day. It was very touching! I came home and took a nap; had supper and watched TV.

On Wednesday, June 4, I had the 11am Mass and since I still couldn’t find those envelopes, I cleaned and cleared my desk! They were not there! I had exposition and the 5:30pm Mass. I had an appointment and I sent an email to that nice couple telling them that an old priest should not be in charge of stuff. Would they send me the address again – not an envelope!

On Thursday, June 5, I drove up to Arundel Mills and had a late breakfast with Kass. We caught up and laughed and talked. I left around 1pm and went to St. Luke’s and heard confessions. Then I came home and had supper with Fr. Ron.

On Friday, June 6, I realized that from previous emails I had the names and addresses; so I got the letters typed and ready to go – and Fr. Ron, who was doing a Friday morning baptism, came and said, “Are these your envelopes? There were in the baptismal rite book!” I hugged him and finally sent those letters to the proper places and continued cleaning my desk. Afterwrds, I had an appointment and then the 11am Mass; then another appointment. I took a nap and did exposition and the 5:30pm Mass. I had supper with Fr. Ron and went to relax with the TV

Today is Saturday, June 7, 2014. I went to a graduation party for Abby’s 8th grade. I would like to say I married her parents but it was in Wisconsin on the weekend of the Thank You Party at St. Bernard’s and I couldn’t go. They have forgiven me and I am faithful for First Communions, Confirmations, and graduations. I had a great time because I know and love the grandparents. One lives nearby and I see more often but the other two are in Wisconsin so I always enjoy catching up with them. Lake Michigan froze over this winter and even the ice breakers got stuck!!! Oh I don’t miss that part about Wisconsin! I just finished the 5:30pm Vigil Mass. Oh, Keep the Pope, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the President of Israel, and the President of the Palestinians in your prayer as they meet on Pentecost in Rome.

And that was my week – Oh I spent a lot of time on the phone. Betty Neary is much better and in re-hab for her shoulder. Pat Watters is in Maine and doing fine on the car trip. Kerry is in the hospital – keep her and Tim (whose father had heart surgery) in your prayers. My cousin, Margaret Stoner is recuperating at her daughter and I hope to get by to see her. David and Kathy Haas are grandparents for the first time. Mozeltof!
Lastly, I learned that Father Barry Gross, who was a teacher at Good Counsel, when I was there and for many years has been the chaplain died peacefully in his chair in his living room a few days ago. Please keep him and the GC community in your prayers.
Have a very blessed and Spirited Pentecost!