What Paddy Shot At

Well, back to the update:
On Sunday, August 23rd, I had the 9AM Mass. Afterwards someone came up to me and said, “Today’s your birthday, isn’t it?” I laughed and said, “How do you know?” She said, “You mentioned Maurice and Frances during the remembrance of the dead. You always mention the names of deceased parents at a Mass you offer for someone’s birthday as a Thank you for their giving life to that person. You told us that once in a homily and I always notice it. Today you said your Mom and Dad’s names and I knew it was your birthday!” I thanked her and said, I was glad to know that some people are listening when I preach and when I celebrate birthdays. What a nice way to start my day – and it kept getting better!!!

Then Ceil Mattingly came by. She and I picked up Joan Beall and the three of headed to Southern Maryland. We went to Stoney’s and met up with Maggie and Marie, all of Maggie’s kids and their spouses and three of her grandkids. Our cousins, Rick and Peg Jensen, Sister Kass, and JoAnn Adams. There were 24 of us and we laughed and talked and ate crabs for about 4 hours. What a great way to enter my 72 year of life. I was home about 8pm and saw that I had 138 messages on Facebook and lots of phone messages. I decided that I’d deal with all of them, when I had time (like 3 in the morning, when I can’t sleep and would be able to read or listen to them all). I also had a couple of calls while I was just sitting in my suite. I had a long visit with Dan and Stephanie. I went to bed by 9. I was tired but had a great day.

I was supposed to have the 11am Mass on Monday, the 24th but Fr. Ron took it because he knew the man. So I went and got my haircut and drove up to Westminster and check into a hotel. I took a nap and then showered and went to Manchester for a supper with about 20 priests, 2 ministers, 7 seminarians, and the Archbishop of Baltimore. Our host was Fr. Michael Roach, the pastor of St. Bartholomew’s parish. It was the 150th anniversary of the parish. Had a great time at the dinner and saw lots of old friends. The Mass was at 7:30pm and the church (new) was filled. Afterwards there were refreshments but I drove home and was in bed before 11pm. Glad I went.

On Tuesday, the 25th (anniversary of my Dad’s death), I led a prayer service in the chapel for all the teachers and staff of the school. Sister Mary Ann composed it and it was very moving and a good way to start the year. I’m always glad when they ask me to preside.
Then I had the 11am Mass, exposition, and the 5:30pm Mass. Someone came from Reuters to interview me about the Separated and Divorce Catholics, of whom I am the chaplain. I think it went well but later the Archdiocese called to say that any request like that must go to the chancery. Oh well, another mistake for the retired priest.

On Wednesday, the 26th, I had the 8am Mass and then went to my last therapy session. Nadia says I did very well and actually I can feel the difference in my right leg. I had the 11am Mass and then met with the family of the funeral I will have on Friday. Then I met with a young man who wants to be confirmed with his class and needs some remedial catechism material.

On Thursday, the 27th, I drove Fr. Trancone to a doctor’s appointment and we had lunch at the cheesecake factory. I went to bed early and woke up at 4am and couldn’t get back to sleep. So I opened and read all my Facebook comments. It was so much fun. Lots of old friends and even students from GC as well as all my nieces and nephews and my brother in law in Georgia. I also listen to my phone calls and open up my birthday card that I had brought over from the parish center. I went back to bed around 6:30. Then I got up at 9am for the 11am funeral. Please keep Michael and his family in your prayers. He was 38 and died suddenly of undiagnosed diabetes. The church was standing room as he was very well known as are his family here in the parish and school

Today, Saturday, I am going out to Gate of Heaven for Michael’s burial and then I have the 5:30pm Mass and then I’m driving up to Carmen’s. Fr. Anthony is visiting form Australia and tomorrow we’ll have dinner with lots of their former parishioners at Don and Marlene’s. I’ll report on that social event next time.

Well, as you can see, I didn’t get back to this on Monday, the 24th and I left off on Monday, August 17th. So to continue..

After the morning Mass on the 17th, I had an appointment and then I went to therapy at 2pm. It does seem to be making a difference. That evening, we had guests for supper. Fr. Alec invited a seminarian friend who is at the North American and had a summer assignment at St. Michael’s in Silver Spring and Ryan, who was our seminarian a few years ago and now is a deacon and a student at Theological College at CUA. We had a great time and while Fr. Ron had to leave around 7pm for a meeting, the four of us sat and laughed and talked till almost 9pm. A good time had by all.

On Tuesday, the 18th, I was able to sleep in and had an appointment at 11am and the evening Mass at 5:30pm and the rest of the day, I just relaxed.

On Wednesday, the 19th, I had the 8am Mass and went over to Virginia to meet with John and Ginny, friends from Wisconsin who were visiting their daughter and grandchildren. We went to the Diner for lunch and spent three hours “catching up”. I had to drive home in rush hour but I did OK.

Thursday (Day Off), I went to lunch with JoEddie and Joan at Parkway Diner. I do like Diners! Joan and I miss JoEddie since she retired and we just “caught up”. I had therapy that evening at 5:30 and again, it is improving.

On Friday the 21st, Mary Babbitt, from St. Bernard’s came by to pick up some photos and newspapers about the parish to use for a celebration on Sunday. I had a lot from Monsignor Dade and she was happy to have it. I also found my 8th grade graduation photo, which now hangs on my board in my office. I remember the names of every one of the 54 students! I had the 5:30pm and went to bed early.

On Saturday, the 22nd, I had the 11am Mass and afterwards John and Beth (Horan) Daley and I went out to brunch. They gave us a table way in the back and we ate and talked and laughed from 11:45 till 3pm. I am going to preside at the internment of Helen Horan at Arlington in September. I had nothing to do Saturday night (the eve of my 71st birthday) and so I went to bed early.

I AM GOING TO PUBISH THIS AND WRITE SOME MORE LATER THIS WEEK

I’m in my office getting ready for the 9:00am Mass; I thought I might get started on Paddy and maybe finish after Mass.
I’ve been busy since last I wrote on August 12th. I did go to dinner with Rick and Peg and Kate (their daughter) and James joined us. They wanted to tell me that they are engaged and plan to get married next September or October (2016). They wanted to ask me to officiate. I was happy to agree – although I don’t know what shape I’ll be in by then; but I officiated at their parents’ wedding and baptized Kate, so I want to continue the tradition. We’ll leave the future to God’s hand. James is from upper state New York and is a police officer in Virginia. They are very happy and well suited to each other. He’s already met most of our crazy family – myself included – and still wants to join us; so I consider that a good sign.

On Thursday, August 13, (my Day Off) I had therapy at 9:30am and then drove over to the Mall and met Sharon Beall for a movie. We saw Mission Impossible and it was very good. Then we had lunch and a nice long visit. She is retired Secret Service but keeps busy and we’ve been trying to get together for awhile.
That evening, a young couple I married about two years ago stopped at the rectory to talk. They are expecting their first child in a couple of weeks. They are the couple who went on their honeymoon to Italy and got their picture with the Pope. He meets and blesses newly married couples and they brought me a great picture of them and Pope Francis. Isn’t God good!!

I had an easy day on Friday. I had the 8am and 5:30pm Masses but the rest of the day, I just hung around.

On Saturday, I had the 11am Mass and then headed South to go to Jordan’s wedding. She’s Maggie’s oldest grandchild. She looked beautiful and the whole affair was lovely. No humidity and so we sat outside – overlooking the Potomac River. Almost all my nieces and nephews and their families were there. It was a great time! I had a little trouble with the long drive and they helped me get there and I drove home. Was in bed by 11pm.

On Sunday, I had the 10:30am Mass and the 5:30pm. I also met with Kevin and Abby, whose wedding I have in October. It was an easy and pleasant day.

On Monday, the 17th, I had the 8am Mass. It was a Mass of Thanksgiving and Remembrance for the couple who gave the $1000 check to the Foundation for the pantries. I’M GONNA POST THIS AND HEAD DOWN TO SOUTHERN MARYLAND FOR CRABS. WILL FINISH ON MONDAY.

I don’t know where the time goes. It seems like only a couple of days ago that I wrote but (according to Joan Beall) it was 2 Sundays ago. So let me bring you up to date.

On Monday, August 3 I laid low and spent much of the day relaxing. I had the 11am and 5:30pm Masses; but I stayed over in the rectory except for those times. It was hot and humid.

Tuesday, I slept in and didn’t come to the office till after lunch. I had exposition at 3 and the 5:30pm Mass.

On Wednesday, I had the 8AM Mass and decided I had to get my hair cut; so I drove over to Wheaton. I felt OK about driving but will feel safer when I see the doctor on Friday.

Thursday, the 6th was my day off and I stayed over in the rectory most of the day. I did go down for supper with the guys. I forgot to say that I usually do try to have at least one meal with Frs. Ron, Alec, and Percy. I enjoy the banter and the stories we tell to welcome Fr. Alec into the fraternity of the Washington priesthood. He seems to enjoy it also.
Today is the feast of the Transfiguration. It was 44 years ago that I met Dan Poje. He was a student in summer school at CUA and lived in the dorm with Larry Gully, whom I went to school with in Wisconsin. He was here to study music. He was a superb organist. It was his birthday and he invited the whole dorm to a party. He invited me because I was in DC for my deacon summer at St. Teresa’s. Dan and I just hit it off and have been friend ever since. I called him and Stephanie and we had a nice long talk. They were great “host” to us when the girls and I went to Memphis to get on the cruise down the Mississippi.

Friday, the 7th, I had the 8am Mass and then went to Dr. Bernstein. He had looked at the MRI and after checking my leg, he thought that some therapy would give me more confidence about my right foot and that I’d be OK to drive. I will do the therapy in the same building and will start on Tuesday.

On Saturday, I had a baptism at noon and another at 1pm. Please keep Nora Katherine and Lucy Pauline and their families in your prayers. I tell a little story at baptisms about my experience at Swissvale, Pa as a deacon. Almost every time, there is someone in the congregation from that area. This week the great great grandmother was from Rankin, which is a little burg next to Swissvale. I use to drive through it to go to Kennywood.
Small world!!

I had the 5:30pm Mass and relaxed. I forgot to say that almost every day, I call Jerry Trancone just to talk. He is living at O’Boyle (our priest retirement house). He wants to be back with the deaf community, whom he served for over 40 years. Keep him in your prayers.

On Sunday the 9th, I had the 9am Mass and then Cardinal McCarrick came to say the 10:30. He is our retired former bishop and lives nearby. He just goes out to parishes and say a Mass. I love when he comes because – as he did this day -, he joins us for coffee and refreshments in the rectory dining room and regales us with stories of the Church. He continues to visit Easter Rite areas of the church and told us about a bishop who has just been made Venerable . A real modern day martyr.

I had planned to stay home but I called Mary Ann, (my oldest niece and my God child) because it was her birthday. I asked her what she was doing and she said that she, her mother (Marie) and her children were going to dinner at Magiano’s, which is about 5 minute ride from here. So I interjected myself into the dinner and joined them. We had a great time and a friend, Mike and a school mate of her daughter, who is from Honduras were there as well. Nice way to celebrate her xxx birthday. (No numbers were discussed)

Monday, the 10th, I called Tom DuBusky for his birthday but he was out (He called me the next day but we still haven’t talked). I had exposition and 5:30pm Mass and then relaxed.

On Tuesday, the 11th, I had the 8am Mass and then went to therapy. It was very interesting and my therapist is a young woman who is from Jamaica. I do think my leg and foot feel “looser”. We’ll see.

I went to Suzanne and Jim’s for supper, where I met a young seminarian who is a student in Rome. His name is Robert. I enjoyed him very much and the whole evening was delightful and full of talk about a wide range of topics. The food was great – especially a cold carrot soup and a key lime pie. I didn’t get home till after 11pm.

This morning, I had the 8am Mass and will have the 11am. I have an appointment around 2pm and then my cousin, Rick and Peg are coming by around 7pm and we’ll go out to dinner. I always enjoy my time with them.

Since I was going to stay here at the office, I thought this might be a good time to work on Paddy.

So, as you can see – not being able to drive has kept me close to home and keeping off my feet. I hope that means, I’ll soon by driving and “running around”. We’ll see.

I have an unusually easy weekend; so I thought I’d write and ‘catch’ you up.

First, thanks to all of you who prayed for the retreat that I couldn’t go on. It went very well and lots of people felt God’s grace in answer to our prayers. Another retired priest, David Russell came and had Mass and I hear that the small and large group sharing went well.

On Monday, July 27th, I had the 6:30am Mass and around 10am, Sister Kass came and drove me up to Latrobe, Pa. She is an excellent driver and I just relaxed. We talked about everything and the time flew by. We got to the motel around 3pm and Frs. Bob Norton and Tom Kredel met us there. We talked and relaxed and then we went to an Italian restaurant at the airport. It’s one of my favorites and that night it was my favorite place to be because we got together with Tish and Joanne Rossi (from St. Paul’s, where we taught CCD), Josephine Merenda and her daughter, Denise (from Forbes Road, where I taught CCD) and Sheila and Keith Morris, and Betty DeLuca (my friends from St. Anselm’s in Swissvale, where I was a deacon). We laughed and talk – and ate! It was what I know it’s going to be like in heaven. I had 2 Marguerites and I slept like a baby.

On Tuesday, Bob, tom and I went to St. Vincent’s. We concelebrated the Mass for Priests’ Day with the new bishop of Greensburg, who was very nice and gave a good homily. Then we had a delicious luncheon and sat with some other good friends from seminary days. Bob was very solicitous of me and drove me to the doors to drop off and went and got the car cooled off when he picked me up. I was most grateful because it must have been 98 degrees and humid and I am still having trouble with my right leg.
I decided not to stay and go to the cookout at 4, so Bob took me back to the hotel and we had a great visit. I took a nap and when he got to the cookout, he told Bill Feeney and Rich Wesolowski (the 5 of us were a real team 40 years ago! that I was at the hotel and they came and we had a nice visit. Sister Kass had gone off to the casino for the day and when she got back, we went to Eat’N Park (another one of my hangouts from Seminary days).

On Wednesday, the 29th, we had breakfast around 8:30am and then headed home. Again, it was hot and humid but with the air-conditioning on, we were very comfortable. We solved all the problems of the Church and the world and had a great time. We made such good time and were relaxed and we decided not to stop to eat. We were back at SBS (Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament) before 2pm. I was glad that Kass could get headed back to Baltimore before the rush hour. I took a nap and then joined the priests for supper. Again, I slept very well (without the Margaritas!)

On Thursday, I said the 11am Mass because I wanted to be in the office for a little while and catch up on stuff. It was not as humid but I did use the oxygen. I went home and took a nap as I was being picked up to go and do a Home Mass. A good friend’s aunt Nan from Boston (the Matriarch) was in town and all the family was coming for Mass and a great spread of food. I love it and felt fine because I sat for everything. It’s a wonderful family and some drove up from the Carolinas to be there. Another example of my view of heaven. when I got home, I stayed in my suite where it was cool. I called Betty Neary and we had a nice long talk and caught up.

On Friday, I said the 8AM Mass and went home and relaxed. At 12:45pm, Brian came and drove me down to the cathedral for Cardinal William Baum’s funeral. He drove me down an alley and we push a button and the rector, Msgr. Ron opened the door and let us into the sacristy. I got vested and was led out to the pews. I was able to go up to the casket and see the Cardinal. I met him in 1968, when I was a seminarian and he was head of the office for Ecumenism at the Bishops’ Conference. He was my brother in law Mac’s cousin and was on the altar at his and Maggie’s wedding. We corresponded and you can imagine how thrilled I was when was named Archbishop of Washington in 1973. He use to come to the musicals that the teen club put on at St. Camillus and he was a wonderful spiritual mentor. Fr. Beattie and I joined him, Msgrs Duffy and Bazan for lunch on April 18th at the Little Sisters where they live. We had a great time and afterwards he asked me to take him in his wheelchair back to his room. We had a nice visit and talked about Lorenzo (Albacete – a dear friend of us both) who died much too young earlier this year.
The funeral was grand and lots of seminarians, priest, bishops, and Cardinals. Our cardinal Wuerl presided and preach. He was very good and captured the man and the priest in his humility and ministry of reconciliation (his episcopal motto). Afterwards, I got a chance to visit with my sisters and my niece, who also had a chance to speak with cousins of the Cardinal from Missouri and Texas. In 73, when I was a young priest, I drove out to Dulles airport and picked up the Cardinal’s McLaughlin cousins and drove them around to various events during the weekend of his installation. It turned out two of them were there and we talked for a little bit about that great event!
Then Brian got me to the sacristy to unvest. Although most of them had left, Brian pointed out that this is where the Cardinals (and Msgr. O ) vested. I hadn’t noticed. He then led me out the door to the alley and because we were stopped there, some of the Cardinals had to walk aways to their cars. I felt badly but also knew that Cardinal Baum would have loved that little story.

On Saturday, August 1st, I met someone for spiritual direction and then I had the 11am funeral. Please keep Bill, his wife, Mary and their family in your prayers. He had a great and interesting life. He worked for the Bishops’ Conference but I really knew him as a daily Mass goer. I rode out to the cemetery with the funeral director and he brought me back. I took a nap and then had the 4pm Confessions. I spent the evening on the phone and doing emails. I worked on my homily and went to bed around 11pm

Today, I had the 10:30am Mass and discovered that the deacon was preaching. I was please for two reasons: the church air-conditioning went out and the church was muggy and the deacon preached on what I was going to say. I bet a lot of people heard a homily on the Gospel about Jesus identifying himself as the Eucharist; but that is not what scripture scholars (Fr. Demetrius etc.)say. When the people ask what they should do, Jesus says “believe in him whom God sent”. Even though he had just fed the 5000, Jesus was not talking about the Eucharist, he was say faith in him will feed us. That’s why having faith is first and foremost if we would be his followers. I was so glad to hear the Deacon preach that!!

Now I’m just sitting here. I was supposed to have the clergy-led baptismal prep session but our young priest, Fr. Alec is taking it. He is only with us until September 15th and is always willing to have new experiences; so he will have it and I’ll just set up for him.
It is a drag that I can’t drive until I talk with the doctor. So Fr. T (who also can’t drive) and I are being picked up by the Petrone women and we’re going out to lunch. It will be great to see them all. It’s not muggy but I think it is hot and I will enjoy spending the evening in my suite.

So that’s what happening. I hope I can drive soon. I need a haircut!