What Paddy Shot At

I am beginning this at 3:30pm on Wednesday, the 24th as I am in the parish center because I have the 5:30PM Mass. I will finish it up tomorrow when I have the 8AM Mass and I will publish it then.

I last wrote on August 11th but I mentioned what I’d be doing for the following days. I did drive Fr. Beattie to the funeral in Southern Maryland – and it was as hot as they forecasted. I’m glad we went and we saw lots of old friend. It was a good turn out as he had been pastor there for over thirty years. RIP
That evening I went to Gaithersburg and had a great time and supper with former GC students and their spouses and children and their Moms. Two former teachers came and we laughed and talked and teased for hours. I didn’t even notice the heat outside on my return.

Spent all day Saturday in my suite. And on Sunday, the missionary preached and after 9AM Mass, I was picked up by Joe and Pat Villani and we had lunch. It was so enjoyable to hear about some of their travels and just fun to be with old friends. Later in the day, My nephew, Michael came and got the tickets and I went to bed early. I had the 11AM Mass on the Assumption but it wasn’t very crowded because it was not a Holy Day of Obligation. I stayed in my suite as it was over a 100 degrees.

On Wednesday, the 17th, I had the evening Mass and afterwards, Brian took me and the Vittones out to supper with him at a nearby Italian restaurant. We had a great time. They are wonderful parishioners; but I have known them since their sons were at GC. We got home just before a terrible storm came. I was sure we’d lose power so I kept my lantern nearby but it just made noise and rained a lot.

On Thursday, I had the 8AM Mass and then drove Jerry to the doctor’s. We stopped in Queenstown to eat at a place called “Atlantic Seafood”. It was very good. I went to bed early and didn’t set the alarm as I didn’t have Mass on Friday.

On the 19th, I drove to Rick and Peg’s and left my car there. They drove me to the hotel in Alexandria and I took a nap. At 5:30, they got me and we went to St. Mary’s for the wedding rehearsal. There was a young priest there who could not have been nicer and he helped so that everything went well. We went to Joe Theisman’s for dinner and I had a great time seeing all my cousins and meeting James’s parents. I returned to my room around 10pm and slept well.

On Saturday, I worked on my homily and tried to relaxed. I was still nervous about getting around the old fashioned altar area with my oxygen. Around 6, Rick and Peg picked me up and we went to the church. The wedding was at 7pm and the young priest had gotten three altar servers who helped me get around. I preached from a chair – and fortunately there is a great sound system there – so I could be heard. James and Kate smiled through the whole service. Aunt Debbie and Kristin gave out Communion and that worked out well. We went to the Torpedo Factory for the reception and there was a great breeze coming from the Potomac. Maggie and Kerri sat with me, Rick and Peg, James’s parents Jim and Lucy and the best man and his wife and a neighbor. We all had a wonderful time. Music and food were great and lots of people up dancing – not me!

We took a lovely shuttle back to the hotel. Maggie and Kerri shared my room and we laughed and talked for hours.
In the morning, they dropped me off at Rick and Peg’s. They can’t be out of Southern Maryland for very long!!!
We had a nice brunch out under a tent (It was not hot!) and again I got a chance to see and “catch up” with relatives. I left around Noon and went right home and to bed!

On Monday, the 22nd, I did a homily during a prayer service for the faculty of our school. It was great to see them all again. I had the 5:30PM Mass and it was very nice that all four of us priests were at supper together again. It’s been while.

As you can tell – even though the weather was rough, I still had a great time. The dinner with the GC crowd and the wedding of my cousins were especially delightful. God is so good to me.

It’s getting close to time for Mass, so I’ll close and write another message in a day or two.

It is going to be about 100 degrees today. I had the 8AM Mass and have the 5:30PM Mass also, so I think I’ll try to spend the day here in my office and not go back to the rectory. The air conditioning is not as low as it is in my suite but I also have a huge fan and I will relax here and finally write something for Paddy.

Let’s see, I last wrote on July 29th. I did go out to Barnesville for the chicken dinner and Mass on the 30th. We then drove to Brian’s brother’s house for the birthday party. It was a torrential storm and some of you may have seen the news about the flooding in Ellicott City. We were in Colombia, which is higher than the City. The house lost electricity but fortunately, Brian was driving and I was a quiet (and prayerful) passenger. Glad to get home. I had the 10:30 Mass on Sunday and retired to my suite.

On Monday, August 1st, I had the 11am Mass and then met with an appointment about a program we are having in the Fall encouraging Confessions. I’m glad to be involved in that. Today was hot but not full of humidity.

I had the 8AM Mass on Tuesday and since the humidity was lower, I picked up Fr. Jim Beattie and we went to his favorite restaurant (IHOP) for lunch. I wanted him to have a ride in my new car because it has a handle over the passenger seat and he can pull himself into the car. I use to have to open the moon roof so he could pull himself in. We had a great time.

I had the 5:30PM Mass on Wednesday and I spent much of the day relaxing in my suite and working on the jig saw puzzle that Carolyn’s sister loaned me. Fr. Alex came and helped me after supper.

I had the 8AM Mass on Thursday and drove up to visit Betty Neary. I’ve been trying to get up there since October; but the weather (snow, ice and or heat) has kept me home. The humidity was not bad today and her daughter, Mary Elizabeth and her grand daughter, Theresa joined us for lunch. We had a great time. Betty looks great and while she does have a cane, she gets around a lot. I took her a magazine from Good Counsel that had a great article about a boy who use to be in our musicals and now is a movie star in LA. He was and is a great guy.

It’s been hot again. And so most of the week, I’d come over for Mass and then return to the suite. I keep it at 62 degrees and someone said to me, “You could hang meat in here” and I said, “I am!” I’ve been watching the Olympics and I can’t believe how exciting it is.

On Saturday, the 6th, I did go out to Manor Country Club for Gloria Poulos’ 90th birthday. I have known her since I was a seminarian. Her husband was Monsignor Dade’s altar boy when he was at St. Patrick’s and I use to drive him to their house for great spaghetti dinners. She is now living at Leisure World and is one of my “girls” I have lunch with out there. Her kids and grandkids were there as were lots of old friends of mine. Her sister is Vickie Donoghue from St. Bernard’s, her brother-in-law was Archbishop Donoghue of Atlanta. I sat with her and had a great time. Terry Gribbin was there with Mary Alise, her wife and I caught up on their family. I met a lot of “old time Washington” people and I even met a lady who is best friends with the daughter of a distant cousin of mind. I had a ball and “endured” the humidity. Came home and had the 5:30PM Mass (the deacon preached) and afterwards, I relaxed and watched the Olympics.

On Sunday, the 7th, I had the 9AM Mass and again the deacon preached. Then I drove to the Mayflower, which is a senior citizens’ apartment near St. Jane de Chantel, and had brunch with four friends. We had a great time and I came back to the air conditioning and watched the Olympics.

On Monday, the 8th and Tuesday, the 9th, I had Masses and then came back to the suite.

On Wednesday, the 10th, Joan drove me up to a new dentist for a cleaning and evaluation. My dentist, whom I’ve had for 40 years has decided to retire (Can you imagine that?). He was great and in College Park and I’ll miss him. When I told Joan W that I needed a dentist; she suggested this new one whose office is about 2 miles away near St. Ann’s. Well it was wonderful and his assistant, Kate is from Pittsburgh and the dentist has a sister whom I met about 5 years ago. She was Fr. Bill Feeney’s secretary at Immaculate Conception in Little Washington. It is a small world. I had the evening Mass and then to the Olympics.

Today, I had the 8AM Mass and will have the 5:30PM. Father Ron will be back on the weekend and so we’ll be back to one Mass a day starting next week.

tomorrow, Friday is the funeral for Msgr Marty Harris from St. John’s in Hollywood. I use to go there for the month of August when I was at Good Counsel so that he could go on vacation. He was 92 and living in retirement near the parish. He was also Fr. Ron’s first pastor and so he is staying down there and preaching tonight at the Wake. I am picking up Fr. Beattie at 8:15am and we are going down to the funeral at 11AM. It’s going to be near 100 but we both feel we should go. In the evening I am having supper with people from GC.

Saturday, I have nothing, so I will spend the day in the suite and recover.

On Sunday, I have the 7:30AM Mass but we have missionaries preaching at all the Masses, so I can relax. Joe and Pat Villani are coming by after the 10:30AM Mass and we’re going to Clyde’s for lunch. Then back to the suite.

Monday is the Assumption; it is not a Holy day of Obligation but the office will be closed. I’ll have the 11AM Mass and then go back to the suite.

Since I’ve not been doing much work, I spent the week on the phone (in the cool suite). I talked to Fr. John Bohrer, Joe Stoutz, Patrick Berry and Roger Menting. We were all in the seminary together in Wisconsin and it was great to catch up. I called Dwight but he was probably out on his tractor getting in the hay. Which is what my bother-in-law Rick Thompson was doing when I called him. Dwight just called me back and we had a great talk. He is busy in retirement and will be helping out a Catholic High school in the Fall.
I’ve also talked with Eileen Lee Baughan. Her surgery was rough but she seems to be doing well now and is home. Terry McConnell also has been ill but is on the mend. My friend, Antonia is busy visiting doctors. Fr. David Mudd has also been ill. Please keep all these people in your prayers.

Well, I’m going over to the rectory for lunch and then a nap and back for the evening services. God bless.