What Paddy Shot At

I just returned from Tuesdays With Fr. Maury and since I have Confirmation interviews beginning at 3pm; I though I would try to get something written. My last message was on January 11th and I’ve done a lot in two weeks.

On Thursday, the 12th, I had the 11am Mass and then went home to rest. Then I got a ride to see Dr. Solomon. He looked at my legs and said that the Fibrosis was not affecting them. He suggested I see my other doctor. I went by to see her office and will set up an appointment. It might be the weather because I ache in all my joints. I went to bed early.

Friday was the 13th but I never think of that as dangerous or evil. I slept in and then had an appointment and the exposition and 5:30pm Mass. I spent some time cleaning my room as they keep telling us the weather will be snow.

Saturday, the 14th was icy and the family asked to move the baptism to Sunday. I was glad to do it as it was icy and cold. I did the 4pm confessions and returned to the rectory and went to bed early.

During the night, my bed broke. I wasn’t hurt and so I just slept with the head lower than my body. I could see that the slats were cracked and so I guess I’ll get a new bed. I had the 7:30AM Mass and ate a good breakfast. The family came at 11:15 for the baptism. Please keep Maggie Catherine and her family in your prayers. I baptized the dad and married them and now I have the privilege of baptizing their first baby. I spent the rest of the day, taking apart the bed, so I could sleep in the two mattresses. It wasn’t difficult.

It was my DAY OFF on Monday, the 16th but Father Percy left today for India and Fr. Ron is away for a couple of days, so I told Fr. Alec that I would take the 11am Mass. Then I cleaned my room.

Tuesday, I had the 8AM Mass and the 5:30PM. I had an appointment at noon and then I took a nap because I had confirmation interviews in the afternoon. I always enjoy them and these 6 were fun.

Wednesday, I had the 8 and 5:30 Masses again and the interviews from 3 to 5. Humberto left food for me in my room and it was early bed.

On Thursday, the 19th, I had the 8 and 11Am Masses. confirmation interviews. Fr. Ron and I had supper together. Early to bed.

I only had the 8AM on Friday and spent the whole day, trying to straighten up my rooms and watched the inauguration. confirmation interviews.

On Saturday, the 21, I had the 8AM Mass and then drove over and picked up Fr. Trancone. We drove to Bowie and met Patty and Rose Petrone and Philip for lunch at a nice Italian place. I had shrimp scampi, which I really like. We had a good time talking about the inauguration and the women’s march which was on a TV and looked huge. After I dropped Jerry off, I decided to take my watch to a repair shop in Kensington. It is a good watch that Good Counsel gave me on my 10th Anniversary. I really liked it. It was a Seiko and it stopped working about 20 years ago and I went to a couple of stores but they couldn’t repair it. I went in here and he said, “the battery needs replacement”. It took less than 10 minutes and cost $15.00, I’ve been buying and using Timex watches – and they don’t keep the best time. This is running great and I am so happy to have it back.

On Sunday, I had the 10:30am in the church. The music was great and I preached about our being the light of the world. Jesus came to those in darkness and it is now our sacred duty to share light to any who feel the darkness of doubt and discouragement. It just seemed so necessary with all that angry and hurt of the last few days. After Mass, I went and picked up Jerry again and we went to Franklin’s – a restaurant in Hyattsville. I had been there before because we went as a family to eat in the time between the afternoon visitation and the evening wake for Marie at Gasch’s, which was nearby. This time, we met Jim and Vera Degenhardt, Bernie Degenhardt, and Gail Battle. We were celebrating Jim’s 90th birthday. It was a good meal and even with the rain, we had a good time.  I was glad to get home and into my mattresses.

Although Monday is my DAY OFF, I took the 8AM Mass because it was Kevin Mulholland’s 64th birthday. He died about two years ago and is Brian’s brother. He, his Mom Jane, and other brother, Jay all came to the Mass. It was a nice Mass and part of what we Catholic families’ do to remember those we love.  I went to my office and told Joan I was ‘Not in” because I was going to spend the day opening and reading my Christmas mail. It took almost 7 hours. I checked and updated addresses; I looked and read each letter or note; and I put the pictures aside to fill my bulletin board. I was suppose to be picked up by Coleen and driven to a SDC meeting and dinner in Virginia; but as I was leaving my office at 2pm, I discovered it had been raining hard all day. Joan walked me home under an umbrella but the wind and rain were hard and I was exhausted when I got to the rectory. I called Colleen and apologized that I just couldn’t go out again. I signed in for dinner, took a nap and ate dinner with the guys and then continued reading and organizing my Christmas mail list until about 11pm.

Today, I had the 11am Mass and preached on St. Francis, whom I learned to love from my Mom. Then I had Tuesdays with Fr. Maury and our topic was “Americans who are in the Pipeline to become saints” I had researched nine people who are “Servants of God” and nine who are “Venerable”. We had a great time and learned and shared. Since I have confirmation interview soon, I stayed and tried to get this message done. I am being picked up at 5pm and being driven to Hyattsville to have supper at Bethlehem House, a group home. One of the residents is Mary Horan, whose family I have known since I was a kid at St. Bernard’s, where they lived. Her sister, Pat is a classmate and lives in California. Mary and I are old friends; so I am looking forward to that visit.

I think that brings you up to date. Of course, I am on the phone a lot and keep up with people that way. I really am working on my Christmas letter from 2007 – 20016. So don’t give up on me.

I had the 8AM Mass today and will also have the Exposition at 3PM and the 5:30PM Mass, so I thought I’d try to work on Paddy. The last time I wrote was on the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus – January 3rd.

The rest of that week, I stayed close to home. It was very cold and although I did say Mass every day (2 on Thursday); I wasted time working on genealogy and resting in my suite. They kept telling us that snow or an ice storm was coming so I didn’t want to go out.

On Friday, the 6th, I had the 8AM Mass and then drove out to RIP’s and met Kass for lunch. Then we went to the Verizon store. I had suspended my phone service when I left the phone in her car and so she brought it back to me. It was a “flip” phone and once I restored its service; I purchased a new phone. I thought it was an I phone but I have learned it has a S – 7 (whatever that means). It looks like the I phone everyone else has. The next few days were a comedy of errors. I have to “unlock” it whenever I want to use it. Also when someone calls me, I thought I just had to push the green phone picture to answer but that was not true and lots of people who called me had to leave a message. Then the message told them my mailbox was full and they sent me an email message instead. I really am not sure I’m going to be able to do this!!!   More later!!

On Saturday, the 7th, the snow finally came and the pastor helped me across the street to the parish center. I had a baptism at 11:30. Please keep Giovanna Rose and her family in your prayers. She is the great grand – daughter of Beth McCoy. Some of the family were able to get here and it is always a delight to see them and “catch up”. I had the 5:30PM Mass and I think I had a good homily for the Epiphany. Carolyn helped me get back to the rectory. I think we had 3 inches or so and it froze up after dark. I was suppose to go out to supper with Mary Alice McGreevy and Marilyn Cavallaro; but they live in West Virginia and I called and told them we’d reschedule. I went to bed early.

On Sunday, they had re-organized the altar in the gym so that I could have that Mass at 10:30AM. Deacon Harry helped me and I was able to give out Communion. It really was so nice to be there again. I think I’ll ask to be put back on the schedule for the gym Mass. I made a nice breakfast and stayed in my suite all evening. It was very cold and I realized that the upper parts of two of the windows were open. I just hunkered down in my many blankets.

Monday was my “Day Off”, so I just stayed in my suite. I thought I slept well and when I got up, I remembered it was my niece, Mary Ann’s birthday, so I called her. She reminded me that her birthday is August 9th and I was a little early. You get like your first pastor!!!   Preston came and fixed the windows and I was nice and cozy. Worked on genealogy and getting things ready for “Tuesdays with Fr. Maury”, which I would have the next day. I called Maggie that night to see if she had gone to BINGO. She had gone with Kerri, who was off school because they had about 8 inches of snow! She also told me that she knew about my calling Mary Ann 8 months early!! No secrets in this family.

Tuesday was January 10th and I had both the 8AM and the 11AM Masses. Fr. Percy is away. It was Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time and we’re back to Green vestments and altar cloth. That was also the topic for our Tuesdays meeting. We had a very nice discussion about the liturgical calendar. At the 10:30 Mass in the church last Sunday, they had heard the Proclamation of when Ash Wednesday, Easter, and Pentecost would be. It’s an old custom and some of them remembered hearing it as children. I always liked it and am glad to see we are doing it here at Blessed Sacrament. Also we had some very good food. Our cook has returned and so I joined Frs. Ron and Alec for supper.

Today, I have had time to write this and think I’ll go to the rectory for lunch. I’ll take a nap and then come back for Exposition. Also I called the phone company and removed all the messages in my mailbox and now people can leave me messages. I also learned how to recover my messages.  Also Kass in giving me some more help with the phone. It is a slow process!!

Joan B passed on to me an email from Anne Turner and it was so nice to hear from her. I do so want to get some kind of Christmas letter out to all those who haven’t heard from me since 2007. What can I do??

Christmas was lovely and peaceful. I had the 6pm vigil Mass and God sent me a special gift – a young man whom I taught in 6th grade came into the sacristy to see me before Mass and let me know he was in college in Virginia. It was so good to see him and his family and know that all was well.

I concelebrated the Midnight and as I promised, I mentioned all of you, your families and your needs during the Mass. I got up and had the 10:30 Mass on Christmas Day. We had lots of people at all the Masses and the music was just lovely. I went home and made a real breakfast of bacon and eggs; and then went up to my room, wrapped up in my new blanket and napped as I watch a marathon of “Leave it to Beaver”. It was very relaxing.

On Monday, the 26th, I lounged around my suite and had chicken soup. I used the phone a lot to catch up with old friends. I had a nice long talk with Pat Watters in Canada. Some people I called were not home but I left messages for them. I relaxed.

On Tuesday, the 27th, I had Exposition and the evening Mass. I went to bed early as my legs are bothering me.

On Wednesday, I was planning to meet Kass in Laurel but I “wimped out”. My legs are bothering me. I did call Fr. Beattie and found that he is home and also has leg problems. I finished up stuff at my desk and after the evening Mass, went to bed early.

Had the 11am Mass on Thursday, It was a quiet day.

On Friday, the 30th, I had the evening Mass and went to bed early. Called and talked with Maggie, who was having a good time in Kansas and Patrick Berry, who is heading out on a cruise in January = the same one we took last year that Marie went on.

I stayed in bed till about 3pm, when I went over to the parish center and “cleaned the desk”. I had the 5:30PM Mass and had a good homily about a resolution to know Jesus better so as to share knowledge of Him with others. I laid on the bed and kind of watched the ball come down.

On  the 1st. I drove over to visit Joan and Ginny. They had made a “stocking” for me – as well as cookies. I had a nice time and was comfortable on the beltway as there was little traffic. I napped for the rest of the morning and afternoon,  as I had the 5:30pm Mass. I repeated my homily. It seemed to work well.

On Monday, the 2nd, Kass came and picked me up and we went for a nice lunch at Clyde’s. We had a good time “catching up” and except that I misplaced my phone, it was a great time. She gave me a number of different Hot Chocolates and I tried one before I went to bed. It was delicious!

Today is Tuesday, the 3rd and I had the 11am Mass  and just had an appointment. Am going over to the rectory and have some soup and rest. My legs are still bothering me but I don’t know what that means. Hope you all have a blessed New Year.