Today is Thursday and I have had a wonderful Holy Week and I want to share it with you.
I last wrote on Saturday before Palm Sunday. It was an easy day for me. I had my two baptisms and ask that you remember Constance Joy and Annamieke Francine and their families in your prayers. I met someone for confession and then went to bed early. On Palm Sunday, Rose came and picked me up and she, Patty, Philip and I met Father T for lunch at a nice Greek restaurant that we’ve visited before. It was a nice meal and I came home for the 5:30PM Mass. I saw Fr. Alec and the back door greeting people before Mass and I asked him to come and see me. He agreed to go up and down the aisles and bless the Palm, which I just couldn’t do. I told the people that I borrowed the idea of a “pinch hitter” from the Nationals (our baseball team), which used a “pinch hitter” for the game the other day and he hit a home run! They laughed and applauded Father’s kind and generous gift to the old priest!
On Monday, the 10th, my friend and old roommate, Doug picked me up and we joined his wife, Kathleen, our friend, Mike, and Carlo for lunch. We had a great time and “caught up”. I took the 5:30PM Mass so that the other priests could go to the Chrism Mass. I use to enjoy that but it’s too much moving around now; but it is good to see all the priests of the Archdiocese together. I heard the dinner was good also.
On Tuesday, I had the 8AM Mass and then at Noon said a Mass in the center for the Tuesdays with Maury group. We had about 25. I passed my chalice around so they could see it closer up. We had a good meal afterwards. I met with the young lady who wants to be baptized and then we had “the light is on for you” confessions from 6:30 to 8PM. All 4 of us heard and it was constant. I love it! Mike brought up the Christmas newsletter and I began to put on labels.
Wednesday, the 12th, I had 8AM Mass and then I brought a woman into full Communion and we had confessions again in the evening. Spent most of the day, putting on labels and Joan ran them through the stamp machine.
It was Holy Thursday, and I spent most of the label getting the Christmas newsletter labeled and mailed. At lunch, I mentioned that because of not driving, I would have to miss visiting the 7 churches. Fr. Alec offered to drive me after the evening Mass. I concelebrated the Mass at 7pm and after exposition, we headed out. He chose a nice route and churches that he had checked on their hours of adoration and if they had easy access. We started with our chapel, and then went to St. Thomas, Annunciation, Little Flower, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Bartholomew’s, and Our Lady of Mercy. We got to OLOM at 10:29 and they were closing at 10:30. As we left, Fr. Alec asked if I was tired; but I said, “No, this has invigorated me”. So he said that the assistant pastor had said if we were up to it, we could come by the rectory for a ltiile refreshment. I’m so glad we went. Fr. Chris, the pastor, Fr. Bill, and two seminarians, Tom and Sean made us feel most welcome. We sat out and the garden and laughed and shared about the priesthood. We closed by saying Night Prayer together. We got home around 12:30 and it was one of the nicest Holy Thursdays (the anniversary of the priesthood) that I can remember.
I am enclosing an article that I wrote for the newsletter of the Separated and Divorced Catholic group in the Archdiocese. It is called “At the Well” and as I am the chaplain, they asked me to write something for Lent in March and for Holy Week in April. Here it is.
I hope that Lent has been a faith filled journey for you and that your Lenten program has brought you to a deeper relationship with Jesus. Today, I want to share with you a journey that my family use to take every Holy Thursday and that I have tried to keep up during the years of the priesthood. My Dad was a U.S. Marshall and knew the city of Washington like the back of his hand. In those days, we didn’t have Mass in the evenings because we use to fast from Midnight; so on Holy Thursday, he would drive our Mother and us four kids around to visit 7 Churches. In each church, there was an Altar of Repose, decorated beautifully and full of candles. The Blessed Sacrament was in a special tabernacle only used that night. In each church, people would be “in adoration” until the morning of Good Friday. Every year, we visited Immaculate Conception (where my parents were married); St. Anthony’s (where each of us children were Baptized); St. Martin’s (where we went to school), The Franciscan Monastery; and the crypt of the Shrine (the Upper Church was not built yet). Then every year, my Dad would surprise us with two “new churches”. We visited St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill, St. Mary’s on 5th Street, St. John Baptism de la Salle, St. Matthew’s cathedral and the chapel at Trinity College to name of few of those I remember seeing for the first time. You would say an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be in each church and make a wish if it was the first time you had been to that church. I always prayed that I would come back to that church again sometime – never guessing that I would visit almost all of them and have the privilege of celebrating Mass in them. It’s a great custom and many people still do it. I hope to go this year and know that you and your needs will be taken to the churches in prayer. Have a blessed Holy Week.
I did indeed go and carried in my prayers all of them and all of you.
On Good Friday, I joined in Morning Prayer and then Ginny drove Joan Beall over. It was fun to visit and they brought cookies!. I gave them a bunch of the newsletters to distribute in the parish at St. Camillus. I mailed out about 500 of them (at $.91 cents a piece) and I decided to hand them out when possible. I, then led the Stations of the Cross at Noon. Then I heard confessions from 12:30 till 2PM. Then I was on the altar with Fr. Percy at 3PM for the Passion of the Lord service. Everything was great and well attended but after a little supper, I went to bed.
On the 15th, I heard confessions from Noon till 1:30. Nothing makes you feel more like a priest than hearing confessions. Then my nephew, Jimmy and his kids, Sonny and Trevor, came and took me to Maggie’s. We met Rose at RIP’S for lunch (and to pick up my wallet – which I had left in Rose’s car at the Palm Sunday Greek lunch!). We had a good time but I went to bed early.
On Easter Sunday, the 16th, Mike drove Sue, Maggie, and me to Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Edgewood, Maryland – near Annapolis so I could preside at the 10AM Mass. Saw lots of old friends and family after Mass. They had great cupcakes (400 of them) and cookies. All made by parishioners and given out. I, then presided at the Noon Mass, which was in English and Spanish. I was surprised how easily the Spanish came back to me and they tell me I did well. I only preached in English. Kass drove me by her new digs nearby and then we went to Maggie’s. Sue and Mike served us a great ham dinner and then we played cards. I was ready for bed around 9PM.
On Easter Monday, we all went to BINGO. Maggie goes regularly and Sister Kass, JoAnn, and Kerrie often go. I had a good time but won nothing. Lots of laughs (but mutedly because you can’t disturb the calling of numbers.) Kass drove me home and we stopped by the Scanlon wake. I knew I wouldn’t be up to the funeral on Tuesday. I gave lots of newsletters to Maggie, Kass, and Anna Marie Kinerney to distribute. I only have about 20 left – I had 700 printed.
On Easter Tuesday, the 18th, I had the 8am Mass and the 11, so I took a nap in the afternoon. I had an appointment with the neurologist at 4:15pm. He told me the MRI didn’t show any serious issues and that he recommend I go for therapy for the right arm and my leg. I will look into that next week. For now, I still won’t drive.
On Easter Wednesday, the 19th, I had the 8am Mass. Saw someone for spiritual direction and then went to lunch at the rectory. Stayed the rest of the day in the air conditioning because the pollen is terrible.
Today, I had the 8AM Mass and will have the 11. Then I think it’s back to the suite and the air conditioning.
I had heard from a number of people who got the Christmas newsletter and I loved hearing from them. I may have to run a few more off and people have asked for copies for family and friends. It was worth all the time and work!
I forgot to mention that I carried you and all your intentions with me to the 7 churches on Holy Thursday and on the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, and to the Masses I celebrated on Easter. Hope you felt the Graces and had a blessed Easter.