What Paddy Shot At

There has been a lot going on over the last two weeks and I want to bring you up to date.

When last I wrote, it was Tuesday, April 3rd and I was waiting for the delivery of the oxygen. Well it didn’t come and so on Wednesday, the 4th, I used my DAY OFF to watch for the delivery. It didn’t come that day either but it came on Thursday, the 5th and the man who brought it explained to me (and actually to Fr. Alec, who seemed to understand and asked good questions) and I started to use it in conjunction with the concentrator. To me, it just means more plastic tubing and electrical cords to trip over but we shall see.

On Friday, the 6th, I had the 8 AM Mass and then a parishioner drove me to Stone Ridge, where I gave a talk on Pope Francis to the alumnae of schools run by the Madams of the Sacred Heart. I’ve given a couple of talks and they are an audience who have good questions and comments. I then said Mass. I was sorry to have to tell them that I wouldn’t be able to come anymore. My doctor told me that I need to go on oxygen more of the time – especially if I am going to move about. I will have to learn how to do that. It means more “equipment” to carry around. The Petrones came and picked me up and I got a new pair of pants and some food shopping done.

On Saturday, the 7th, I had the baptism of William George, who parents I married and whose old brother I had baptized. They were willing to do it in the chapel, where I could remain seated and they would bring the baby up to me. It went without a hitch and I was so glad to see their large family together again. At 4pm, I had confessions and came home to an early bedtime.

On the 8th, I had the 7:30 am Mass and stayed over in the parish center to con-celebrate the 10:30 am Mass, where a young man I met through Fr. Regis was being confirmed. It was beautiful and Billy, who was confirmed last year was his sponsor this year. Both will graduate from CUA next month and give me great hope for the church. Please add Cameron to your prayers.  I had planned to visit with some friends at Maplewood but the weekend tuckered me out and I had to call and say I was too tired. I went to bed.

On Monday, the 9th, I slept in until I went over for the 11 am Mass. It is so cold that I returned and stayed in the suite the rest of the day.

Tuesday, the 10th, I had the 8 am Mass and then the 11 am Mass was a funeral for Marty Lagoy, who was our facilities director for 15 years. He developed cancer and went through treatment for the last three years. He had a wonderful family and there were 6 priests on the altar. Keep his family in your prayers.  I went over to the Manning center around 12:30 because there were 14 people who came over for Tuesdays with Fr. Maury. We had a good discussion about the Pope and we had some good food. I was ready for bed early.

Wednesday is my DAY OFF and I asked to have someone come and explain about the oxygen. They did, and I feel a little more confident of it.

Thursday, I had the 8 and 11 Masses again and it was rainy so I came back to the suite.

On Friday, a parishioner, Frank picked me up at 11am and drove me to Annapolis, where we had lunch with his brother and sister-in-law. The Vita family were long time Bernard’s parishioners and he brother is Msgr. Al Schwartz, who is now Venerable and on his way to Sainthood. He was ordained here in Washington and spent his priestly life with the orphans of Korea, the Philippines, and other places in Asia. He developed ALS (know as Lou Generic’s disease) and is a real inspiration. I used his autobiography, “Killing me Softly” as my Lenten spiritual reading. I was recommend him to your prayers. Also I learned today the Msgr. James Beattie died peacefully in his rooms at Our Lady of Lourdes rectory in Bethesda. More about that later.

On Saturday, the 14th, I had a baptism of twins. I had brought their mom into the Church 6 years ago and then officiated at the wedding. Baptize their son, three years ago and now the twins. Please keep William Charles and Eleanor Mary and their family in your prayers.  They sent me a photo from afterwards and if the young priest can figure out how I can do it; I will enclose a picture.

On Sunday, the 15th, I had the 7:30 am Mass and then at 11:30, I brought a woman into full Communion and baptized her two children. We had a nice crowd and at some point I will give the son, First communion. Please keep all of them in your prayers.  In the afternoon, Rose, Patty and I went out to lunch and to do a little food shopping. We went to a Roy Rodgers and had great friend chicken. I didn’t even know they still existed.

On Monday, the 16th, I had the 11am Mass and then took a nap. I ate supper early (around 4:30pm) and then Brian drove me over to our Lady of Lourdes for Father Beattie’s wake and Mass.  I preached and I was very grateful to Brian for getting me around and to be able to sit on a stool and preach. Lots of former parishioners and priests came and I saw and talked to lots of people I hadn’t seen in years. One of them was a little boy whose family I knew well and he will be ordained a Benedictine deacon in a few months. My life has been blessed with so many wonderful people of faith as was Father Beattie’s.

On Tuesday, the 17th, It was cold but once I sat down in the church, I used the oxygen and it brought my breathing into a good rhythm and I just stayed there through the service. The church was filled to standing room and another 60 priests were there. The Cardinal presided and Msgr. Filardi, the pastor of Lourdes preached. He was excellent and captured the man of faith and hope that Fr. Beattie was. I was broguth right home and they made me eat lunch and then I went to bed and slept for 5 hours.

Today is my DAY OFF and I slept in and am in old clothes and working on straightening up my desk and catching up on emails and phone calls.

So now you are up to date. Keep me in your prayers and know that you are in mine

It is Tuesday and I will try to get a message today. I am tired and I think I have the “sniffles”, so I’ll stay over here in the rectory until I go over for the 5:30pm Mass. They are supposed to bring me oxygen today. I have discovered that the concentrators do not give me sufficient air. We’ll see how this works.

I last wrote on the feast of St. Joseph (March 19th) and my cousins from New York City were picking me up and we were going to supper at LaFerme, a nice French restaurant about two blocks away. There was Lauren and her sister Sharon, her wife, Amy, and their son Alex, who is nine. Sharon and Lauren are the children of my Mom’s first cousin. We’ve all been close since childhood and I knew I’d have a great time – and I did. Caught up on that branch of the family tree.

On Tuesday, the 20th, I had the 11am Mass and then went back to the rectory.

On Wednesday, it snowed!! I had planned to go and see my doctor.  He called me and we are going to increase my oxygen but it might take a week or two.

Thursday, the 21st, Brian picked me up after the 11am Mass and took me to Arugula (a nice Italian place within two blocks. It was an “early” birthday celebration for my cousin, Michael Caruso. His birthday is April 1st but this year that is Easter so we got together early. Brian is so good about our get ting together.  I came home and went to bed as I seem to have the “sniffles” again.

On Friday, I had some confessions and then the 11am Mass. I came home and went to bed for a couple of hours. Colleen and Monti picked me up and then to went to Barb Ostrye’s. She made a nice light meal for us and then we went to Good Counsel for their Spring musical. They have a new million dollar Fine Arts building, which I’ve been hearing about and was glad to finally see it. They took a wheelchair for me to get from the car into the building. It made things so easy. The show was great and even though I didn’t know the students, I felt like I use to feel when we put on a show and a quiet kid would get on the stage and “come alive”. I am so grateful for all the help people give me to make it possible for me to go places. It was cold and windy but I had a great time.

On Saturday, the 24th, I had the 8am Mass and afterwards two college students came to visit me. I was confirmed here last year and the other will be confirmed on April 8th. They are students of Father Regis at Catholic. We had a great visit and I will be at the confirmation.

After they left, my stuffed head got worse and I took some medicine and went to bed. I had to call my niece, Mary, who was driving me to a Mass and gathering of the SDC group and “wimp out”. I was asleep in ten minutes.

On Palm Sunday, I presided at the 9am Mass. I had a lot of help and the deacon read the Gospel in place of me. I just didn’t have the energy or air to do much. I went home and went to bed.

I slept late on Monday, the 26th. I rode my cart to the church and watched the 8th grader do a Passion Play. It is one of those customs that kids have done for years. I really enjoyed it. Then I went to the office and stayed there till the 5:30pm Mass.

On Tuesday, I said the 11am Mass and then the other priests heard confessions. I didn’t as I went to the senior citizens group and said Mass in the apartment. I think there were about 30 of us. Again, I nice custom – a Tuesday of Holy Week Mass and luncheon with the Tuesdays with Fr. Maury group.

I tried to stay in or around my bed on Wednesday and even took a little “hot toddy” in hopes of chasing away this sniffle.

On Holy Thursday, I stayed in the rectory but saw a number of people and heard confessions. We had a very nice lunch to celebrate Priests’ Day and then I took a nap. I preached at the service that night. I con-celebrated from a chair but I went to the pulpit and sitting on a stool, I gave what I think was a reflective homily for the feast. I am told that I was running out of air towards the end but they understood me. While Communion was being distributed, I left and rode my cart to the chapel for Exposition. then I went home and quickly went to bed.

I went over to the church by cart for the 3pm service. I sat in the pew. It was very nice and then I came home. It was cold outside and rainy.

On Saturday morning, Maggie, Mike and Sue came up to get me and we went to Maggie’s. We got food from the Chesapeake Grill and it was good. I  went to bed early and woke up around 3am and discovered that my concentrator was no giving me sufficient air. I laid there and kept taking a reading of my blood oxygen and couldn’t get it over 85. Finally around 7am, I called Rose to see if Patty was picking up her daughter from her hotel job in downtown DC and would she go to the parish and pick up my second concentrator? I then called Fr. Alec and asked him to take my grey concentrator to the sacristy so the ladies could get it. I had planned to ask someone to meet them for a hand off but they graciously insisted on bring it to me. It made all the difference. I used them both and my reading was 94.

Sue and Mike drove Maggie and me to Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Edgewater – near Annapolis for me to preside at the Bi-lingual Noon Mass for Easter. Some of Marie’s children and grandchildren came and we all had a great time. Sr. Kass drove Maggie and me home and Sue prepared and served a very good ham supper. As I hadn’t slept much the night before, I was in bed by 7pm and asleep by 7:10.  Having two concentrators was like at home.

On Monday, April 2nd, Sue drove Maggie and me to Beall’s Funeral Home in Bowie. I presided at Diane Leach Flanagan’s funeral service. Di and I have been friends since 4th grade and have kept in touch even though she was living in Florida for years.  Maggie was her CYO coach. Di has recently been living up near Frederick, Maryland but I couldn’t get up to see her. Her family asked me to preach and I was glad to do it. Saw many friends whom I’ve talked to by phone but haven’t seen in years. Sue took Maggie home before we went to the cemetery and Colleen, my good friend called me and offered to come down and go to the cemetery with me and then drive me home. I was so grateful and she (with her EMT training) knows just how to handle me. We had a great visit on the way home. She helped me get all my stuff (there are so many cords and plugs with the machines) back to my suite. I was in bed in half an hour and slept till it was dark.

Today, I have the 5:30pm Mass. I just came up from lunch and will just sit around until about 3:30, when Joan will bring my cart over and I’ll wait for the oxygen delivery. Another adjustment that I will learn to do.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful Holy Week and Easter and although I couldn’t go visiting churches on Thursday, I did pray for all of you whom I use to take on my pilgrimage. Christ is risen, Truly He is risen, Alleluia.