Good comment from Dave Haas about what calendar I am using. I am using the Church Liturgical calendar. That means the church year begins on the First Sunday of Advent and runs through to the Feast of Christ the King. In 2011, the first sunday was November 27th; then we had Advent and Christmas and the Baptism of Jesus. Because Epiphany fell on a Sunday in January 2012, the first week of the year in Ordinary Time began on January 10th. With time out for Lent and Easter, this year we’ll only have about 34 weeks of Ordinary Time. So we’re coming to the end of the Liturgical Year. Hope that helps everyone. I love using my notes from liturgy class from the seminary.
So, speaking of the seminary. It is now 1am and I have just returned from St. Vincent’s. Today was Alumni Day and there was a Mass at 5pm and a dinner afterwards during which our class of 1972 were honored for our 40th anniversary. I sat with Bill, Bob, Tom, Richard, and Joe Klepner (who was with us for Philosophy but went to Rome for theology. Saw lots of old friends and teachers and it was a very joyful celebration.
I drove up yesterday after the 11am Mass and Tuesdays with Fr. Maury. We had a small crowd of about 7 but we talked about saints and the discussion and people’s sharing was very interesting. I also gave them all a copy of the 10 Saints that the Bishops’ Conference suggest we learn more about during the Year of Faith. Some of them had never heard of some of these American saints. If you have a chance, go on line to the U.S. Conference of Bishops and download a copy. You’ll enjoy it.
After our session, I drove up and spent the evening with the Morris family, Sheila and Keith, three of their daughter and one of the son-in-laws, and four of the grandchildren. We had a great time because we haven’t been together in awhile. It was a school night and so we broke up around 8pm and I was at my hotel in Latrobe by 10pm.
This morning, I had a nice breakfast at the hotel, then I went to Jiffy Lube and got my car done, then I bought some lottery tickets (Pa), went back to the hotel and used the hot tube. It felt so good on my knee.
Then I drove to Derry and visited the Prevics, Mike and Joanne and their daughter, Rachel (whom I think I last saw, when she was 5) and the Aunt Tish. Joanne and Tish were Rossis, a wonderful family from my days of teaching CCD in Greensburg. They have a large Italian family (that all lived on the same street) and we seminarians spent some great Sunday eating pasta and laughing for hours. I hadn’t seen them in maybe 15 years (my 25th anniversary) but we keep in touch and so I just called and “stopped by”. It was just like those Sundays (except I wouldn’t eat because I knew the dinner would be a lot – and also they need about 2 days warning to get all the food ready!!!)
Then I met the guys for Mass and you know the rest! They all wanted me to stay but I have Mass at 8:00am at Stone Ridge on Thursday morning – So I guess I’d better get to bed so I’ll hear that alarm at 6:15. The rest of the day will be relaxing.
A 6:15 alarm begins your day off?!?!?!