Monday, Feb 11th, the Pope resigned!!! I couldn’t believe it when I heard it on TV. Since then, I realize that I really admire him for taking this step. He is a natural born teacher and I think, he wanted to remain one but the Church asked him to become a bishop, then to work in the Vatican, to become a Cardinal and then to become Pope – but he remained a teacher. Now he is teaching us by example, that we must always do God’s will and not our own. He tells us that he is not well enough to continue to do the job and that he will step down and have the cardinals choose another. He will return to reading and reflecting and maybe writing. He will continue to be a priest and a bishop but another person will be the administrator and shepherd. I admire his courage to break 600 years of tradition and teach us (like Blessed John XXIII) that “…in 2000 years, you pick up a lot of baggage…” May God give him length of days to enjoy retirement.
I had the 11am Mass and a couple of Confirmation interviews.
Tuesday, Feb 12th. Joan called me this morning to tell me that Eileen had died during the night. It was very peaceful and everyone seems to be OK. Joan, Mary Mudd and Eileen were great friends and all lived on Cottrell Terrace. There were 63 kids on the street and all the women looked out for them just like mothers.
After that, at 10AM, Fr. Dan Morales from Texas was in DC and I picked him up and went and got Maggie and Marie and we all went to Stoney’s to have crabs. AnnMarie, Maggie’s daughter slipped over from work to join us for awhile. When Fr. Dan was here before, he got to spend some time with AnnMarie and Mike and their children. Kathleen loved to sleep on his chest and did so throughout a St. Michael’s auction when she was three months old. We are two dozen crabs! It was great. I dropped him at the hotel and then I had two interviews and the 5:30pm Mass. Then I picked him up again and we met Fr. Beattie at D’Carlo’s for Italian. Again, it was a lot of fun. Dan and Stephanie called me and I hope to visit them going or coming from Texas in March.
Wednesday, the 13th, It was Ash Wednesday, the begining of Lent. I had the 11AM Mass and Fr. Duffy came to concelebrate. When I said at the start of Mass how happy we were to have him, there was thunderous applause. I gave out ashes but not Communion. The church was full as it was at all the Masses.
After Mass, I picked up Fr. Dan again. We went to a number of Verizon stores trying to get me an I-Phone. We had no luck as I got a replacement phone in November and I’m stuck with a contract till November 2014 or I’d have to pay a lot of money. I am very content with my present cell phone for now. I’m really in no rush to learn more gadgets!!
I took Dan back to catch his limo to the airport and then I had some interviews and the 5:30PM Mass. Again, a big crowd. Then I went to Phil and Eileen’s house and met with him and the kids to plan the liturgy for her funeral. I just love that family.
Thursday, the 14th is actually the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius but some people celebrate St. Valentine! It was my day off but I came to the office to celebrate JoEddie’s birthday. I was planning to get some work done on my 2012 Christamas letter but was unsuccessful. I did meet Jeff and Colleen Smith for an early supper at RIP’S in Bowie. It was so good to catch up on the family and to just sit and talk. I really enjoyed them and their family when I was at St. Michael’s. They have a grandchild and another on the way. We’re hoping to get together with two other couples and spend another evening together soon.
Then I went to Eileen’s wake at Collin’s. I saw lots of St. Camillus people that I hadn’t seen in years. It was a continuing celebration of her life. She looked great and just like she was sleeping. There were lots of photos and a slide show of pictures that were great to see and relive memories. I am blessed in my family!!!