Again, a week has gone by and I hardly notice it. Sorry for the delay in writing.
On Saturday, June 28th, I did go to Leonardtown and met with my TEAM. It was so good to see them and “catch up”. Please keep all of them and their families in your prayers. Also, please remember Kay Wach who died this week. She and her husband, Ray, were members of our TEAM, when we formed in Southern Maryland. He died a number of years ago and as her health declined, she moved back up to DC to live with children. She was a lovely lady. RIP.
That evening, I met Tim Stoutzenberger and his friend, Alyson, his dad, Joe and a friend of ours from Philly, Mary Black for supper at a restaurant called Lebanese Taverna. It was very good and a great atmosphere for talking and visiting.
On Sunday, I concelebrated the 10:30am Mass because it was Fr Ron’s 25th anniversary. The liturgy was great and his homily was wonderful. It was well attended and there was a reception afterwards. I wasn’t able to go to it because I had a baptism at 1pm. Please keep Zoe and her family in your prayers.
I had the 5:30pm Mass and my cousins, Rick and Peg –and Peg’s sister, Kathy and I went out to supper afterwards. As always it was fun to be with them.
I rested up most of Monday, June 30th as I had the 5:30pm Mass and then drove up to Pittsburgh. I should have gotten there around 10pm but I made a reservation in what I thought was Monroeville, East of Pittsburgh; actually my hotel was near the airport, West of Pittsburgh. I got to bed around 1:45am. It’s good I’d had that nap!!
On Tuesday, July 1st, I visited St. Paul Seminary, which I’d heard about for years. I went there as a good place to meet up with Frs. Bill Feeney and Rich Wesolowski. The staff could not have been nicer and showed me around as I waited for my classmates. Then we went to lunch nearby and had a great visit.
I changed to a hotel nearer downtown Pittsburgh. The young man who helped me grew up in Southeast DC and graduated from Carroll High school. Fr. Bill Montgomery, who lived with me at Queen of Peace and is a longtime friend, taught him. Small world!
Keith Morris picked me up and drove me to his and Sheila’s house, where I spent almost 6 delightful hours visiting their family. 5 grandchildren, whom I baptized, three couples I married and a daughter who lives in Ireland made the time fly by!!! I was caught up on all their activities and met a man and a young boy who spoke with definite Irish accents. Erin go braugh!! I slept very well.
On Wednesday morning, Kelly and Brendan picked me up and took me to breakfast. We had such a great time and a good discussions. Kelly is a photo journalist and gave me a lovely picture of two children running through street puddles in Belfast. It will hang in my office near my poster “99 encouraging things to say to children”.
On the way home to DC, I stopped at Loretta and Rick Meade’s home for a welcome home dinner for her brother Tom Favret and his wife Sylvia and their children, Alex, Natalie, and Patrick. They are returning from living in Belgium, Burma, and Bosnia as Tom is in the Foreign Service. I was last with them all, 10 years ago when I baptized Patrick. Andy and La Favret were there, as was Doug Lee, and Rick’s sister and brother-in-law. It was a delightful evening. I was have some stomach problems so I left early and went to bed.
As Thursday is my DAY OFF, I slept in and only got up to go to hear confessions at 2pm. Then I met Paul and Ellen, from my TEAM, who were trading cars and trucks to help their daughter move; and we went to Panera and had a leisurely dinner. Big rain storm and I went to bed early.
INDEPENDENCE DAY: I had the 8am Mass. A lot of people came. There are new prayers for it and they are good. At the end, I said, “I’m sure someone with a good voice, could lead us in an appropriate song” We sang the first verse of America, the beautiful. It was stirring!!
I spent the rest of the day in my suite and watched TV. The Capitol 4th was great as always and the fireworks were spectacular. I went to bed around 3am.
On Saturday, the 5th, the weather was beautiful and low, low humidity; so I decided to take the car to Jiffy Lube. There were 5 cars lined up at each bay and I ended up being there over 2 hours. I’d brought a book, so I didn’t care. I didn’t want to come on Monday, when they tell us the humidity will be terrible. I came home and took a nap and then had the 5:30pm Vigil Mass. My homily was our being “child-like” not childish about our faith and our relationship to the Father. It went well. I heard confessions and went home to relax.
Now, it is Sunday and I just finished the 10:30am Mass. It was lovely because so many people with little children were there (the gym Mass is cancelled for the summer). I stood at the back door and it was just so nice to see and greet them. I am using the oxygen more because when I don’t, the reading is 91 or 90. It is a slow progression and I can breathe fine at those numbers if I am sitting but any movement and I feel the difference. My homily was about wearing the yoke of Jesus because it is easy and His burden is light. I believe that and need to demonstrate it more.
A couple who cannot make the clergy-led meeting on August 1st, came by to see me and have a Readers Digest version. They will attend the parent-led on July 13rd. Delightful couple (graduates of CUA) with a three week old, John Blake. Keep them all in your prayers.
Now I have a 2pm Baptism. Keep Nicolas Michael and his family in your prayers. Then home, a little food and relaxation. And that brings you up to date.