I have an unusually easy weekend; so I thought I’d write and ‘catch’ you up.
First, thanks to all of you who prayed for the retreat that I couldn’t go on. It went very well and lots of people felt God’s grace in answer to our prayers. Another retired priest, David Russell came and had Mass and I hear that the small and large group sharing went well.
On Monday, July 27th, I had the 6:30am Mass and around 10am, Sister Kass came and drove me up to Latrobe, Pa. She is an excellent driver and I just relaxed. We talked about everything and the time flew by. We got to the motel around 3pm and Frs. Bob Norton and Tom Kredel met us there. We talked and relaxed and then we went to an Italian restaurant at the airport. It’s one of my favorites and that night it was my favorite place to be because we got together with Tish and Joanne Rossi (from St. Paul’s, where we taught CCD), Josephine Merenda and her daughter, Denise (from Forbes Road, where I taught CCD) and Sheila and Keith Morris, and Betty DeLuca (my friends from St. Anselm’s in Swissvale, where I was a deacon). We laughed and talk – and ate! It was what I know it’s going to be like in heaven. I had 2 Marguerites and I slept like a baby.
On Tuesday, Bob, tom and I went to St. Vincent’s. We concelebrated the Mass for Priests’ Day with the new bishop of Greensburg, who was very nice and gave a good homily. Then we had a delicious luncheon and sat with some other good friends from seminary days. Bob was very solicitous of me and drove me to the doors to drop off and went and got the car cooled off when he picked me up. I was most grateful because it must have been 98 degrees and humid and I am still having trouble with my right leg.
I decided not to stay and go to the cookout at 4, so Bob took me back to the hotel and we had a great visit. I took a nap and when he got to the cookout, he told Bill Feeney and Rich Wesolowski (the 5 of us were a real team 40 years ago! that I was at the hotel and they came and we had a nice visit. Sister Kass had gone off to the casino for the day and when she got back, we went to Eat’N Park (another one of my hangouts from Seminary days).
On Wednesday, the 29th, we had breakfast around 8:30am and then headed home. Again, it was hot and humid but with the air-conditioning on, we were very comfortable. We solved all the problems of the Church and the world and had a great time. We made such good time and were relaxed and we decided not to stop to eat. We were back at SBS (Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament) before 2pm. I was glad that Kass could get headed back to Baltimore before the rush hour. I took a nap and then joined the priests for supper. Again, I slept very well (without the Margaritas!)
On Thursday, I said the 11am Mass because I wanted to be in the office for a little while and catch up on stuff. It was not as humid but I did use the oxygen. I went home and took a nap as I was being picked up to go and do a Home Mass. A good friend’s aunt Nan from Boston (the Matriarch) was in town and all the family was coming for Mass and a great spread of food. I love it and felt fine because I sat for everything. It’s a wonderful family and some drove up from the Carolinas to be there. Another example of my view of heaven. when I got home, I stayed in my suite where it was cool. I called Betty Neary and we had a nice long talk and caught up.
On Friday, I said the 8AM Mass and went home and relaxed. At 12:45pm, Brian came and drove me down to the cathedral for Cardinal William Baum’s funeral. He drove me down an alley and we push a button and the rector, Msgr. Ron opened the door and let us into the sacristy. I got vested and was led out to the pews. I was able to go up to the casket and see the Cardinal. I met him in 1968, when I was a seminarian and he was head of the office for Ecumenism at the Bishops’ Conference. He was my brother in law Mac’s cousin and was on the altar at his and Maggie’s wedding. We corresponded and you can imagine how thrilled I was when was named Archbishop of Washington in 1973. He use to come to the musicals that the teen club put on at St. Camillus and he was a wonderful spiritual mentor. Fr. Beattie and I joined him, Msgrs Duffy and Bazan for lunch on April 18th at the Little Sisters where they live. We had a great time and afterwards he asked me to take him in his wheelchair back to his room. We had a nice visit and talked about Lorenzo (Albacete – a dear friend of us both) who died much too young earlier this year.
The funeral was grand and lots of seminarians, priest, bishops, and Cardinals. Our cardinal Wuerl presided and preach. He was very good and captured the man and the priest in his humility and ministry of reconciliation (his episcopal motto). Afterwards, I got a chance to visit with my sisters and my niece, who also had a chance to speak with cousins of the Cardinal from Missouri and Texas. In 73, when I was a young priest, I drove out to Dulles airport and picked up the Cardinal’s McLaughlin cousins and drove them around to various events during the weekend of his installation. It turned out two of them were there and we talked for a little bit about that great event!
Then Brian got me to the sacristy to unvest. Although most of them had left, Brian pointed out that this is where the Cardinals (and Msgr. O ) vested. I hadn’t noticed. He then led me out the door to the alley and because we were stopped there, some of the Cardinals had to walk aways to their cars. I felt badly but also knew that Cardinal Baum would have loved that little story.
On Saturday, August 1st, I met someone for spiritual direction and then I had the 11am funeral. Please keep Bill, his wife, Mary and their family in your prayers. He had a great and interesting life. He worked for the Bishops’ Conference but I really knew him as a daily Mass goer. I rode out to the cemetery with the funeral director and he brought me back. I took a nap and then had the 4pm Confessions. I spent the evening on the phone and doing emails. I worked on my homily and went to bed around 11pm
Today, I had the 10:30am Mass and discovered that the deacon was preaching. I was please for two reasons: the church air-conditioning went out and the church was muggy and the deacon preached on what I was going to say. I bet a lot of people heard a homily on the Gospel about Jesus identifying himself as the Eucharist; but that is not what scripture scholars (Fr. Demetrius etc.)say. When the people ask what they should do, Jesus says “believe in him whom God sent”. Even though he had just fed the 5000, Jesus was not talking about the Eucharist, he was say faith in him will feed us. That’s why having faith is first and foremost if we would be his followers. I was so glad to hear the Deacon preach that!!
Now I’m just sitting here. I was supposed to have the clergy-led baptismal prep session but our young priest, Fr. Alec is taking it. He is only with us until September 15th and is always willing to have new experiences; so he will have it and I’ll just set up for him.
It is a drag that I can’t drive until I talk with the doctor. So Fr. T (who also can’t drive) and I are being picked up by the Petrone women and we’re going out to lunch. It will be great to see them all. It’s not muggy but I think it is hot and I will enjoy spending the evening in my suite.
So that’s what happening. I hope I can drive soon. I need a haircut!