Well, its two weeks since I wrote. It has been so hot here and the humidity has been so bad that I’ve tried to stay in the cool of my air conditioned suite most of the time; but today its suppose to be nicer and as I am here in the parish center because I have the 8AM Mass, I thought I’d bring you up to date.
On Monday, July 18th, I drove Jerry Trancone down to Manassas, Virginia. He was going to spend the week visiting his family. It was hot but the car was cool and I wore the oxygen down and was really only hot when we got out to go into a restaurant for lunch. His sister, Rose and his nephew, Anthony (who was having his 60th birthday) went with him and me to a nice “family” restaurant. Because it was suppose to rain later in the day, I left after lunch and was home by 3pm. A bad storm did come and I was glad to be in my suite by then.
On Tuesday, the 19th, I had the 8AM Mass and then Patrick Mullan came by. He brought the tags from my old car and he stayed for lunch with us. He was leaving that night for the World Youth Day in Poland. It was great to see him and hear that he had a great Summer assignment and was looking forward to returning to the seminary in late August. Just saw that there is a great article about him in the Catholic Standard, our Diocesan newspaper. Keep him and all the seminarians in your prayers.
In the afternoon, I had two appointments and that night I attended a meeting about a symposium on the Pope’s exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, which I will participate in, in November. I’m enjoying reading and studying it.
On Wednesday, the 20th, I had the 11am Mass and spent the rest of the day in my suite with the AC on.
On Thursday, the 21st, 8AM Mass and back to the suite
On Friday, the 22nd, feast of St. Mary Magdalene, had the 8AM Mass and back to the suite.
On Saturday, the 23rd, no Mass and spent the day in the suite. 4th day of 99 degree weather!
On Sunday, the 24th, I presided at the 12:30PM Mass and the deacon preached. At 4pm, Kate and James met with me in the rectory. I am doing their wedding on August 20th in Alexandria. Afterwards, we went to Clyde’s and met Rick and Peg for supper. Kate is their daughter. I baptized her and married her parents, my cousins. I love traditions.
On Monday the 25th, I picked up Jerry at O’Boyle and we rode up to Latrobe, Pa. We stayed at a hotel and met Bob Norton, Tom Kredel, and Karen and Joyce (our nurse friends from Pittsburgh) for supper at the airport. Had a great time – a Margarita and Drambuie (to help me sleep) – it did!
On Tuesday, the 26th, we participated in the 70th annual priests day at St. Vincent’s. As always, it was great. It is always like coming home. The presider and homilist was Bishop Dennis Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore. He was very good and I spoke with him at lunch. Brother Elliot sat with us (Jerry, Tom, Bob, Joe Klepner, Greg, Fr. Earl and me) and it was like we were students there again. Bob drove us up to the cemetery. I didn’t get out because of the heat but Bob and Jerry walked up to the latest graves – Frs. Demetrius, Paulinus, Jacque, and Sebastian to name a few. Archabbot Douglas told us later that he has buried 150 monks since he was elected 26 years ago.
There was a cookout around 4pm where we sat and laughed with a lot of the guys – especially Brother Ben, who taught me Hebrew! Again, it was a great day.
I called Josephine Merenda from Forbes Road. Her niece, Rosie was the desk clerk at the hotel and told me, she had been in the hospital. She is better but she is 87 and just runs out of steam. – I told her I understand and she just has to go slower. It was great to talk to her and her daughter, Denise. Caught up on all the family news!
On Wed, the 27th, we left around 10AM and on the way back stopped in Greenbelt to find Jerry’s dentist phone number, stopped in Queenstown to pick up food, and stopped at the pharmacy to put in a prescription and then I took him to O’Boyle. I came home and went to bed. It was nice to be in my own bed and to be in my suite!
On Thursday, the 28th, I had the 11AM Mass and the 5:30PM Mass. Fr. Ron has gone on vacation for two weeks and we’ll sometimes have two Masses in a day. I don’t mind as the humidity has lowered.
On Friday, the 29th, I had the 8AM this morning and will have the 5:30pm tonight. Again, I will just “hang out” in my suite. I had watched a lot of the conventions last week and this. It is a very confusing time for America. Like most of the world, I was shocked by the murder of the priest in France. When and where does it all end?
I’ve been on the phone a lot and also trying to catch up on my reading. I got new glasses as I think I left a pair on the 4th of July cruise. I also have worked on getting the title and getting rid of my tags for the old car. I got the tags put on my new car this morning.
Tomorrow, Saturday, the 30th, I will meet Anne and Walt Hayes at Clyde’s for lunch and then Brian, Rowena and I will go out to Barnesville for the 141st annual chicken dinner at St. Mary’s. I will say a Mass at 5pm and then we’ll go by his brother’s house. It is his nephew’s birthday.
On Sunday, I have the 10:30AM Mass. The weather is suppose to be decent. They say that we’ll be in the 80’s most of next week. I sure hope so.
Among my phone calls was a nice talk with Eileen Lee Baugh. She is having surgery on Tuesday. Keep her in your prayers.
I think you are updated!!