Today is the day, 55 years ago when Fr. Aquinas asked Terry to read at Mass. He said that it was most appropriate that he read since St. John was called “Golden Mouth” because of his eloquence! It still is today!
I have returned from my trip and will try to bring you up to date since I last wrote on September 4th, the day of Mother Teresa’s canonization. I watched it all on TV and it was very impressive.
You might remember that I was suppose to go to Brunch on the 4th but didn’t feel well enough to go out in that heat.
On Monday, the 5th, again, it was so hot I didn’t go to the priests’ cookout and just stayed in my suite.
On Tuesday, the 6th, I had the 8AM Mass and then I stayed in the rectory all day. It was hot out.
On Wednesday, the 7th, I went to the doctor because I was in a lot of pain. I was afraid that it was diverticulosis!
It wasn’t. It seems to be a muscle spasm, so I got Prednisone – which I don’t usually like to take. I did Exposition and the 5:30PM Mass and went to bed early.
On Thursday, the 8th, I was suppose to be at Maggie’s but I wanted to sleep in my room. I offered to do the 11AM Mass and then returned to the rectory.
On Friday, the 9th, Maggie and Maggie’s son Mike and his wife Sue picked me up at the rectory at 9:30AM and he drove us to Cincinnati, Ohio. It is an long drive but we stopped occasionally. We got there around 9PM.
On Saturday, the 10th, we had a good breakfast at the Hampton Inn and toured around the city. It is beautiful and has lots of interesting architecture. We had a nice supper because there was a huge rainstorm that caused a lot of electricity to be knocked out. Fortunately, not ours.
On Sunday, September 11th – which is the sixteenth anniversary of Jim Neary’s death and the second anniversary of Maureen’s death as well as the 15th anniversary of the bombing attacks, we went to Mount Notre Dame. It is the health center for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and my kindergarten and first grade teacher, Sister Anne Christine (Sister Natalie Scibilia) lives there. I’ve stayed friends with her all these years and two years ago, I drove out to see her. They had warned me that she doesn’t remember everything but when I walked into the room, she said, “What are you doing here? I said, I came to see you. Then she turned to the other sisters and said, “I taught him in Kindergarten and first grade.” We had the most delightful time talking about the “old days” and I stayed for about 4 hours.
This time, I’m not sure she understood who we were even though I had brought photos of her in her old habit and lots of pictures from over the years. I even brought a small statue of St. Therese, that she had given me in 3rd grade. But we had a great time and Sue took pictures and video, which Sue will send to me.
As Sister Dorothy is showing me out, a sister said, “Who is he?” and she said, “Father O’Connell from Washington.”
She says, “Maury O’Connell? Come give me a kiss”. Which of course, I did. She was Sister Marie Veronica (Marie Scatterwood), who knew Sister Kathleen O’Brien, my pastoral sister at St. Bernard’s. I tell you “If we Catholics could agree on something, we could change the world because we all know each other!!”
The ride home was short and I was home in bed by 10PM.
On Monday, the 12th, I wasn’t expected home, so I slept in and met someone for confession at 10. Then I went to a 90th birthday party and luncheon with the senior citizens for Msgr. Tom Duffy. And then Joan drove me up to the Washington Home to pray with the family of a dying man. I took a nap and then had supper with the guys.
Today, I had a dentist appointment. I think I told you that his sister was Fr. Bill Feeney’ secretary in Little Washington. Joan drove me up and back. I had exposition at 3 and will have the 5:30PM Mass. Then supper again with the Fathers. I’ve been on the phone a lot today and am looking forward to an early bedtime