I had the 8AM Mass today and will also have the Exposition at 3PM and the 5:30PM Mass, so I thought I’d try to work on Paddy. The last time I wrote was on the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus – January 3rd.
The rest of that week, I stayed close to home. It was very cold and although I did say Mass every day (2 on Thursday); I wasted time working on genealogy and resting in my suite. They kept telling us that snow or an ice storm was coming so I didn’t want to go out.
On Friday, the 6th, I had the 8AM Mass and then drove out to RIP’s and met Kass for lunch. Then we went to the Verizon store. I had suspended my phone service when I left the phone in her car and so she brought it back to me. It was a “flip” phone and once I restored its service; I purchased a new phone. I thought it was an I phone but I have learned it has a S – 7 (whatever that means). It looks like the I phone everyone else has. The next few days were a comedy of errors. I have to “unlock” it whenever I want to use it. Also when someone calls me, I thought I just had to push the green phone picture to answer but that was not true and lots of people who called me had to leave a message. Then the message told them my mailbox was full and they sent me an email message instead. I really am not sure I’m going to be able to do this!!! More later!!
On Saturday, the 7th, the snow finally came and the pastor helped me across the street to the parish center. I had a baptism at 11:30. Please keep Giovanna Rose and her family in your prayers. She is the great grand – daughter of Beth McCoy. Some of the family were able to get here and it is always a delight to see them and “catch up”. I had the 5:30PM Mass and I think I had a good homily for the Epiphany. Carolyn helped me get back to the rectory. I think we had 3 inches or so and it froze up after dark. I was suppose to go out to supper with Mary Alice McGreevy and Marilyn Cavallaro; but they live in West Virginia and I called and told them we’d reschedule. I went to bed early.
On Sunday, they had re-organized the altar in the gym so that I could have that Mass at 10:30AM. Deacon Harry helped me and I was able to give out Communion. It really was so nice to be there again. I think I’ll ask to be put back on the schedule for the gym Mass. I made a nice breakfast and stayed in my suite all evening. It was very cold and I realized that the upper parts of two of the windows were open. I just hunkered down in my many blankets.
Monday was my “Day Off”, so I just stayed in my suite. I thought I slept well and when I got up, I remembered it was my niece, Mary Ann’s birthday, so I called her. She reminded me that her birthday is August 9th and I was a little early. You get like your first pastor!!! Preston came and fixed the windows and I was nice and cozy. Worked on genealogy and getting things ready for “Tuesdays with Fr. Maury”, which I would have the next day. I called Maggie that night to see if she had gone to BINGO. She had gone with Kerri, who was off school because they had about 8 inches of snow! She also told me that she knew about my calling Mary Ann 8 months early!! No secrets in this family.
Tuesday was January 10th and I had both the 8AM and the 11AM Masses. Fr. Percy is away. It was Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time and we’re back to Green vestments and altar cloth. That was also the topic for our Tuesdays meeting. We had a very nice discussion about the liturgical calendar. At the 10:30 Mass in the church last Sunday, they had heard the Proclamation of when Ash Wednesday, Easter, and Pentecost would be. It’s an old custom and some of them remembered hearing it as children. I always liked it and am glad to see we are doing it here at Blessed Sacrament. Also we had some very good food. Our cook has returned and so I joined Frs. Ron and Alec for supper.
Today, I have had time to write this and think I’ll go to the rectory for lunch. I’ll take a nap and then come back for Exposition. Also I called the phone company and removed all the messages in my mailbox and now people can leave me messages. I also learned how to recover my messages. Also Kass in giving me some more help with the phone. It is a slow process!!
Joan B passed on to me an email from Anne Turner and it was so nice to hear from her. I do so want to get some kind of Christmas letter out to all those who haven’t heard from me since 2007. What can I do??