I just wrote to Dwight to wish him a happy birthday and to tell him I offered Mass at 5:30pm for his Mom and Dad. They were great people and I am glad that I got to meet them. Both are deceased now. His Dad died after he was ordained and his Mom just died last year. I have great memories of when John Bohrer and I went out for his ordination and stayed with his parents. I also thanked God for letting me know and love Dwight. We met 48 years ago this week.
I had a great time at the cookout – and I ate correctly! I had a chance to speak to Cardinal Baum, who came in a wheelchair but is so alert and charming. I saw a lot of the guys from Southern Maryland and sat with Jerry Trancone, Roberto, and Bill Hines. It was cold and I left after dinner because I wanted to get in bed and under the quilt!
This morning I got early and drove over to St. Bernard’s for Ruby Makle’s wake. I had a chance to talk to Jim and he understood about the other funeral but I was glad I went by. She was dressed in her wedding dress, which she got for her 50th anniversary because they couldn’t afford a big wedding at the time they got married. She looked beautiful and Jim said she told them she’d be buried in it because she didn’t want anyone else to wear it. She looked liked a queen! I saw a number of the old parishioners and had a chance to talk.
Then I headed over to Riderwood for Mrs. Courtois’s wake and funeral Mass. She too looked beautiful – as she always did! She was a third degree Carmelite and wore her scapular over her clothes. Bernie, her husband wasn’t able to come to the funeral but I saw him later. They were married for 68 years. It was great to see Renee, Steve, and the boys (whom I last saw when they were teenagers). Darren sang Panis Angelicus and it was excellent. Travis gave a wonderful and moving eulogy. There was a very nice luncheon and I had a chance to speak to Gary, his wife, and his daughter, Alana; as well as Mrs. Ellen Dougherty, from St. Bernard’s and Margie, who has travelled on cruise with us. At the funeral, I saw, Don Werden’s sister and Marguerite Moore from St. Camillus. So many people from Camillus and St. Bernard’s have moved out to Riderwood.
After the luncheon, once my sisters helped me to find my car (I felt like Msgr. Eckert because I came out a different door then I had gone in to the chapel and couldn’t find (in the rain) my car or where I parked it), I drove out to the cemetery for the internment. Again, it was a driving rain, and I assured them all that Lilyan would not want us to catch colds, so our prayers were complete but not dragged out.
When I got back to the center, I dried out and then got ready for Mass. After Mass, I came home and heated up in the micro, a very nice supper of steak, wild rice and asparagus. Then I finished it off with fruit and was heading to bed, when the beeper rang. I am duty tonight. It was the family of Jack Holloway, whom I visited at his home last week. I knew he was terminal but we spoke and had two great visits. He went downhill over the weekend and so he is now at the Washington Hospital Hospice care. It is about 10 blocks away, so I went over and anoited him and visited with his wife and daughter. He is on methedone so I think he shall go peacefully tonight. Keep his family in your prayers.
I called my sisters to say good-bye because they are flying out tomorrow to Wichita for a “Red Hat Ladies'” Convention. But there was no answer at Maggie’s so I guess they went out to Bingo. I guess they weren’t as tired as they thought earlier today. Talk to you tomorrow.
Did I read that you were cold???
For someone who doesn’t like rain you sure were out in it a lot yesterday!
Don Werden and Marguerite Moore….haven’t thought of them in years. You know that Riderwood is Charlestown’s sister-community, right?