What Paddy Shot At

Called Dwight and John for the feast. Didn’t get through to John but talked with Dwight. He is covering a parish till June and seems OK about it.
Also contacted my cousin, Sharon in NYC. Maggie and I hope to see her when we go up there next week.
I was busy all day but don’t know what with. I did say the 11am Mass and wore the vestments that the Spanish community at St. B’s had given me as a gift.

Went to St. Mary’s, Barnesville for afternoon CCD confessions. Then had a great supper with Fr. Kevin, Fr. Louis ( a Jesuit from Baltimore), Fr. Jack McFarland, and Kevin’s dad, Vince. The food was superb and so was the company. I haven’t seen Vince in awhile and he seems to be doing OK. His wife, Joan, was a dear friend from GC days and died suddenly in the Spring, while I was on my Suez cruise. She was missed tonight.

Then there was a parish penance service and I heard confessions again.

Just got home and am ready for bed – No nap today!! – I have a full day tomorrow.

Had a very nice day. I went to St. John’s High School and met with two classes of “scholars”, who have been studying philosophy and reflecting on God and evil. They had great questions and good insights. I really enjoyed being with them.
Through some miscommunication, I missed the 11am Mass, which I was scheduled for (Fr. Percy covered for me!).

Then I went to hear confessions at Stone Ridge. I had a great time but I always do when I go there. The Madams of the Sacred Heart do such a good job of educating young women to make big contributions to the world.

Then I took a nap and went down for supper with the guys but we ate in the kitchen because the parish council was having their Christmas do in the rectory at 7pm. I skipped it and came up here and have been relaxing.

I didn’t have plans for our usual Tuesday supper with Fathers Beattie and Duffy because they had other committments. So I’ll be rested up for tomorrow. I have the 11am Mass and in the afternoon, I’ll drive up to Barnesville for CCD confessions, supper with Fr. Kevin and others, and then the parish penance service.
It’s a good thing I enjoy confessions because this time of year, that’s my life.

Confessions were great today and then I called my cousin, Eileen and had a nice talk. Then I had the 11am Mass. Afterwards, I drove out to meet with Father R. He and I met Jerry Trancone at the Olive Garden for a wonderful luncheon. We had lots of laughs and great food. It’s a Christmas tradition for us, we all missed Mrs. Mother R.

I came home and had a meeting with a young man who is getting married to a Catholic and wants to learn more about becoming a Catholic. He is so nice. Keep Greg in your prayers.

I just finished RCIA, where I spoke on Baptism. They are a nice group and we had a good discussion that led us also to confession.

I’m going home now. I am suppose to have a discussion with two classes at St. John’s High School tomorrow about how one can believe in a loving God with all the evil in the world. I came last year and I found the student very interesting and their questions enjoyable. Keep all of us in your prayers.

More tomorrow.

Got up early and heard confessions for the CCD students. I enjoyed them very much and saw lots of kids whom I have met before. It’s so good to see how happy they are as the leave – I hope it’s because they are more aware of how much God loves them.

I had the 10:30 Mass in the church. Mike, our deacon from New York preached and he was very good. I processed in and out and helped with Communion (first time in about 2 months) and felt fine. So I guess the bronchitis is gone. I hope so.

I called my cousins, Pat McMahon in New Hampshire and Peg Caruso, here in Silver Spring just to check in and see how they are doing. I loved talking with them.
I think I’ll try to call some more relatives and friends during Advent.

God bless him – Patrick Mullan stopped by and picked up the ornaments to give out to St. Michael’s. He was up for his Mom’s birthday last night and came by to help me since I’d forgotten to take them with me last week. – Sad when the mind goes!!

Fr. Percy told me this morning that he would be happy to take my 5:30pm so that I could take my time with my relatives; so I said, Sure. And then we headed out on our tour.

Sheila Riley, who is part of our entended family, came with Rick and Peg Jensen and the four of us went to the cemateries. We went to Gate of Heaven, Mt. Olivet, and Arlington. We prayed at each of them and put wreaths at some of the graves. Then we had supper together and told lots of funny family stories that I hope will be passed on in the family for years to come.

So now, I’m just relaxing and watching a little TV. Have school confessions at 8:45am tomorrow; then 11am Mass. and lunch with Mr. Rosenberger and Father T. I also have a presentation for RCIA in the evening but I’ll try to write in the evening.

A dear friend who has cancer came for a visit today and we had a good talk. Please keep E. in your prayers as she deals with so many thing that swirl around the life of anyone who has cancer.

Then St. Anthony came through!!! I had put the shopping bag on top of the cabinets in the business office when I stopped to give them gold coins – and I forgot it. I had mentioned it to a staff member and she called and left me a message that she thought she’d seen the bag there. AND IT WAS. Two days of anxiety and lack of trust. I hope I learned something!!!!

Then I had the 11am Mass. Two priest concelebrated and the Legion of Mary joined the congregation. We had a lot of people and music. The Mass wasn’t over till noon. One of the priest was Ray Lilly, a Jesuit who use to be at Gonzaga. What a nice surprise. He is also friends with my cousins, the Gibbins family.

Then we held a prayer service about Mary for people with disabilities in our chapel. Two families came and we had incense and medals and ribbons and music. It was very restful. Then we had a chance to visit afterwards with refreshements in the library. We try to do thing like that a couple of times a year.

Then I went and gave the Sacrament of the Sick to a lovely lady whom I visited about a month ago. Her maiden name was McDermott but we couldn’t find that we were related. Some of her sons and their wives were there and we had a nice service. She was aware of things and we laughed about our last visit. Please keep Frances (my mom’s name too) and her family in your prayers.
Of course, since we’re all Washingtonians, we knew lots of people in common.

I just finished confessions and now I’m going over to have supper (the Phillipinos left me a lot of food) and then early to bed.

Have CCD confessions at 8:45 and then have the 10:30 Mass in church. Afterwards, my cousins, Rick and Peg and I are going to visit the familly graves and decorate for Christmas. I have to be back for the 5:30pm Mass but they are very good at organizing this tour.

Was tired after all the running around yesterday but got up at 6:10am because my doctor, Dr. David Higgins was speaking at the Christ in the Marketplace session after the 6:30 Mass. He was excellent and I learned he was a convert while he was in 7th grade at a Catholic school. He spoke well about things done by Catholic Charities, and he is volunteer in so much of the church’s work. He said that being a doctor is not a profession but a calling. He is truly that.
I had to leave a little early as I had the 8am Mass. Afterwards, I spent most of the morning trying to find the shopping bag with the ornaments. I had everyone looking and retraced all my actions yesterday.

I saw Dr. Solomon at 11:30 and he is pleased with my recovery. I’m going to stay on the prendisone (half a tablet) for a few more days and then I’ll see him during the holidays and maybe have a petscan. I feel so much better. He still wants me to use the oxygen at night and so I will.

When I came home, I was “depressed” about the ornaments and “took to my bed”. Got up for supper and spent the evening working on genealogy.

I called my cousin, Ann because she had invited me to the K of C Christmas luncheon tomorrow but I have 11am Mass, Confessions, and a prayer service for children with disabilities at 1pm; so I just can’t over to it. We had a nice talk and I hope that we’ll have lunch soon.
I called Barbara Ostrye and talked to Carole. Barb had some surgery today and it went well. She’s is resting so I’ll call her again on Sunday. Keep her in your prayers.

I slept in and had the 11am Mass. We prayed for Barbara Locke, and all those recently deceased.
I spent the afternoon getting the ornaments arranged to take to St. Michael’s and met with a couple whose wedding I have in January and I went to bed early.

Today, the feast of St. Nicholas was busy for me. I met, prayed with, and gave out gold covered chocolate coins to all the students in K thru 5. Sister Mary Ann had a very nice prayer service and the kids (and I) had a good time. I explained that I was Fr. O but like they do on Halloween, I like to dress up like one of my favorite saints and do what he did. Give gifts and encourage people to do things for one another.

Then I went to Holy Redeemer School in Kensington and we had another service that was very clever and in which the children sang about St. Nicholaus. They gave me a gift too – some Snickers! someone must have talked.
For the services in both school, I wore a white alb and cincture, red chasable and a white miter. I left the chasable and miter in the car, and went to Resurrection parish in Beltsville.

It was the funeral Mass for Fr. Charlie Brown. A really nice priest of our Archdiocese who died at 90. About 30 priests were there and the church was mostly full with people from the parishes he had served. At the end, all the priests sing the “Salve Regina” and it is very moving.

I didn’t stay for the luncheon. Instead I drove to Annapolis and stopped in at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish and did my “St. Nicholas” routine for Sister Kass, Terry McConnell, and their staff.
Then I headed to Maggie’s. She, Marie, JoAnn, and June (the newest “adopted” sister) and I went to St. Michael’s in Ridge for their annual (55th year!!) Christmas dinner for seniors. We had a great time (and, of course, great food). Children acted out the Nativity and afterwards they stopped to see me and get some coins for St. Nicholaus Day. One of them, whom I baptized played Mary and told me she’s now in 7th grade – where does that time go???

I got a chance to speak to lots of people and that made the trip worth it. I did forget to take the ornaments with me – sad when the mind goes!!! but now I have to find time and a reason to make the trip again. I do love and miss those people.

Well, I’m home now and going to bed. I learned today that a lot of people read this blog and when I don’t write they worry that I’m in a hospital. So for the rest of Advent, I shall try to write each day.

I think the new calendar has moved St. Barbara; but I have loved her for almost 50 years. I met Sister Barbara, who was a teacher of David Haas, while on a visit to Grand Rapids in 1964 and she told me all about her saint. Until her death (sister’s) in 2004, I use to call her or drop her a card on her feast day. She prayed me through the seminary. So on this feast day, I remember her and all the Barbaras that God has placed in my life. They have been a blessing.

I had the 11am Mass today and afterwards met with some of the people from “Tuesdays with Fr. Maury”. We had a short gathering as about 10 little children and their parent came to visit. Miss Rita read the story of St. Nicholas and I came in dressed as the kindly bishop (although Miss Rita and I both made sure they understood that like Halloween, I was Fr. O but just dressing up like one of my favorite saints). I gave them gold covered chocolate coins in honor of the saint and told them they could take one as a gift and the second they could give away to someone they thought might enjoy it or they could do a good deed for someone and then as a reward, have the second coin.
Then the children with the help of the adults, decorated cookies. As I left, there were many small faces already with white icing on their foreheads!!

Then Joan and I went and picked up some Christmas ornaments. I heard confessions for the CCD children from 4 to 5; and then I joined the Monsignors (Beattie and Duffy) for supper. When I finish this message, I think I’ll hit the bed.
Oh, I almost forgot…
Yesterday was the feast of St. Francis Xavier and I asked the people at the 11am to join me in praying for all the people (past and present) at Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Mary’s/Ryken. Those are schools where the Xavierians brother taught and we always celebrated this feast day. I called Barry Fitzpatrick and we had a very nice talk and laugh. Those were great and happy years for me and the community.
The rest of the day was quiet and except for staying up too late to watch the Redskins win their game, the evening was quiet too.

Tomorrow, Wednesday I can sleep in as I have the 11am Mass. Good night!

On Wednesday, I had the 8:00am Mass and coughed a lot. I kind of decided to just stay home but around 9am, I got in the car and went to the day of recollection. It was just what I needed. Fr. Joe Sileo was the presenter and his talks were perfect for me. I had decided to go to the day, even though I knew I would have to take my oxygen with me. It must be Irish pride but I just don’t like having to depend on it; but I wanted to go, so I took it. It was accepted by everyone as normal and I was very comfortable with it. I also went to confession, which is always good for me. I came home, had supper and a very relaxing evening.

Thursday is now my day off. So I just stayed in my suite all day and worked on genealogy. I had planned to go to Baltimore and see Sister Natalie and Sister Kass. Kass’ dad had emergency surgery and Natalie and I just couldn’t work out a schedule, so I stayed home. I think the antibiotics make me tired so I was glad to stay home.
One very nice surprise was a phone call from Fr. Carmen Carlone. He is retired but works as a chaplain a few days a week at a hospital in Trenton. We had a great talk. He had very serious heart surgery last year but is doing well. We just haven’t been able to get together. I miss him and loved talking.

Friday, I had the 11am Mass and then just relaxed. Bishop Holly came for supper and we all had a great time. He then went to a basketball game between parents and teachers of our school and a team made up of seminarians and priests of the Archdiocese. It was held at St. John’s high school.
I didn’t go because I went to Rockville for the wake of the daughter of one of my Team members from Silver Spring. I didn’t stay long as I still have one more day of antibiotics and I really like to be in bed.
I also called Andy Favret because it was the feast of St. Andrew and it is a long tradition that I call him on his feastday.

Saturday, I did a teaching Mass at the Dominican House of Studies for our RCIA group. I always enjoy them and this went very well.
At 1pm, I had a Mass in the chapel for the 100th birthday of Nancy, one of my Communion Calls. It was delightful and many of her children, nieces and nephews, and neighbors and friends were there. There was a little party afterwards but I didn’t go. I came home and relaxed.

Today, I had the 7:30am Mass. I think my homily was good. It was about preparing for the second coming of Jesus – when he comes to take us home to meet the Father. I think that’s more important to prepare for than Christmas or the Final coming at the end of time.

I had a wonderful baptism at 2pm. Please keep Robert Heath and his family in your prayers.
Joan Ward came by the office. She plans to come and work a couple of hours each day till her recovery is complete. It was good to see her. She has been missed by all of us.
I also called Mr. McGreevy in Colorado. He is home after having a stroke of some kind and was in a nursing home for awhile. I’ve been keeping informed through his daughter, Mary Alice and his sister-in-law, Marilyn Cavallaro but it was so good to speak with him (and Elly, his wife, who gives him such loving care). I know he is in his 90’s but the mind is as great as ever. I love him and pray for him daily.

Well that brings you up to date. I’ve had some nice phone calls and emails and both remind me of how blessed I am by my friendships.

I’m off to bed as I can sleep late because I have the 11am Mass on Monday.

Monday was a tough day for me. I didn’t sleep well Sunday night. I had run out of Niquil and even with the oxygen, I coughed and stayed awake much of the night. I had the 11am Mass and after some soup, I went back to bed. Got up for supper and just hung around my room on the oxygen till bedtime.
I did call and make an appointment with the doctor for Tuesday. Also I called and talked with Cardinal Baum. I called to wish him a happy 86th birthday and to tell him that I offered the Mass for his Mom and Dad and his stepdad. We talked about a lot of things and when I hung up, I noticed in the genealogy that his birthday is November 21, 1926 – I had misread the date. He never corrected me and could not have been more gracious. I guess that why the Swiss guard in the Vatican use to call him, “the gentleman Cardinal”. As indeed he is!!

Today, I had the 6:30am Mass. My voice sounded terrible and again I hadn’t slept well. After Mass, I went to bed till around 11am. Then I drove over to Joan Ward’s. She is back and doing therapy at Sibley hospital. She can drive, so she dropped me off and went to her therapy at noon. Then she did some shopping and picked me up and drove me to my 3pm doctor’s appointment. She did a little more shopping and then picked me up at 4:30. I drove her home and then came back to the rectory. At 5:30, I went and met the Monsignors at DeCarlo’s and just got home.

The doctor took x-rays and gave me an antibiotic and a steroid. Martino, the seminarian picked it up for me and I’ll take them when I finish writing. Also I asked if the doctor would send someone to repair the oxygen machine. I’ll tell you about it when they come. The part I need for sleeping is working. So tonight should be better.
On Wednesday, I have the 8:00am and then I hope I’ll feel up to going to the priests’ Advent Day of Recollection at 10am at the Washington Retreat House. If the coughing is under control, I’ll go.
Will write tomorrow evening.