Had the 11am Mass and it was almost standing room. I guess a lot of people were “in the neighborhood” and stopped in. Afterwards, I went to Jiffy Lube – another one of those projects I’ve been meaning to do, like buying an electric shaver. I had supper with Msgrs Beattie and Duffy at DeCarlo’s and just got home. I stopped and bought a lottery powerball ticket. You got to play to win! I think its up to 320 million!!
Time to go to bed, I have the 6:30am Mass tomorrow.
I am losing days!! I had a great time on Sunday at Mike’s in Riva. I met Karen and Kevin Murphy (my cousin Karen was a Ballenger), Mark and Pauletta Riley (friends from St. Bernard’s days) and Fr. John Dakes, pastor of St. Aloyisius in Leonardtown and a former teen club member from St. Camillus days. At the next table were his sister, Patty and her husband, Mike and Karl, their brother and assorted nieces and nephews. It was a great time and the crabs were wonderful!
Afterwards, I drove through Sylvan Shores, where my grandparents had a home and where we spent many fun filled summers. It has changed a lot but it brought back good memories. On the way home, I stopped in Bowie and saw the newest Bourne movie. I enjoyed it and got home before ten. I did miss the closing of the Olympics. I’ll wait for the DVD.
On Monday, I had the 8:00am Mass and then because I didn’t feel good, I went back to bed and got up for supper. I slept alright that night so I must have needed it.
Today, I got up early and drove down to see Maggie. Needed to pick up my suitcoat and to drop off the Redskin tickets. She got home yesterday from a whirl wind trip to Canada, which she enjoyed very much but is spending the day recovering. Since I was down that way, I went to Walmart and did some shopping. I hate shopping but I needed to get a new electric razor and a couple of ace bandages. My legs are really giving me trouble. I got home in time for exposition and then an hour nap. I just finished the 5:30 Mass. It was the Vigil and very well attended. My cousin, Catherine and her fiance, Greg stopped in to talk with me. They’re getting married in May in Virginia and had some questions. They are a cute couple.
Speaking of cute couple, tomorrow is the wedding anniversary of Dan and Stephanie Poje. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers
Now, I’m off to get something to eat and go to bed.
I slept well last night. I put on a pain patch as my knee was bothering me and I slept through till 10:00am. Good Patch!!
Just had my 1pm wedding. It was Sharon and Juan. Sharon is Beth McCoy’s grandaughter and the service was in Spanish and English. I felt I did badly with the Spanish as I was very nervous but some of the hispanas spoke to me afterwards and said I was fine.
I had the chance to see some other members of the McCoy clan and that was fun. I couldn’t go to the reception in Virginia as I have the 5:30pm Mass. Tomorrow, I will have the 7:30am and the 10:30am. I am going to meet Fr. John Dakes and some other people from St. Camillus for crabs at Mike’s in Riva at 3pm. It is my first crab meal and I am looking forward to it. I’ll probably be in bed early Sunday night as I don’t know the schedule for next week yet.
I tied today’s readings and this feast in with St. Sixtus from the other day. Lawrence was one of his deacons and followed him in martydom. I had the 6:30am Mass because I was going out to therapy at 8:30. It went well and they tell me I am almost done. Praise God, there is no pain; just awkwardness walking. I came home and had the 11am Mass. Then I met the new priest. He is from Argentina by way of Portland, Oregon. He will study at CUA and reside with us. His name is Fr. Lucas. (first name)
Then I went and took a nap. Just finished a baptism in the chapel and a wedding rehearsal for a wedding tomorrow in the chapel at 1pm. Am going over to eat, watch the Olympics and go to bed.
Last Wednesday evening, I met a couple at RIP’s in Bowie and filled out the rest of the wedding papers for a wedding I have on August 25th. Had a great time.
On Thursday, I had the 6:30am Mass and then went to the doctor’s and had a stress test. It had something to do with the EKG I had 2 months ago. It took till 1pm but everything was great.
Most of the last few days, I’ve just had Mass, watched the Olympics, and took naps. I just don’t feel lilke going out because of the heat. I have spent some time on the phone catching up with people. Had a nice long talk with Fr. Dwight from Witchita and Joe Stoutz. His sister, Mary is recovering well. Thanks for those prayers. Please keep my secretary, Shirley, from St. Michael’s. She is undergoing tests and she and I know the power of prayer, so please offer her up in your prayers.
Well, I’m off to the rectory.
Can’t believe three days have passed. Sunday went just as planned. I said the three early Masses and then went to bed. In my homily, I spoke about the Olympics and how much I was enjoying them. Many people said the same after Mass. I also told the story of Jesse Owens and Luz Long. If you don’t know it, google them. It is a good example of what the Olympics are about. It fit in with the second reading at Mass, in which Paul reminds us to put away the old self and be the new person.
Late Friday night, I got a phone call from Cindy and Jim Richards, their sons were students of mine at Good Counsel and I have stayed friends with the family – although I had lost their address because they had moved to North Carolina. They were up for a family wedding and we staying at the Pook Hill Marriott and we arranged to get together for supper on Sunday night. It was just lovely. I got brought up to date on their three children (there was a girl, Carolyn who couldn’t come to GC in those days!) and their seven grandchildren. It was like we’d been together last week. Aren’t friendships like that – a gift!!
I had the 8:00am Mass on Monday. It was the feast of the Transfiguration. On that day, 41 years ago, I met Dan Poje. So I sent he and Stephanie an email Happy Feast Day. I also called a lot of people who had left phone messages for me over the last few weeks. It was nice to catch up with them and have a nice long talk. While the knee was giving me so much pain, I just couldn’t talk and be socialable and I think I am over that.
Monday night, I drove over to Leisure World and had a great supper (crab cakes, etc.) with Anne and Frank Connolly. They too had sons at GC and their daughter was in our musicals. I got to know them well but unfortunately, just haven’t been with them for a long time. They did come to visit me at St. Michael’s about 6 years ago. We had a great time and again I was brought up to date on the kids and their kids. I got home around 9:30 and went to bed. Am having trouble breathing at night so I am using the oxygen more frequently. I slept all right and got up around 6:30am. I took a nice hot shower in hopes that the steam would loosen up my sinuses. It seems to have worked.
Today, I had the 8am Mass and exposition at 3pm. I will have the 5:30pm Mass also and then back to the room to lounge around and watch more of the Olympics. I can sleep in tomorrow, Wednesday as I have the 11:00am and the 5:30. Fr. Percy is away till the weekend but a priest of Camden, who is a friend of Fr. Ron’s is visiting, so we have some extra help.
The LCWC is holding a conference in St. Louis. Please keep them in your prayers. These women have taught us so much over the years, I pray they can continue to teach us how to deal with this injustice.
In addition to this feast in honor of the ONLY Diocesian priest canonized as a saint (so far!), it is also the birthday of Fr. Bob Norton.
Last night, after a relaxing supper with Fr. Ron, I went to my room and talked on the phone to Fr. Jerry Trancone and my sister, Maggie; then I watched the Olympics and went to bed early. I slept soundly and woke up rested. I had switched Masses with Fr. Ron. He took the funeral at 11 and I took his Mass at 8:00am. I will have confessions at 4pm and will probably go to bed early. I have the 9, 10:30, and 12:30pm Masses tomorrow. Fr. Percy is away and so Fr. Ron and I have split up the 6 weekend Masses.
So: to update you about last week.
Last Thursday, I picked up Marie and she and I went out to Laurel to visit Mrs. Ceil Shellman. She is a dear old friend from St. Bernard’s. She is in a nursing home after falling and breaking her hip. She is 91 and as alert and funny as ever. She is the mother of Chuck Shellman, a friend from my teenage years and was a volunteer receptionist at the rectory when I came back as pastor. I use to enjoy stopping in the office and talking with her. She also use to make cassettes of old radio shows and I played them in my car – especially when I had long trips from Southern Maryland up to Archdiocesian meetings. We had a great visit.
Then Marie and I went to Maggie’s and spent the night. On Friday, we drove up to NYC. We stayed at the Westen Hotel on 43rd Street. It was too hot to go out, so we just watched the Olympics. On Saturday, we took a cab up to Radio City Music Hall. We couldn’t get any tickets to shows, so we walked back to the hotel through a street fair. That evening, we got on a chartered bus and went up to Ft. Tryon for my cousin’s wedding. Her name is Sharon and I believe that I wrote about her before when she and her partner adopted a little boy, Alexander. Maggie and I had met them for brunch when we were up to NYC last December. Many of her siblings and their families were present and it was so nice to see them all. The ceremony and the reception were just lovely – even with the rain storm.
On Sunday, we came back to Maggie’s and switched cars with Maggie’s daughter-in-law. It is larger than mine and had room for 5 people to travel comfortably.
On Monday, we picked up Joan Beall in Laurel and drove up to Shrewsbury, Pa and had lunch with Betty Neary’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth and her daughters, AnneMarie and Theresa. Then Betty joined the group and we headed out to Greensburgh, Pa. The trip took most of the day and we got to the Hampton Inn around 7pm. We had dinner at Olive Garden (they do not give you a lime in your drink, unless you ask for it!!!). Then we went back and watched the Olympics.
On Tuesday, we went to St. Vincent’s Archabbey for a Mass at 11am. It was Priests’ Day, our annual seminary reunion. After the Mass, I took the ladies to Eat’n’park and afterwards, they went shopping at a Dollar Store. I went back to the seminary and had lunch with Bob Norton, Tom Kredel and two of our former faculty members. I saw lots of old friends and it was a lot of fun.
Afterwards, I showed the ladies St. Mary’s, Forbes Road, where I use to teach CCD and we visited Mrs. Josephine Merenda, a dear friend. We caught up on all her family and had a great visit.
We met Bob and Tom for dinner at the Italian restaurant at the Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe. Bill Feeney joined us as did Karen and Joyce, two nurse friends of ours from Pittsburgh, who have travelled with us on cruises. It was a delightful evening with much laughter.
On Wednesday, the ladies and I drove to Washington, Pennsylvania to see Bill Feeney’s parish. He has been there 8 years and I just never got up to see him. We had a great time and met his wonderful staff. Then he treated us to lunch at the Medows. It was and is a race track for sulkys (sp) and is now also a casino. We met up with Fr. George, a retired priest who is coming this weekend to live at Bill’s rectory. He is also an alumnus of St. Vincent’s (and was Bill Farrel’s roomate). Bill was pastor of Leisure World, where I use to help out when I was at Good Counsel. After a great lunch, the ladies went to the machines but Bill and I just sat and talked. It was great.
Then we headed East and dropped Betty in Shrewbury, Joan in Silver Spring, and then Maggie, Marie and I went and changed cars. Then I dropped them off in Dunkirk and I was home and in bed by midnight.
Sometime during the trip, my knee stopped causing me great pain; and since I have returned, it gets better each day. I have no pain and only some awkwardness as I walk.
And I think that brings you up to date!!!
It is nice to be home again and not be plagued by my knee. Today is the first day in over 6 weeks when I feel like myself.
I just finished setting up my pills for the week and I am about to go out and get my haircut and beard trimmed. I have the Mass at Chevy Chase House at 1:30 and I will do exposition at 3pm and say the 5:30pm Mass.
This evening, I will use the computer in my suite at the rectory to make a report that will cover the last week and bring you up to date.
I am in Greensburg, Pa at the Hampton Inn. I am with Maggie, Marie, Joan Beall, and Betty Neary. We came up yesterday and arrived around 7pm. This morning we went to St. Vincent’s Archabbey for an 11am Mass. It is Priests’ Day. I then dropped the ladies at an Eat’n’Park and went to a reunion with Bob Norton and Tom Kredel. Then I picked up the ladies – who by this time, had found a Dollar Store and were having a ball. I drove them out to show them Forbes Road, where I taught CCD and we stopped in to visit Josephine Merenda. We had a great time and in about an hour, we’ll go to the restaurant at the Latrobe airport and meet Tom and Bob.
Don’t know what the next day looks like.
I haven’t had access to the internet since last Wednesday so I’ll bring you up to date on the wedding next time. The knee is doing much better.
I suppose it is this knee that makes the time fly by. I was amazed that I hadn’t written since Saturday. After Mass, I did go to bed and slept through till 6:10am. I had the 7:30am Mass on Sunday. I didn’t process as my knee really hurt. John Williams assisted me and I didn’t give out Communion. Right after Mass, I took a pill and went to bed.
Got up around noon as I was meeting a couple about their wedding in August at 1:30. We had a nice meeting and got a lot of things settled. I had a baptism at 2pm. Samantha Grace! Then I went home and fell asleep watching TV.
On Monday, I had a funeral at 11am. She was 94 and lived to see her children’s children’s children’s and surrounded by her family, she died peacefully in her home. St. Joseph, patron of a happy death, was with her.
After the service, as there was no burial as she will be buried in Arlington sometime in the future, I drove out to therapy. They really worked my stubborn muscles and I was exhausted. When I got home, I had the 5:30pm Mass and then I took a pill and went to bed. I was suppose to meet another couple about their wedding but I just couldn’t get in the car and drive to Annapolis to meet them. My knee is really getting on my nerves.
Today is the feast of St. Sharbel, a Maronite monk who lived at the end of the 18th century in Lebanon. Fr. Bob Wild’s poustinia is named for him and I have gotten to know a lot about him. I had the 8:00am Mass and preached about St. Sharbel.
I came down to the office and tried to contact my sister, Marie, and Msgr. Tom Duffy. I think I’ll be seeing them later today. For now, I think I’ll go and take a nap.
I received some wonderful news yesterday in the evening. Maureen’s appointment with the doctors at Emory has been moved up from the 31st to this Friday, the 27th. Please keep her in your prayers.
Don’t know what happened to yesterday. I thought I had written but I guess not!!
I had no Mass as I was scheduled for Chevy Chase House and Fr. Percy offered to take it for me. I had therapy at 10:30 and then I was to go to hear confessions at 2:30; so he kindly took that Mass for me.
The therapy hurt but I felt much better afterward. I drove to confessions and got home just before the rain. It rained all night but I took a couple pills and slept fine.
This morning, I was picked up by Rita and we drove to a nearby restaurant called The Blue 44. It is right up the street and has a nice menu. I had tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich – Comfort food!
We joined TC, who is a classmate of Rita’s and we laughed and talked about the old DC. Both went to Immaculata for high school and they know everybody. It was fun!!
When I got home, Conor was here and we played two games of chess. Each of us won one and so we’ll have to have a re-match! Again, it was fun.
I have the 5:30pm Mass and then a couple of pills and back to bed. I have the 7:30am Mass tomorrow and although my knee has no hurt much today, I am ready to go to bed.