What Paddy Shot At

It is also the feast of St. Camillus (According to the old calendar), so I prayed for all the people of that parish and all the priests and sisters who served there. It was the best “first parish” I could have ever been sent to.
I stayed in or around bed until noon. I went down to the table as we eat at 12:30 but I had cereal instead. Then I went to the office. I spent the majority of the day, calling doctors and seeing if my bills were paid – many had been. I got my royalty check and I was able to clear up a lot of bills and put them to be filed.
I worked on my August schedule. Maggie and I are going to Structure House for two weeks and I needed to get input into the schedule. Ron was great and just asked me to write it down. I talked to Fr. Jim and he is having a “h….” of a time in his new parish. Not with the people, they love him already but the previous pastor must have been very interesting!!!
I had the 5:30pm Mass and then Fr. Percy, Ryan and I had supper together and now I am in my room, watching TV and getting ready for bed. Have the 11am Mass tomorrow, so maybe I’ll sleep in again. I do like it.

It is late Wednesday night as I am really ready to go to bed. I had a long day. It was hot today but not as hot as yesterday. I went over around 10am and worked at my desk until the 11:00am Mass. We are continuing Exodus and Moses. I really do enjoy these readings. I offered the Mass for my cousin, Kevin Werner, who died in Florida. I also asked for prayers at the petitions for Sr. St. Henry, a Sister of St. Joseph of Hartford, whose is a friend and today is her feast day.
After I came down from Mass, Diane Flanigan was waiting for me. Dan had some more work at the lawyers and she had forgotten to give me two gifts yesterday, a book on Thomas More and chocolate covered orange conconut patties. (They are delicious!!!) We had a nice visit and then when she left, I came over to the rectory as we are beginning our staff lunches on Wednesdays and then Humberto can go home and just leave something in the fridge for supper. I enjoyed lunch as I got to meet some of the summer help. Then I took a nap.
I went back to the office and signed about 100 checks. It seems that I am the only priest who still is a signer on the account. We took care of that today also but it didn’t take long to write my signature because I didn’t even look at the amount or wonder whether we had enough money to cover the check. It wasn’t like doing it when you’re pastor!! It was kind of fun.
I had a lovely talk with a lady from Leisure World and caught up with Maggie, who is off to Bethpage for a week. Also I called Joan and Barbara to tell them that I had spoke with Pat Watters. She was in a very serious car crash. She is black and blue but nothing broke but the motorcyclist who hit her, died. She’d dealing with that pain as well as her body pain. Keep her in your prayers. I spoke with Kass, who leaves on vacation tomorrow – a cruise to Montreal. And I was on the phone a lot today.
I don’t have anything to do tomorrow till 3pm, so I’ll sleep in. Good Night.

I have a few moments free before I go up to say the 11:00am Mass and I will start this and finish it up this afternoon.
Yesterday, Monday, I had the 10:30am Mass at one of our nursing homes and Ryan went with me. It was nice but only four people came down to Mass. It was very hot outside and I was glad to find the air conditioning was on in the home but in the room where we had Mass, I think the heat was turned on because it was very warm. I think the patients were comfortable but I wasn’t. I was glad to get back in the car and get home.
I had intended to spend the rest of the day inside.
However, Lila and four of the teachers from St. Michael’s were here at our school taking a workshop. So we all went to Clyde’s for lunch and had lots of laughs and updates.
Then, I took a nap and we priests had supper together at 6:10pm. We are going to try to make that a routine. 6:10 will make it possible for the person who has the 5:30pm Mass to finish and join us. Lunch is also being served at 12:30. I’ll try to do that but I forget about lunchtime.
I have spent most of the morning after the 8:00am Mass trying to straighten out my wedding papers down in North Carolina. They are different than ours here in DC and I sent the wrong part of the license to the church. A very nice staff member, Val at Holy Redeemer has sent off the proper part to the state and now I can relax.
(4:50PM)
After finishing the part above, I got ready for the 11:00am Mass. Fr. Ron has his mom visiting and she had a doctor’s appointment, so I took his Mass. It was well attended – although it was almost 100 degrees outside. I spoke again about how much I enjoy the Old Testament and I hope more people read it; starting with Chapter 19 in Genesis through the first chapters of Exodus, so people will have a good sense of Salvation History – From Abraham to Moses.
Afterwards, I blessed a very nice Filipina’s new car and then I drove Ryan to Lisner House so he could drop off some Catholic Standards and the bulletins, which we forgot yesterday. The people love to read them and know what’s happening.
Then I drove over to the Pines of Rome, one of my favorite restaurants and met with Diane Leach Flanigan. She was up here from Florida for a meeting and would be free for about an hour while Dan, her friend had another meeting. We thought he might join us but his meeting ran longer. So we shared some white pizza and drinks and caught up.
When I got back, I worked at my desk and then took a nap. Now I am over in the office again and about to go over to Limerick’s Pub, in Wheaton. Paul Belford, who wrote a book called “Swampoodle” is giving a reading tonight. Fr. Mike Roach, who teaches Church History at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary is meeting me there. It will great to see him as he celebrates his 40th anniversary of ordination. He vested me as a deacon, 40 years ago. I am taking two books over to share with him, that the author, Paul Warren sent to me this morning. They are about the Jesuits and Gonzaga High School. We met at the retreat last week. My life is beautifully full.

This is going to be brief as I am ready for bed.
I had a great spiritual and restful time on the family retreat and I will write about tomorrow or Tuesday.
We had Mass this morning at camp and then one last session and then I headed home. I figured that I could get from St. Mary’s county to Blessed Sacrament in an hour and a half as I have come from St. Michael’s in about that time and it is closer than St. Michael’s. However there is a detour on Branch Ave that took me out Southern Avenue and through the area of Queen of Peace parish. I got back to Blessed Sacrament at 1:55pm. At 2, I had the Baptism of the Winslow twins. It was a big family and fortunately some grandparents were running late, so everything went off fine at about 2:15.
At 3pm, I baptized Thomas Pablo, whose family is from Paraguay, so little bits were in Spanish (very little bits!). After that, I went down to my office, caught up on mail, and phone messages and then I had the 5:30pm Mass.
I asked them to sit for the Gospel because it is a great but long story and I wanted them comfortable as they listened. It seemed to go well and the church was standing room (I think a lot of people came home early from the beach and came to our last Mass).
Afterwards, I drove over to McDonald and got a little food, talked to Diane Flanigan, who called to say she’d be in town on Tuesday and then I called Maggie and Marie and caught up on their activities. I am back in the rectory as since I have the 10:30am Mass at Lisner House tomorrow, I am going to take a nice shower and go to bed. A pretty good pastoral day for a retired priest!!!

Today, my new housemates arrive. I am hoping that my life will be more settled. It has been hard on all of us – this time of transition. Last night, John, Jim and I had dinner together at DeCarlo’s, an Italian restaurant that we all like. It was relaxing just to sit and talk about how nice it has been to be together for the last two years. I will miss them.
I had the 8:00am Mass and talked about St. Maria Goretti and how pervasive pornograph is today and what a cross for the young.
I spent some of the day finishing up the paperwork on my weddings and at one point, Joan Ward, our office manager and I went down to the DMV in Georgetown. I have somehow lost my driver’s license and have been driving all around the country without it. So I got the paperwork and Joan dropped me off and I told her I’d call in about an hour for her to come and pick me up. I went into the office and joined a line that stretched out into the hallway and settled in. Then a very nice officer came up to me and said, “Are you 65?” I said, “Actually I’m almost 67” and he said, “Well follow me. We treat senior citizens special here” and I went to the front of the line and was the next person waited on. I was out with my duplicate license in about 20 minutes. Ah, the benefits of old age!!!
I came home and welcomed our new pastor, who was busy moving in. Then I took a nap and afterwards went back to have a 3pm meeting with the DRE.
When I got there; Ginger Burch and Peg Barbera, two great friends from GC had stopped by. We had a wonderful visit and caught up.
Then the DRE and I got the Baptismal schedule for July and August straightened out.
Then I wrote a proposal to the NCEA convention, which will be in April in Boston 2012, for Joe and I to give a presentation on the importance of Church History for High School students and RCIA. It would be neat if they accept it. We should know in September.
Lastly around 7pm, a very nice couple, Josh and Michelle, picked me up and drove me to Christy and Jack’s for a pre-Cana session. In addition to these two couples who were the leaders, there were four engaged couples as well. We had a wonderful time and I enjoyed heaing the couples share. They will get together two more times and then on July 28th, I will join them again for the last session.
To those who know my inability to NOT know someone’s relatives. I just want to say that Christy is the daughter of Ann and George Jelen, whom I knew at St. Camillus and one of the engaged men is the cousin of Sister Catherina, who was my 8th grade teacher. It is a small world.
Well, now I’m off to bed. Have the 11am tomorrow but afterwards I will head South for a “family retreat” at Camp Maryland with about twenty families that I led a retreat for last July and they asked me back. So probably no news till Sunday. Pray for all of us and know that I will ask them to pray for you and yours.

Just finished the 8:00am Mass. It was a combined homily about our Independence Day and the feast of St. Elizabeth of Portugal. She was a great “peacemaker” and I spoke of the role Christian have as “peacemaker” and how we as Americans have accepted that “not always popular” role as “peacemaker”. We closed by singing “a capela” the song, “America”, which everyone joined in.
Then Ryan and I went to a little shop and had breakfast. It’s kind of a community hangout – much like Linda’s in Southern Maryland – where the locals go for breakfast. We met one of the owners, Anna, who is from Korea. We had a nice time.
I plan to go out to friends for a cookout and then I’ll try to be home early enough to watch “A Washington Celebration”, which is the show on the lawn of the capitol. I went to it in 1976 but have enjoyed the TV presentation since.
Yesterday was a “quiet” day. I had said Mass at 5pm on Saturday up at Our Lady of the Visitation parish in Darnestown. Fr. Ray Fecteau is away and I agreed to say one of the Mass on the weekend so Fr. Mathew, from India would not have to preach at three Masses.
I stopped by Carabbas and used a gift card I had to have delicious shrimp scampi.
On Sunday, I had the 7:30am and 12:30pm Masses. I spent some more time on my desk between the Masses and just “bummed” around my room in the afternoon. We had a storm that knocked out the cable; so I finished reading my book, “Impeached” by Stewart on the trial of Andrew Johnson. I enjoyed it so much I shall go looking for other information about the trial. Years ago, I read “Profiles in Courage” by JF Kennedy but this book puts a different slant on things. Oh, I do love history!!
The cable came back on around 10pm and then I went to bed.

It has been a full week.
On Monday, I drove to Pittsburgh and arrived at Bob Norton’s house around 3pm. He bought a home after his parents died and uses it as a place to go on his day off. I have a key and so I made myself at home and just relaxed that evening.
On Tuesday, Bob came over and we went to lunch together and it was relaxing just to sit and talk and “catch up”. In the evening, I went to meet Sheila and Keith Morris and their daughter, Kathleen, who is my Godchild. We went to dinner and I had a delicious fish. We talked about Kathleen’s wedding, at which I will officiate in January 2012.
Then, Keith and I went by to see Lizette Rihn. She and her family became friends with me when I was assigned as deacon at St. Anselm’s in Swissvale in 1971. She was born in Belgium and is a very talented lady. She made my chasable and 26 stoles for my first Mass in 1972. Then her daughter, Louise and a friend embroiderd shafts of wheat on each of them and I gave them to my concelebrants. I still see them every so often when I am at a Penance Service or a first Communion. I remember that Fr. Adam Kostick especially loved getting one. Louise had written me that her Mom would be 85 on Wednesday but she wouldn’t be around as she had a day trip to West Virgina with her travel group. It was decided that people should just send her cards. Since I knew I’d be in town, I decided I turn in my card in person.
When I was a deacon, I stopped by the Rihn’s and pour out my soul as I got more nervous about ordination. She would listen and then say, “Let’s have some Drambuie”. I found the perfect card for her birthday. It said on the cover, “So its your birthday!, Yada, Yada, Yada. You look wonderful. Yada, Yada, Yada. Hope you have many more. Yada, Yada, Yada. Then you open it and it says “Now, let’s have that drink!!” She laughed and then I said, “Oh, that’s just your card. Here is your gift”. And I gave her a bottle of Drambuie. We laughed and then had a drink!! She is wonderful and had walked a mile earlier and been swimming and now was getting ready for her trip. She really does look and sound wonderful.
On Wednesday, I took my car to Jiffy Lube and spent the day, watching TV or reading. I went to S & K’s for a delicious steak dinner from the grill and Helena Regal, a friend I met through Eric Diskin. We sat on the porch, as we use to do until dawn when we were all younger, and tried to solve the problems of the Church. It was great and fun.
Then I stopped to visit Betty and Norm Deluca, another great couple from St. A’s. I use to pop into their house anytime after 11pm and Betty would share with me cookies she had just made. I had called earlier, while she was at work, to say I’d be at the back door after 9pm. So I knocked and she said, “Just come in, I have to watch these cookies in the oven”. I knew I was at the right place. Norm, she and I had a great “catch up” on their boys and their grandchildren; their 60th wedding anniversary, and the parish. It was just like the 70’s!
On Thursday, Bob came home and he brought stuff for sandwiches and then I said to him, “What would normally do on your day off?” He said, “Sleep”. So I said, “Good, you like the sofa so I’ll go upstairs and use the bed. I’ll read and may fall asleep. See you around 2pm”. At 4:05, he banged on the door and woke me up. Then I drove to Gavin and Kristen Rapp’s house for dinner with Kerry, a third daughter of S & K’s. She had brought with her, her children, Patrick and Caroline (whom I had baptized) and Kristen’s children, Kieran and Jack (whom I also baptized) hosted them. It was so much fun to watch the children playing and going in the pool. They are from grade 5th (Kieran) through 3rd(Jack), to first (Patrick) and 4 year old pre K (Carolline). They grow up so quickly! David, who will marry Kathleen also came and I found out that our youth minister here at SBS has been a family friend for years. Small world! Ed, Kerry’s husband was in recovery mode after a very successful golf tournament that he ran, so I didn’t get a chance to see him. (I married them) However just being with all these people was “life giving”. It turned out that July 1st, (the next day) would be the 16th anniversary of Gavin and Kristen wedding, so we gathered for prayer and a special blessing for them. (Married them too)
Gavin has just written and directed a film about his Mom, who was a member of The Skyliner in the 80’s. It will be coming out soon and I’ll let you know when. I read the draft and I’m sure it will be great.
Keith convinced me to go to Bob’s that night and to start out for DC on Friday morning. I did that and was home by noon. I missed all the holiday traffic and came home slowly.
I spoke with Karen, a nurse friend and with the Boston’s, friends from St. Camillus days and I wasn’t able to get together with my classmates, Tom, Bill and Richard, but I know they are busy in their parishes. They are not RETIRED!

This was the most relaxing trip to Pittsburgh I’ve had in years. I saw a lot of people but I also slept a lot.
When I got home a lot of people on staff said, “You look so relaxed”. And I was. I had the 5:30pm Mass and then Fr. Jim and I went out to supper. We “caught up” because he leave on the 6th for his first pastorate. I will miss living with him. We had a nice supper and our waiter ended up telling us that our bill had been paid by someone, “who supports what you do”. He wouldn’t tell us who but it was very thoughtful and much appreciated. And a nice surprise to both of us.
And it was nice to sleep in my own bed!!

I had planned to write this yesterday on the feast, which of course, is the patronal feast of this parish but I went to bed. So, it is Monday morning, June 27th and I am leaving for Pittsburgh within the hour but I thought I’d report on last week.

Maggie, Marie, and I had a great time in AC and then on Thursday, they headed out to Canada and I haven’t gotten the report on that yet.
On Thursday, I headed to North Carolina. It was a very relaxing trip and I turned in early to a Hampton Inn in Elizabeth City. I used some of my points and it cost $16 in taxes. I went to a Golden Corral for supper and read my book. Went to bed and got up early. I didn’t know how far I was from the Outer Banks. It was about 30 miles and I got into Kitty Hawk by 11:00am. My room, is a beautiful hotel on the shore wasn’t ready yet, so I read about 9 magazines that I had brought and then when I got in my room. I took a nap.
The rehearsal was at Corolla Chapel, which is about 20 miles up the coast. It’s a two lane road and it was packed so I was glad I had left an hour before I planned to be there. The wedding co-ordinator, whom I called “B” was superb and the rehearsal took about an hour and was run like a military exercise. I got lost going to the dinner but arrived during cocktails, which I don’t like anyway. I sat with some of the aunts and uncles and had a ball. They are old Washington people and went to school with relatives of mine and knew lots of priests I know. I stayed for the toasts and learned a lot. On the road, I called my cousin Ann Brown O’Connell and I checked on some of the people I was meeting as she knew them also.
As a “senior priest” I was allowed to leave early and went back and read for awhile. I had a balcony, where I could sit and listen to the ocean. Relaxing night.
Saturday, I just relaxed till I left for the wedding. It was at 3pm and actually started at 3. “B” is very organized. All went well and the Mass and the couple were beautiful. The reception was at the Duck Woods Country Club and was just magnificient. Again, I sat with family and enjoyed meeting their children and grandchildren. One couple came up to me and said, “Didn’t we see you last week in Darnestown?” I said, “Yes, one of the nice side effects of being a senior priest is, No one knows where you are and its hard to hit a moving target!” I also learned that a cousin of mine use to babysit the bride. Small world in those “Catholic circles”.
On Sunday, I went to the church to see the pastor and give him some papers. I thought I’d go to Mass at 9:30 but the Mass was at 9. So I went and got breakfast and returned to talk to Fr. Bill. He is an Oblate and of course, we knew people in common.
I decided to head back to DC. It was about 300 miles based on the trip on Thursday so I also decided that I’d stop off and sleep at SBS. I got home around 4pm and Fr. Jim. and I talked. I didn’t have the energy to preside but he let me concelebrate because as a Catholic I still had to go to Mass. It was nice to hear him preach about the Body and Blood of Jesus on our feast. I worked a little at my desk and then read some more of my book and went to bed. Although the beds in hotels are comfortable, there’s nothing like your own bed.

It was a great success. Not financially but my two sisters and I had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. We walked a lot of the Boardwalk. Ate some good food – And laughed and laughed. J, J, & T couldn’t join us as there are NOT retired and we understood. We watched TV, they went to a $10,000 Bingo while I read a book in my room. It just was a lot of fun.
Got home and helped my cousin Lauren Werner with a car problem – NO I did not work on her car! I drove her over to pick it up. We had a nice evening and we “dined”. I am now about to go over to the rectory and pack up for the trip sometime on Thursday towards the Outer Banks. If I can, I’ll write. If I can’t, you probably won’t hear from me till July 2nd.

Well, I guess I did “crash” on Saturday because I didn’t write yesterday. It was a lovely day. I had the 7:30am Mass and then went down to my office and watched all the Sunday morning shows. I really do have concerns for the way our form of govenment (still the best in the world!!) is looking badly because of selfish elected officials – On all sides. Where is the selfless love that Jesus came to teach us??

I then had the 12:30pm Mass and I think it went well. At both Masses, I pointed out how Trinitarian our faith is and the many times we celebrate our faith in the Trinity by our sacraments and our liturgy.

I phoned Mr. McGreevy, Mr. Cavallaro, and Mr. Rosenberger to wish them each a very Happy Fathers’ Day. I prayed for my Dad and all the men who have “fathered me” over the years. We had a nice blessing at Mass for Fathers.

At 2pm, I had three Baptisms. An infant boy, Jackson Joseph, and a 8 month old girl, Martha Hedwig, and her 3 year old brother, Klemmons. Each family had their families and friends (one godmother has six little boys) so they place was alive with the sounds of our future. We all loved it!!!

I watched the rest of the golf and fell asleep until about 8pm. Then I packed and went back to bed. My sisters, Maggie and Marie are coming to the 11am Mass today (which is for Claire,Mac, Regina and their families on what would be Regina’s 67th birthday). She was older than me.
Then the three are heading to Atlantic City to waste time and money and just enjoy each other. I think Joe, John, and Terry might join us on Tuesday. We’ll be back on Wednesday and I’ll rest up for the ride to the Outer Banks for a rehearsal on Friday and a wedding on Saturday. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks and am looking forward to it. I’ll probably write on Wednesday to tell you of our sucess in AC>