What Paddy Shot At

Imagine my surprise when a good friend wrote to remind me that yesterday was “Laetare Sunday” not Gaudete. I must have been sick in the seminary, the day we studied which Sunday was which in Lent and Advent. I hope it was a “joyful” one for you.

Today, I got up early because I was suppose to have jury duty. As I was heading out, Joan, our office manager asked where I was going. she said, ” You’ll have to drive through downtown, find a parking space, and walk to the courthouse. Then you’ll have to stand in a long line and with your lungs, you’ll probably catch something and be sick in bed again”. She took my form and called the court and explained that I was a elderly priest who didn’t really understand the form and that she was sure that my doctor would give me a letter saying I shouldn’t serve – and now that was done!
I have to honestly say I am so grateful to Joan because I don’t go anywhere that I have to walk much and I then arrive out of breath.

Since I thought I’d be out all day; I had a free day and I have used it to work on my taxes.

I had one young man to interview about First Eucharist and then I had the 5:30pm Mass.

Well, I have spent most of the day working on taxes and now I’m heading over to the house and an early bed.

Yesterday was very busy. We had Confirmation at 9:30am and 1:30pm. We had 60 some at each Mass and the church was packed for each service. Bishop Martin Holley, who is our auxiliary was the presider and we all concelebrated. It was well organized and the music was beautiful.

Between the service, the bishop joined about 8 of us for lunch. He is a great conversationalist and a great story teller. He was born in Florida and was a pastor, and as a layman worked for the church administration. He’s from a big family and according to him, has a very interesting life as an African American living in the south in the 60’s & 70’s. Also, he was great with the kids and made them have a real experience of the reception of the Holy Spirit.

After the second service, I was hoping to drive out to Barbara (Rosenberger) and David Sherry’s house to see some of the Rosenberger family. Today is the first anniversary of Nora McSweeney Rosenberger’s death. She was an Adult Advisor in the teen club at St. Bernard’s when I was a teenager. We all called her “Mother R” and to be honest I miss her just like I do my own Mom. I offered one of my Masses today for her and the second for Glen (her husband, whom we called “Father”) and all of her family. I would have liked to see them but I had the 5:30PM Mass and couldn’t get out and back in enough time. Father T, who is also part of the family, is sick in bed and couldn’t come either; so I guess when he is well; he and I will go out to lunch with Father.

I went to bed early and slept well. So now you know why there was no message yesterday.

This morning, I got up around 7:30am and went over to the center. It was quiet and so I worked at my desk and put on the Sunday morning talk shows. Some of my parishioners are on them!

I had the 10:30am Mass and the Deacon preached. It went very well and we are having the Scruitinies, where we pray and send off for a discussion, those who are part of our RCIA, the group who have been meeting every Monday night since September. I am looking forward to their entering the church on Holy Saturday.

After Mass, I walked all over the property looking for a group that I had been asked to say a prayer and encourage them in their ministry with the poor. I couldn’t find them anywhere and I did more exercise than I am use to. I was sitting in the choir stalls – catching my breath – when the sacristan, Grace brought me a copy of the bulletin and showed me the article about the group. They are meeting on April 10th!!!

I don’t know if you noticed but today’s Gospel was very long. So at my 12:30 Mass, I had the deacon read the long version but I asked the people to be seated and then I gave the homily from the chair. It’s one of the priviledges that senior priest have – and from comments as they left church, many people my age and older were grateful to be seated for the Gospel.

After Mass, I drove to Leonardtown – near Ridge for my Teams of Our Lady meeting. It was great to see the couples, although one couple has shingles and chicken pox and are sequestered in their home. They were prayed for and missed.

I stopped by my sister Maggie and she and Marie and I shared some ice cream – a Sunday tradition in the O’Connell Clan. We also talked by phone to our youngest sister, Maureen in Georgia. We are all getting excited about being together for Kerri and Tim’s wedding on April 16th.

Well that brings you up to date. I have to go to the court down in DC tomorrow for jury duty. It is one day or one trial. Pray that it is just one day!!
Rejoice in the Lord, I say again, Rejoice on this Gaudete Sunday!!!

I am cheating and writing this on Saturday between the two Confirmations because yesterday was a very full day. I don’t know where the day goes. I got up early yesterday because I had the school Mass at 9:00am.
Then I called my cousin, Michael Caruso, whose birthday it was. I offered Mass for his parents who gave him life and faith. When I was in the seminary, a missionary who worked in Japan told us that on your birthday you don’t get gifts, you give them to your parents. Since then, I have always celebrated by own birthday and the birthdays of my family and friends by a gift (or Mass) for their parents. It worked out nice that Michael was at work at Caruso’s Florist down on M street and his dad, Philip was there also. It was an extra treat to speak with them both.

Then I went to Walter Reed Hospital to visit Frances Icaboni, whom I had the privledge of witnessing her marriage to Jim Krilich while I was at Ridge. She is a retired army officer and while being very sick, she was her charming and gracious self when I stopped by to bring the Eucharist, which I knew she would love to have.

Then I went to Sunrise, which is one of the residences nearby that we have Mass in sometimes for those who can not get to church. It was my first time there and I met lots of lovely people. It is just up the road on Conneticutt Ave.

Then I had five interviews for First Eucharist. As always there were spirit lifting. Then I had the stations of the Cross at 6pm. We do them with families and at each station a family drops off with a lit candle and stays there till the Church is “rimmed” with 14 candles. We use the booklet that Fr. John’s Dad, Deacon Clarence Enzler, wrote many years ago and has been re-issued. I found it very moving.

There was pizza for everyone – and its great to see how many families come – in the center but I couldn’t go because I was going over to Riverdale. My sister, Marie, and our friend, Danny were both being inducted into a service level in the Elks. There was a dinner, which I missed but I got to sit with Marie, Maggie, Mary, Marie’s daughter and with Ronnie, Marie’s oldest boy and Debbie, his wife. That was paricularly nice as I don’t see Ronnie and Debbie very often and we laughed and “caught up”.

I got home around 11pm and just jumped into bed and that is why there was no blog on Friday.
I started this yesterday (Saturday) between the confirmations but now it is Sunday and I am finishing it off. I hope to tell you about Saturday later tonight (sunday)

Praise God! I slept through the night with the c-pac and when I awoke this morning, I didn’t feel like going back to sleep; so maybe it is working.
I stayed around my suite and straightened it up and came here to the center about 9:30. I’ve spent much of the day trying to get my stuff together for taxes – what a mess of small papers and notes I have! I also found the reply card that I assured Maggie I had sent back for the wedding on the 16th. It got hidden, so I called and confessed and put it in the mail.

I also had a chance to talk with Betty Deluca from Pittsburgh and Mary Healy from Leisure world. I like that I have time to talk with old friends. I think “phone ministry” is where the Lord is leading me.

I also interviews one of those confirmandi that I missed last week because of the funeral. She is a freshman at St. John’s High School and lovely.

I put all of the new Mass schedule information in my book, so now it is official and I should get to everything.

I have the 5:30pm Mass and then I’ll go back to my office as someone called today and wants to talk. I think I’ll be back in my suite by 8pm

Yesterday was a full day. After another night of not getting the c-pac to work comfortably, I got up early and went over to hear confessions for the school children at Our Lady of Victory. It is a neighboring parish.
On October 17, 1970, I went to the 6:30am Mass there and Bishop Ed Hermann, who was the pastor and the auxiliary bishop of Washington gave me tonsure, and the first four minor orders, lector, acolyte, porter, and exorcist. I don’t believe that I have been back there since, so I said a little prayer for the bishop and my small band of family and friends who came to the ceremony.

After the confessions, which were a delight; I drove out to Leisure World and saw Marilyn Judge, who was at Gc with me. She is recoverying from a broken pelvic bone but we had a great visit. She is also one of those who have travelled with my gang and we decided we need another trip.

On the way home, I stopped and picked up some prescriptions – I need to make these run out at the same time or do this by mail- I seem to spend a lot of time going to CVS

I put the Blessed Sacrament out for adoration at 3 and then met with four second graders for their First Communion interviews. I just love these little encounters and the chance to meet their parents.

I had the 5:30pm and I went home early and used the c-pac while I watched TV and I think I am getting use to it. Then, I went to bed early.

I got up early this morning because I had the 8:00am Mass. I came down to the office and just being here, I happened to get a phone call from Joe Stoutz. It was nice to catch up and I reminded him that he is coming down to DC in the Spring to visit his son, Tim.

Then I thought, I’d go try the c-pac again and I fell asleep watching it and woke up to hear Drew Perry on The Price is Right. I hope that means that tonight, I’ll be able to use it all night. I can sleep in tomorrow so I won’t set the alarm.

I just finished interviewing 6 second graders and it just is so good to see their excitement at receiving Jesus for the first time. I have also realized that because I have a wedding in Philly that night, I will only be able to get to the first service at 9:30am.

I’m the priest in the confessional for “the Light is one for You” tonight and I take a book in case it isn’t busy but I’ve had a steady stream of people almost every Wednesday. It is from 6:30 to 8:30 and the Blessed Sacrament is on the altar as well. I am for sure going to bed early and I hope the c-pac works well.

Again, I lost a couple of days. I did go to bed early on Friday – and still couldn’t get the c-pac comfortable but I did sleep late on Saturday. I didn’t get out of bed till after 11am. Then I went to the center and just relaxed in my office and continued cleaning it. I had confessions at 4pm and then I drove out to the credit union and made a deposit. then I stopped for dinner at a small restaurant and read four magazins. I hate to sit alone in a restaurant unless I have something to read. When I came home, Fr. Joseph, who was our missionary for the weekend was here and we talked for while about his work with street children in La Paz, Bolivia. Then I went to bed because i had the 7:30am Mass on Sunday.

I had Mass and since Fr. Joseph preached at all the Masses, I didn’t prepare a homily. I like the woman at the well but it was important for people to hear about Bolivia. I think people were generous – as they always are – when they hear about a special need.

I also had the 12:30pm Mass so between Masses i watched the tv in my office so I could see the Sunday morning talk shows. I have my favorites!
Right after Mass, the sacristan told me that some women came looking for me because I was suppose to speak to the confirmandi during a retreat day they were having. A lady asked me a couple of weeks ago and I asked her to call me so I’d be near “My Book” so I didn’t have that in my book. When I got there she asked me to talk about God’s unconditional love for us and a talk I have shared with the parishioners that a brother at Good Counsel use to tell as the freshmen each year. God made them “mistake-making machines and they shouldn’t try to be perfect. God and everyone in the school wants them to make mistakes and learn from them”. It was a great talk and I don’t think I do justice to it; but I love to give it and it went well. Then I answered questions about how we learn what God’s want us to become. That was interesting too.
Then at 5pm, Tim Casey and his son Shamus, one of my students from last year, picked me and we went and picked up Fr. Tom Duffy and went to their house for dinner. It was a delightful and delicious evening. I got to bed by 10pm.

Today, I said the 8:00am Mass and then drove over to the Washington retreat house and gave a morning of reflection for the faculty of our day school. Again, I think it went well and I enjoyed the time with them. I know many of them personally and I think the day was a good time for them to enjoy each others company because like at GC, we were all busy with our classes and we didn’t get to spend enough time together. i think today was refreshing for them and I think I gave them some spiritual thoughts to take home for Lent.
I was exhausted and knew I wanted to sleep so I tried the c-pac again. I had a good nap and seemed to tolerate the headgear. I’ll try it again tonight. Tomorrow, I can sleep in till 9 because I am going out to visit a woman who is recovery from being sick around 10:00am. So now you are up to date and I’m going to bed.

I just finished the confessions after the 5:30pm Mass. Whoever has that Mass is available afterwards for confessions. I had four or five people. Stations were also going on at the same time. Fr. John was leading them. I do it next Friday. It is done with children and afterwards there is pizza in the hall. I really enjoyed it last year and am looking forward to it again.

Yesterday, Thursday, I had the 8:00am Mass and then a person came for confession. Then, I left for Maggie’s. We went to the pool and I relaxed in the hot tub. We caught up on all the family news and then we went to get my beard trimmed at a local beauty shop. I didn’t want to get “sheared” like I did at the Barber shop two months ago. Niki was my stylist and did a good job. Then I went back to Maggie’s a took a nap.

Kerri and Tim came up and we finished all the paperwork for the wedding and then Maggie made cream chipped beef, which I haven’t had in years. It is one of my “comfort” foods. Then Marie returned and we all played cards. I actually was the lowest one in one game but was next to the top during the second game. I drove home and was in bed by midnight.

This morning I drove over to Annuciation school and gave a morning of reflection for their faculty. The priest who was schedule had a death in his family and couldn’t come, so I stepped in. I think it went well and that was a good dry run for me as I am doing the same thing for our faculty on Monday.

God love him, Fr. Jim just offered to go to pick up my prescriptions at the CVS. I hate that walk from the parking lot! Once he returns, I’ll go and try to use the c-pack and go to bed early. I don’t have anything on Saturday till Confessions at 4pm and I will enjoy not having to get out of my warm bed till I feel like it.

Again, I wonder where the days go. I wrote last on Monday evening. I couldn’t get the c-pac to work comfortably. It felt like I was in a gale and then I pushed some button and it seemed like nothing was happening. I settled on another spoonfull of the medicine and slept fine.

On Tuesday, I drove over to Millersville and picked up Pat and then we went and got Joan and we headed up to visit Betty Neary. We had a great visit and her daughter, Mary joined us for lunch. We then “hit” two “Dollar Stores” as Joan is looking for a large piggy bank. We only stayed a while as I had to dropped Pat off, Joan at home and try to get back for School of Religion confessions (which I missed) and the 5:30pm Mass, which I just made. Then I met with a lady from RCIA, who had missed three classes and we covered that material. I had planned to work again on the c-pac but was too tired and just went to bed.

This morning, I had the 8:00am Mass and went back to bed a couple of times. I am over in the center now, as I am the priest for the “light is on for you”, which is confessions available from 6:30pm to 8pm in every church in the diocese. I have loved doing it and will go to bed early again tonight.

I am sleeping better now and I think it is due to the cough medicine with the codenine. Tonight I will try the c-pac. It took me till today to get some “distilled water”. I am still nervous but I want to see if it allows me to really sleep.

I took the medicine on Friday night and went to bed before 10:00pm and I slept till 11:30am on Saturday. I missed the Mass with the Cardinal and most of the workshop. I went over to the office and Fr. Jim convinced me that I didn’t look much better so I called and cancelled my dinner and house blessing for the Fisher family. I would not have been good company. I did see a couple, whose marriage will be in April and then I went to bed about 7pm. I took the medicine but was afraid I’m sleep too late on Sunday. I had the Masses at St. Mary’s in Barnsville for Fr. Kevin O’Reilly. He is out in L.A. for the Religious Educators Congress. I got up at 6am and drove out. I got there at 7:00am because I wasn’t sure when the first Mass was. It was 8:00am and then 9:30, and then 11:00am. I just stayed in my vestements and sat in a pew between the Masses. I had the strength to get through them all. Then I drove back to the center. It was a beautiful day.

At 1:30, Pat Watters, from New Foundland, arrived and she and I went to see Lincoln Lawyer at the theatre in Beltsville. It was very good and then we stopped to visit Joan Beall. We convinced her to join us back at SBS for the 5:30pm Mass. I arrived a5 5:29 and just stepped out from the sacristy to join Deacon Jeff and the procession. Jeff preached and I just sat there. I was out of breath by the time of Communion and so I didn’t process out. I can’t figure out if this is pneumonia again or what. I’ll just take it easy. We went to Ledo’s on river Road and then Pat took Joan home and I went to bed. Again, I slept very well with the medicine and I got up around 9:00am this morning. I went to the center and did the 11:00am Mass and then returned to rest from 1pm to 4pm. I am off and had some food. I also found the distilled water bottles by my door and just filled the machine. I will go to bed around 8:00pm with the machine and I’ll report tomorrow on how I did.

I have no real excuse for why I let the feast of St. Patrick go by without a comment. Actually I have gone back over my appointment book to see what happened this week. It is very blurry – must be the antibiotics?

On Tuesday, I slept in because of I was so tired and then I came to the center and sat down and wrote out about 10 St. Patrick’s Day cards. (In addition to giving up Snickers; I decided that I would write a note or send a card during Lent until I had sent 40 of them). I know some people were shocked to hear from me. I’m going card shopping again this weekend.

I had two confirmation interviews and then two good friends, Susan and Abigail came here to join me in going to the gym and purchasing a bowl shaped art work done by local artist and then get some soup and keep the bowl. I had a nice visit with them but I was so tired that they went and got me a bowl.

I went to the second night of the missionI. Again it was very good but I can’t think wht I wanted to share with you all.

In the afternoon, I called and got a prescription sent and after the mission, I asked a parishioners to drive me over to pick it up. His name is Brian Mullholland and I think I’ve known him since he was a teenager at St. John in Chillum. He drove me back to the rectory and I went right to bed.

Let’s see that brings us to Wednesday! I slept through the night and also through the 11:00am Mass, which I had traded with Fr. John for, so he would take my 8:00am. I don’t even think I heard the alarm.

I came to the office and had four confirmation interviews. They were so impressive and I loved to hear them speak about what they learned from their service, especially if it dealt with helping younger children.

On Wednesdays during Lent, in every church in the Baltimore, Arlington, and Washington area there is a priest in the confessional for anyone who would like to come and talk. It’s called “The Light is On For You”. So Fr. Jim and I went up and sat in confessionals from after the 5:30pm Mass till 7, when the mission started. After the mission, we went again till about 9pm. It was great and a lot of people who came to the mission and heard about the love in the Heart of Jesus came to find it in confession. I think they did!

I took the 11:00am Mass for Fr. Jim, he had a very full schedule and then I had the 5:30pm Mass. Of course, I preached on The Saint. I wore green and spent most of the day in my office and again, I went to bed early. Not my most exciting St. Paddy’s Day!!Oh, that’s not quite true, I drove to the Safeway and on the way, my phone rang and it was Dan & Stephanie Poje calling to with me a Happy St. Patrick’s (what a nice way to end the day!!!)

Today is the day between the great feast. I had a full day. I said the 8:00am Mass and then Laura, the lady who brought my Cpack or whatever its called to demonstrate it and help me get use to it. I think I’ll start tonight. She was lovely and because she is a respitory therapist she wanted me to call the doctor as my antibiotics are over and I still have a cough. So I did and I went to see him and he gave me another prescription, which should help me to sleep.
Because Fr. Jim had a funeral at 11 and the nursing home Mass at 1:30, I volunteered to ride with the funeral director out to Mt. Olivet Cemetery. We didn’t get back till 2:45 and I had wanted to concelebrate the 2:30 funeral and I was a little late getting out on the altar.

It was a beautiful celebration. Al Bridy was 100 years old on Christmas Eve 2010 and we all sang happy birthday to him. Some of you know that the parish is celebrating its 100 anniversary and Al has lived here all his life. His wife, Kay is 92 and they have been married for over 70 years. They were great supporters of everything that happened here at SBS. Their children graduated from our school and some live in the parish. They just were a delightful couple.

Two weeks ago, Al had to go into the hospital and last weekend, Kay went in as well. They both died, not knowing the other was ill and so their caskets laid side by side in the main aisle where they often walked up together to receive Holy Communion. It really was a great Mass as they went off together to Eternal Life.

I missed two of my confirmandis but I’m sure they’ll understand and I’ll reschedule for next week.

I really enjoy my life as a priest. Ah, Our God is so Good.