What Paddy Shot At

I had the 8:00am Mass today. The intention was for Fr. David Thompson, a priest of our Archdiocese who died ten years ago. He is the son of our permanent deacon, Daniel Thompson, whom I have a great affection for. At the homily, I reminded them of something Fr. Jim Cooney said when I was a young priest. We were coming from the funeral of a priest whose parents were deceased and he was their only child. Jim said, “Nothing deader than a dead priest”. I was stunned but Jim said, “No one in the family to pray for you, you’re just forgotten”. I was offended but I made up my mind that I would pray for dead priests all during my priesthood. There is a little book, called the Ordo, in the sacristy of most churches and it tells which priests of the Archdiocese had died on that date. So I always look at it, and it is surprising how many priests I know and can remember to say a prayer for. In my homily, I asked the people to think about some priests who they knew and who had served them and were now dead. I asked them to pray for them today. I even used the prayers for a deceased priest during the celebration. It was a good Mass.
I had a doctor’s appointment with my pulmonary man and he said things are the same and I needn’t come see him for about three months and we’ll do another Cat Skan. He is great doctor and has the kindest face. I also stopped by my regular doctor to see about getting a handicapped parking sticker. She will mail me the form.
I also made arrangements to finally have my sleep apnia test. I will do it tomorrow night at Sibley. I don’t want to but I promised the doctor I would. I’ll try to be open to it and the results.
I had two Confirmation interviews and went out to a restaurant with my cousin Jean Denney. We have been planning it for months with other cousins but we just stopped trying to arrange it and found the first night we were both free. We had a great time and “caught up” on the family.
I think I’ll head over to the rectory and turn in

A very “easy” day. I presided at the 7:30am Mass and the 10:30am in the Church; but didn’t preach. At both of them, we heard a tape from the Cardinal and Fr. John spoke – as he called it – the sermon on the amount! It was very good and I’m sure the parish will be very supportive, as they always are, of the Cardinal’s Appeal. Last year they gave $699,000. (5% of the total collected in the Archdiocese)

I spent most of the day, putting addresses into my list from the envelopes Maggie went through. I also wrote a few notes to friends and caught up on my emails.
Around 3pm, Muffin and John Padukiewicz came and got me and we went out to dinner with their daughter, Kristin and her friend, Rick. We had a great time even with a fender bender on the Chevy Chase Circle. I have been working on my family tree as I am having dinner tomorrow with Jean Denney, a cousin and I hope to get some updates. I have the 8:00am Mass and then I have a doctor’s appointment with my pulmonary man. I didn’t get the opportunity to get the CAT scan he wanted but we can discuss that tomorrow. My “cold” must be over as my readings have gone back to 98 when I sit for awhile. So that is a good sign.
I am heading for bed. I don’t have the energy to stay up and see who wins the Oscars. I hope it is the King’s Speech, because I really enjoyed that.

Today was a very “easy” day. I did not have Mass. Instead, I went out to Our Lady of the Visitation Church in Darnestown and heard first Confessions. I think I had about 15 children and they were wonderful. Right after, I came home and went back to bed till about 2pm.
Then I went to the office and continued the cleaning process. I also learned that my cell phone was full and I went through and cleared them. I also made about seven calls and reconnected with lots of friends.
I decided I should do the same with my office phone as there were 27 saved there. Again, I caught up with lots of friends and had some great phone calls.

I worked on my Christmas letter and I’m going to bed early as I have the 7:30am & the 10:30am Masses. I don’t have to preach as this weekend is the Cardinal’s Appeal and Fr. John will speak at every Mass and I think we’ll listen to a tape message from Cardinal Wuerl.
Tomorrow, is the first anniversary of Beth McCoy’s death. I will say the 10:30 Mass for her and around 4pm Muffin and John Padukiewicz will meet me for dinner. She was a great friend at St. Michael’s in Ridge and she kindly welcomed me into her large family. May she rest in peace.

When I started to type, it occured to me that I intended to write on Thursday and I wondered “What happened”. I just completed a message for yesterday and now to today.

I had a very rough night and finally used the oxygen and got to sleep. However when I got up, I couldn’t get my level up past 94. I think I must have some kind of cold in my lungs and most of the day, I got “winded” easily.
Fortunately, Maggie and JoAnn Adams, a kind of 4th sister, came and we spent the whole day going through the piles that litter my office. Maggie is really good for me because she makes me look at every piece of paper and “defend” why it should stay. JoAnn is a good “filer” and put lots of my “keep” stuff into hanging files and labeled them. I think people will be stunned to see my office.
This project has also made me get working on my Christmas letter. I did a paragraph this evening and will try to work on it so it might get out during Lent!! We’ll see.
I had the 1:30pm Mass at the Chevy Chase House. I always enjoy that and the people there are so nice.
I also interviewed a young girl for Confirmation. She goes to Holton Arms school and is very mature. Her school has a project where the students gather goods for those who are trantioning into a home and share with them. She said she loved the look on this little boy who was getting his first bed. I think it’s great that the confirmandi get involved into these different project and they have a chance to meet “face to face” with the needy.
Maggie, JoAnn and I went to Ledo’s and now I am finishing up this message and going to bed early again. My oxygen level is back up to 98 but I don’t know why. I have an appointment with my pulmonary doctor on Monday and we’ll see what he has to tell me.

Got up early this morning and had the 8:00am Mass

I typed this early yesterday morning and then forgot about it.

After Mass, I worked at my desk; trying to put things in piles for Friday’s sweep. I got all my prescriptions up to date and even filled out my week long pill box. I went and took a nap. Then I had two interviews and then I went to a 7pm meeting on having another “non verbal” prayer service sometime during Lent. This whole concept is an idea whose time has come. I hope to learn more about this part of ministry at a major workshop that will be held here on March 19th.
I went to bed around 9pm and I was really tired.

I intended to write yesterday but had a full day. It did snow and that caused many of the schools to have “delayed openings”; so I slept in and watched the Today Show from bed. I came over to the center and drove out to Leisure World.
I am giving a day of recollection on March 14th and met with Jean Chambers, who is arranging it. She is a long time parishioner of SBS but moved to L.W. about a year ago. She still comes here for lots of things and even volunteers to be a receptionist one day a week. That’s how we met and how she came to ask me to do the day.
We met for lunch and I think we got the schedule settled; but the funny thing is: Washington really is a small world. It didn’t occur to me that her last name is the same as the family I went out to dinner with last Saturday – the Chamber’s family from GC. Well it turns out she is the aunt of Bobby and Billy. Their dad, Robert was the younger brother of her husband, Charles. I told her that if we talked long enough, we’d find that we were related!

While I was out at L.W. I stopped in to see Barb Ostrye and we had a nice visit. We are going to try to stop over and visit Ursula Lemanski, another GC fellow worker. She is 94 and had a little spell but is up and around again but staying close to home. We met for lunch a few times and so we might take a picnic basket and go and visit her. Barbara will arrange that.
When I got home, I had exposition and then two interviews for Confirmation. Delightful young girls who had some very interesting service project. One went to New Orleans for a week and helped build houses. She is 13. Amazing!

Had a nice phone call from Loretta Favret. I had met a couple from their parish on the cruise and they were calling to say that I was successful in fooling them as they thought I was a wonderful priest. I explained that I can carry that off if I am only with you for a couple of days! Actually she was very complimentary and I did enjoy meeting and visiting this couple from their parish.

I had the 5:30pm Mass and it was the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. I have always loved that altar of the chair in St. Peter’s basilica and so I talked about it and the need for us to pray for the unity of all Christians.
Afterwards I met with the couple whose wedding I am officiating at in the Outer Banks in June. Afterwards, we joined her parents for dinner at a local restaurant, La Ferme, French and great food. Here parents are locals and so we knew lots of people in common. One of my “Denny” cousins is a close family friend. Again, we could end up discovering we’re family too.

I had a great time but I went to bed before ten and fell asleep before “The Good Wife” came on. I slept through “work out” this morning. 7am just came to quickly.

Today, I have the 11am Mass and I promised someone that I would be sitting in the back of the church after the 5:30pm Mass because they thought there were confessions every Wednesday after Mass and they were bringing a young confirmandi from another parish who wanted to celebrate the sacrament before they were confirmed on Thursday. So I’ll go do that and then at 7pm, the play reading group is reading “Everyman”. I think I remember it from college – its a medieval play. I’ve missed the last few meetings so I am looking forward to seeing everyone.
I think I’ll submit this early today.

It is now 9pm on January 21st and I figured I’d update you.

I was able to sleep late and didn’t get up till 9am. I came to the office and wrote part I and then I had the 11am Mass. There were few people there but the reading was about the man with the son who was possessed and I spoke about the wonderful painting by Raphael that showed the Transfiguration. The painter wanted to show the scene below the mount where the apostles were trying to show the father that they couldn’t help because the One who could was up on the mount. It is a very powerful painting and one of my favorites. I had a copy as an “audio visual”. Some of the people came up to see it afterwards and we had a nice conversation.

The afternoon was quiet but I got a lot of phone calls and email done and at 4:45, I had a Confirmation interview. They are so neat.

Then I went to dinner at Danny and Maureen Hickson’s down Conneticutt Ave. Danny’s mom was Doris Hickson, the school nurse at GC and they moved nearby last summer. We’ve been talking about getting together and they arranged for it tonight. Joe, Danny’s father, Ginger Burch, who ran the cafeteria at GC and Barb Ostrye, who was the principal’s secretary were there as well. We had a great time – and a great meal. Time to be with friends – One of those ‘perks’ for ‘senior priests’.

It’s suppose to snow tonight but I don’t think it will be much. Just in case, I am off to bed early.

Where did the last few days go? I thought I missed a day but obviously I didn’t write Saturday or Sunday. I have to look in my appointment book to see how the time flew by.

Oh, yes! Saturday, I came over around 9:00am to meet a young man for confession and then a couple who would like to have their baby baptized stopped in for a visit. I’ll do that in May.
Then I had confessions at 4pm and the 5:30pm Mass. The Chamber family came to the Mass. Bob was a student at GC and although I loved both he and Sue, I was not able to go to Wisconsin and officiate at their marriage. (It was Thank You party weekend at St. Bernard’s) but they forgave me and I baptized Joey (who is about to go to Mt. St. Joe’s High School in Baltimore) and Abigal (who is a fifth grader at St. Mary’s in Laurel). Also Bob’s Mom, Corky and Sue’s Mom, Ruth from Wisconsin were here. We all went out to dinner at Alfio’s nearby and had a great time. The table next to us was celebrating a man’s 100 birthday. He looked great!

On Sunday, Gary and Louise Corpora came for a visit and it was great to see them and “catch up”. Marie came and they all went to the 10:30am Mass in the gym. I warned them that some people say that Mass is like “Mass at ToysRus” but they loved it – and so do I.
Marie and I then went to Lauren Werner’s house for brunch. Lauren is the grandchild of my grandmother Crory’s sister, Aunt Minnie. When we were children, we all got together at Christmas time. Lauren lives in Silver Spring but has friends who are here at SBS and so we have re-connected. Her brother, Chris and his wife Liz and their daughter were there (they live in Virginia), as was her sister, Sharon, who lives in NYC. She and Amy, her partner and their darling son, Alexander who is about 18 months old, were the reason for getting together. I have a picture of him on my wall but I wanted to see him ” in action”. He was a delightful and active little boy. He liked me from a distance, which I certainly understand. His grandfather, Bob and his wife Emaleen also came as did Loretta, a friend of Lauren’s whom I have met a few times. It was very relaxing and the food was great. We had lots of “remember when” moments.
Marie headed home and then back to Maggie’s and I went over to a parishioners house to meet some young Catholic men who, like the Mormans, go around a visit homes to talk about Our Lady of Fatima. It was very interesting and I learned things about the apparition that I didn’t know. It was a nice visit and we said the rosary, which is one of my favorite prayers but I actually enjoy it more said in a group.

It was a very good day filled with love, prayer, and family and friends!

It is around 5am and I guess I finally caught up on all the sleep because I have been up for about an hour. I’ve done some emails and watched Early Today and I thought I’d start this message. I have the 8:00am Mass and then I have some chores to do. I am trying to get all my medicines straightened out. I let a number of the prescriptions lapse and I’ve been working on getting them re-instated. Also I heard this morning that there is still a million dollar winner in Virginia that hasn’t been claimed. I think I was over that way and I bought one, so I will HAVE TO clean my desk and see if it is there. You never know!!!
8:30PM
Well now I know. My ticket was not the “lost” one. Nor were the Mega or the Powerballs I bought way back on December 30th, when I was returning home from my visit to my cousins, Rick & Peg Jensen & family.
I did clean up a lot of my desk and at the Mass I preached about the tower of Babel (the first reading). I spent a lot of the morning trying to change Masses in February and March to fit in a lot of events I have been invited to. Fr. John is heading to Florida next week and so I need to be around to help Fr. Jim. He doesn’t know how to say “No” and get double booked easily.
I arranged to do a Baptism in Spanish soon. I’ll need to practice. And i said yes to some days of recollection for women in neighboring parishes. My bulletin board is beginning to look busy but organized. This weekend, I have confessions at 4 and Mass at 5:30pm. Then the Chamber family (from GC) and I are going out to supper. On Sunday, Gary and Louise Corpora from Pittsburgh are coming by to visit before the 10:30am Mass. They will be in Baltimore for a baby shower for their first grandchild. They’ll go to the 10:30am Mass, which Marie is also coming to because afterwards, she and I are going to our cousin, Lauren Werner’s house to meet out newest cousin, Alexander, the son of Sharon, who lives in NYC.
Sometime around 2:30pm, I’m going to visit a parishioner, who is having a gathering of people who are saying the Rosary and doing some reflections and sharing about Our Lady of Fatima. (more about that later)

Even I am tired listening to the next few days events but I can sleep in on Saturday morning, which always rebuilds me. I think I’ll head to bed now.

Hello again, I am back in the parish center. I had the 8:00am Mass today and have spent most of this morning, answering email (43 of them) and phone messages (27 of them). I must remember to change both when I am away for a few days. Also for a “senior priest”, I have a very busy social and pastoral schedule – which I love!!!!

Pittsburgh was great and to pick up from my message from there on Tuesday – I went to visit Central Catholic, the Christian Brothers’ school. Brother Robert, the principal was most gracious and sent a AP Senior to take Keith and I around. Keith graduated 50 years ago and so he could say what use to be in the rooms and Connor updated us. There are 800 young men there now, there were 1800 when Keith was there. I have passed by it so many times and I’m glad I finally got inside.
We joined Sheila for a sandwich at Duffy’s and then I headed out to Bob Norton’s place. Richard and Bill joined us and we had a great dinner and lots of laughs. Don’t know what happened to Tom Kredel?
I spent the night and got an early start back to DC. I had, as I always try to, listened to the Today Show and was surprised to discover it was February 16th. It was the 20th anniversary of Mom’s death; so I phoned Maggie and Marie and we agreed to meet at the 5:30pm Mass and then go to dinner. We had a great time and the some of the congregation were so glad to meet the sister whose dolls’ heads I took off.
Went to bed early and am getting back into my pace. For the next few weeks, I will have interviews with Confirmandi in 15 minute segments from 3 to 5pm, so I’ll have to take my nap right after lunch.
I better get over to the rectory now and I’ll publish this early.