Catching up

I'm posting from the Cathedral Ministry Conference in St. Augustine, FL ... four of us are here from the Indy Cathedral. The conference is held every two years, so this will be my one and only. It's a good group and I'm fining it very worthwhile ... there's an element of a Saint Meinrad Alumni gathering, too, as StM Alumni from various Cathedral and Diocesan Staffs around the Country are here. The conference ends tomorrow (Thursday) but we're staying over till Friday with my Secretary's cousins outside Jacksonville. Then it's back to Indy Friday afternoon for a full weekend.

The Holidays were all very nice. With some very mild weather, the attendance at all the Christmas Masses was the largest it's been in some years ... so I'm told. I spent Christmas Day quietly in my rooms, dozing in the recliner and on the couch. In the days leading up to Christmas several parishioners invited me over, saying "You can't be alone on Christmas...." to which I reponded "Oh yes, I can, and even enjoy it." Actually, that evening I did go over to the home of a priest-friend's family for a bit of supper, which was nice.

By the way, I did do the kiddie homily at the 5pm Christmas Eve Mass, and am told it went well. I was more anxious about that than anything else, but the Holy Spirit came through.

Mom and Dad were going to swing by Indy and pick me up so we could go to the Hill for a couple of days after Christmas, but a good friend of theirs died suddenly on Christmas Eve morning, and they wanted to stay in Toledo for the funeral. So we didn't go. In the end, I wound up driving to Toledo to preside and preach for his funeral ... he made the wine for my Mass of Thanksgiving in Toledo when I was ordained, and we still had a bottle downstairs at Mom and Dad's, so I sampled it ... It was good ... like sherry ... so I used it for the funeral. Becuase of the wine connection, I used the Gospel for the Wedding Feast at Cana ... now John enjoys the finest wine in eternity.

With Lent coming so quickly (February 6th) there is little breathing time following the Holiday season ... but this conference has provided for a little bit of break ... at least change of venue.

I made a quick trip to Saint Meinrad last week to take care of a project, and it was nice to get home for a bit. Next week we have Brother Christian's Solemn Profession, so I'm hoping to get home for that.

One of these days I need to do a Christmas letter for folks who don't read this blog or even know that I've tromped around Eruope before taking up the assignment in Indianapolis.

In the meantime ... all is good.