Wed Sep 2
September has started off busy – altho it’s generally quiet in the build up to the labor day holiday which marks the end of Summer. With Terry away this week, I am coming into the office at 8 am. Yesterday I met with Jim to discuss finances & Bob to discuss music. He has chosen some interesting anthems for Sep/Oct. He is back at the organ this Sunday – but no choir.
Thurs 3 St Gregory the Gr8
A busy a/noon. I went to Atria for my monthly HC Service & the freeway traffic was crazy! Frs David & Philip were at Mass & took me for dinner afterwards. It was the year’s mind of Fr Geoffrey Pollard – that wonderful priest we all knew at St Saviour’s, Pimlico. I reflected on what a marvellous co-incidence it was for us to be at Mass on his anniversary – who would have thought back in ‘75 that we would be doing this together in San Diego!
Fri 4
Usual Friday + a house-blessing in the a/noon. It’s football finals time in Australia (called “play-offs” here!) so I will be listening to the computer tonight & tomorrow. AFL games stopped being shown on cable TV a month ago :-(((((((
Sun 6 Pent 14
The hot weather continues, & as tomorrow is the labor day holiday, attendances will not be gr8 at 10 am. Good numbers at 8 am. My sermon is about healing & got a big response. I recounted 2 healings in my life….I have much to be grateful for. I am having my usual 2 day break for the holiday & this a/noon fly to Pittsburgh. It’s another city I have not yet visited.
Mon 7 Labor day
The day began with a parade, then a visit to Trinity cathedral. Pittsburgh diocese is one of those that left ECUSA, & I had a strange feeling visiting it. The cathedral is quite plain & boring. Later I realised that was an image of the city! Pittsburgh has a few old buildings & lovely iron bridges over the rivers – but not much else. To reinforce this view, rain started to fall! This made site-seeing difficult, but I managed to walk over the river & around most of the interesting places. This included a street said to be the longest in the US for bars & a restaurant in an old RC church, which still felt like a church.
Thurs 10
A new office phone system went in yesterday. Terry & I had gr8 fun setting up the voice-mail! Now when you call All SS you get a recorded message from me & then various options to connect to: 1 parish office; 2 accountant; 3 music dept; 4 Rector; 5 Fr Krulak. Each of us can leave our own personal message & I can receive messages on my cell-phone when I am away from the office. There will be a option for Services in due course.
Fri 11
9/11….a sad day of remembrance. I remember exactly when the news came thru in Australia (10.45 pm on a Tues). Mass this morning will be appropriately, of the Holy Cross. We would have had the church open all day today – but work is being done on the organ console, & the church is a bit of a mess.
Sat 12
Monthly Societies of Mary today. Mass will be followed by the usual delicious lunch.
Sun 13 Triumph of the Holy Cross
Today we keep Holy Cross Day (Sep 14). This gives us an excuse to have a procession at 10 am & to sing such hymns as “Lift High the Cross” & “Stand up, stand up for Jesus”! The choir returned today – they sang a wonderful anthem based on “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, which was the Communion Hymn. My sermon was a bit long, but well received.
Mon 14 Holy Cross day
Today a special day for SSC members…I am remembering all my SSC brethren, esp those in Australia & others I know in UK. I will say Mass this morning with Terry as the congregation. Then, being my day-off, I am going shopping.
Tues 15
Today Fr John & I fly to St Louis for the SSC Synod. Tomorrow we will meet Fr Stephen Powers for lunch & in the a/noon drive with him to Our Lady of the Snows retreat center. It is always good to be with the SSC brethren, & hopefully it will be inspiring. We return Fri evening.
Sat 19
The SSC Synod was very good. Marvellous to be with 96 other priests who believe the Faith – & to sing the Offices & Masses together. Worship was Rite 2….enough said! The addresses were inspiring & the fellowship wonderful. It was good to see younger priests I have met before, & to meet new ones. The Center was excellent, with gr8 meals & inexpensive wine 🙂
Sun 20 – Pent 16
Special guests at 8 am from Borneo, who have connections with the Tsui family….Sr Margaret from Community of Good Shepherd & 2 other women – all from Sally & Grace’s youth. Lovely to see a real nun in habit! Attendances down today – less than 80 at 10 am. Since Gen Convention in July attendance at 10 am has declined by about 10. Choir were in good form today & the anthem was Parry’s “Dear Lord & Father..” It’s one of my favourite hymns, but the tune is unknown in the US! My sermon continued last week’s theme of the Holy Cross. 2 hospital visits with HC after Mass & dinner with the Tsui family at 5.30 pm.
Tues 22
Today we celebrated St Matthew, AE. Busy morning in the office, 12 noon Mass & at 3 pm I met with the Bishop. We discussed my statement re General Convention & how the parish feels about it & decisions made. We get on well, so it wasn’t difficult or unpleasant. At 7 pm the Vestry met – a good meeting.
Thurs 24 Our Lady of Walsingham
I have spent the week following up people who need HC visits. Tonight I begin my adult confirmation study group.
Fri 25
Tomorrow is the Aussie Football grand final & it comes on ESPN at 8.30 pm tonight. 8 parishioners are coming over to watch it with me. It should be fun…..tho I shall have to explain it to them, of course! Naturally we will all be supporting the St Kilda saints 
Sat 26
Well the footy was a close, tough game & everyone enjoyed it. We were all on the edge of our seats during the last 1/4ter! The game finished at midnight, & they all left. I continued watching the after-match presentations, etc, which went to 1 am. Today was yet another hot day. At 11 am I visited a new couple who live nearby, & at 4pm had a HC visit in Spring Valley.
Sunday 27 Pent 17
Today is the annual AIDS walk & 6th Ave will be blocked with 1,000’s from 7.45 am – 8.45 am. Altho we give out passes to let parishioners thru, many will stay away. Fr K is away, having done a wedding back east – hence I was in SD & not Melbourne this w/e 
Tues 29 Michaelmass
I did love singing the Michaelmass hymnns on Sunday! Usual Tuesday activities & a quiet night at home.
Wed 30
Can it be the end of Sep! This marks my 6th year as Rector & 5th in my condo. Today I have HC visit, followed by a funeral at a cemetry for someone I don’t know – friend of a parishioner. Tonight dinner with a parishioner to hear about her attendance at a recent ordination.