The blog went on its summer break!
Sat Sep 11
9/11 seems am appropriate day to re-start the blog – we all remember where we were on that day 9 years ago. It is now the end of summer, & things resume back again. In some parishes they have a Home-coming Sunday…….we have Sunday School & the choir back again.
At 9 am I dedicated & blessed the new Chinese Pre-school that Sally & Dennis Avery organise. The buildings are excellent – I blessed it when they first took it over. With over 200 students, parents & staff present I invoked God’s blessing upon them & the school.
After that it was onto church for the monthly Societies of Mary gathering: 11.00 Rosary, 11.30 Mass, 12.15 lunch. This is always a highlight of the month for me – a wonderful group who love their church & love Our Lady.
Sun 12 Pentecost 16
Good attendances at both Masses, with several visitors at each. The choir were back, & sounded excellent…..the new floor helped. Fr Edelman was deacon at High Mass for the 1st time & did well. He sings beautifully.
The readings were about sin – so I introduced each Mass by saying that they “were all about sin – not a subject we like to be confronted with on a Sunday morning”! My sermon was a serious homily on the subject, esp as it applied to priests & parishes…..you could have cut the air with a knife. Afterwards I was emotionally drained – yet it only went for 8 mins. Many expressions of appreciation afterwards – one described it as powerful.
After church I had a regular HC visit. Then home to get myself lunch. Letters, emails made for a relaxing a/noon.
Mon 13
My day-off – which means washing, cleaning, shopping, banking & gym. I then edited my sermon, & emailed it back to Melissa, instead when I get into the office tomorrow. There were several requests for a copy, some of which I sent by email. Saw the movie, Inception, in the a/noon, then met a parishioner at 6 pm for dinner.
Tues 14 Holy Cross Day
Today is the festival day for members of SSC, my priests society. I will celebrate Mass at 12 noon. A busy day, with several personal meetings, & the vestry agenda, etc to get out in the mail.
Wed 15 Our Lady of Sorrows
Another busy day, with personal interviews after Mass, HC visits in the a/noon & dinner with parishioners in the evening – one of our young families, which is always a joy.
Thurs 16
Spent the morning in the office. Melissa was busy producing the 2011 parish calendar – & it looks wonderful! I had 2 HC visits in the a/noon, but these were both cancelled – so I did my sermon instead of tomorrow. This was fortuitous, as I have an important meeting tomorrow at 12 noon. I had pastoral meetings before & after the 6 pm Mass. After saying “Hi” to the choir I went home, cooked supper & had an early night.
Fri 17
Up early to watch the football from Melbourne. My team, Collingwood, won & are in the Grand Final next Saty…….why did I decide not to go back to Melbourne at the end of September this year??? After Mass I have some meetings, & several matters to plan for Oct/Nov. This period is almost as busy as Lent/Holy Week here. Now that Fr Edelman is happy to be Deacon at High Mass I will draw up a roster to share the job between him & Fr Krulak.
Sat 18
9 am Mass was a Requiem for the son of a parishioner & also his brother-in-law. Both died in recent months, & today was the military memorial in New York for the son. Rest of the morning was chores at home. Some visits in the a/noon & an early night, as usual on Saturday 🙂
Sun 19 Pentecost 17
Good attendances today: comms = 44 & 81, At 8 am we acknowledged the 99th birthday of Hugh McArthur, who is amazingly fit & alert. The 10 am Mass was one of the best I have celebrated at All SS – but I’m not sure why. It wasn’t a High Mass (Fr K was away) & I don’t think my sermon was as good as last week’s. The music was excellent, as usual, with a stunning anthem. I certainly felt spiritually alive as I celebrated the Mass, assisted by a profound atmosphere of reverence & quiet in the sanctuary.
After church we had a meeting of the centenary c/tee. This is the biggest c/tee we have in the parish, & a very competent group with Cheryl as chair. They are very keen to make it a wonderful event….roll on June 2012!
Tues 21 St Matthew
I attended 7 am Mass today. Fr Thurmston was not well on Sunday, & I thought I should be there, just in case. Father celebrates the 7 am Mass every Tuesday, assisted by his wife Edith & layreader, Ed Heck. I wonder who will be there for me when I get to a certain age!!!
A busy day today, concluding with Vestry at 7 pm.
Wed 22
Today is the 45th anniversary of my mother’s death. I was 18 at the time, & still remember it. I will celebrate the 9.30 am Mass, & give thanks for her influence & love upon me. A busy morning, with much to do from last night’s vestry meeting. 2 HC visits in the a/noon, followed by wedding interview. Dinner with parishioners at 6.45 pm
Thurs 23
A very busy day today! In the morning there was the usual office things, a meeting, & the October magazine to do. 2 HC visits in the a/noon, incl my ladies at Atria nursing home. Another meeting, then 6 pm Mass.
Fri 24 Our Lady of Walsingham
This feast day has only recently been added to the calendar – formerly the feast of Our Lady of Ransom. It will be the usual Friday things for me. In the evening it is the AFL Grand Final, & my Melbourne team, Collingwood, is in it. The other team is St Kilda – an unknown saint of dubious benefit. I know Our Lady of Walsingham is a Collingwood supporter :-))))
Sat 25
The AFL Grand Final was a draw…..only the 3rd time in 111 years. Last time was 1977. I was in seminary then…..& Collingwood lost the replay! Now the teams have to come back next week & do it all again. Back in 1990 the GF was played on the 1st Saty in October because of a draw in an earlier final. One of the Melbourne newspapers phoned me & asked what was I doing about weddings that day. I replied that not only did I not schedule weddings on the last Saty in Sep, but neither on the 1st Saty in Oct – in case the GF was a draw! Collingwood won on that day in 1990….surely an omen?
After Mass this morning I have 3 pastoral visits. Late a/noon I will take my car over to the church & leave it there overnight. Tomorrow is the annual AIDS Walk, & it’s easier for me to walk to church.
A phone call from Melb tonight to tell me that a dear friend, Mollie Coleman, had died. Mollie was 100 & was an amazing christian woman. Our connection was thru St Mark’s, Fitzroy – she worked there as a deaconess in the Great Depression. Later she worked at the aboriginal mission on Palm Island, Qld. We developed a gr8 friendship over 20 years – a marvellous worker for the church!
Sun 26 Pentecost 18
The AIDS Walk hardly affected the 8 am attendance (44 communicants). They are the most dedicated & faithful, I have to say! 10 am was affected (65 comms) more, perhaps, by the heat, I think. We had wonderful Michaelmass hymns & I wove sport & heaven into my sermon!
Mon 27
Diocesan clergy conference begins today.
Tues 28
My attendance at clergy conf was affected by a car accident involving 2 of our older & faithful parishioners. This morning I visited them in hospital & administered the sacraments of Unction & HC. At the clergy conference later I was amazed to discover that this Blog is read by many clergy….& that my fame precedes me 🙂
Wed 29 St Michael & All Angels
Lots of office work awaiting me! HC visit to Lakeside in the a/noon & 3 of the younger members of the choir are coming for dinner at 6 pm.
Thurs 30
Another busy morning in the office. 1 pm HC visit, 2 pm & 4.30 pm meetings, 6 pm Mass, 6.30 pm wedding interview.