CHRISTMAS DAY 6 - MAKING PROGRESS PACKING AS MY MOVERS ARRIVE THIS A.M. .........

Preparing to go to St. Philomene's for the 8 am Mass, at 9:30 am, Noe and David, will be here to help me load up the bulk of my belongings and start the move over to Sacred Heart rectory at 39th and J Streets. The reality of what a change in my parish of residence will bring has started to set in the past few days. As eager as I am to begin meeting and ministering to the Sacred Heart parishioners, I will miss the Presentation and St. Philomene's parishioners, who have been so good and supportive of me over the past three and a half years plus. They accepted and welcomed me, just before my kidney failure/dialysis/transplant ordeal began, and have affirmed me throughout, magnanimously. They will remain in my heartfelt memories and my prayers...7:30 pm - I have been back at Presentation rectory since 6 o'clock, as after we finished up with delivering most of what I am taking to Sacred Heart with me, David unfortunately had a family matter to attend to and could not join Noe and me for a 2:45 pm lunch at the 33rd Street Bistro, on Folsom Blvd. Then I drove out to South Sacramento to visit with Msgr. Kavanagh at St. Rose's /St. Patrick's, between two sick calls he made and a Memorial Mass he had on his schedule this evening. As David, Noe, and I, were relaxing and chatting in my new quarters after their hour's workout up and down the stairs, while i organized boxes and helped hang clothes and vestments, the Parish Secretary Barbara, called to me upstairs informing me I had received a letter, my first mail addressed to me at Sacred Heart Parish, in East Sacramento. And who was it from ? Not unusual, it was a Happy New Year, congratulatory, welcome to my new parish residence, card from my most faithful correspondents, the past 27 years, Karin & Roger Geach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Upon returning to my laptop this evening there were three e-mail messages of good wishes mirroring my first letter to my new address, from Fr. Steve Avella, Joe McNamara, and Tony Clark. Tony and his wife and children, live in the neighborhood, as do my fraternity brothers David Bugatto, Rob Buckner, and their families, and my close friend Joe Gibson and his significant other, all from whom I have also been contacted by, during the past ten days, with words of welcome. Tonight my media consumption consists of my laptop and the internet, and a small radio. As I complete this blog column I am listening to NPR, on KQED 89.3 San Francisco/North Highlands, which at the 8 o'clock hour is broadcasting a Kwanzaa special. BBC World News follows for the hour at 9 pm. My Christmas week of prayer in thanksgiving for the People of God in Presentation and St. Philomene's parishes continues tonight and tomorrow, even as I anticipate the next chapter in my priestly ministry at SacHeart, East Sac.........In the Spirit of Christmas and 2009 A.D., Almost Done, Fr. Troy

My NEW Mailing ADDRESS is : Rev. Fr. Troy David Powers
1040 39th Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
916-452-4136 The Parish website is : www.SacHeart.org