NEW YEAR'S EVE, IN RESIDENCE IN EAST SACRAMENTO..........

The prime time New Year's Eve telecasts have just begun. It's less than 2 hours until Midnight in California and the Pacific Time Zone, so here comes 2010 A.D. !!!!!!!!!! I completed my move into Sacred Heart rectory by 5:30 pm tonight, thanks to Noe and his sister, Gabby. At 6:30, I had dinner with Msgr. Bob Walton, my new Pastor, who cooked a very nice meal of chicken, rice / potatoes, carrots and zucchini. I then began unpacking my rooms, and took a nearly hour's walk up J Street to Alhambra Boulevard and back to the rectory, at 39th and J...As I watch and listen to the Ryan Seacrest and Carson Daly, New Year's Eve specials on ABC & NBC, I set my nativity scene up on the sitting room coffee table and lit a candle to welcome both the Infant Christ Child and the Baby New Year, to my transition experience from convalescence to reactivated parochial ministry in July 2010..........Love, Gratitude, Prayers, in the Memorable and Meaningful, Miracle Year It Has Been For Me and Surely Yourselves,
Fr. Troy David Powers

THE 7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - ST. SYLVESTER ...AULD LANG SYNE...AND MY MOVE TO SAC HEART EAST SAC.........

Organizng the pieces of my belongings yet to be moved to East Sacramento later this afternoon, I have been doing that for several hours now in a prayerful and reflective mood, as I remember and savor the past 3 years and 7 months residing and ministering in Arden Arcade. These have been both a challenging and exhilarating 43 months thanks to the people of Presentation and St. Philomene's. Their presence, participation, generosity, support, appreciation, and affirmation of me and my priestly ministry, have been truly wonderful. I thank you, will always remember you, and keep you in my prayers and Masses...Sacred Heart's transferring Parochial Vicar Fr. Felipe Paraguya, departs the parish for St. Paul's Parish, in Florin this evening, and I will arrive In Residence to transition smoothly tonight. It is my practice when moving from one parish to another, to be in the rectory of the new assignment, on the eve of the effective date. Tomorrow being that day at Sacred Heart for me, I will usher in 2010, and the 84th Anniversary day of the founding of the parish under its roof in East Sacramento...I have successfully taken my first two 10 mg. Prednisone anti-rejection drug doses, yesterday and today. I learned something about it this morning, as I washed it down with diet ginger ale. Their flavors do not compliment each other !! The fact that one of prednisone's side effects is weight gain, is one more bonafide reason to start more strenuous exercise in the New Year. I have more than thirty post transplant pounds to take off in the months ahead...Time to get back to the dregs of moving. As we bid Auld Lang Syne to others, saying goodbye to 2009, and welcoming 2010, thank you for being among the 500 persons who have read my blog since it began on April 19. For your prayers and interest in my kidney transplant and convalescence, and for your discipleship in Jesus our Lord and Savior...In the Truth of The Word Made Flesh Who Redeems Us This Christmas-New Year's Eve.........Fr. Troy
p.s. - St. Sylvester, an early Pope, whose liturgical feast day is today, Dec. 31, was thought to be according to a story shared by one of my seminary professors, among those popes who traveling by horseback to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, stopped to do his Christmas shopping along the way !!!!!!!!!! ha ha !! he he !! HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE.........

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

ON THIS 5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY PACKING, STORING, AND MOVING STARTS.........

9:07 am - On this 5th Day of Christmas, the Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, I presided at the 8 am Mass at St. Philomene's as I will Wednesday and Thursday morning. Today the process of packing up my belongings, storing the things I won't need the next six months, and then moving what I am taking to Sacred Heart Parish in East Sacramento gets underway. Noe Perez, along with his friend David, will be helping me make the move........
4:04 pm - I have been sorting through my belongings for packing, storing, and moving, to Sacred Heart Parish this week and await Noe and perhaps Jeremy's arrival to assist me. The Mayo Clinic Arizona just called with the news that Dr. Heilman, the senior doctor on the Transplant Team has decided to add Prednisone, 10 mg. daily; to my anti-rejection drug regimen in place of Cellcept, for now. The prednisone will elevate my white blood cell count, and I am told to be prepared for mood swings, a rise in my glucose count, and weight gain, as a result. I will keep you informed. Tonight brings another of my favorite Christmas traditions over the past three decades, The Kennedy Center Honors, at 8 pm on CBS 13.........
In the spirit of packing these boxes, storing the surplus, and moving this cargo, to East Sac;
I Wish You the Joy and Peace of Being God's Christmas People, Fr. Troy

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF HOLY FAMILY PARISH - CITRUS HEIGHTS.........

Holy Family Parish in Citrus Heights, were I ministered as Associate Pastor in my first assignment as a priest, from July 1, 1987 - September 25, 1988; and where I returned to serve as Pastor, from November 24, 2000 - June 27, 2005, celebrated their 60th Anniversary, Monday night. A concelebrated Mass with current and past priests who have ministered at Holy Family, presided over by retired Bishop William K. Weigand, was followed by a potluck and musical entertainment in the parish Community Center. After a homily tracing the history of the parish and a 60th Anniversary slide show at the end of Mass, the evening's festivities concluded with reflections by the former Pastors present, including yours truly. Congratulations on your 60th Anniversary Holy Family Parish. Kudos to the parish ministries led by the Pastoral Council and Father Pol Guamapo, the current Parochial Administrator for planning this enjoyable celebration.........In the Spirit and Truth of Jesus, Mary, + Joseph and Christmas-Holy Family Joy and Peace, Fr. Troy

HOLY CHRISTMAS DAY 4....FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.........

Jealousy is hard enough for good and selfless persons to avoid. When self serving and insecure persons are confronted with jealousy, dastardly things can result. That was the case with King Herod and his threatened response to the birth of the infant Jesus. Herod's insecurities about control of his kingdom and his self serving attitude concerning his autocratic power and privilege as the undisputed and only King of Judea, led him to conspire against the Christ Child and order the killing of all baby boys in the kingdom, two years of age and younger. Their slaying, seen as bearing witness to the divine sovreignity of Jesus, causes those blameless, slaughtered children to be thought of in our Catholic-Christian Faith, as the "Holy Innocents". Today, the 4th Day of Christmas, is their feast day. In Sacramento, a candlelight procession through the downtown streets from the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, at 11th & K Streets, to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, at 7th & T Streets, will take place tonight as it has for many years. It is our Catholic belief and teaching as Christian disciples that respect for the dignity and sanctity of human life extends from,"the moment of conception to natural death". Being truly and fully pro-life, means defending and providing for, the innocent unborn, children, the poor, hungry, homeless, unemployed, disabled, elderly, ill, infirm, dying, and the marginalized. To be anti-abortion, but otherwise oblivious to the the right to life and dignity for all human persons, is deficient in our faithful witness as Catholic-Christian disciples. Dualism and indifference are incompatible with the Gospel values of Life we profess. So as we commemorate the Holy Innocents and their sacrifice in light of God's plan of salvation, what can and will you do, today, this Christmas Season, in the New Year 2010, to bear faithful witness to the wholistic right and respect for life, we are committed to, by belief in Christ Our Lord and Savior ????????????.........Redeemed By Jesus in the Reverence For Life We Hold So Dear, Fr. Troy

A LONG AWAITED FATHER AND SON CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.........

Just in time for Christmas 2009, a father/son re-uniting occurred in Brazil, that was five years in the waiting. David Goldman, whose son Sean was kidnapped by his mother after she took him home to her native Brazil and then divorced his father, only to subsequently die and leave her son with her new husband and his family, started Sean's natural father's five year quest to get him back. Many roadblocks and disappointments followed over and over, but David Goldman never abandoned his attempt to be reunited with his son, despite the legal impediments put in his way. Last Wed. Dec. 23, the Chief Justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court ruled in David Goldman's favor to attain legal custody of his son Sean, and father and son were reunited in time for Christmas Day and return to their family home in New Jersey USA. I consider it a current year Christmas Miracle, affirming the primacy of family over political entanglements or personal wealth. The right of a biological father to raise his son prevailed over the divisions and diversions that were the root cause of this unfortunate occurrence in the first place. On Holy Family Day, it is another reminder that Love is meant to be at the heart of Family relationships. Thank God this Christmas, common sense and human decency, were in the mind and heart of the Chief Justice of Brazil, as he interpreted the law and returned 9 year old Sean Goldman, to his rightful father. Divorce and the alienation of personal animosity are a selfish, sinful, stain on the truth of God's plan for Family life. May the Goldman father and son's re-uniting be a renewed catalyst for the furtherance of God's Family within all families.........In the Faith, Fidelity, and Fellowship of Being Like the Holy Family, Fr. Troy

THE SEASON OF OUR SAVIOR'S BIRTH 2009 : CHRISTMAS DAY 3...FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY.........

As our celebration of the Holy Birth of Jesus the Christ, God's co-Eternal, Redeeming, Son continues on this third day of Christmas, we remember and honor The Holy Family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, of Nazareth. The Holy Family at the heart of the Christmas event, are presented as the focus and model for family life in the world. The promised Messiah of God's Chosen People was phropcied to come from the House of David. Joseph and Mary, as the parents chosen by God the Father, provide assurance that long awaited prophecy is fulfilled with the Birth Jesus. Joseph was of the tribe of Judah in the House of David, and Mary was a blameless and devout Jewish woman Israelite. Their tribe and race confirm the authenticity of the Christ Child's ancestral origins, and denotes that the ancient, prophetic, scriptural, prophecy regarding God's Anointed One, who will be the Savior and Redeemer is fulfilled. From the manger in Bethlehem where the baby Jesus was born into the world through twelve years or more in their home in Nazareth, the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, cared, loved, nurtured, and shared, for and with each other, the everyday realities of family life.
Mary and Joseph raised the boy Jesus to be a responsible child who grew into adulthood as a mature person. Jesus in their home together listened to and followed the good example of his parents. with the notable exception being getting lost from them in the Temple in Jerusalem at twelve years old. But then, that too, became a transition in the prophecy of salvation, as when they found him he tells his mother why should they have worried, he was in His Father's House.
The affection, warmth, and togetherness, experienced through the years by The Holy Family is the exemplary prototype for all family life in the believing community. Our families are well served to remember and emulate the example of Mary as a wife and mother; Joseph as a husband and father; Jesus, as a child interacting with his parents. On this Holy Family Christmas Day re-dedicate your family to the example and intercession of the first family in Catholic-Christian history, The Holy Family whose commitment and devotion to God and Family are ideally our own. Human Life is the most precious gift we possess. Faith in God is the essential seed in discovering the mystery of salvation. Family is the key to experiencing love. Whether you have a nuclear, single parent, adoptive, foster, blended, grandparental, or childless couple, FAMILY - find your way with the guidance of The Holy Family to the fullness of life, faith, and family, God is inviting you to share.........HAPPY CHRISTMAS-HOLY FAMILY DAY.........In The Light and Love, of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Fr. Troy

THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS...THE FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN, ALSO KNOWN AS, "BOXING DAY".........

For many people Dec. 26 is the day they start to dismantle Christmas, having frontloaded their yuletide celebrations even before ThanksGiving, whereas the official Catholic-Christian celebration of CHRISTMAS begins with Christmas Day and lasts through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, on the second Sunday of January. Today, the second day of Christmas, is the Feast of St. Stephen, a deacon, who was the first martyr of the Church. The placement of his saint day in the Christmas Season links the shedding of St. Stephen's blood in faithful witness to Jesus the Christ as his Lord and Savior, and the Holy Birth, to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection, of Jesus. The red and white candy canes that are a traditional Christmas treat, also represent the Holy Nativity and the Paschal Mystery. The white stripes denoting purity and holiness; the red stripes the shedding of the Savior's blood; in fulfillment of God's plan for our salvation. In Canada, England, and the dominions of Great Britain, St. Stephen's Day, the second day of Christmas, is observed as, "Boxing Day". Families and friends gather together in continuation of the Christmas, in festiveness and feasting, and is called Boxing Day, because the gathering up and putting away of the boxes in which the Christmas presents they had exchanged were gifted, lends the day its title. So as you clear the clutter of boxes and wrappings, think of the sacrifice of Jesus and the faithful witness of St. Stephen, that Christmas sets in motion. And as you continue to celebrate Christmas may the joy and peace the Holy Birth brings envelop you ever closer. Happy Christmas, Day 2...In The Glory Of The Newborn King, Fr. Troy

CHRISTMAS DAY 2009 : JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THIS JOYOUS SEASON...

2:05 am - I just returned from concelebrating the Midnight Mass at St. Philomene's Church with Fr. Eduino. He presided and preached; and he asked me to proclaim the Gospel and say a few words at the end of Mass. This was the forty fifth consecutive Midnight Mass I have been present at since Christmas Eve 1965, and I hold it dear as one of my personal Christmas traditions. I enjoyed the wonderful conversations with the parishioners and visitors at the doors of the church after Mass, and had a Christmas reunion chat with my Sac State fraternity brother, Scott Vogelsang, who was in attendance tonight. My family's custom after we returned from Midnight Mass was to spend an hour and a half or so, celebrating at home, with light refreshments such as oranges, tangerines, mixed nuts in the shell, (peanuts, almonds, hazel and brazil nuts, especially) heated in foil on the stove, and root beer, orange, or lemon and lime sodas. As we kids grew older, some years egg nog was included. Bedtime was at approximately 3 am, for several hours sleep, before the opening of Christmas presents Christmas morning before breakfast at about 10 o'clock...9:20 am - On this Christmas Morning when Joy and Hope came into the world in the person of God's Son, Jesus as the Eternal Word of the Father, who enveloped our human flesh and bridged the divide between the Divine and Humankind, we rejoice and celebrate our gift of salvation. The festivities surrounding the Nativity of Christ our Lord and Savior, Christmas Mass, the giving and receiving of presents, Christmas trees, holiday lights, candles, seasonal songs, feasting on special food and drink, gatherings of families, friends, and fellow believers, many who travel far distances to be near home and hearth, are grounded in the Holy Birth of the Christ Child, the Redeemer of Humankind. How are you personally including the, "Word Made Flesh", Jesus the Christ as the Reason for your Season of Joy, Hope, Peace, in the Life, Light, and Love, of the Savior of the World ? Praying, worshipping, ministering, with and for our loved ones, community members, as well all God's People on earth is our clarion call during the seventeen days of Christmas that open today. I must prepare to preside at Presentation's 10:30 am Christmas Mass...1:05 pm - I had a very enjoyable 10:30 am Christmas Day Mass with the wonderful people of Presentation Parish and the phenomenal Mike Bobo and the Presentation Choir. The warmth of greetings at the door of the church after Mass for Christmas and in their farewells to me as I go In Residence Sacred Heart Parish in East Sacramento, New Year's Day were heartfelt and magnanimous. They, like the parishioners of St. Philomene's say they will miss me and I surely know how much I will miss them. I am lunching on more of the Christmas ham with slices of cheddar and monterey jack cheese and coffee with a splash of egg nog. With Christmas carols wafting in the background and the classic film, "Little Women", airing on TCM. My holiday family Christmas dinner is at 5 pm, so I prepare to go there and socialize with them before dinner...9;50 pm - My Christmas Dinner hostess my very dear friend, Ramona Bugatto and her family provided a fine feast as always, of homemade ravioli, ham, roast beef, peas, carrots, a gelatin salad, and tossed green salad, with my dessert being sugar free double chocolate chip ice cream. Having Christmas Dinner with the Bugatto-Mugnaini families annually as a priest, is one of the genuine joys of the season for me. True to my rounding out my celebration I am sitting near my Christmas creche and listenning to Christmas music, as I open a few gifts. Realizing the greatest gift I have received this year is the generous gift of a kidney transplant. Just today I learned one of the parishioners I am leaving has been diagnosed with kidney disease. This reminded me of the Mayo Clinic statistic that there are 77,000 kidney failure patients presently in the United States, but only 11,000 living donors annually. Please join me in advocating for, and encouraging organ donation and brighten the prospects for a kidney transplant of so many in critical need. What would Jesus our Savior do ? Hoping you and your familes are having a Happy Christmas.........Fr. Troy David Powers

"JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON"...CHRISTMAS EVE......2009.........

4:30 pm - With the 4 o'clock pm hour, Christmas 2009 has arrived and as we celebrate Christmas Eve, we begin our Catholic-Christian commemoration of our Lord and Savior's Birth. I just walked over to the church at 4:40 pm and Presentation is full and nearly overflowing, which is the case in most churches tonight and tomorrow. It is wonderful to see the sight of so many people gathered in Christmas joy, but my prayer and hope is we will see them more often throughout the year, as members of the authentic Community of Believers joined in prayer, worship, and ministry, in the Living and True God. CNN is airing a Christmas news special entitled, "In God We Trust : Faith and Money". Their religious demographics at the opening of the program provide an illustrative point. According to CNN, 25% of Americans are Catholics; 16% are Baptists; 13% are Mainline Protestants; 21% are Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and Small Community Christian churches; 4% are Mormon, Jewish, Muslims, and of other non Christian sects; 15% of Americans are Agnostic or Atheist; and 6% Don't Know what They Believe. As Catholic-Christians we believe that Christmas is the door that opens to the Redemption of the World, as the Birth of Jesus the Christ is the beginning of the reconciling and uniting, of the Divine and Humankind. For the baby born in a manger in Bethlehem, is Jesus the Christ, the Savior of the World, who is Emmanuel, "God With Us". And why is God With Us ?, but to redeem and reconcile us, with the Heavenly Father and God's Kingdom. As we celebrate that night of the Holy Birth of the Christ Child, more than 2,000 years ago, gathered with family, friends, neighbors, and fellow believers, with special dinners of festive food and drink, celebratory parties, an exchange of gifts, seasonal songs of joy and serenity, and the most important part : the worship and prayer we make to God for our salvation, make yours authentically wholistic. In the defining phrase that is the title of this blog column, JESUS, IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Celebrating Christmas without the Savior's Birth being central to what and how we celebrate it, is incomplete. Without Jesus, there is no Christmas, no Easter, no overcoming sin and death unto Eternal Life, no Hope, beyond the here and now...9:30 pm - As I enjoy this Christmas Eve after a delicious Baked Ham Dinner with sweet potatos, corn, and cranberry sauce, prepared by my colleague, Fr. Paul Ricks, who invited me to join him for Christmas Eve Dinner, as he has for Sunday Dinner, a number of times since my return after my kidney transplant convalescence in Phoenix, I have been listening to Christmas music near my creche, and watching TCM Christmas movies, all black and white classics. At 11 pm I will drive over to St. Philomene's Parish to concelebrate Midnight Mass with the Pastor, my ordination classmate, Fr. Eduino Silveira. My CSU-Sacramento Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity brother Scott Vogelsang and his children will be there. He specifically asked where I was celebrating Midnight Mass tonight and I look forward to seeing him and his family at our St. Philomene's celebration. Tomorrow, I celebrate Christmas Day Mass here at Presentation Church at 10:30 am.
Here's wishing you and your families, a very Blessed Christmas Season. JOY TO THE WORLD ! THE LORD IS COME !! May you welcome Him by making the central Christmas you give, the gift of prayer and worship, in affirmation of all that we human beings and His followers have gained through God in Jesus Christ.........
Christmas Joy, Peace, Faith, Hope, + Love, Fr. Troy

FATHER'S TROY 25 TOP FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONGS 2009.........

As we begin the our 17 days of the CHRISTMAS for this year and sing in the festive spirit of the season, here are my 25 Top Favorite Christmas Songs for 2009 :

25.) 'My Grown Up Christmas List'

24.) 'Deck The Halls'

23.) 'Feliz Navidad'

22.) 'Jingle Bells'

21.) 'What Child Is This'

20.) 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer'

19.) 'There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays'

18.) 'Angels We Have Heard On High'

17.) 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'

16.) 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem'

15.) 'The Christmas Song / Chestnuts Roasting... '

14.) 'The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year'

13.) 'I'll Be Home For Christmas'

12.) 'It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas'

11.) 'The Christmas Shoes'

10.) 'Away In A Manger'

9.) 'Silent Night' / 'Stille Nacht'

8.) 'The Little Drummer Boy'

7.) 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing'

6.) 'The First Noel'

5.) 'Do You Hear What I Hear'

4.) 'Joy To The World'

3.) 'Mary Did You Know'

2.) 'O Holy Night'

1.) 'O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL' / ' Adeste Fidelis'

Remember to Sing is to Pray twice, so enjoy these and other family favorite Christmas Songs with your familes, friends, and fellow believers this CHRISTMAS.........In Christ Our Savior,
Fr. Troy

DAY 3...OF MY 4 MONTH E...@ M.C.H.A...IN P. .........

Today was the third and final day of the 4 month kidney transplant evaluation at Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona, in Phoenix. I had the chance to sleep in until 9 am, as today's appointments were at 3 pm, after my late checkout from the Hampton Inn. After breakfast, I spent the remainder of the time E-mailing, Facebooking, and making calls. My lunch was the remainder of the stuffed veal chop and tortellini, from La Torretta Ristorante, last night. As is customary at the Mayo Clinic, my afternoon appointments included an evaluation exit survey I was asked to fill out. Then, I met with Physician's Assistant Jason Bodner, who reviewed the findings of my Monday and Tuesday tests. He stated that overall the results are very good. The kidney biopsy shows no sign of rejection and this is Day 120, since my August 25, transplant............Advent Hope, Truth, Joy, Peace, As Christmas Approaches, Fr. Troy

NO FASTING THIS A.M., BUT A LONGER DAY ON AND OFF MAYO CLINIC CAMPUSES.........

1:15 pm ...I was able to sleep an extra hour this morning, receiving a 6:30 am wake up call, had breakfast in the hotel at 7:20 am, took the Hampton shuttle at 8 am, to the hospital in Phoenix; and then the Mayo shuttle, the fourteen miles over to the clinic site in Scottsdale. Once there, I had a Radiology appointment for x-rays on my back, feet, and chest; and then, a 6 Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring. The monitor was attached to my right arm and I was sent away for the afternoon, with an instruction card that included a six hour diary to be kept of my activities. So, after having lunch at the Mayo Clinic Cafeteria, of penne with roasted chicken, green beans, and Crystal Light lemonade, I took the double shuttle back to the Hampton Inn, to take my midday meds, catch up on the day's news, check my e-mails, write my blog column, Facebooking, and reading, before shuttling back to the hospital campus to drop my bp monitor off at the Information desk. My weigh in this morning, was 246 lbs, the same as on Dec. 9, the day of my appointment with Dr. Bhat. So I am starting to maintain my post transplant weight gain at 41 lbs., with a New Year's goal of losing 21-31 lbs., to be at my optimal body weight. And before I begin doing more strenuous physical exercising in January...4:02 pm...Rain has come to an overcast and cooler Phoenix, than it was Sunday and Monday. A light rain has been falling since shortly after my return to the hotel earlier this afternoon. The major proviso during the blood pressure monitoring is not to lay down, nap, or fall asleep, thus freshly brewed coffee in my room before and after my between meals snack, has helped keep me alert during the waiting period to complete this several hours of bp monitoring. There are four restaurants within a stone's throw of the Hampton Inn. As the hotel serves a complimentary breakfast and evening hors d'uevres, a dinner meal from one of them simplifies my solo dining. 'Carlos O'Brien's', 'Broker's Bar and Grill', 'The Tilted Kilt', and 'La Torretta', are the foursome. After having Mexican food Sunday night from O'Brien's; Prime Rib, Monday night at Broker's; tonight I will eat at La Torretta; after my return trip to the Mayo Clinic Hospital at 5 pm, and we have lunch at the Kilt; tomorrow, before my 3 o'clock appointments to finish my four month evaluation at MCHA : Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona. Tonight, in addition to time spent on the internet, I will watch more Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music, as my Advent prayer transitions into readiness for Christmas 2009. I see AMC has the movie "Christmas Eve", on its holiday schedule. There are at least two versions, a 1949 theatrical release, and my preference, the 1986 NBC-TV movie, starring the late, great, actress and lady, Loretta Young. It is a touching, tear inspiring, a wonderful Christmas production, that is one of my December viewing traditions, the past twenty three years. Hopefully, it will be airing tonight, as it aired late last night after I fell asleep......Time to take a walk about the hotel block and close out my six hours of being medically pumped up every ten minutes or less, for evaluative purposes.........May the King of all Nations, Who Is the Keystone of the Church, Come and Save Us and Humankind, Whom God Formed from the Dust, as Christ's Coming at Christmas draws Near, Fr. Troy

..."THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PATIENT IS THE ONLY INTEREST TO BE CONSIDERED"...

The title of today's blog column is a quote from Dr. William Mayo, who with his brother Dr. Charles Mayo and the Franciscan Sisters, founded the Mayo Clinic. It is posted on the wall of the atrium inside of the front entrance of the Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona, in Phoenix. Being back there this morning before 7 am for my four month evaluation fasting blood labs, which were followed by a kidney ultrasound and biopsy. Walking through the doors of the Specialty Building at 6:40 am and was warmly greeted by the admitting registrar Travis, who seemed to instantly remember me. The laboratory technician was punctual and proficient, drawing ten vials of my blood in less than five minutes. I took my morning medications and insulin, and had a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, a cinnamon-walnut bun, cranberry juice and milk. The ultrasound was next, with technician Joelene, doing a timely and conversant job. She told me afterwards that my transplant surgeon Dr. Moss, was correct about the blood vessels connection to my new kidney, as she found the blood flow is very strong. She is going home to spend Christmas with her parents and sisters in Orange County, California. My biopsy nurse Kathy, was formerly on the transplant team for five years. She has two sons 11 and 13, and attends Highlands Church in Phoenix. Her ministers are married with nice homes, so she wanted to know about my being a celibate Catholic priest. Dr. Young who did the biopsy, also has sons he is taking to Lake Tahoe to ski for Christmas. Eileen, the recovery room nurse, who took care of me this summer and fall, is also Catholic and chatted me up about my Christmas Mass schedule. She released for the day at 10:15 am and I spent some time in the hospital chapel before the hotel shuttle driver had me back to the Hampton Inn before 11 o'clock. The Chicken Fiesta salad from Carlos O'Brien's I had for dinner last night was plentiful enough, that it also provided me with today's lunch. Now I am heading out for my daily walk and to get groceries for the next two days. Reading, relaxation, Christmas music and movies, and prayers, will round out this 4th Monday of Advent, four days before Christmas.........May Emmanuel our King and Giver of Law; Come to Save Us...Come, Lord our God !!!! Fr. Troy in Phoenix, AZ

RETURN TO THE MAYO CLINIC HOSPITAL ARIZONA FOR MY 4 MONTH POST KIDNEY TRANSPLANT EVALUATION.........

10:26 am...Having concelebrated the 4th Sunday of Advent Vigil Mass with Rev. Fr. Pius, at St. Joseph's Church in North Sacramento Saturday night, I am packing my carry on bag and preparing to go to the Sacramento International Airport for my 1:05 pm flight to Phoenix. The Evaluation is three days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and I am scheduled to fly home to Sacramento Wednesday night, in time for Christmas...12:24 pm...I am now at the gate waiting on my flight to Phoenix to depart. It is on time and I should be in Goldwater International Airport before 3 pm. So far, this weekend has worked out as I planned it. Bishop Soto's letter transferring me Jan. 1, to Sacred Heart Parish in East Sacramento, arriving yesterday has added a sense of transition to my immediate preparation for Christmas. It means packing, moving, and storage, to get done between Dec. 28-31. As is my practice, I plan to be in Sacred Heart rectory Thursday night to take up residence. Last night, I had a delightful chat with Mrs. Walton, Msgr. Walton's mother, who is a parishioner at Presentation. Boarding is being called so more later...4:36 pm...I have arrived at my hotel, the Hampton Inn Suites on North Scottsdale Road in Phoenix. I have settled into the comfort of my suite, with the Chevy Chase movie National Lampoon's, "Christmas Vacation" on AMC. Two more Christmas movies being broadcast are, "A Christmas Carol", with George C. Scott; and "Prancer". Time to have an early dinner, an order of Albondigas soup and a Chicken Fiesta salad, from Carlos o'Brien's Mexican Restaurant across the street from the hotel. With 7 am Fasting Blood Labs to start the Mayo Clinic 4 month Evaluation tomorrow, I must eat dinner before 7 pm and then only water until Midnight after that. More Monday from a warm 68 o in Phoenix...O Flower of Jesse Stem and O Key of David, Lead to the Christ Who Is Coming Anew........."Troy the Transplanted", Temporarily Returned to Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona.

A NEW YEAR CHANGE IN RESIDENCE FOR YOURS TRULY.........

Today, I received a letter from Bishop Jaime Soto informing me that in consultation with the Priests' Personnel Board, he is transferring me In Residence to Sacred Heart Parish in East Sacramento, effective January 1, 2010, for the next six months. I will be assisting Sacred Heart Pastor, Msgr. Robert Walton in parish ministry, providing me a smooth transition from my post transplant convalescence back to active ministry fulltime next summer. I had hoped for a canonical appointment now, but I look forward to this further opportunity to exercise my priestly ministry, even though it means moving on from the parishioners of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Philomene's, who I have been pleased to serve the past 3 1/2 years.
Thank You all and God's Blessings be yours always.........In Advent of the Christmas that is Coming, Fr. Troy

INSIGHT INTO LIFE AND FAITH BY FATHER TROY DAVID POWERS has been Blogging for
8 months today, December 19, 2009. Thank You 30-60-100 fold to all my Readers.........tdp

WINTER BREAKS START - "IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS".........

School children and college/university students start their winter breaks this afternoon, for the next two to five weeks. In the words a well known seasonal song, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas". I am starting to take my daily walk around the neighborhood a little later in the afternoon to early evening, so as to enjoy the residential Christmas decorations. I will begin my small amount of Christmas shopping tomorrow, but being true to my childhood family experience, save some of it to do on Christmas Eve. What I don't complete tomorrow will have to wait until then, as Sunday night to Wednesday night, I will be in Phoenix, doing my 4 Month Post Kidney Transplant Evaluation at Mayo Clinic Arizona. I had a very pleasant visit with Bishop Francis Quinn today and will be concelebrating his 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Vigil Mass with him in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Tonight I am attending Presentation Parish's Latin American Cultural Ministry's, 'LAS POSADAS', celebration in the church followed by refreshments in the Nano Nagle Center.........May the Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel extend His Mighty Hand to Save Us in Advent Joy, Fr. Troy

61 YEARS TODAY IN SOUTH SACRAMENTO AS A PRIEST OF JESUS CHRIST : RIGHT REVEREND MONSIGNOR EDWARD J. KAVANAGH.........

December 17, 1948, was a fortutious day in the Catholic Life of Sacramento. On that date, just six months and eleven days ordained a priest, 23 year old Reverend Father Eddie Kavanagh arrived from his native County Kilkenny, Ireland, to take up his first appointment as a priest in the Sacramento Diocese - Assistant Pastor of St. Rose's Parish and Assistant Director of St. Patrick's Home For Children, on Franklin Boulevard in South Sacramento. Now, 61 years to the day later, Reverend Monsignor Edward J. Kavanagh, is still there at age 84, the Pastor-Emeritus of St. Roses's and Executive Director Emeritus of St. Patrick's, in what has been his one and only priestly assignment. Happy 61st Anniversary in Sacramento, Msgr. Kavanagh...Today I visited with him at St. Rose's with the thought of taking him to lunch to celebrate his special day. However, true to our lifelong relationship, of never knowing where I may end up going with him, we instead were joined by his successor as St. Rose's Pastor, Msgr. James Church, and attended the, 'Over The Hill Gang', December Luncheon at the Dante Club. We were warmly welcomed by President Ron Brusato, and the members, while also being joined by a Presbyterian Minister, Greek Orthodox Priest, and Jewish Rabbi. Father Martin Brusato, arrived after coming from a medical appointment. It made for an enjoyable afternoon........."O Come, O Wisdom, From On High And Order All Mightily", In the Advent of the Lord Who Comes, Fr. Troy

TOMORROW BRINGS THE LAST DAYS OF THE LITURGICAL COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS : PRAYING THE 'O' ANTIPHONS, DEC. 17-24.........

The turning point in the Advent Season arrives tomorrow, as we begin our immediate preparation for the celebration of Christmas 2009. Following the longstanding tradition of our Catholic-Christian Advent part two liturgies, we prayer th ancient 'O' Antiphons, heralding the Lord's Coming. The 'O' Antiphons are liturgically prayed at Vespers (Evening Prayer) and as the verses of the Gospel Proclamation, on Dec. 17-24. The Advent hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", is based upon the 'O' Antiphons...Fr. Brendan McKeefry preaching at Our Lady of the Assumption's Communal Advent Penance last night spoke of our keeping of this brief season , in the context of Time. How are you spending your Time this Advent ? Is it in a spirit of prayerfulness, anticipation, and joy, or in a frenzy of shopping and socializing, to exhaustion ?? For the peace of Christmas to truly be ours, requires we spend our time in Advent experiencing more of the former and keeping the latter in balance. The shopping and socializing we do during these December Days can be a positive contribution to the true reason for the season, if we keep them in perspective. Practicing them to exhaustion only detaches us from the Lord's Coming this Advent and Christmas. As you celebrate the last days before Christmas what will you do with the Time afforded to you this Advent ? You hold the answer and its potential for your spiritual betterment within you. Tap into it by praying with and through the 'O' Antiphons. Singing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel can help you achieve it.........Come Lord Jesus, Come !!! Fr. Troy

BEING RECONCILED WITH THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS : ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES AND CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS.........

Last night 8 priests gathered at Presentation to assist at the Advent Penance Service and Christmas Confessions the parish offered. This morning I will be assisting at St. Ignatius Parish on Arden Way and tonight at Our Lady of Assumption Parish, as the parish priests help each other out customarily at each parish's communal celebration of the Sacrament during Advent and Lent. Wednesday night I will be helping with Christmas Confessions at St. Lawrence's Parish, in North Highlands. All of this in the spirit of the Advent Season, waiting, watching, joyfully anticipating, and reconciling, ourselves with the Living and True God Who is Coming into our lives. Or in the words of Father Jerry Robinson, S.J., the outgoing Pastor of St. Ignatius Parish said in his pertinent homily at their Penance Service this morning, the, "Already, but Not Yet" Coming of the Lord Jesus. During Advent in proper preparation for Christmas, just as during Lent for a worthy celebration of Easter, receiving the Sacrament of Penance by going to Confession is a priority for God's People. Most parishes schedule extra hours of sacramental Confessions and many of them Communal Penance Services during Advent and Lent. So as we countdown the final 10 Days to Christmas, what more appropriate way for Catholic-Christians to be reconciled with the Divine Savior than to make a sincere confession of our sins, receive sacramental absolution and experience the Lord's forgiveness. I hope you and your families will make a concerted effort to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent in a Catholic church near you.........Peace in Our Forgiving and Merciful God, Fr. Troy

THE LORD JESUS' COMING IN THE SPIRIT OF ADVENT ECUMENISM.........

Having concelebrated the 3rd Sunday of Advent Vigil Mass with Fr. Moynihan, at St. Ignatius Church Saturday evening, I was free yesterday to fulfill one of my more than decade and a half personal traditions for Advent/Christmas and the other liturgical high seasons of the Church Year. I attended the Sunday Worship Service at another Christian Church, in this case, St. Mark's First United Methodist Church in the Arden Country Club Centre neighborhood near Presentation Parish Church. Starting at ThanksGiving Eve 1992, when I attended the Woodland Christian Churches Ecumenical Celebration with my Holy Rosary Parish Pastor, the late, Reverend Father Cornelius O'Donnell, I have done my best to honor the Second Vatican Council's 1964, "Decree on Ecumenism", by being present and participating with other demnominational Christian Pastors and their congregations in their churches on various occasions during the year. ThanksGiving Eve Services, Advent and Christmas Sunday Liturgies, Christian Unity Week Celebrations,and on Sundays of Lent and Easter, I take the opportunity to attend one or more other than Catholic, mainline Christian churches, who share with us a common belief in Baptism, the Resurrection, and the major Christian Creeds of the Church. I have been warmly welcomed and invited to share ecumenically on many of those occasions in the worship services of these other Christian faith communities. The Reverend Faith Whitmore, is the current Senior Pastor of St. Mark's First United Methodist Church and was the presider and preacher at yesterday's Sunday Service. The title of her homily/sermon was, "The Politics of Advent". The politics she preached on were the political relationships and ramifications of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, Caiaphas and Annas, in regards to Jesus the Christ. The Music Ministry at the worship service was a a combination of the Church Choir and a young adult Band, comprised of piano, guitars, horns, drums, and tambourine. There was also a Children's sharing of The Word, focused on Readiness for Jesus and Christmas; followed by their dismissal for Children's Church. As I exited the church at the end of Sunday Worship, I had a delightful, brief, conversation with Reverend Whitmore. Over the past seventeen years I have productively interacted with the Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Free Methodists, Orthodox, and Community, Church congregations in Woodland, Yreka, Oroville, Citrus Heights, South Sacramento, and Arden Arcade. These interactions have affirmed me in my Catholic-Christian faith and vocation, and given me a profound sense of the indispensability of Unity amidst our diversity of demnomination. Strikingly, I have had the closest of relations with the Methodist pastors and their congregations. From Rev. David Samuelson, in Yreka, Revs. Kim Leslie and Linda Prendergast, in Oroville, and Rev. Faith Whitmore in Arden Arcade, they have been a true joy to know and minister with. The Rev. Lloyd Hanson, a retired Sacramento Lutheran Pastor, who has been serving as the Interim Pastor of the First English Lutheran Church, for several years now, in South Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood, even invited me to share in one of their Ordinary Time Sunday liturgies, that was other than Christian Unity Week's Ecumenical Sunday. That occured after I met him during Christian Unity Week 2006. The Lord Jesus during the Public Ministry of His First Coming into the World, founded One Church, not a multiplicity of Churches. Sadly, the differences and divisions of the past 1,000 years have caused hundreds if not thousands of, Christian demnominations. The Vatican II document, "Decree On Ecumenism", summoned us as Catholics to build and forge unity with our fellow Christians, in anticipation of a re-united single Church, that is one Community of Believers reflecting the essential unity of God's Kingdom. In the spirit of all that Advent and Christmas represent, let us all as Catholic-Christians be universally committed to the cause of Christian Unity.........Joy, Peace, and Gladness, in Christ our Lord and Unifier, Fr. Troy

WITH ADVENT JOY AND GLADNESS WE AWAIT THE LORD JESUS' COMING.........

Not having a Sunday Mass to preside at today, I went last night to St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Arden Way, off Watt Avenue, to concelebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent Liturgy with St. Ignatius Parish's incoming new Pastor, Reverend Father Michael Moynihan, S.J. I have been hearing for the past five months that he has been present at the parish as an Associate Pastor, that Fr. Moynihan is a master liturgist. The Mass he presided at last night was certainly in accord with that apt observation. He has a clear, deeply resonant, voice and communicates quite effectively in a coherent manner, the prayers, preaching, and pronouncements, he proclaims. His homily on what we call as Catholic-Christians, "Gaudete Sunday", meaning 'Rejoice', a Sunday when we light the rose colored candle around the Advent Wreath and traditionally the priest wears rose colored vestments, was truly thematic and timely. Fr. Moynihan's homily was an excellent exposition and reflection on the Sunday Scriptures we hear proclaimed as we rejoice today. He illustrated his preached message regarding the Joy God's Word summons us to live with the example of the character, 'Fezziwigg', from Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol". Fezziwigg, is an outstanding example of the joyfulness and gladness Advent and Christmas are truly about. The naturally flowing joy which Fezziwigg exudes everyday, contrasts much more favorably to our necessary spiritual reality than that of the, "Scrooges", in the world. Fr. Moynihan also quoted from his Jesuit colleague in the Northwest, Brad Reynolds,S.J., whose Advent poem, "Gaudete", defines and describes the essence of the spirit of rejoicing we must share. Borrowing the text of the poem from today's St. Ignatius Sunday Bulletin,

"Gaudete Because Christmas is almost here
Because dancing fits so well with music
Because inside baby clothes are miracles.

Gaudete Because some people love you
Because of Chocolate Because pain does not last forever
Because Santa Claus is coming.

Gaudete Because of laughter
Because there really are angels
Because your fingers fit your hands Because forgiveness is yours for the asking
Because of children
Because of parents.

Gaudete Because the blind see
And the lame walk.

Gaudete because lepers are clean
And the deaf hear.

Gaudete Because the dead will live again
And there is good news for the poor.

Gaudete Because of Christmas
Because of Jesus
You rejoice".

BRAD REYNOLDS, S.J.

Bringing his 3rd Sunday of Advent homily to a conclusion, Fr. Moynihan spoke of the newly arriving reconciling and evangelizing ministry starting in the Sacramento Diocese this Advent, Christmas, and New Year, "Catholics Coming Home". Beginning this Friday Dec. 18, television ads will be running through late January inviting lapsed Catholics back to the Church. His message about, "Catholics Coming Home", underscored the necessity of our personal joy filled active presence to the inactive and non practicing Catholics who return to Christmas and Sunday Masses, as a a result of this media campaign outreach our parish communities and diocesan family are making. I am grateful to Fr. Moynihan for the opportunity to concelebrate with him, as I await word about my next priestly pastoral assignment in 2010. And as you celebrate this 3rd Sunday of Advent as we await and experience the Lord Jesus' three-fold Coming, may you and your families discover the joy and gladness that Emmanuel, God With Us - is inviting you to share. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say REJOICE !!!".........Fr. Troy

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE : CO-PATRON OF THE SACRAMENTO DIOCESE AND PATRONESS OF THE AMERICAS.........

On December 9-12, 1531, a poor Mexican boy witnessed apparitions by a woman on the hill of Tepeyac, outside of Mexico City, that more than four and three quarter centuries later is the only officially Church approved appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Americas, under the title - Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pope Pius XII, declared her Patroness of the Americas, over fifty years ago; and she is also the Co-Patron, with St. Patrick, of our own Sacramento Diocese. Today throughout the Americas, she is venerated, commemorated, and celebrated, with great festivity and feasting. Many parishes in our country and on the continent below us, begin this day in church at very early hours, such as the 5 am gathering this morning at St. Philomene's Parish in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. "Las Mananiitas", as in song, scripture, and other readings, the faithful recount the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Special Guadalupe Day Masses are also celebrated today, featuring Mariachi music and sanctuaries adorned with a plethora of roses. Breakfast gatherings follow, with Hispanic pastries and hot Chocolate to be shared. All to honor and remember Mary's motherly love, as the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is the only one portraying her pregnant with the baby Jesus. How appropriate a time for her apparitions to have occurred as our Advent journey to Christmas continues to countdown. Next week today's feast will lead to, "Las Posadas", the nightly reenactment during the last days of Advent, of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter before the Holy Birth, that first Christmas. And so as we celebrate this significantly meaningful Feast for not only our Latino brothers and sisters, but all of us as Catholic-Christian disciples, may Our Lady of Guadalupe bring you prayerful intercession as we strive to exemplify her graced fidelity to God.........Mary Our Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray For Us,
Fr. Troy

DR. BHAT'S LETTER CLEARING ME FOR FULL TIME MINISTRY.........

As he assured me on Wednesday at my appointment with him, Dr. Adarsh Bhat has written and sent his letter informing Bishop Soto of my readiness to return to my previous priestly ministry on a full time basis. In his letter Dr. Bhat writes referring to my health status, "he cleared his pretransplant cardiac evaluation and is doing well physically. He is over three months post-transplant and is now on reduced maintenance immunosuppression, so his risk for acquiring infections is minimized". And his affirmative declaration of my readiness to proceed, reads, "I am writing to attest that Father Powers is medically cleared to assume his former professional duties with the provision that he practice within a ninety minute radius of his health care team in Roseville in case acute care needs arise". So the ball is now fully in Bishop Soto and the Priests' Personnel Board's court, to recommend and appoint me to an appropriate assignment. Thank You God, Victor my donor, Mayo Clinic Transplant Team Arizona, and Dr. Bhat, for getting me to within striking distance of my five and a half year goal and intention, to be reactivated as a Pastor of the Church.........With Joyful Anticipation in the Three-fold Coming of the Christ, Fr. Troy

IN THE MIDST OF OUR CHRISTIAN ADVENT COMES JEWISH HANUKKAH.........

Tonight, at sundown Jewish people throughout the world begin their 8 day feast of, HANUKKAH, "The Festival of Lights". The Feast of Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, at sundown. The word 'hanukkah', in Hebrew means, "dedication" and the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah, denotes the holy re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish victory over the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C. Their victory came after a three year war, during which the Syrian Greek soldiers had taken possession of the Temple and dedicated it to the Greek god, Zeus. Then, the Greek emperor, Antiochius, declared Judaism an offense punishable by death. Jews were also forced to worship Greek gods. Those developments caused the Jewish to fight back with the High Priest, Mattathias and his family coalescing the Jewish resistance and gradually regaining Palestine, a group of people who became known as the Macabees. Returning to Jerusalem the Macabees recaptured the Temple, which had been desecretated, so that they lit a golden menorah to purify and re-dedicate it for eight nights, but had only one night's oil. Somehow, miraculously the one night of oil lasted all eight nights. Thus, menorahs with eight candles are a focal symbol of Hanukkah, even now. Jewish families lighting the candles, one daily for eight days and nights in succession during Hanukkah, just as we as Catholic-Christians light one of the four Advent candles, for each week of the Season of Advent. Hanukkah has also evolved into a celebration of nightly gifts for the children in Jewish familes, playing a game with a toy called a dreidel, and the eating of fried foods namely special potato pancakes and jelly donuts. So during the 3rd Week of Christian Advent as we celebrate the Joy of the nearness of Jesus' Coming, our Jewish predecessors are commemorating and celebrate their great Festival of Lights, when they rediscovered the holiness and gladness that their Temple and relationship to God provides them.........To all my Jewish friends who begin their annual 8 day celebration
tonight, HAPPY HANUKKAH. Yours in InterFaith Peace, Fr. Troy

PEACE PRIZE DAY IS ALSO MY COLLEGE FRATERNITY INITIATION ANNIVERSARY.........

I went to bed early last night after dinner and the Advent Penance Service and Confessions at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Carmichael. I am up at a super early 3:30 am to watch the live coverage of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies from Oslo, Norway. As I blog, President and Mrs. Obama are entering the grand hall followed by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. The news analysts and pundits are debating the politics of the Nobel Committee's awarding of the Peace Prize. Worldwide, if the significant focus of this date annually is the Nobel Peace Prize, then for me and my fellow founding members of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at CSU-Sacramento, December 10, 1977, took on even further importance as the night we were initiated as the first six members of the upstart, nine and a half month old colony of Lambda Chi Alpha at Sac State. Tom MacKenzie, Troy Powers, Jon Salinger, Kevin Stevens, Robin Blair, and the late Bob Butcher, we had been recruited, associated and undergone fraternity education, under the brotherly leadership, first of Director of Expansion Jon Doak, New Mexico 1973; from the General Fraternity Headquarters in Indianapolis, and then being formed and guided by his fellow New Mexico '73 alumnus, Bil Cinnamon, who was then living and working in Sacramento. Bil was our collective, Big Brother and overseer of the development of the colony on campus. Only three out of the six of us, had known each other before we were recruited to join the fraternity. Four of the six were graduating seniors, one a graduate student, and yours truly, a junior; so as a small, neophyte, colony of the then leading reform, trailblazing, social fraternity in North America, we were officially Associate Members, not Pledges, prior to our initiation and Fraternity Education, not Pledgeship, was our reality, as Lambda Chi Alpha pioneered an improved way of recruiting and shaping new members. Founded on November 2, 1909, at Boston University, by Warren Cole, 100 years later Lambda Chi has well over 200 chapters at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, which has included chapters at not only CSU-Sacramento, but UC Berkeley, Fresno State, UC Davis, and Chico State, as well as numerous other chapters in Southern California. The Sacramento State chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha was chartered as the Phi Pi Zeta, on September 27, 1980. Having initiated more than 500 brothers on our Sacramento campus, the chapter closed for now at least, at the end of May 2009. But the spirit and truth of the fraternal endeavor we forged nearly a third of a century ago, will go forward through the devoted local alumni of the Superior California / Phi Pi Zeta Alumni Association. Monthly gatherings and shared experiences of brotherhood will continue. Next September we will commemorate and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Charter of the Phi Pi Zeta, at a festive, fraternity social. So even as I watch and listen to President Obama's speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, I fete and lift up my Brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, in Zeta Alpha Chi.........Fraternally Yours in the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of Humankind, Brother Father Troy (Colony) Phi Pi 2.

MY SECOND POST TRANSPLANT APPOINTMENT WITH DR. BHAT SINCE RETURNING.........

This afternoon I saw Dr. Bhat, my nephrologist (kidney doctor) for my second time in fifty days. He finds my continuing progress to be very good. My blood pressure in his office was 130/71; and my weight 245 lbs., which is a six pound increase since October 20, but after fifty days, compares favorably to my thirty four pound weight increase in the fifty six days between my transplant day and the day I first saw Dr. Bhat upon returning home. He asked me to get both a regular flu shot and H1N1 shot, through my primary care physician, Dr. McMonagle. They are in the same medical complex, so I went over to Dr. McMonagle's office and got the regular flu shot and will find a H1N1 clinic in the next couple of days..And YES, Dr. Bhat has agreed to certify in writing to Bishop Soto, my readiness to return to work in full time ministry as of January. He also concurs with me that a 90 minute radius from Sacramento is an acceptable range for a parish pastoral assignment. So now I await word from the Bishop and Priests' Personal Board, about my new appointment. I will keep you informed here as updates warrant. Thanks for your prayers and support.........Love + Gratitude in the Advent of the Lord,
Fr. Troy

VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CBS TELEVISION PULLING OF THE PLUG...AND DETERMINED TO SUPPORT THE RETURN OF, 'THREE RIVERS', "TRANSPLANT" SERIES.........

Since early October I have been watching and encouraging my circle of friends and fellow believers in Presentation, St. Philomene's and St. Rose's parishes, to view the new first season drama on CBS-TV, 'THREE RIVERS'. 'Three Rivers', is a drama based on transplant medicine and organ donation, a topic I have experienced first hand over the past several months. After airing just eight episodes of the thirteen episodes ordered at the beginning of the current television season, CBS announced an indefinite hiatus of the series last week. Authentically created, produced, acted, written, and directed, ' Three Rivers' has a superb cast, led by Alex O'Loughlin and Alfre Woodard. CBS is premature and wrong to end the series after just eight airings, given its outstanding quality and consciousness raising about a vitally important subject of concern to millions of persons around the world. It is also unfair to the ability of a series the caliber of 'Three Rivers', to place it in a time slot that is a network suicide squeeze, as the show, which has drawn as many as 8.4 million viewers in the episodes aired, was placed in the 9 pm Eastern and Pacific time slot on Sunday nights, opposite ABC's, 'Desperate Housewives', and NBC's, 'Football Sunday Night'. Why should the CBS network pull the plug on 'Three Rivers', before giving it another day and time on the schedule to find a solid audience ? Say put it in the time slot on Tuesday nights between 'NCIS' and 'The Good Wife', and shift the number one new series of the season, 'NCIS Los Angeles', to the Sunday night slot, or any other weak spot for CBS in prime time. The leadership of old at CBS-TV, Founder /CEO, the late William Paley and his colleagues, would have done that. By doing so, they developed hit television series and specials, that gained CBS the title of being,"The Tiffany Network", from 1956-1976. Two examples of getting the most from a series the quality of, 'Three Rivers', on CBS makes my point. In the early 1970's the programmers at CBS-TV decided to cancel the sixteen year old series, 'Gunsmoke', starring James Arness, as Marshall Matt Dillon. 'Gunsmoke' was Mr. Paley's favorite show. When the final proposed fall schedule for the following season was presented to him without 'Gunsmoke' on it, Paley ordered it to be continued and the series went on for another four years. In 1994, a similar occurrence to that of 'Three Rivers', predicament took place on CBS. 'Touched By An Angel', premiered that September on Thursday nights opposite NBC's,"Must See" comedy bloc, including, 'Friends', and 'Seinfeld'. In a very short time, down went 'Touched By An Angel'. That was until a magnitude of people in the viewing audience protested vehemently at its cancellation, and caused CBS to return it to the schedule. Given a Saturday night time slot at midseason, 'Touched By An Angel', found a devoted audience, was moved to Sunday nights the next season and ran for 9 years, as a hit CBS series. 'Three Rivers', is in the same possible situation. Given a further chance by the network it can, and I predict, will become a successful show that both entertains and educates for several years. Therefore, I ask you to join me in protesting to CBS Television and request they return 'Three Rivers', to the network broadcast schedule. You can do so by calling the Administrative Offices of CBS-13 in Sacramento, at 916-374-1313; or the Programs Comment Office of CBS-Inc., in New York, at 212-975-3247. If you have not yet seen 'Three Rivers', you can still find video clips and the last two full episodes aired, on the CBS.com website on the internet. In a decade of inane reality shows, a quality dramatic program, with the excellence of 'Three Rivers', deserves to continue. Thank you for sharing my concern about this truly fine show.........Faithfully Witnessing and Advocating in the spirit of Transplantation for the Continuation of 'Three Rivers',
Fr. Troy David Powers

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION : THE ENTRANCE INTO THE INCARNATION.........

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, commemorates an essential occurrence in the course of salvation history. When God the Father decided to send His only begotten Son into the world Emmanuel, God With Us, and the Redeemer of Humankind, the Heavenly Father chose a woman, Mary of Nazareth, a virgin to become the mother of Jesus, His Son. To assure her undeniable holiness and immaculate state of life, Mary was conceived free from sin, to be the most worthy vessel to bear the Son of God. Thus we as Catholic-Christians believe in the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which has a long held heritage in the Church, originating in the 7th Century,as the feast of the,"Conception of Mary by St. Anne". Pope Clement VI, established the feast as a solemnity for the universal Church, in 1708. The Bishops of the United States of America adopted the Immaculate Conception as the patronal national solemnity and the Blessed Virgin Mary by that title, as our patroness in 1846, eight years before Pope Pius IX, declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Today's liturgical Scriptures contrast in the First Reading from Genesis and the Gospel Proclamation from Luke, the consequences of sin as Adam and Eve are disobedient to God's command in Genesis; and Mary responding obediently to the graced moment of being invited by God to cooperate with the Divine for the redemption of humankind. Immaculate Conception Parish in Sacramento's Oak Park area is celebrating it's 100th Anniversary today, with a special Centennial Mass tonight at 7 pm. Msgr. Kavanagh and I were planning to attend the Centennial Mass together. However, he is still in Ireland with his family and I am celebrating the 7:30 pm Mass at St. Rose's in his absence, instead. So Happy Centennial Immaculate Conception Parish !!!!!!!!!! I have happy childhood memories of Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, and occasional Sunday Masses there, as many of my Portuguese cousins have lived in the parish from its earliest years.........Peace + Prayers through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Conceived without Sin for Our Salvation, Fr. Troy

ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING FOR PRIESTS REGARDING DIOCESAN FINANCES.........

I just returned from St. James Parish Memorial Center in Davis, and the Annual Report on Diocesan Finances meeting with Bishop Soto and diocesan staff. It was a very good meeting with our Chief Financial Officer, Tom McNamara, who has led the Diocesan Finance Office the last 16 years, delivering another of his excellent powerpoint overview presentation as an update of current dioesan finances; the status of the proposed civil restruture of the diocese; a brief report on the work being done by the Schools Ad Hoc Committee, which was established in July 2008; as well as an update by the Diocesan Stewardship and Development Director Michael Halloran, on the activities of The Catholic Foundation Inc.; followed by a brief question and answer session with Bishop Soto; and a delicious Christmas Luncheon of Mexican food, homemade tamales, refried beans, Spanish rice, Mexican hot chocolate, and bonwuelos, (sp.) a dessert made of a fried tortilla and honey. It was very thoughtful during his introductions and acknowledgements at the gathering for Bishop Soto to recognize my presence and how well I am looking and feeling after my kidney transplant. As it turned out I was the only priest there from Presentation Parish...Today, Monday of the Second Week of Advent, is the Memorial of St. Ambrose, the great 4th Century Bishop and Doctor of the Church. He was the Governor of the Milan area of the Roman Empire, and only a catechumen, when he went to intervene in a riot over the new Bishop of Milan, and the crowd spontaneously acclaimed Ambrose to be their Bishop. St. Augustine, was initiated into Catholic-Christianity by Bishop Ambrose. The Ambrosian Rite is named for him and continues today, affirming diversity amidst our unity, as Believers...This is also the 68th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, a reminder during the unfolding holiday season to remember and support all our military men and women, serving in our nation's two active wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as at outposts around the country and throughout the world. At least two of my personal friends are serving on the war-fronts, not to mention the many dozens of present and past parishioners, who are also serving the cause of peace during this time of war...I will have a bill paying, then chillaxing night, watching the Carrie Underwood and Rick Steves Christmas Specials, and then the premiere of the new Ray Romano-Scott Bakula-Andre Braugher TNT series, 'Men Of A Certain Age'. Tomorrow morning I have my weekly blood lab, and Holyday Masses in the evening at Presentation and St. Rose's.........
St. Ambrose / Pearl Harbor Day / Advent Peace, Fr. Troy

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT - PROCLAIMING THE TRUTH OF THE LORD JESUS' COMING.........

On this Second Sunday of Advent, the final herald of Jesus' Coming into the World, as the long expected Messiah of God's People, John the Baptist enters the Advent story in the Gospel proclamation. In Luke 3:1-6; the Word of God comes to John the Baptist in the wilderness as he is preaching repentance and proclaiming a baptism for the forgiveness of sins. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "A voice of one crying out in the desert./Prepare the way of the Lord./Make straight His paths". The prophetic, precursing, ministry of John the Baptist proclaiming the Lord's Coming speaks the Truth of God's Plan for the salvation of humankind. As Advent People of God we seek to know and embrace the Truth of Jesus the Christ as the one who comes to be the fulfillment of the Heavenly Father's desire to be reconciled with us. John the Baptist's ministry of preaching repentance and proclaiming a baptism for the forgiveness of sins and our redemption, continues in today's Church, as God calls us to ministry and repentance. God's Call to each one of us who hear and answer the Call, is to a direct and personal awareness of the repentance and ministry we are meant to embrace. Thus as you pray and reflect on your response to the Word of God during this 2nd Week of Advent, ask and answer the question, what event or opportunity in the Church is God inviting you to embrace ? Our repentance, baptism, redemption, prayer, and worship, is not complete without our ongoing involvement in the ministry of the Community of Believers. The start of the New Church year is an excellent time to discern and determine exactly what ministry you will participate in during Liturgical Year 2010, that allows you to contribute to fulfilling God's Call and living the Truth of Jesus as the Messiah who Comes into your lives............Yours in the Hope and Truth of Jesus the Lord, Fr. Troy

THE MOST REVEREND +JAIME SOTO's FIRST YEAR AS THE 9TH BISHOP OF SACRAMENTO.........

The First Week of Advent 2009, has marked the completion of Bishop Jaime Soto's first year as the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento. He was twenty five years, a priest and then, Auxiliary Bishop, of his native Diocese of Orange, California, when he was appointed Coadjuator Bishop of Sacramento on October 11, 2007. Bishop Soto had a nearly fourteen month warm-up to come to know the people, parishes, and ministries, of the twenty counties and forty three thousand square miles, that comprise the Catholic Church of Sacramento. Since succeeding to the bishopric as our Ordinary, a year ago - Bishop Soto has had his hands full, doing everything that a bishop is responsible for doing. Ministering and administering, without the assistance of an auxiliary bishop, an appointment of, for whom he and the diocese await. In addition to presiding at Masses and other ceremonies in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Confirmations and other special events in parishes and schools of the Diocese, Bishop Soto has also presided at the dedication of two new churches, the Vietnamese Martyrs Church on Florin Road in South Sacramento, which I attended with Msgr. Ed Kavanagh in the spring and the Divine Mercy Parish, 'first church' in the Natomas area of North Sacramento, which he dedicated Labor Day weekend. Wanting to effectively change and transfer priests and pastors on a semi-annual schedule in July and January, Bishop Soto and the Priests' Personnel Board faced nine retirements of Pastors on July 1, and decided to set in motion a more comprehensive change involving sixty four priests and parishes. This activity was the hardest part of the year for me to accept, without feeling a profound sense of being left out. Not only were the opportunity to become Pastor of Presentation, St. Philomene's, or any other parishes denied me due to my kidney disease, but so was any other ministry assignment, until next year. With all the focus placed on the priestly changes made on July 1, and yet not being counted among them, I felt like an active participant at a parade, pushed aside and left to watch the parade pass me by. Now, five months later, with my kidney transplant successfully received, there is little, if any reason, for me not to be assigned in the January changes, when my doctors certify my readiness. So in the spirit of Advent, I wait and watch for that decision. Bishop Soto's responsibilities extend beyond the Sacramento Diocese, as his service within the US Conference of Catholic Bishops includes chairing the Bishops' Immigration Committee and being their liasion bishop to the National Youth and Young Adult ministries. Therefore, as you begin your second year as the 9th Bishop of Sacramento, Bishop Jaime Soto, may God continue to bless you and the People of God in the 103 parishes of our Diocese with, " Joy and Hope", in the Lord Jesus' Three-fold Coming.........
Very Truly Yours in the Advent of the Lord, Fr. Troy

WHO ARE THESE "USUAL SUSPECTS" OF WHOM I SPEAK ?.........

This morning I was contacted by the Bishop's Office with the update that the discussion of my return to fulltime ministry and my next new assignment were being discussed again today at the monthly meeting of the Priests' Personnel Board. I reiterated my goal and intention, to be reactivated as a Pastor of a parish, in the new year. Bishop Soto called me late this afternoon for a friendly, fraternal, check in conversation. After I see Dr. Bhat for my follow-up appointment next Wednesday and he certifies my readiness to return to work, we will see what assignment I will receive...
While reflecting on my transplant experience and my mother's anniversary over the past ten days, I have recalled many of the people who have shared these events with me. I have made reference to the, "usual suspects", my group of personal Irish friends. Today I would like to focus on our friendships and their centrality in my life over the past twenty eight years. The phrase, "The Usual Suspects", is used to describe the group, as a title taken from the movie with the same name. In regards to our group, we are the persons who most commonly band together regularly and on special occasions, year after year. The group includes priests of the Diocese of Ossory, (Kilkenny) my classmate, Reverend Father Oliver Maher, and Rev. Frs. Daniel Bollard, Jim Murphy, Kieran Cantwell, Martin Tobin, Martin Delaney, Dermot Ryan, and Rev. Msgr. James Cassin. But the heart of, "the usual suspects", are our personal lay friends in Kilkenny, with whom we priests have enjoyed many wonderful evenings and special events for more than three decades in some cases. Brigid Mullins, wife of the late Michael 'Mick' Mullins, their Family Butcher Shop being one of the finest in Kilkenny, and the only meat "Mother Maher", (Oliver's late mum) would serve at her Sunday or Holiday table, is always a gracious and thoughtful presence to and with us. Her sons and she continue operating Mullins' Butcher Shop on Friary Street. When in Kilkenny, I buy my steaks only from the Mullins. Michael and Patricia Cleere Shortall, whose 3 Riverside Drive home in Kilkenny, has hosted seminarians, priests, and personal friends, for several decades, are always generous in their hospitality. It was in their house in the early 90's we were invited to Drinks at 8; for Dinner at half 8; only to have the socializing and drinks party last for four hours, so that we ate what we affectionately refer to as, Midnight Straganoff", when we finally dined. They are also renowned for their, "Patty on the Patio", summer afternoons and the, 'Bar Shed'. Geraldine and Kevin Butler, whom my fellow seminarians and I first met on the grounds of St. Kieran's College in September 1982, are also an indispensable couple in our usual suspects interactions. Geraldine started working as SKC front office Secretary that summer and at that time she and Kevin were dating. We got to know him as he came from Telecom Eireann, where he works, to pick Ger up and take her home each evening. But my funniest memorable moment with Ger and Kev involves me buying her first maternity dress in 1990, as a birthday gift to her, and having the women who owned the maternity shop thinking I was her American husband. Ger's response to their comment was, "No, this is Father Troy from California. He's not my husband. Kevin Butler is my husband and the father of my baby". >>> In addition to many fun nights in their homes, we also have had several memorable nights in the pubs, hotels, and restaurants, of Kilkenny city. For the past twenty years our favorite venue has been the classic Italian Ristorante, "Rinuccini", where delectable pastas and other fine dining menu entrees are on the bill of fare. My last two dinner parties at Rinuccini were celebrating my 50th Birthday, three years ago, and my 20th Anniversary a priest, two and a half years ago. Please God, I will have a post transplant dinner party there next summer. The usual suspects have also taken our celebrations on the road throughout the greater Kilkenny area and up the country to Northern Ireland, for Ordinations and First Masses. In the North, we have other usual suspects, including my classmate Paul McDaid and his family. His father and mother, Stephen and Kay McDaid, always host me and others hospitably, and "Kay's Kitchen" assures there is always very good food and drink to be had. These are some of the memories I have to be grateful to my Irish friends for. I also want to acknowledge Bishop of Ossory Emeritus, the Most Reverend Laurence Forristal, for his friendship and fraternal considerations, during the past twenty eight years. And I would be remiss not to pay tribute to the Ossory priest who in Summer 1980, set my St. Kieran's / Kilkenny / Irish / experiences in motion, the deceased Rev. Msgr. Martin Campion, who recruited me to attend St. Kieran's Seminary. God be Good to You forever, Martin......The more than 850 days I have spent In Ireland since August 23, 1981, have been exciting, energizing, and exhilarating, experiences of the Emerald Isle. The Irish collectively, and my usual suspects in particular - are some of the friendliest and most generously hospitable and loyal friends, I could ever want. I thank them and am grateful to them for all we share. Slan.........Gratefully in Jesus,
Troy David Powers

CONTINUING TO REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE MY MOTHER JOSEPHINE...27 YEARS AFTER HER PASSING ON THIS 100 DAYS POST KIDNEY TRANSPLANT.........

Last night I received a telephone from Pat Hornback, thanking me for the 'Josephine Treatment' 2009, my mother's memorial anniversary roses. I finished my mother's 27th anniversary day, presiding at a Funeral Vigil for a South Sacramento family at the North Sacramento Funeral Home, as an assist while Msgr. Kavanagh is away. Today, I celebrated my last Mass for the time being at St. Philomene's this morning and then went to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish to help the Pastor, Rev. Fr. Brendan McKeefry, with Advent Reconciliation today, tomorrow and next week , for the students of Assumption School... Thanks to the persons in my circle of friends who contacted me yesterday to assure me of their own prayerful remembrance of my mother. In the final twenty six and a half years of her life, my mother Josephine raised, the four Powers children born of my parents marriage. She also helped care for my grandparents, until her own diseases precluded that possibility in the final months of her life. The most religious and faithful Catholic in our entire family, she not only oversaw that my sisters and brothers and I received faith formation and sacramental preparation for Penance, Eucharist, and Confirmation, but facilitated religious education and Sacraments, for many of our cousins. My mother was on the front lines with me over my physical disability that had me in a left leg orthopedic brace from First to Twevlth Grade. She was also very encouraging and supportive of my discernment of a vocation to the priesthood. Therefore, as I have often said since December 1982, "It is the mystery of God, and the mystery of Life, that my mother Josephine died during my first semester in the seminary, causing me to return to Sacramento from Kilkenny, Ireland for her death and burial. Incidentally, the week my mother died so too, did two Sacramento diocesan priests. Rev. Msgr. Hugh McTague, founding Pastor of St. Robert's Parish in South Sacramento, (1955-1980) from whom I received First Holy Communion on May 29, 1965; and who became a personal friend and supporter of my becoming a priest, died November 27, 1982, five days before my mother.
He shared two special moments in 1968 with me and my mother, during that year's 3 month Campbell Soup Company strike. As my father worked at Campbell Soup as did many other Corey Family members, money was very tight for my family as the strike wore on, in August 1968. I needed a new pair of $40.00 black dress shoes from Groh's Shoes, because my metal brace all but destroyed my left shoe every three months; and that month we coluldn't afford them, Msgr. Kavanagh was in Ireland on his vacation, and so my mother drove with me over to St. Robert's Rectory and asked Fr. McTague to loan her the forty dollars, to buy my shoes. He did. In the weeks after the Campbell's strike ended and my father was working again, my mother and me returned to see Fr. McTague and repay the loan. He refused to accept the money, saying to my mother with me present, "Mrs. Powers that is my investment in that boy becoming a priest someday". Was he ever right ! Because I came home from the seminary the day after Thanksgiving 1982, I was present at Msgr. McTague's Funeral on Nov. 30. The other priest, was Rev. Fr. James O'Dea , who was Pastor of St. Philomene's Parish, when he died suddenly the day after my mother on Dec. 3, 1982. My mother's Funeral Mass was concelebrated by Msgr. Kavanagh and seven more priests, on Mon. Dec. 6, with her burial at St. Mary's Cemetery. The next day I went with Msgr. Kavanagh to Fr. O'Dea's Funeral Mass and Burial at St. Philomene's Church and Calvary Cemetery, which was concelebrated by Bishop Francis Quinn and more than one hundred and fifty priests. That was the day I first saw Fr. Jerry Ryle, then Associate Pastor of St. Philomene's. Two days short of twenty four years later, Dec. 1, 2006, I was appointed to St. Philomene's as his part-time Parochial Vicar. Little did I know on Dec. 3 and 7, 1982, I would have a future in priestly ministry at St. Philomene's with Fr. Jerry Ryle as my Pastor... And so Mother, I poignantly, proudly, remember you, celebrate you, pray for you, as we mark the 27th anniversary of your passing from this life to the promise and hope of eternal life. Thank You for the Love you provided us your Family and for your generosity and prayerfulness for others, especially the needy. You are in our hearts always....... For me, today is it 100 Days since Dr. Moss and the Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona Transplant Team gave me a, "vibrant, new, kidney", from my living donor, Victor Herrera. I am growing stronger and more able to do more things, each day, fourteen weeks and two days, after receiving my new lease on life. Peace + Prayers in the Risen Life of the Threefold Coming Christ,......... Troy

THE "JOSEPHINE TREATMENT" 2009 GOES TO.........?????????

The 'JOSEPHINE TREATMENT', is my title for the Anniversary Memorial Roses I send to someone special to me or my mother, on December 2. For more than a decade after my mother's death, I took the roses to her grave at St. Mary's Cemetery in South Sacramento. I have one red rose added to the bouquet for each year my mother has been gone, and one white rose included in the middle of the red ones, to represent eternal life. On a very wet and windy Dec. 2 1996, in the car, driving to the cemetery from Oroville, with a 15 rose bouquet sitting on the back seat, I asked myself why I was going to place those gorgeous flowers on the grave to be battered badly by the raging storm ?
They were the last anniversary roses I placed on her grave. Since then I have from Labor Day to ThanksGiving determined who in my circle of friends and fellow believers, should be given the Josephine Treatment that year. This year the recipient chosen is, PATRICIA HORNBACK, my friend and colleague from St. Patrick's / St. Rose's, thirty years ago, and for the past three and a half years, my parishioner at Presentation Parish in Arden Arcade. Thank You and Congratulations, Pat...EnJoY !!!!!!!!!, the 'Josephine Treatment' anniversary roses in my mother's memory.........tdp

REMEMBERING MY MOTHER JOSEPHINE, ON THIS HER 27TH ANNIVERSARY.........

27 Years ago today, on Thursday December 2, 1982, at 9:20 pm, in Mercy General Hospital, at 40th & 'J' Streets, in Sacramento, my mother Josephine Virginia Corey Feusi Powers, died at age 60, after her five and a half year valiant struggle with diabetes and leukemia. More than a quarter of a century gone, she lives on in my heart and memory, as she does for family, friends,and fellow believers, who knew and loved her. My mother was born at home, in South Sacramento, on July 5, 1922, The fifth child and third daughter, of nine children, born to Manuel Lawrence and Claudia Frances Corey (Correia) she was of Portuguese ancestry. Baptized August 5, 1922, at St. Elizabeth's Church, at 12th and "S" Streets, in Sacramento, the Portuguese National Parish. As a girl, young Josie, happily helped around the house, played with her sisters and brothers and pet cats, as the story is told, she always had at least one cat as a child. Close to all her siblings, she was particularly fond as a youngster, of her next youngest sister, Alice, who died at age nine, of lockjaw. With her siblings she attended Fruitridge Grammar School, from the latter 1920's through the mid 1930's, graduating from the 8th Grade. The teacher and principal of Fruitridge School in that era, was the highly regarded, Fern Bacon, for whom the Junior High / Middle School, opened less than a mile from the location of the old Frutridge School, was named when it opened, in 1957. My grandfather Corey did not believe in those years that girls should attend high school, so my mother and her sisters set about finding work after completing 8th Grade. The Sisters of Social Service in 1937, when she was fifteen, placed Josephine, in a job in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Hamlin, Sr., in the Land Park neighborhood. My mother was hired as, "the girl who took care of their young son", John Hamlin Jr. Mr. Hamlin Sr. was then the attorney for the Sacramento Bee and his wife was very involved in the charitable and social activities in Land Park and Sacramento. My mother looked after their son for three years, until she turned 18 years old. One of the Hamlin's neighbors she became acquainted with were the heavyweight boxing champion, Max Baer and his family. Max Baer Jr. was a playmate of John Hamlin and my mother occasionally walked both children down to the corner drugstore for an ice cream cone. 1940, the year Josie left the job, was significant for two reasons besides her turning 18. It was the year of my grandparents Silver Wedding Anniversary, the party for which my mother was the organizer and Mrs. Hamlin helped her fund the cost of the party. The other occurrence was 1940 was the year Holy Spirit Parish, in Land Park was founded. That was also the year 18 year Josephine received the Sacrament of Confirmation under the direction of Social Service Sister Benedicta at St. Joseph's Parish in Clarksburg. Until her marriage to George Feusi, in September 1945, my mother worked at McCllelan Air Force Base, during World War II. My two older brothers, Harry George and Gerald Marshall Feusi, were born to their union in 1946 and 1948. Unfortunately, their marriage did not last, and my mother and two babies returned to my grandparents home on the corner of 52nd and Woodbine Avenues. My father, Troy Doil Powers had migrated to California from Arkansas and Oregon, in 1947, and was also living on 52nd Avenue. My parents met, shortly thereafter started dating and were married on July 9, 1950, when my brothers were four and two years old respectively. For the next six years they set about raising Harry and Jerry, in the house my father built in 1950, which still today is the family home, where my younger brother Thomas continues to live. In 1956, I was born being the first of four Powers children of my parents. I am pleased on this anniversary of my mother to share these reflections. Tomorrow I will complete this retrospective on her life. Eternal rest grant unto your soul Mother, and may Perpetual light shine upon you. I love you, miss you, remember you, and pray for you, today and everyday. Peace in the Everlasting Advent of the Risen Christ,
Troy

DECEMBER DAYS...ADVENT......AND THE MONTH OF THE DIVINE INFANCY.........

As we arrive at December and these Advent Days awaiting the Lord Jesus' Coming, we open the Month of the Divine Infancy. The next twenty four days of preparation, anticipation, joy and hope filled waiting and watching, will be crowned with the celebration of the Incarnation and the Solemnity of Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus our Lord and Savior. We hear from the Book of Isaiah, in the First Reading. Isaiah is heard from extensively during the Season of Advent in our Sunday and weekday Liturgies of the Word. Today our passage from Is. 11:1-10; is proclaiming a, "vision of hope", for God's People and anticipation that the events of salvation history will bring our hope of fulfillment. In Luke 10:21-24, Jesus is presented proclaiming the blessedness of His Disciples, for their opportunity to see the ancient prophecy fulfilled, as the Apostles see the face of God in Jesus. They see the face of the Divine, because God in Jesus the Christ has drawn closer to His children. We too, in the 3rd Millennium of Catholic-Christian Discipleship can and do, see the face of God in other human beings, especially those in the Community of Believers, who are our brothers and sisters in the Lord's Coming.
Today is also, World Aids Day. Since 1981, this day has been commemorated to those afflicted, dying, or departed, from the endemic of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. As a kidney transplant recipient my immune deficiency has increased, as my immune system is compromised, as a result of my transplant. So I have a renewed empathy for all those who endure living with immune deficiency. Presently, there are 33 million persons throughout the world with AIDS. On World Aids Day we pray for a wholehearted commitment on the part of our nation and the world, to eradicate it and all forms of cancer, diseases, and illnesses, in the spirit of Christ Jesus the Healer. I am also marking today being at Presentation of the BVM Parish, for three and a half years and it was also three years ago today, I was assigned part-time to St. Philomene's Parish. Many thanks, appreciation, and prayers, for the people of both parish communities.........Anticipatingly Yours in Preparing for Jesus' Three-fold Coming,
Fr. Troy