ST. BLAISE - BISHOP ANND MARTYR, AND THE BLESSING OF THROATS..........

Our past is again our present, whenever we remember and give life to a memorable moment in our history. Today the Church memorializes St. Blaise, a bishop and martyr of 4th Century Christianity, which was a crystalizing time for the blossoming of the Faith, despite the ongoing persecutions of the Roman Empire. Blaise was a bishop in Sebaste, Armenia and was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Licinius. He is one of the saints venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church. And St. Blaise is also the patron saint of diseases of the throat, so that it is customary on this date to bless the throats of the faithful who present them, that through the intercession of St. Blaise, they will be, "healed of every disease of the the throat and every other illness. At the 8 am Mass this morning, following the homily I blessed the throats of 42 parishioners who were present at Mass. May you too, be spared and or, healed of throat disease and all other illnesses.....My primary parish ministry focus beyond Masses and the Sacraments, during these months of transition at Sacred Heart is, Adult Faith Formation, I attended the RCIA, (Rite of Christian of Adults) session last night which I will do weekly from here on out, at the invitation of the Parish RCIA Director, Rita Spillane. The topic for the evening was the 7th, 8th, and 10th Commandments, and it was both an interesting presentation and lively large group discussion of their meaning and practice in our contemporary lives.....Also yesterday, I had one of my fraternal visits with Bishop Emeritus Francis Anthony Quinn, at Mercy McMahon, which is always a joy.....After five weeks at SacHeart, I am finally unpacking, as it was not determined until this week which set of rooms I will be residing in for my duration here. I will be staying in the rooms at the top of the stairs, next to the guest room, I have been using since New Year's Eve, as the bigger associate suite has developed a heating problem. The parish janitor / handyman, helped me move and shift the heavy lifting items this morning, leaving multiple boxes big and small to unpack, arrange, and squeeze into, this space and I only have about 10% or so, of my 1,500 books with me and about half my clothes, the rest of both, being in a jampacked storage unit the past 4-5 years.....I had an early, pre 8 am Mass, breakfast, and after the work-out of beginning to organize my rectory quarters, I just finished an early lunch. After locking up the church at 1 o'clock I will take an afternoon nap and then go out for my daily neighborhood walk.....Have A Wonderful Day In The Sun / Son..........Peace + Prayers, Fr. Troy