"FACING THE PUCK OUT", AS A PARISH PRIEST, 7 WEEKS ON..........

With my planned 3 week vacation scheduled to start yesterday, which is delayed by nine days by the death and funeral of Msgr. Coffey, my pastoral ministry responsibilities continue to unfold as usual in these opening months of my new pastorate.  That means celebrating Sunday and weekday Masses, conferring the Sacraments, keeping Appointments with parishioners, publishing the Parish Bulletin, seeking and interviewing, part-time Parish Staff applicants, overseeing administrative and financial records and Bookkeeping, as well as Praying, and ultimately resting and caring for my Body, both for my kidney transplant and my diabetes.  Following my concelebrated 8 am Mass, and getting the counters squared away, Father Traynor and I had breakfast together, and I returned to my work in the rectory, which included a brief consultation about a possible Quinceanea, a midafternoon parishioner appointment to discuss Parish Ministries and Liturgies, and a Sick Call to the husband of a longtime parishioner, who has terminal cancer and requested a pastoral visit with the Anointing of the Sick; declaring before his family and me, that he is now a Catholic.  After a brief discussion and learning he is a baptized Episcopalian, who truly now wants to be Catholic, having three to six months to live, I agreed to schedule a Profession of Faith, Confirmation, and First Eucharist, with him on a day soon he is feeling able for it.  He decided today was not the day, as he was somewhat tired after our 10-15 minute, animated, conversation.  His wife, and adult daughter and son, were also present, as we talked about the parents 47 year marriage, and their mutual decision to be buried together in the Veteran's National Cemetery in Dixon.  His military service to our country was in the United States Marines.  And so, another day of parish life winds down, promising to bring more ministry tomorrow.  Tonight and tomorrow morning, I have three more Sunday Bulletins to begin writing and transmitting,before heading off next Tuesday..........Ministering Happily As Priest And Pastor of OLOL Parish in Sacramento,  Fr.  Troy