THE TWENTY-NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY THE MAYOR OF SACRAMENTO PROCLAIMED, "TROY POWERS DAY"...........

The Summer of 1982, was an anticipatory, and very active time for me in South Sacramento at St. Roses's / St. Patrick's were I continued to work in parish ministry, as I had been working fulltime for the previous two years, with Msgr. Ed Kavanagh, Fr. Jerry Boland, Fr. Colin MacDonald, Sr. Mary Dominica Cunningham, RSM, the Sisters of Mercy, the other parishioners, and Bishop Alfonso Gallegos, O.A.R.  I was in final preparations that summer to begin my seminary studies on September 13th, and battening down the hatches in my native Sacramento, as the days counted down to my departing for Ireland, and entering St. Kieran's Seminary, in Kilkenny, as a first year ecclesiastical student, studying for the priesthood.  In mid July, Msgr. Kavanagh requested to meet with me and Patricia Hornback, the Community Relations Director of St. Patrick's Home, with whom I had worked closely since 1979-80.  We sat with the, "Boss", as many of us referred to him, and he came right to the point.  He had decided to hold a Parish Dinner on Friday night July 30th, less than two weeks away, to celebrate my farewell for the seminary, and he discussed how we were to organize it.  The event was held in the new, just five month old, St. Rose / St. Patrick Social Center, now the Monsignor Kavanagh Hall, and the entree for the dinner was Barbequed Chicken.  Written invitations were sent, Sunday bulletin and pulpit announcements made, the stellar group of parishioners and volunteers, who handled such events in the parish in those years, were convened and set in motion, and on that Friday night, les than a fortnight later, my fellow parishioners, family members, and personal friends, gathered, 350 persons plus, including Bishop Francis Anthony Quinn, in acknowledgement and celebration of my ministry in the parish, and imminent forthcoming farewell for Kilkenny, in late August.  It was a scintillating evening of faith, family, friendship, and fellowship, and those in attendance were generous in their willingness to pay for their dinner and still share gifts of appreciation and best wishes with me.  Sacramento City Councilman Joe Serna, who I had known since my freshman year in college, and who had been my Government professor, and Internship Director, at CSU-Sacramento, was in attendance, and among a small group of selected speakers.  He stepped up to the dias, penultimate to Msgr. Kavanagh's remarks, kindly spoke about his experiences with me as a student and political volunteer, and then produced a proclamation issued by Mayor Phil Isenberg, declaring -  July 30, 1982, as, "Troy Powers Day", in the City of Sacramento.  Twenty four years old, an upstart youth minister, and pre-seminarian, and the city of my birth, by actions of the Mayor and City Council, were designating a day recognizing me !!  Unbelievable !!, except it was true...........Over the subsequent years, I have tried to remember and give life to the memory of that day, commemorating it in some small way.  That's what my historically minded self does !!  In 1984, July 30, was the date the former diocesan newspaper,  The Catholic Herald, published my story as their special correspondent to the Democratic National Convention, held that year in San Francisco.  I was a third year seminarian by then, and encountered the multitudes present for the nominating convention, persons of all political persuasions, including, "Jews For Jesus"; and, "Commies For Christ".  I had planeed to commemorate this 29th anniversary of,  'TPD', by celebrating the completion and freedom from the past six weeks of antibiotic infusion therapy.  But alas, Dr. Martin decided otherwise, yesterday afternoon.  I am in a renewed scramble to find, and train, sufficent lay volunteers, to assist in facilitating connecting and disconnecting me to the infusion pump, every morning and evening, for the time being.  It is not rocket science, but a relatively simple procedure.  I need your help to continue and complete this current regimen, or face the likelihood of being returned to rehab and the hospital, for no reason other than lack of helpers to do this, which keeps me in the parish, and on the job ministering.  I need someone to volunteer tonight at 8 pm, and tomorrow at 10 am and 8 pm, to get me through the weekend, and I arrange to cover the coming week's 14 antibiotic infusion treatments.  CAN YOU, WILL YOU, say YES, to ASSISTING ME WITH THIS VITAL NEED ?
What more need I do to increase the willingness of those of you in my circle, to help get this therapy done, and allow me to remain, active, pastorally, adfministratively, and ministerially, pro-active, as Pastor of OLOL, and a Priest of Jesus Christ ??  You my friends and parishioners, are the key to keeping that happening...........With Hope Filled Optimism A Goodly Number Of You Will Volunteer In Friendship And Discipleship,   Fr.  Troy

To schedule yourself for one of my Treatment times :  Contact me Here on the Blog;  E-mail me, at  troypow@yahoo.com  or call me, at  925-5313.

I STILL AM IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FOLLOWING TREATMENTS THIS WEEK :

Tonight's  SA 7-30  8PM treatment;  Tomorrow's  SU 7-31 treatments at 10AM, & 8PM,  M 8-1 to F 8-5  9AM & 8PM;  and SA 8-6 & SU 8-7  10AM & 8PM,...........Does one or more of them have your name on it ?  I certainly pray so...........