I’ve got one of those dreaded summer colds. There is nothing wrong with me from the neck down but my nose is stuffed up, I’m coughing, and my eyes are watering as though Satan was cutting onions in front of me. I shouldn’t joke like that because I just got back from Mass – the Ordination Mass for a number of priests for our Diocese. I just couldn’t miss it so I ventured out to St. Thomas More to glorify God in my infirmity. No suffering should go to waste, right? It is truly awesome to witness the ordination of priests. If you’ve never been to an ordination Mass in your Diocese please go.
The choir sounded wonderful. They had a small brass quartet or quintet and timpani that was terrific. A Benedictine monk happened to sit next to me in the very crowded pew and when I turned to him and smiled he said, “You look familiar – are you a Dominican?” Wherever I go people ask me if I work there. Whether it’s Old Navy, the grocery store, Borders, Home Depot, or Staples people think I work there. The only place that never happens is 7-11. Maybe the monk wondering if I was a Dominican is the same phenomenon. I almost showed him my 15-decade rosary but decided against it. Anyhow, I made a new friend of this monk. He needs our prayers because he’s in the Richmond Diocese. He says they really do have a priest shortage unlike Arlington. He came up for the ordination because he was in the seminary with a couple of the ordinandi. I never knew of the word “ordinandi” until today, but now I am resolved to use it as often as possible.
At the reception I introduced myself to the Dappled One, Fr. Jim of Dappled Things. I recognized him from his picture on the website and figured I’d shake his hand since we’ve traded some email. Over email I asked him to pass along a prayer request to the Poor Clares for me. He said he told the Sacristan, Sister Jose Maria, that he met someone on the internet who used to date one of the sisters. She raised an eyebrow but he said she had nothing to worry about. It was great meeting him and I am comforted by the fact that the dear sisters are praying for me. It is a treasure to have them in this Diocese.
I’m blog on more about today later. Right now I’m going to look up the patron saint of watery eyes, stuffy noses, and persistant coughs.