What's going on...

Today has been fairly busy, here's what I've been up to...

> up at 6 am to get ready for 7 am Mass. I had to start a little earlier, because I was preparing breakfast for folks at St. Boniface Parish, following 10:30 am Mass, having done the same for St. Mary folks last week; I had some stuff to bring from one parish to the other, and I had meant to do it before this morning, but there it is.

> The stuff needed for breakfast sat in my car during Mass, then after 7 am Mass I took it into the cafeteria, and did some prep work for breakfast later: got out post and filled them with water (for cooking the scrambled eggs: you can get eggs, yes, real eggs, frozen, in bags, which you boil; the eggs scramble nicely, and then you serve them), and the trays for the sausages to bake, and the coffee pot, and some other items. I'd also picked up donuts on the way to Mass, which I now put out. A parishioner who was helping would start cooking the eggs around 10 am, then I'd be back around 10:15, after the 9 am Mass, to get the rest ready.

> Off to 9 am Mass, with a stop at Tim Hortons for a cup of coffee and some donuts. (FYI--while the priest is obliged to keep the fast, same as you, he is not obliged to keep the fast between Masses; I find if I don't eat something at this point, I sometimes get lightheaded.)

> 9 am Mass at St. Mary was "high": lots of incense and chant, including the Eucharistic Prayer (Roman of course). A little side-note and benefit related to chanting at Mass. Some folks don't like it, think it's excessive. This Mass often has little children who, naturally, will cry or wail; and for whatever reason, not all parents can always silence them, or choose to take them out. And let's be candid--some of us might be able to tune it out, but no one finds a wailing baby edifying. Such was the case today: not one, but two, just as we were singing the "Sanctus." Well, as I began chanting the Roman Canon, the babies quieted down and all was silent during the prayer. Any opinions or observations on this point?

> Right after Mass, I visited with some folks; a couple wanted to talk to me about marking their 60th Anniversary at a Mass in February, and we made tentative plans.

> Had to run back over to St. Boniface to get things ready for breakfast, starting around 11:30 am (after 10:30 am Mass); my helper had started the eggs and coffee, I sent him to Mass, and I took care of the sausages and the rest of the prep work. A parishioner came by to help, and all went smooth.

> Folks started showing up around 11:20, folks who'd been at one of the other Mases; we had about 120 folks in total, and the only negative was not enough donuts and juice, but plenty of sausage and eggs. We had to make another pot of coffee, but folks stayed around a bit to help drink it. This is the secondary reason I started these breakfast--i.e., to build community; first was as my Christmas gift to the people of the parishes.

> Around Noon, the last few folks were leaving, and my various helpers assisted me with cleanup and putthing things back. It was around 1 pm when all was put back in good order. We had some eggs left over, still in the bag, which I sent home with one of my helpers who has a family. I took some back with me as well.

> Arriving back at St. Mary, I saw the retired priest's car still in the parking lot, meaning he was still in church; so I stopped in, laden down with my bags of eggs! I know, why didn't I take them into my kitchen first? I didn't want to miss him, I wanted to see if he needed any help, and I had some good news to share. (Sorry, I"m not telling you before I tell the parishes, but it concerns some end-of-year giving.) Turns out Father was talking and praying with someone, so I waited for him. Eventually, he finished up, and we chatted a bit.

> I got back home around 2 pm, and sat down to write this post and the last one.