The rumor you heard...

That I was seen in a bucket truck (aka a "cherry-picker")...

is true!

Over the past year, Saint Boniface Church has been doing work on the exterior--we repainted the stucco-like "stone facing" and the trim, we refinished the doors and added some other nice touches--then this summer, we put copper on the steeple so it won't have to be repaired again for a very long time.

So, we asked Brian Brothers Painting, who did the exterior work, if they would send over a bucket truck; they were kind enough to do so. After 10:30 am Mass, I took off my chasuble, leaving on my alb and stole, and went outside. While everyone gathered, they rigged me up in a harness (no seat-belt extenders needed), and I climbed into the "bucket"; not easy! Then up we went.

We went up about 60 feet I think, and it didn't bother me; when I said that, Brian of Brian brothers--who was beside me at the tiller--jiggled the control, making the bucket bounce--or so I believe! He didn't exactly deny it later.

Once I got up there, only about half-way to the top actually, but good enough, I made my remarks. Had I a brain, I'd have made my remarks first! Oh well. I explained we wanted to thank Brian Brothers, and Wellman Brothers who did the copper work; then I confessed that there actually wasn't any official blessing for the church exterior (there ought to be! The official Book of Blessings is terrible!), "I just wanted an excuse for going up in a bucket truck!" Then I asked Brian if he'd been an altar boy; he said yes, so I handed him the holy water bucket, and I said a short prayer and sprinkled the tower of the church.

Just that quick, we were back down; with a little more maneuvering, I got out of the bucket (too much pasta carbonara in Rome earlier this summer!), and everyone clapped--out of relief, no doubt; had I gotten queasy, a lot of them were right underneath me!

Once back on terra firma, a fellow from Channel 2 of Dayton pointed a camera at me and asked a few questions; the last one was, "what was the best part?" After a pause, I blurted out, "getting back on the ground!"

I know you want to see photos; several folks snapped pictures, and I'll try to post some later this week. We'll send a photo to the Catholic Telegraph, so the Archbishop knows what I'm up to.