R.I.P. FR. MCGROARTY

On this day in 1616, literary giants William Shakespeare & Miguel de Cervantes both died.  It was not on exactly the same day though, but it is recorded as such because of the difference in England's & Spain's calendars during their era.   The weather lately has been very bad.  There has been an icy cold rainstorm around here ever since early last evening.   Last week I got my very first ever ticket for a moving violation.  It was on Tenth Street in Wyoming.   The library & Methodist church next door will be having another book sale.  They have some very good prices on some very good books.   Uncle Frankie came over for a while yesterday to have supper with us.   The Carmelite meeting went well this past Saturday morning in Wilkes~Barre.  We have them every third Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at the Little Flower Manor.  While I was there my parents went out for some Chinese food with Fran & Uncle Frankie.  Unfortunately Fr. McGroarty from St. John the Evangelist Church in Pittston died last week at about ninety~four years of age.  I went to his wake on Thursday afternoon.  There was also a Mass of Transferral on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. & a funeral Mass on Friday at 11:00 a.m.  I used to see him at St. John's quite frequently for Mass & confession.

ST. PATRICK & ST. JOSEPH

The lay Carmelite meeting, this past Saturday morning, went really well.   We meet every third Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the Little Flower Manor in Wilkes~Barre.  Rosemary Lancellotti & Fr. Garth were there from Middletown, N.Y.   Our attendance was really good.  Sr. Mary Robert showed up early to help set things up for us.   We're supposed to get together to go to Middletown for a day of recollection this coming Sunday.  It will be the Feast of the Annunciation.    Last weekend's meeting was on St. Patrick's Day.   That's the big day each year when we Irishmen get to celebrate our cultural heritage.   The English, since even before the Protestant Reformation, have always been abusing the Irish so we truly deserve a good party every once in a while.   Uncle Frankie, Fran & Lisa visited my parents.  I hung around with them for a while before I went to O. L. Sorrows for their party.  While I was there I ended up sitting at a table with a woman who was the mother of one of the girls Fran grew up with.  She  said I must be related to Fran on her Irish side because I couldn't possibly pass for Italian in a million years.  I'm both.   Each year I always make sure I tell people about the time my father took Mary Anne, Earl & me to the parade in Manhattan where we met Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.   Unfortunately it was his last parade.  He was assassinated in June of that year.   Today is the first day of a long~anticipated spring.  Our weather this past winter was unusually mild but I'm glad it's over.  The weather lately has been nice but lately there's been a bit of rain.  I always get headaches when the weather changes.  The meetings on Thursday nights have stopped.  Now we go to St. Anthony of Padua Church, at St. Barbara's Parish, in Exeter, for a meeting each Wednesday night.    Oblate Fr. Phill Massetti is in charge.   Yesterday was the Feast of St. Joseph.  All went well.  I've been reading quite a lot of classic poetry lately.  Thngs get a bit weird when I get to the collected works of people like Walt Whitman & Allen Ginsberg.

BAD TIME FOR QUEENS KIDS

Lately it's been such a sad time for us kids from 92 Street & St. Gabriel's. Earl's mother died in October, two weeks before his birthday. He & his brother, Jr., were really good kids. Tommy, Jo Anne & Ruthie were also friends of mine from those days. Their mother died last week too. When Earl's mother died I made sure I talked to him on the phone. It was the very first time we'd spoken since we were twelve years old. We haven't seen each other in person since then. I also spoke to Jo Anne on the phone when her mother died. My father was recently rushed to the hospital a while ago too. First he went to the Veteran's Hospital. Then he went to the General Hospital. They're both in Wilkes_Barre. He gets lots of visitors & phone calls. He's been recovering slowly but it's a seriously strenuous time for all. Mary Anne, Steve & Bridget came in for a couple of days last weekend to see how everything's been working out so far. We've spent a lot of time going back & forth to the hospital but my mother & Uncle Frankie are getting a bit too old for this kind of aggravation.

OIL CHANGE

Lately I've been watering the flowers in the front yard every day that it doesn't rain.   That most certainly didn't include yesterday.   There were two absolutely torrential downpours, each one fairly brief, with lots of thunder & lightning.  This year has been quite a record breaker for extreme temperatures.  I have absolutely no idea whatsoever of what the names of most of the flowers are, except the buttercups.  They're the big yellow ones.   The flowers appear to go through phases somehow.  There are times when they're all out either in full bloom or on their way, with exceptionally nice buds.   Then they go through periods of total absolute death.  They all get stark & horrible looking.   Each stage seems to last for only a fairly short time.  Recently I went to Di Leo's Garage on Wyoming Avenue & Ninth Street in town to get an oil change.  It's only right down the street.  It went fairly well except for the price.  It got a little steep because I needed a new oil filter & a rim for my tire.  The guy who's in charge is named Joe.   Another guy gave me a ride each way so I could stay home while it was getting fixed.    Fortunately it only took a few hours.   Sometimes those things can last for an unbearably long time.  Daren's birthday was July 21.  I made sure I sent her mother, Grace, a card.  She sent me one too.  She included some very nice pictures of Daren & her(Daren's)two sisters.  Daren died in 2005.   Fr. McKernan has been doing a really good job so far of keeping our men's group running.  We meet on the second & fourth Saturday mornings of each month in O.L. Sorrows rectory.  The last Carmelite meeting, a couple of weeks ago, went really well too.   Attendance wasn't so good but we got a lot done there.  Our meetings are every third Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at the Little Flower Manor on South Meade Street in Wilkes_Barre.  We always welcome new members.

WEATHER CHANGE

The bitter cold weather, at least for now, is over. I find it rather hard to believe that I went out without a coat today. The snow's melting. St. Gabriel's in East Elmhurst is planning a big reunion in June. Jo Anne said she may go. Tim, From California, will even go too. I just found out that Mary Anne's old friend, Steve from Copiague, is married to a woman who went to school there. I'm still reading quite voraciously lately. I try always to finish one book & then virtually immediately pick up another one. I've also been trying very conscientiously to practice my guitar each day. Uncle Frankie is supposed to visit Fran for a couple of days this weekend. I shall have to pick up his mail again. Fr. McKernan won't be available for a few days at St. Monica's so I shall have to go to St. John's in Pittston for a few weekdays. Recently I added a second teacher of mine to my Facebook friend list. Jerry Di Noto was my theology teacher in the tenth grade. I tracked him down a few days ago. Tomorrow I shall have to go to another lay Carmelite meeting in Wilkes_Barre. It's at 9:00 a.m. at the Little Flower on South Meade Street. We meet on the third Saturday morning of each month. There will be another day of recollection in Middletown, N.Y. this spring. I'm hoping to be able to show up. Mary Anne's family has been doing quite well. Michael just got a really nice new job & we're all happy for him.

BUSY TIME

The night before New Year's Eve I got a very violent attack of the flu. I was at O.L. Sorrows lectoring at 7:00 p.m. Mass when my voice started getting hoarse & I started getting very weak. I spent the next few days in bed with a violent headache & cough, besides all sorts of other aches & pains. Eventually I made an appointment to see Dr. Radzwilka in West Pittston. He prescribed a couple of kinds of medication before I made the appointment. The syrup gave me violent headaches so I gave up on it. When I went to the appointment I got him to do some blood work too. So far I have gotten no results. When I started feeling better I made sure I called Chris Calore, in Wilkes_Barre to see about getting onto a bus for the trip to Washington, D.C. next Monday for the annual pro_life March. He was forced to put me on a waiting list but he eventually called & said I get to go. I went last year & all worked out quite well for me even though it was too strenuous. Nothing gets me so crazy as haveing to be restricted like that all day long. I have to get my car inspected in January each year. This Saturday I noticed at the last minute that I desperately needed an oil change. I went to De Leo's gas station on Wyoming Avenue in Wyoming because it's the closest to me. He also does inspections so I made an appointment, for yesterday, to get my inspection. It was a long boring day for me but ultimately I got my usual expensive repairs done & I'm now set until next March. He says I now get a two~month grace period. This past Saturday was our monthly lay Carmelite meeting on S. Meade Street in Wilkes_Barre. Barbara & Rosemary were the only regulars who couldn't show up. Sr. Mary Robert spent the morning with us though & she was very helpful. The weather lately has been very violently cold with entirely too much snow & ice. There have been so many birthdays this month. We wish a very happy birthday to my mother, several cousins & , among the non~relatives, Tim, Lisa & Laura.

THANKSGIVING BECKONS

Uncle Frankie's back, as of two days ago, from his trip to Fran's house. I picked up his mail each day when he was gone. Thanksgiving is only five days away. Everyone has been making preparations. Mary Anne & family will be showing up in a few days. In the 1980's I spent several Thanksgivings in North Tonawanda with relatives. It's too bad we can't have those days back now. This morning I went to Wilkes_Barre for our monthly Carmelite meeting. We meet at the Little Flower Manor on South Meade St. every third Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. Only a few people showed up this month. The weather's been very nice lately with occasional very violent thunderstorms including one in the middle of the night this past week. To my chagrin I always get very violent headaches when the weather changes like that. After tomorrow's 11:00 a.m. Mass the two churches in the Wyomings will officially be known as St. Monica's Parish. There will be a reception at St. Joseph's immediately following the Mass. It must be a stressful time for people who grew up with these parishes. Yesterday I called Jim, in California, on his cell phone. We often get to talk on Facebook anyway but he gave me his number so we could at least give it the more personal touch for once. This month we wish very happy birthdays to Steve in California, cousin Maelene's son Scott, & cousin Leonard's granddaughter Sarah(today), Wendy, two Javas & Kim.

A VERY SAD WEEK

In September my Aunt Mary died in New Jersey. She was a distant relative. On October 4, Richard died. It was the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Although he wasn't a real uncle, we'd always called him Uncle Richard. He was Uncle Joe's brother & had always been around. I showed up at the wake in Exeter & funeral in Plains. I was supposed to be a pall bearer in case they needed me. They had enough though. I was supposed to drive in the procession but I ended up going with Gino & Michelle. On October 6, Uncle Larry died. It was the Feast of St. Bruno the Carthusian. He was married to Aunt Norma. After Richard's wake & funeral Gino, Michelle & I went out to Long Island for Uncle Larry's wake. Unfortunately we took a bit of a detour through Manhattan. I ended up staying with Mary Anne & her family overnight. She, Michael & I went to Roosevelt Field Mall so he could get his first suit for a job interview. I got a chance to see all the New Yorker relatives & other connections at the wake. My mother spent a few days in the hospital so my parents weren't available. Today's the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, a favorite Carmelite patron of mine. Among other things, I've been reading David Limbaugh's "Crimes Against Liberty". It's quite an anti_Obama philippic. Beatle John's seventieth birthday was on October 9. Tomorrow I shall have to go to a Carmelite meeting in Wilkes_Barre. They're at the Little Flower Manor on South Meade Street every third Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

CATHOLIC RADIO

My father's seventy seventh birthday on Saturday started out as an absolute mess. My mother got violently sick around 1:00 a.m. & that led to nothing but trouble. By Sunday though she got better so we went out, with Uncle Frankie, to the Outback Steakhouse in the Hub in Wilkes_Barre. All ultimately ended up working out quite well. I even ended up getting a coupon for another free visit to show for it. My birthday went well too. Mary Anne & family called. I wasn't home when Michael called but I showed up in time for Mary Anne. Two Saturdays ago the owner of the local Catholic radio station, JMJ750 am, stopped me in the parking after 8:00 a.m. Mass at the Oblates' Seminary. He asked if I should be willing to do some volunteer work for him & his wife from now on. Their names are Ed & Carol. Ed told me to show up at 1:30 on Monday. I got there a bit early & was kept waiting because no one else showed up until quite a bit after that. I started working with Bob the engineer, who showed me a lot of things I shall have to get to know how to do. Lynn Marie, from our young adult group, was being interviewed by Carol & two other women, Arlene & Anne Marie. I called Lynn Marie last week to see if the young adult group was still in existence. It's still advertised in the Catholic Light. She said it's gone until further notice. Fr. McKernan's bible study group at O.L. Sorrows has been doing quite well so far. Happy birthdays this monthish also go out to Jo Anne from Queens, Maria's cousin Roseanna (Dino's wife), my old pal Henry from S.U.N.Y. Farmingdale's mail room & the postal service in Melville, Mike from high school & cousin Mike, as well as to Eddie & Jessica, two of the cousins' kids. I've probably already mentioned a couple of them. By now we have gotten through most of the annual novena to St. Therese of Lisieux at the Maronite church of St. Anthony & St. George in Wilkes_Barre. As usual I missed a few days. I got a cake & cupcakes at their bake sale. Most of the times I go through that neighborhood I see policemen constantly pulling people over. There's a high crime rate in that part of the city.

YET ANOTHER MIDDLETOWN TRIP

I went to yet another Carmelite day of recollection on Saturday morning. It was, as always, in Middletown, N.Y. I drove, in a summer shower, to the Little Flower Manor in Wilkes_Barre to meet Rosemary. From there, she drove to a local school in Clark Summit where we got together with Barbara to go the rest of the way. As always Fr. Mario, Theresa, & Jim & Rosemary were there with all the other regulars. I was especially happy to be able to see Marie, Carmela & Debbie from the Seaford chapter too. They told me all about Fr. Stanislaus & Fr. Vitalis. As always they served a really nice continental breakfast & lunch. There were lots of things on sale from the book store too. It was quite an absolutely exhausting day though. I woke up with a very annoying headache on Sunday. The weather on the way home was slightly weird. It rained for a few seconds at a time in certain places only over specific spots. I've hardly ever seen anything like that before. Rich, the oldest of the Ronald's three kids, turned forty on Saturday. I went to the last night of O.L. Mt. Carmel's annual feast last night. While I was there I won twenty dollars on the money wheel. Fr. Phil & Fr. Jackson were there. Fr. Phil said that our next meeting would probably be sometime next month. Yesterday Danny showed up with a picture, for my parents, of all the kin from the Fourth of July. He wanted to know if Gino & Michelle were home because he had one for Aunt Helen. He also found a pair of sunglasses & a watch that one of the kids appeared to have forgotten to take home.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

This past Saturday morning I went to the monthly Carmelite meeting in Wilkes_Barre. Seven people showed up. After the meeting Sr. Mary Robert opened up the gift shop for us. I promised Barbara that I shall be going back to Middletown, N.Y. again on July 10 for another day of recollection. Now I know exactly how to get there really easily. Father's Day went really well this past Sunday. My parents & I went out with Uncle Frankie & Fran. We went to a Chinese restaurant in one of the malls in Wilkes_Barre. It's one of those all-you-can-eat places & we all really overdid it. I've never really liked Chinese food but nobody ever bothers to listen to me. After we left Uncle Frankie, Fran & my mother went to Wegmann's for a while. My father & I went straight home. Mary Anne & the kids all called up to say happy Father's Day. I got a very violent headache at night after I went to bed. I lectored at 5:00 Mass on Saturday. Starting on July 7, Fr. Leo McKernan will be our new pastor. As of November we shall even have a new name for the parish. From then on it will be named St. Monica's. Yesterday was cousin Larry's birthday so I made sure I sent him a happy birthday e mail. The July 4 weekend is coming up very soon so many of my relatives will be getting ready for a big time. It's the fiftieth anniversary this year.

ST. TERESA OF AVILA

The weather is getting progressively colder each day. I even heard someone say over at St. John's this morning that it's supposed to start snowing sometime later today. It's Msgr. Bendick's sixty_eighth birthday over there too. Eddy & KrissyKrissyKrissy, around an hour south of here, say that it's already started to snow over there, & that it's sticking to the ground. Today is the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, the famous fifteenth century Spanish Carmelite mystic. She & St. John of the Cross co_founded the Discalced Carmelites. This Saturday morning I shall have to go to Wilkes_Barre for another Carmelite meeting. It's on South Meade Street at 9:00 a.m. every third Saturday of the month. A new woman joined us last month. I hope she shows up again. To my chagrin I'm still pigging out lately on entirely too much Halloween candy.

Trip to the Book Store

Yesterday, KrissyKrissyKrissy decided she wanted another book by some favorite author of hers. Not having had any idea of how to track down a book store around here, she asked me for directions to one. I took her to that really famous store over in Wilkes_Barre. It was a very nice, very short trip. Having always been quite a compulsive bookworm over the course of my lifetime, I know how to get to places like that. I just wish we had more book stores over here. There's only one Catholic book store anybody knows of around here & it's on Rte 11 in Scranton. The traffic congestion & parking absolutely stink beyond belief in Wilkes Barre. Especially because of the snow these days, it's really bad. We couldn't help noticing all the (ahem)local color, shall we say? That area must have more oddballs per square inch than nine out of ten places in this country. At the very least, they're most certainly extremely eccentric looking. Last night it snowed a little & today the streets & sidewalks were, at least for a while, all icy.