Down to the wire

As classes wind up this week and conclude on Friday there are many things to be done: packing, cleaning, packing, laundry, packing, changing the oil in the car, packing, dry cleaning, packing, writing papers, preparing for exams, returning library books, mailing letters and yet more packing.

This morning I set out to accomplish two of these tasks before class. It stormed all night here and is supposed to do the same throughout the morning. As I left the Institute to pick up some dry cleaning the rain was coming down but none too harshly. The dry cleaners have apparently acquired a new computer system since I dropped off my things two days ago, which quite naturally makes their work much more difficult than need be.

At any rate I collected my things and made off for the post office but on the way I decided I wanted a snack and so I stopped in to the Walgreens just down the street from the post office. When I left the dry cleaners the rain stopped and still had not resumed when I entered Walgreens.

After collecting my muffin and going to the cash register I looked out the window and was quite surprised at what I saw: it was pouring! I had not even been in the store for two minutes...I had left my umbrella in the car thinking I would not need it.

I then chatted with the cashier waiting for the storm to let up for about ten minutes and when it let up slightly I took my chances and dashed out for the car. When I pulled back into the parking lot at the Institute seven minutes later the rain stopped...naturally.

I am happy to say that I passed my Latin class but please do not ask me to translate anything for you; I am not that good. Today I take my oral exam for the Liturgical Year and the Liturgy of the Hours, and my exam for Reformation Thought I took last week. I will return to the parish tomorrow afternoon and will then finish two papers for my classes next week, one on St. Francis of Assisi' view of the priesthood in light of the teachings of the Fourth Lateran Council, and the other on Luther and Calvin's view of the priesthood and the response of the Council of Trent.

Sunday and Monday I will be in Springfield at a youth retreat of sorts that we have called "Advanced Catholic Training." We spend five days teaching the "cream of the cream of the crop" Scripture; Sacraments; Tradition, Doctrine and Dogma; Morality; and Social Justice, just to name a few. I will be presenting several sessions on the Scriptures and the Sacraments. I am very much looking forward to these two days but I am also looking forward to returning to the parish to "relax" for a bit.

A blessed summer to each of you!