What a week

It’s been some time, I know, since last I posted. It isn’t that I haven’t had anything to post, but rather that life has been quite full lately and I haven’t had a good opportunity to type something worthwhile.

Friday I sent the inaugural letter of the World Youth Day 2008 “begging campaign” through the post and I am very anxiously awaiting its response. Once it comes, other letters will go out.

Saturday we began the first of our major fund raising efforts to get to the land “down under.” Most of the pilgrims and their parents gathered in the parish center and baked 44 pumpkin pies and 30 apple pies.

The day itself was a great delight! I didn’t do any the baking but instead wandered about making sure things were going well and that people had what they needed (it’s what I do best). I also popped in and out working on Sunday’s homily (which never quite made it’s way to paper; I “stole” most of it from the Church Fathers). It was great to see sons baking with their mothers. I also discovered that those apple peeler/corer thingies are a great amount of fun!

We had such a good time that we baked 74 pies in about five hours.

The pies were sold after the weekend Masses and flew very quickly, even at $10 and $12 a pie; I was amazed, and very thrilled! We were completely sold out mid-morning!

We’re taking orders to bake more pies to have ready the day before Thanksgiving, a small stroke of genius on our part, I think.

So far, even with pies ordered and not yet paid for, we’ve raised $1,500 by selling pies. We might have to do this again at Christmas and at Easter and at whatever holiday seems good. The profit is so good because many good and generous souls have donated most of our supplies. May God reward them!

It’s not every day you find a successful fund raiser that is easy and fun, as well.

Sunday afternoon we celebrated our annual bereavement Mass. The family and friends of parishioners who have died within the past year were invited to attend a Mass celebrated for the deceased parishioners concelebrated by the Pastor and I, followed by a small reception.

After the day of baking followed by the weekend Masses and the bereavement Mass, I found myself quite exhausted and went to bed early on Sunday.

Monday I woke up still completely exhausted, only not because of the weekend but because of an incoming cold front (I’m told another front is supposed to be moving in by week’s end so I’ll be going through this again soon, I expect). I cancelled all unnecessary appointments and, by the end of the day, was glad I did.

After classes at the high school I returned to my suite to try to get a bit of rest. At some point I fell asleep on the couch. When I awoke I sat up and peeked out through the blinds. Seeing how dark it was outside I guessed to myself, “It must be about 10:30 [p.m.].” When I looked at a clock I learned it was instead 5:45 . . . p.m. Talk about a rude awakening! Still being exhausted, I barely accomplished anything Monday evening and again went to bed early (Tuesday and today I’ve felt significantly better. The task now is to find the best way to handle the colder temperatures with my arthritis. My body hasn’t yet adjusted to the time change, which doesn’t help, either).

The rest of my time since then has been taken up preparing for the annual Kairos retreat with the high school seniors. I have several talks that I need to finish up and a dozen or more other odd jobs that must be completed before we leave Sunday afternoon. We’ll be gone through Wednesday evening so I also have to get lesson plans together.

Posting will continue to be light through the middle of next week. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated for the upcoming retreat.

This weekend I’ll be spending a fair amount of time out at the De Colores weekend being held near Effingham. I will try to type up Sunday’s homily, but I’ll make no promises.