They've done it again!

Some months back I bought some fabric that I intended to have made into a Marian chasuble. When I finally took it to The House of Hansen a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that I ought to have some of it used on a dalmatic, as well.

The salesman wasn't sure if I had enough material for both a chasuble and a dalmatic so he called out one of her seamstresses.

She measured the fabric many times and played around with a few ideas, bouncing them off of the salesman and me. In the end, I wasn't quite sure what she had in mind, but she was confident she could pull it off.

The salesman called on Friday to tell me the vestments had been finished and the gold galloon I had selected helped make them beautiful. Naturally, I was pleased to hear and was told the vestments would be shipped Monday. They arrived today.

What do you think?

Now I almost wish I had a Saturday morning Mass so I could use them soon.

The black chasuble arrived

A few minutes ago I went over to the office looking for a package that I am expecting to arrive any day now. There was indeed a package on my desk, but not the one for which I was looking, but a far better one.

Two and a half weeks ago I stopped in to The House of Hansen on the way back from the work camp to order a black chasuble for use at funerals and on All Souls' Day. It arrived today:

The day draws nigh

I'm sorry for the quiet past two days. Monday I simply didn't have anything to post and yesterday I made the - brief - drive to Chicago and back.

In a fortnight I will be on the great island of Oahu, where I will be for four days before leaving Honolulu for Sydney, Australia for the World Youth Day 2008. You can well imagine what I'm too these days!

I spent Monday packing my bags for the thirty-one day that I will embark upon (seven of those days will be on my own, one to prepare and six to recover and recuperate). I've upacked and repacked my bags today - and I'll do so a few more times over the next few days - and I'm very happy to say at that this point it looks as though I'll be able to fit everything I'll need in one bag to be checked and two bags to be carried onboard (one of which will be the "Mass kit"). I'm still trying to decide what to do about my vestments; I may very well put them in a light and handy travel bag from Barbiconi's in Rome and have one of the students carry them onboard.

Yesterday I took one of our recent high graduates for a quick trip to the House of Hansen in Chicago to have him fitted for a cassock. I placed an order for a surplice and a new winter cloak (this one will go all the to my ankles). This young man will be entering the college seminary in the Fall (more on that come August).

Now I'm off to the rectory again to doublecheck supplies and to prepare the Mass kit. I'll blog more later today. It's a good thing things slow down in the summer!