Recent happenings

I had a rare privilege last weekend. As our bishop is away, I was able to confirm two of our parish children. Even more special was that for one of them, I was the priest who baptised him, celebrated his First Eucharist Mass as well as his First Reconciliation, and now I confirmed him. It’s not often that that happens, so I felt very privileged indeed!

The girl who was injured in the fall is coming on well. She’s very lucky not to have any spinal or head and brain injuries. She’s conscious and able to talk. She’ll be in hospital for some time yet, though. Her family have had a dreadful year. Her brother was injured in the horrific bus accident we had here earlier this year in which four people were killed and a number of others badly injured.

I took communion to some of the sick and elderly of the parish today to say goodbye to them before I leave for my overseas trip. I’ll do the same tomorrow for the remainder of those on my home visitation list. It’s time consuming, but important work as my visit for a number of them is the only visit they’d have for the day.

I had arranged to be available to two children for their First Reconciliation this afternoon. They’d forgotten to turn up to our celebration last week. So over to the church I went just before 5 o’clock. Fifteen minutes later there was no sign of anyone so I commenced to lock the church for the night. Just then one of the boys arrived with his father, most apologetic. So I went into the reconciliation room with the boy and a few minutes later we’d finished. I chatted to the boy’s dad for a bit. By 5.30 when it was obvious the other child wasn’t going to show I locked the church. You know, it pisses my off the way people use the priest and the church. If I was their doctor or their lawyer I’d be able to send them an account for their not coming to the appointment. But as I’m a priest, they just use me.

I went to the St Vincent de Paul Society meeting tonight. I had a video on the environment I wanted them to watch for their spiritual reflection. So after the meeting we watched the video, after which we talked about how we can do things at home to help the environment, especially water. We also talked about the issue on a parish level. I explained that until recently I bought a particular brand of paper to use in our photocopier and computer printer; I’d been buying it because it was sold at a good price. But when I discovered it came from Indonesia, I ceased to buy it. They’re destroying forests in Indonesia like there’s no tomorrow, not to mention the human rights abuses that country is responsible for. I now buy a locally produced paper that’s been manufactured from recycled paper. It’s not quite as white as many others, but it’s still acceptable and hasn’t caused any problems as yet.

I also talked about an area between the house where I live and the church that needs tidying up. I have in mind to have this area landscaped for a meditation/peace garden with a water feature of some sort (fountain, waterfall, pond, or something of that nature). We can get a sizeable grant from a particular organistion to assist with the cost.

But there’s also a vacan block of land the parish owns next to the church. It’s basically overrun with weeds and is rather unsightyly (like many of the vacant blocks in town). I explained I thought we need to be better citizens and role models in the town and so I proposed that we tidy up the block and investigate the possibility of establishing a community market garden on at least part of it (keep in mind that the diocese has the whole block earmarked for a future Catholic primiary school, if ever the town could support one). This would have the advantage of, not just providing people with cheap and tasty vegetables, but allow for interaction of people of all ages, especially the young with the old.

You may be wondering why we discussed these things at a St Vincent de Paul Society meeting. Well, these people are obviously commited to the church and parish and I wanted to enthuse them. Over a period of time (when I return from my trip in early November) I’ll do the same with the other parish organisations so the parish can own the plan and get behind it.

The phone rang constantly today. It started at 7.30am and rang for the last time about half an hour ago (11.50pm). One of the calls was to inform me that a parishioner has been diagnosed with cancer and has a matter of months to live. I’m going to make some coffee, add a dash of whisky, and then head off to bed. Good night!