A odd thing at prayer break

When I take a short prayer break at St Mary's Church in Jackson TN, often I am the only person in the chapel.

This past week, I took a break and went in the Eucharist chapel (the main sanctuary was closed). A lady was lying on the floor faced down while holding a rosary and clutching the bottom of the altar. Her children (maybe 3, 4, or 5) were seated next to her. There was another person (a man) who appeared to be in contemplative prayer (possibly of personal discernment) was there as well.

It was an odd and unusual prayer method. I was taken aback, but being Irish...I can act as if I don't notice the situation.

Did I miss something in Culture 101? Is laying facedown on the floor holding on to the bottom of the altar a ritual in some ethnic group's prayer ritual?

What did I do? I acted oblivious and prayed and left. BUT it was a striking situation.

I had lunch with an old friend and his wife last saturday

Alan, one of my buddies from college is as southern Baptist as one can be, so what did he do? He married an italian catholic girl from Buffalo New York. Ah, mixed marriages..they are what makes the world turn.

We were talking about god-children, and Sharon (his wife) commented that in today's world few take the role of a godparent as a responsibility. She said this in response to Annette (my wife) and I discussing giving Brennan Sweeney money in a 529 plan to help her go to college.

Is this true about godparents being just a ceremonial role?

Boy, Fr Mickey is making some visible changes at St Mary's

First change is the retooling of the web site that is in progress.

The next change is the use of carpet in the isles of the church.

Another noticeable change is moving the priest's chair to an area behind the altar instead of the right side.

It appears that there is an effort to imprve the sound system.

A display case in the narthex has goods from the St Elizabeth book/gift store.

Fr Mickey has started a prayer list as well.

My Godchild Brennan Sweeney

I just got a letter from her Dad, Tim Sweeney. For those taking notes (Dennis Schenekel & Patrick Gall'A'ger), Tim's cousin and namesake is Father Timothy Sweeney, OSB. Who is pastor of the Immaculate Parish in Owensboro, KY.

She has decided to use the gift that Annette and I (her two godparents) for Textbooks. We gave her a 529 savings plan with enough money to help her start in College. I've got to add another 50.00 to cover a suprise Tennessee Best 529 plan charge I didn't anticipate.

She is going to University of Memphis and major in education. I am proud of her and her success at White Station High School.

Annette and I are excited about her starting in college. we can still remember the Baptism at St Louis Church in Memphis 17 years ago.

A picture of me at work

one of those lunch breaks.

I had to get my car repaired.

The dealer is located next to St Mary's Church. So I took the time to have a lunch prayer break.

To me, this is the most refreshing moment I have in a day. I wish I could do it more often.

My car is ok. I am ok. You see there are blessings!

I'm Going to the Irish BBQ Picnic & Fancy Farm Picnic

The St Patrick BBQ Picnic in McEwen TN is combination of fun games of chance and great BBQ. The picnic is the primary fundraiser for St Patrick's School in McEwen TN a small community that started as a Irish town (Priest and all) that migrated to Tennessee during the Potato Famine in Ireland.

The church and school have been around for nearly 150 years. This year (2005) the Picnic is on July 30th.

It is for both the Irish and irish at heart.

http://www.saintpatricksschool.com/ip-home.htm


The Fancy Farm Picnic is located in a rural community near Paducah KY. Fancy Farm is a German Settlement and the Picnic will be held this year (2005) on August 6th. This will be the 125th year of the picnic.

On Friday evening, August 5th, there will be the annual KofC fish fry and on saturday,
Fancy Farm will BBQ a whole lot of pork and mutton for large crowds.

There is a country store that sells many items.

http://fancyfarmky.topcities.com/picnicinfo.htm

Peanut Buster Parfait

Peanut

Buster

Lunch Prayer Break

I took a lunch break and finished my lunch early. When I have the time, I like to go to St Mary’s in Jackson and pray. St Mary’s is a relatively new church with over 100 years of life as a parish. Fr Albert Kirk did a great job of blending the old with the new in building the church.

The church used the stain glass, the station of the cross, and the last supper mural from the old church. The stone like molded floor also gives it an old look. I rate it as the best of the modern churches in the mid-south region.

The prayer break helped my spiritual hunger every bit as much as the Mrs. Winner’s chicken helped my physical hunger.

My dog Peanut graduates from Puppy Training Class

This Sunday (July 3rd), my dog Peanut AKA "Peanut Butter" will graduate from Puppy Training Class. He is a 15 pound 10 month old double dappled colored Dachshund. Ironically,
July 3rd will be a year to the date that our dog Dr Pepper (a Black and Tan 12 pound Dachshund) passed away after nearly 18 years of being in our lives.

To many of you the loss of a pet may not sound as bad, but it is easy to get attached to a lovable little guy. Dr Pepper was special, he picked up real quick that I could not hear well, so he would go get me, bark, and show me where the ringing (door or phone) originated.

In Dr Pepper’s last three years of life, he had a ruptured disk repaired slowly lost his hearing and eyesight. I and Annette still cared for him with the same love and patience we had done for years. Even in his last year, he gave us a gift. He went to see my mother-in-law in the nursing home and coaxed her to open her eyes for the last time (in May of 2003).

Peanut is his own special bundle of animated love and hyperactive energy. He wall never be Dr Pepper, but he will be all 100% Peanut. I can't help but love Peanut.

We also have another Dog, Buster. He is a Bassett Hound and he is about a year and a half old. We rescued him a week before Dr Pepper Passed away. Buster is so full of love that everybody loves him. If he sees you on the street, he acts like you are his old friend. BTW, Buster graduated from Puppy Training last year.

We are trying to prepare Buster to be a therapy dog and visit nursing homes/schools with him. It is a lout tougher than I thought to prepare him. I am hoping that he will be ready to take the test (yes there is a test for therapy dogs) in about another year.

Now I know somewhere out there, there is someone saying "Peanut Buster a perfect Parfait". The best way to describe them is that they look alike except one is big and 40 pounds and the other is small and 15 pounds, and their facial coloring is exactly the same. I guess I could've named them Dr Evil and Mini Me......

Fr Atkinson at St Michaels in Memphis used to bless the pets every year on St Francis Feast Day. Now that he (Fr Atkinson) has retired, I wonder who will pick up the tradition. I can see Fr. Victor at St Mikes in Memphis continuing the tradition.

So remember, I will both celebrate and grieve on Sunday.

I think Peanut & Buster will work extra hard to fill up the empty area that has sadness with joy!
I have a picture of me/Dr Pepper and me/Buster on the blog. I will post one of Peanut soon.