You know your dad has really moved in when he invites you to the church's Spaghetti Supper

I guess when dad invited me to St Matthew's Spaghetti Supper, I knew he has completely moved to West Tennessee.

So next Tuesday, February 7th, Annette and I will trek 15 minutes north of our home to Milan TN to the Church's Spaghetti Supper.

I have never been in St Matthews Catholic Church, but it looks a lot like St Andrews in Lexington, TN on the outside.

Any regular reader of my blog knows that I have a weakness for Spaghetti and Ravioli Suppers.

These rural churches in West Tennessee are very small in population , but strong in fellowship.

One of my favorite prayer stops, St Mary in Savannah

I travel around the area going from campus center to campus csnter. One of my favorite stops for a prayer break is St Mary's in Savannah TN.

Years ago, I was fortunate to meet Father Celistine Pfastinel. He basically started and built St Mary's with the MSST Trinitarian order. My dad and I drove to Savannah to visit with a priest we knew that was Fr Celiestine's associate (Fr Vernon Dannermann). We knew Fr Vernon from visiting relatives in central Mississippi, where he was pastor of a church. You read all the stories about the history of the Catholic church in West Tennessee, and you find out that Fr Celistine opened churches in Savannah, Pickwick, Bolivar, Selmer, Parsons, Waynesboro, and had regular masses in Lexington and Hoenwald. Fr Celestine sounds bigger than life, but he is just a humble everyday person. It was a pleasure to get a chance to meet such a pioneer of the faith. Many of these churches had 25 to 40 families and were very small.

I have driven by the old Savannah church that Fr Celistine built by hand, and it is now no longer in use. Now a big beautiful church on Pickwick road built in 2003 replaced it. This church building was spearheaded by the present pastor, Fr Tom Kirk. I remember Fr Kirk from his days as pastor of St Joseph in Memphis. St Joe is about 4 miles from my growing up home.

When I go to Savannah and stop at St Mary's, its like seeing a seed being planted and seeing a plant grow and bloom.

There is another connection to the area. The altar at Our Lady of the Lake at Pickwick has the altar from the old church at St Paul in Memphis. St Paul is where I went to school. It was a sad event, last year, when Our Lady caught fire and burned. The only good thing about such news it the realization that the church will grow back even better.

As you can tell, the aura of a prayer stop makes St Mary's a great place to stop for that renewing prayer break.

Ravioli Supper at Little Flower

Last Sunday, I went with Annette to a Ravioli supper at St Therese, the Little Flower Church on Jackson Ave. in Memphis. The supper was in the Monsignor Leppert Hall, named after longtime pastor, Monsignor Joseph Leppert. Monsignor Leppert was pastor of Little Flower from 1953 until his retirement in 1974. Someone ought to write a book on Monsignor Leppert, he was a priest for all seasons.

btw, I got three dozen and three quarts of sauce (both frozen) to take home! One goes to dad and the other two woll be consumed by Annette and myself (sorry Patrick and Dennis in this case, I am stingy).

The event really brought back memories of the Ravioli and Spaghetti suppers at St Paul (in the southern part of Memphis) and Historic Old St Joseph. In fact, it felt just like it did at Old St Joe. Keep in mind that when I was 11, Old St Joe was in Downtown Memphis and it was (in 1964) 85 years old. Little Flower is now 75 years old and had the same aura. I had he same feeling and aura some 42 years. If only the late Monsignor (Fr Pat) Lynch would pop up at the supper at Little Flower! The man was a SAINT! In my HUMBLE opinion, all Irish Priests should be saints! BUT Fr. Pat would be the number one Irish Priest!!!!! Great man!!!!!

As a word of note, Historic Old St Joseph was near the Central Rail Station and the old Union Rail Station. The church was located on St Paul Avenue. Actually the parish lines went from south downtown to the state line following (for the most part (south third and points west. It was a large area. Many living in the affected area (like Westwood or Mallory) in the early 60's opted to go to Sacred Heart in Walls MS, St Thomas on Trigg, or St Paul in a then rural community of Whitehaven. Another similarity, the parishes both has strong Irish and Italian parishoner flavor in their early years.

There was a difference between Little Flower and St Joe. Historic Old St Joseph's school was closed and the church was a couple of short years away from the wrecking ball and a move to Neely Road on the Old Italian Country Club property to form a new parish. Little Flower has a reopened the old school and seems to be re-establishing itself as a parish and school. It is apparent, that the reopening of the school re-energised the parish. What a difference reopening a school will make on a church!

The Ravioli were great! They tasted much like I remember. Of course I bumped into a High School Classmate, Nancy Shellenberger, and we talked about how times had changed. but the taste was very close to the same.

While there, I met Fr. Coy. Actually my high school chum (Nancy Shellenberger) introed us. Apparently Nancy knew him from his days at Church of the Reserection.

Nancy Shellenberger introed me to her Husband, Gary. He said "I've heard a lot about you". That is usually a "code" for Fred, you are in trouble. BUT apparently that is not the case this time.

All in all, it was a great visit and a great way to spend a rainy Sunday.

This weekend activities: Memphis Zoo and Little Flower's Ravioli supper

This week end, I am planning a visit to the Memphis Zoo's Northwest Passage exhibit. On January 22nd, There is a special preview for Zoo Society Members, and I am a Zoo Member!

That same day, just block to the northeast of the Zoo, Little Flower Church will have its annual Ravioli supper. I guess this is the last of the traditional parish Ravioli suppers left in Memphis. Yes, I will be dragging Annette (my wife) to stand in line, get a plate, and eat Ravioli's. I understand that Little Flower will be selling frozen Ravioli with the gravy (or sauce as some call it), so I will be loading up with frozen Ravioli for that italian food craving of mine.

This Ravioli supper is important as a fundraiser, now that the school has reopened and is operating again. The supper is from 11:00am to 2:00pm at Little Flower Church 1664 Jackson Ave Memphis TN

Boy, the worst of the worst for a Monday

Working at a college has its perks. For example, I am off between semesters. The problem is that during the christmas break, I am on vacation for over a month.

TODAY (1/9/05) is my first day back to work after being off for more than a month. I literally feel like crap. I'm tired and Its hard to focus in the afternoon! Wahhh whahh wahhh.

Ehhh nobody cares about my situation, and who really would have sympathy for someone that goofed around for over a month.

Oh well, now when is that January Dr King holiday and a 3 day weekend??? Oh, January 16th...... Next, when is that Spring Break week off in March.............