It is not every workday that I find myself sitting in a large, Cathedral like church listening to hymns played on a magnificent pipe organ. Yesterday, however, was such a day. I went to St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church which is not too far from my office. It is a very traditional church that walks the middle path between the “old days” and the present. In addition to the organ recital, I experienced a group rosary, the Angelus, and my attempts to identify all the statues in the church. They have a noon mass every day and yesterday my son was the presider. As I watched him I was humbled and amazed because he is my son. On the day of his ordination a few weeks ago my 83 year old mother told another priest that “she never expected her grandson to be a priest. She thought it would his Dad”. Nick performed his duties like he had done them a thousand times. He even gave a short homily on turning the other cheek and practicing compassion. After Mass I had to wait for him a little while because someone wanted him to hear their confession. Such is the life of a priest. When he finally became available we went out for lunch where we had a great conversation about the Church, priesthood, and what lay people want and expect from the Church and their priests. I gave him my best fatherly advice on how to be a good priest. It had been a while since Nick and I had some quality one on one time so I was very happy I had this opportunity before he moves to Elizabethtown to begin his new assignment.
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