Topic: Pastoral Year '04 - '05
Well today I started moving into my office. The office for our Coordinator of Religious Education was just finished and ready for her to move in (it lacked wiring up until last week). I immediately put up my computer so that I could have music/movies for the rest of the move. Yet, I am not left alone, because business is going on as usual and father or the secretary keep coming in and handing me stuff to look over that will help in desire to get a feel of running a parish. I just hope that the papers don't get lost on what was originally my desk and is now my catch all for stuff that I don't have a place for...yet. We will see how the rest of the move goes, but overall I am happy to finally be in a permanent place temporarily.
I had only one item of my weekend in College Station "set in stone" as they say. I was going to the 100th year celebration gala for St. Mary's Catholic Center. The place that deepened my faith and further opened my ears to God's call. I also had the esteemed pleasure of digging through the archives earlier this year to research St. Mary's rich history for an American Catholicism history paper. It was an enjoyable and educational 6 hours of digging. I was happy this weekend to be attending the gala in celebration of a place that had given me so much. An added bonus would be to see a "sister" of mine that I hadn't seen in almost the 5 years since I graduated, especially since she join the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (a.k.a the Nashville Dominicans since that is where the mother house is). The evening turned out to be very enjoyable as the great Msgr. Elmer (the first resident priest), a married couple, and Sis. Mary Rebecca (known previously as Grace) each gave a talk of their perception of St. Mary's and what it has meant to them.
FRIDAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF CPE! Can you tell I am a little excited? Right after the appreciation lunch, Michael Earthman and I set out for the long trip to College Station, arriving there at 9:30 pm with one stop for gas along the way. We both were ready to get back down south for good and wet our gills in the humid air. This weekend was planned to be a relaxing weekend with my nephew...oh, and Troy and Shannon. 
Blaise remembered me from the trip down here the previous week and immediately became my shadow. I couldn't go anywhere without Blaise right there. He also wanted to be like his Parrain, so he wanted to do everything I did even lying on the pillow in the living room. I was his new play buddy. He had worn out the old models...not that the old models are old as in age but the ones that he has had longer. :-) It was a great weekend, where I showed Blaise some great things like how to clean the table after dinner. We (Blaise, Troy, and I) even went on a trail south of town on bikes. The weekend was great but ended to quick. Today I will be driving home and getting ready to move some of my stuff on Wednesday to Shiner, where I will be for the next year in the parish.
cheeky