The Week Ahead

is going to be crazy, at best.

As I mentioned at the end of my last post, I just got back from the funeral home. Which means, yep you guessed it, funeral tomorrow. The deceased is the grandfather of a former student, and I met him a few times at Elder football games. When you are in a non-parochial assignment such as I am, it is an honor to be asked. I don't do many funerals, so I have to bone up on the ritual.

After that, heading over to the Purple Palace myself for Mass with the Golf Team. The purple is hard to get out of the blood, it is a family after all. (For all those out of town, Elder is an all boys Catholic, inter parochial school. In the heart of Price Hill, it is still the life blood of the blue collar neighborhood. I was privileged to teach there for two years as a priest, and I'll write more on it at some point.)

After the golf team Mass, it is the two hour jaunt to the north part of the Diocese, to spend the evening with mom and dad. I have a workshop presentation for the Northern Area Religious Education Congress, entitled Creating a Culture of Vocations in the Parish, Saturday morning. I finished my talk this afternoon, and will eventually post it here, along with some new developments.

Right after the Congress, it's hit the car and make the mad dash back to the Hamilton, Ohio, area where I am covering Mass for a priest buddy who has a wedding downtown. After Mass, dinner at a friends house, and recovery of a pullover that's been hanging in their closet since last spring!

Sunday morning, leaving on a jet plane to Baltimore for the National Convention for Diocesan Vocation Directors, through next Thursday. It is a good time, well this is only my second trip, ut I am looking forward to meeting Brad of Roman Catholic Vocations and reconnecting with Fr. Todd Petersen of Vocation Views, whom I met last year.

We usually, I guess, have a morning of reflection, this year hosted by Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Cardinal McCarrick is giving the opening Keynote, with Fr. Louis Cameli giving the closing address. In between, excursions are planned for St. Mary's Seminary, Mount St. Mary's Seminary, the Basilica of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, to the restored Basilica, and to the Basilica that Cal Ripken, Jr. built: Camden Field.

Please pray for all of us lowly vocation directors.

I've got a 6:30 AM flight (!!!!) on Thursday so that I can get back for a recruitment committee meeting at the seminary to plan the upcoming Ministry Evening and Discernment retreat.

Which should put me back here at my desk at home in a week's time, exhausted, but full of new ideas.