Mass and Talk about Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Sunday October 19, 2003

Several weeks ago I was told that there would be a mass at St. Mary’s in honor of the Beatification of Mother Teresa at St. Mary’s. Fr. George Restrepo S.J. was going to be the celebrant and that it would be followed by a talk about Mother Teresa and a covered dish dinner. Fr. George is from Baltimore and con-celebrated the mass at the Thursday night prayer group almost every week.

Our friend Roberta Marziani called during the week and mentioned it to S.C.C.. S.C.C. asked me about it. I told her we could go if she liked. S.C.C. said she would like to ask my mother to go with us. My mother said she would like to go too.

After CCD let out I met S.C.C. and my mother at S.C.C.’s mothers house and we left from there. We stopped at Wal Mart in Leesburg and picked up Ted. We drove to Emmitsburg and stopped at St. Joseph’s first. We arrived at 1:13. We all went in and I just sat in the back pew waiting for Ted, S.C.C., C.R.C. and my mother to finish saying some prayers. When they finished I just followed the last person out and we left. The time was 1:33.

We drove to St. Mary’s for the 2 PM mass and it was very nice. Fr. George gave a very nice homily on being child like and referenced the many times in the past several months that the gospel seemed to highlight that virtue. We prayed the Luminous mysteries of the rosary after mass and the rosary finished at 3:13.

We then went downstairs to the parish hall for a covered dish dinner. We were instructed to be back in the church by 4:15 for a special talk by Fr. George about Bl. Mother Teresa. He presented a very good talk on her and the Missionaries of Charity she founded. When the talk was over there was desert down in the parish hall. We did not stay for the desert. We left and I glanced at my watch as we all walked out the door and the time was 5:13.

S.C.C. wanted to ride to St. Peter’s book store but they were closed when we arrived. We then rode to the Grotto of Lourdes and walked around for a little while. When we were ready to leave I had to go look for Ted. I noticed he was in the glass chapel so I walked in to get him. It was at that time I noticed adoration was in progress, I glanced at my watch and the time was 6:13. Fr. Jack Lombardi then had people line up and he blessed people with a 1^st class relic of Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. That was followed by benediction. We then left to go home.

After getting home I just sat down to relax for a few minutes. After a few minutes I suddenly felt the very strong urge to pray the rosary. It just seemed to come out of nowhere. I picked up my rosary and glanced at my watch. The time was 10:13:13. I prayed the rosary and finished it at 10:33.

R_____ C___