A "Slight" Change in Plans

Letter from Fr. Hattie received via email on December 29, 2015.

Late yesterday evening I received an email from Father Hattie with his latest letter attached. The two page letter was attached in two parts (one for each page) which I stitched together into one image (see above). I was not able to successfully adjust the tint to match the green stationary that I guess he used, so I just left it plain.

Since Father uses a manual typewriter to compose his letters, they are filled with "character" and feeling. As usual, my transcription is below. If you want try your hand at reading the original, clicking on the above image will result in a larger image popping up.

For a list of other letters from Fr. Hattie that I have posted, see my Fr. Hattie page. You will also find there information on how to communicate with Father and/or donate to help his orphans in Nsumba, Uganda (in Africa). I urge anyone reading this blog to take a moment and either send an email greeting to Father or send him a card or letter.  In any case, he would appreciate your prayers.

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December 28, 2015

My dear Rick:     Peace of Christ:

     Would you mind terribly if I wrote on the Feast of the Holy Innocents* to thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your beautiful Christmas Card and the gracious, kind and generous Gift of $. That amount is about to be sneezed at, and it will help me to trace my adopted son whom I haven't heard a word from in over three month[s]. I just hope and pray that he hasn't been kidnapped & killed or committed suicide out of fear, for some men having harassing him for two years just because he won't accuse an unknown man of stealing money from the Bank. Prayers, please.

     I wish that I could write more often, but I can now type with only 2 fingers and with one eye closed and that is hard for me. Just know that I am not neglecting you or uninterested in what you write. With difficulty can I type 2 letters a day, otherwise I make more mistakes than ever.

     I was supposed to fly to KENYA on Jan[uary] 4, but God stepped in. A week before I was to have spinal surgery but, when the Dr. discovered that I had cellulitis in my legs, he cancelled it, saying that he couldn't do the spinal surgery until the cellulitis had disappeared. And, it hasn't yet. And, since I am not allowed to travel alone, I'll have to wait until mid-May to go back with the first African Jesuit priest travelling there. Now, the waiting period seems to be at least 10 years!!! Prayers, please.

     Be sure that you will have special mention in my Mass on New Year's Day & those during the rest of the year. Do have a glorious & successful New Year, filled to the brim and flowing over with Their precious gifts, Graces, & blessings.

Tons of love & gratitude,                                                 

Fr. Gene, S.J.                                    

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* Feast of the Holy Innocents

Links:
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/p/letters-from-fr-hattie.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm
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Written Wednesday 30 December 2015.

Snow....finally

The parking lot this morning-first snowfall of the season!

Overnight I could hear the pelting of rain, sleet, and snow. So this morning I looked out the window and saw confirmation that despite many recent days of spring-like temperatures, it really is winter. Fortunately, I did not have to drive to work this morning (as I am using up my paid time off for this year).

I think we got about an inch or two of snow slush. It was after 8 a.m. when management got around to plowing the lot. That really helped those that had to go to work this morning.

Late this afternoon (or early this evening), I finally got around to cleaning off my car and shoveling the snow from between the cars. Since the temperature is forecast to again drop below freezing tonight, I didn't want to face ice skating to my car tomorrow or windshield wipers frozen in place.

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Written Wednesday 30 December 2015.

Second Try

I returned to St. Mary's Church for regular Sunday Mass even though I was just there two days ago for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve/Morning. Another 70-mile drive each way. I attended the 9:30 a.m. mass because it was a High mass and boasted a coffee/social time following mass. A social period after mass can be a huge test for a church on how newcomers are welcomed or ignored.

This mass was a similar but different from the Midnight Mass. Although there was no orchestra this time, the choir (Scola Cantorum) sang beautifully. See the list below. You may notice that the Mass was for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist rather than the Feast of the Holy Family (which was celebrated at the 11 a.m. Mass). Apparently this is due to the liturgical calendar used.  The same priest was the celebrant as for Midnight Mass.

Music for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist

(Missale Romanum of 1962, 9:30 a.m.)
Prelude: Versets on Von himmel hoch (BWV 769) (J. S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Hymn at the Procession: What Child Is This (Greensleeves)
Missa Praeter rerum seriem (Cipriano de Rore, 1515-1565)
Gregorian Mass of St. John the Evangelist: In medio Ecclesiae
Motet at the Offertory: Praeter rerum seriem (Josquin des Prez, c.1450-1521)
Motet at the Communion: Virtus Sancti Spiritus (Praeter rerum seriem, secunda pars) (Josquin)
Postlude: Versets on Von himmel hoch (BWV 769) (Bach)

This time I had a more difficult time following the order of mass even though I had a program (which didn't seem to correlate with the music book). You can't really get too lost, though, because it is the Mass. I sat in a different place than Midnight Mass. I like to take in several views initially in order to find the "sweet spot."

This is not my photo but I like it because it gives a perspective of being there.

The coffee/social "hour" was held in the adjacent school building. In addition to the coffee and table of cookies and cakes, there was also the blessing of wine which is associated with the Feast of St. John (I didn't have any since I had a long drive ahead).

Blessing the food (Photo by Stuart Chessman)

At first, I was alone during the coffee hour but while waiting in line, Joe welcomed me and started to talk. Later, Tom came by and also talked. Before leaving I had a nice chat with Jill Chessman (wife of Stuart Chessman whom I met Christmas Eve). So far, what I have experienced is interesting enough to warrant a return. The main down side is that it is so far away from where I live. The irony is that Norwalk was where I worked when I returned to Connecticut 20 years ago.
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Links:
http://www.stmarynorwalk.net
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2015/12/midnight-mass-in-latin.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13547b.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Evangelist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Family
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Roman_Calendar_of_1960
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=46
http://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas4.html
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Written Tuesday 29 December 2015.