From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-02-21

This one came in punctually. Perhaps on these busy days the mole has better access.

Feb 21st, 2023

Dear Diary,

“Fat Tuesday”… again. I used to hate this day every year before I was a bishop and people had to start being nicer to me, at least face to face and not in front of my back, or whatever that phrase is.  Yeah.  I remember.  They used to say, still do I’m sure, that today was my “feast day” and “name day”.  Is it my fault?

As far as how Marty Gras went today, to give it its liturgical name, I got a call from Father Bill at that new cluster we grouped up in Spud Corners, the Engendering Togetherness Community of Welcome – kinda proud of that one.  Bill was laughing so hard that at first I couldn’t make him out. He gagged out that his parchial vicar Fr Dave preached a homily and called today “Strove Tuesday” and said it was because in the past in Lent we Christians “strove to be better”. Good grief Even CHESTER knows it’s SHROVE not STROVE Tuesday! Not sure what shroves are but will have to look into getting some of those at some point. Tommy might know, though it galls to ask the little knowitall these things. But what really gripes my goat, and Bill knows this too, the diocese spent a quarter million bucks on Dave’s formation. He was the ONLY priest I ordained in ’22 and I get “STROVE“?! Dang!

But, pancakes today! Yum. That takes the sting out a little.