August 24th, 2025
Dear Diary,
Back to Christ The King today. Its been a while. In our weekly planning meeting I quipped it ought be Christ The Ever Expanding because of all the undocumenteds pouring in. Somebody mumbled Atticus The Ever Expanding but I couldn’t see who it was. Funny, tho, sort of.
Fr. Ernesto had met me at the door of the rectory, dripping sweat and talking about “fund-raising.” The AC was out. I signed whatever paper he shoved at me.
The parish has visibly increased in attendance, though I can’t follow the announcements since they were all in Espaniol. To think that I sent Fr. Luis there two? years ago to improve his English. Luis bounced into the sacristy to concelebrate with me and Fr. Ernesto, all smiles. His English has not improved. He said, “Hellow Beeshup” and then launched into a paragraph of … something. When I said, “How’s your English practice?” he answered, “Ekselente!”, so I congratulated him anyway, which made him smile. He seems happy and I haven’t had a complaint from Ernesto. Sleeping dogs, I guess.
After Mass I blessed three dozen scapulars – haven’t done that since Fr. Tommy was around more – a pickup truck and a rooster. In the hall they sat me down near the food tables. I was brought tamahlees and something that looked like pancakes but fought back when I cut them. Poo-poo-something. Hah! Had those before. A lady brought Fr Gilbert a little foil pack with a note which he tried to get out of my line of sight. It had a note like “NO PAR EL OPISBO”. When I unwrapped it were things I thought was a kinda candy for dessert. Boy was I wrong. I might have seen part of my life flash before my eyes. I guess they’ve gotta be tough to eat that stuff all the time. Gilbert told me that the note said “not for the bishop” because they were really hot. What’s the phrase? “The sheep know me”? Must remember: Don’t eat those chileetoes.
So CTK is in pretty good shape, though now with a lot more Spanish. I must prepare for the next visit by practicing the local linguo.
Since August is wrapping up things will start coming from Rome I suppose. I wonder how fast.
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>When I unwrapped it were things I thought was a kinda candy for dessert. Boy was I wrong. I might have seen part of my life flash before my eyes.
Ha.
When I unwrapped it were things I thought was a kinda candy for dessert. Boy was I wrong. I might have seen part of my life flash before my eyes.
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A sudden and unprovided death is a horrifying prospect, yer Riv’rence.
Since August is wrapping up things will start coming from Rome I suppose. I wonder how fast.
You and me both, F Atticus. You and me both.
To be fair, one of the most traditional priests I have ever seen was in the Novus Ordo parish of my childhood where a visiting priest from a Mexican diocese was temporarily assigned to us and was supposed to be with us for a couple of years before returning back to his diocese of incardination in Mexico. He didn’t hesitate to make things as traditional as possible, and as you can imagine, he ruffled a few too many feathers of a “certain age group”. In particular, he instituted an only males policy for the sanctuary/altar area. No female lectors, EMHC, and definitely no female altar servers. In fact, it’s possible he didn’t even allow for EMHCs at all (my memory is a bit fuzzy on that one). But as an altarboy, I remember being put on the spot when he told me at last minute AFTER mass had already started that I was going to read ALL the readings + psalm. I remember feeling nervous as hell while standing at the pulpit, but now in hindsight, I’m glad I was able to help him out. Sadly, a certain group of ladies “from a certain age group” (the ones whose feathers were ruffled) complained and only after a few months the priest was ousted. I still remember when he said goodbye in his homily explaining the unfortunate situation. Very good solid priest, and was not afraid to speak of the Devil and all.
+F. Atticus is trying, lets give him credit. Maybe if he had studied more Latin in his seminary formation he would have been able to pick up the Spanish “linguo” more quickly. By the way, does this diocese have a newspaper or a social media presence?
Sounds like my old parish back home. Man, do I miss it. I’ll bet this CTK has some great processions to go along with that food.