Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

One of the residents, Myra, in independent living at Nazareth Home is an aficionado of the dulcimer, a stringed instrument that was developed in Appalachia and is still much a part of the musical scene in Eastern Kentucky. At a gathering in one of our community rooms, Myra related the history of the dulcimer and showed us her collection of the instruments, explaining the different types and how to make them and play them. Quite interesting!

Arriving home….

On this day a year ago, I arrived back in Louisville after 42 years living in India, Hong Kong, and Cambodia. I had told the people in Phnom Penh that I was returning home–but it wasn’t the home I left!

Leaving Home….

A year ago this week, with the help of Maria (of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners), I was finishing up packing at my borrowed apartment in Phnom Penh, preparing to leave my home of the last 25 years.

Kingfish Gathering

Periodically our STS alumni Chief Organizing Officer, Mo Byrne, gathers ex-seminarians from near and far for delightful gatherings. Last week we met at Kingfish and were blessed with the presence of some brothers who had not been to prior lunches.

Wayne Jenkins shares a phone call to Jim Graf (whom we thought was coming) with Donna and Jim Duffy. The Duffys got extra points–and extra thanks!—for making the trip from Owensboro.

We missed a few of the regulars who usually come but had a good group gathered around the table at Kingfish.

Back: Joe Graffis, Tom Mouser, Wayne Jenkins, Jim Duffy, Dennis West, Don Stosberg, Dave Dutschke. Front: Charlie Dittmeier, Mo Byrne

St. Joseph Picnic

Here are five of my family at the St. Joseph Picnic for Kids (previously known as the St. Joe Orphans Picnic) last Saturday. The picnic has been a Louisville tradition for about 100 years. Our grandmother told us about taking her ten children there, all of them in suits and dresses. And when I was a college seminarian, I ran the seminary cookie booth at the picnic for two years.

Apologies

Yesterday and the day before I had some major computer problems as I tried to set up a new configuration with a new desktop. Some hardware just wouldn’t work and that problem was made worse by a refusal to connect to the wi-fi. The result: I couldn’t post anything the last two days.

Today at St. Boniface

Once or twice each month I am asked to preside at masses at St. Boniface Church, the oldest Catholic Church (1836) in Louisville. Here are a couple photos from this morning.

One of the sacristans was taking home for repairs an old-style vestment called a chasuble that was in use in the 1950s. Some of the more conservative younger priests prefer this style even though it went out of use before they were born!

When it was time to go, I went over to reclaim my bicycle for the ride home. It’s not safe to leave it outside so the Sacred Heart watches it for me during mass.