Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas in TX

Hello Again
Well we got a Christmas surprise - a priest!
Yes the Archdiocese was able to send us a priest for most of Advent, through Christmas and New Year.  So, for the first time in five years, Ginni and I are spending Christmas with our family.  We usually get to see Mike and Joe more often, since they are in NY, relatively close to our home in MA, but our son Matt is in that alien country called Texas.  So we spent two weeks with Fr. Vince, and when he had the lay of the land down pat, we left for two weeks in TX.

Fr. Vince is a wonderful priest - the retired Vicar from Jacksonville, FL.  By the time we left he was driving the van, picking up people, and making himself at home.  This seems to have continued since we left - here is a pic he emailed me of one of his new friends in Cargill Creek.


Our son Matt lives in Kingwood, TX a Houston Suburb.  He has a great home here and his career seems to have taken off.  When we arrived he met us as the airport and we found out that his wife's two sisters would be joining us for a few days.  The guest list would be six visiting adults, and 5 visiting children, add in Matt's family and you have 8 adults, 6 kids and 2 dogs - where to put them all!!  We came up with a great solution, Ginni and I would sleep in the pop-up trailer - giving us some silence in the midst of the reunion.  What we didn't count on was the night-time temps dropping into the low 40's.  It was a challenge but we did it for the 2 nights we needed to.

One thing we learned was that the hubby of one of visiting families has never been baptized.  He has been going to various churches  near Dallas, so he's interested, but hasn't made a decision yet.  Well this missionary couldn't help but offer to take him outside into Matt's pool and do the job right now.  Clearly I wasn't about to do that without talking to him in detail but it was a funny moment.  I did follow up later and it looks like he's open to an email dialogue - which may lead to baptism (or not).  Time will tell but if we can be part of making that a reality, you know we will try.

As I write this it is Christmas Eve.  We took our grandson Jack to see a movie this afternoon but the big surprise for me is the culture shock of the Super Wal-Mart and the grocery stores.  The sheer volume of what is on the shelves and prices compared to Andros is shocking.  Absolutely unbelievable!

Last Sunday, we went to St. Martha's parish in Kingwood.  St. Martha's has grown since our last visit here and the new church is overwhelming - our new church in Mastic Point could fit in the lobby (actually, four of our new churches could fit in their lobby.  Here is a pic of St.Martha's:


One thing I know we needed to buy for Andros while we are here is communion hosts.  We left Fr. Vince with enough, but he should just about use up what we left him.  After Mass on Sunday I asked the Deacon at St. Martha's (one of eight Deacons they have - yes 8), where do you buy your hosts for St. Martha's.  It turns out that the Houston-Galveston Archdiocese is blessed to have an order of Carmelite nuns who make and sell hosts to the parishes of the Archdiocese, AND they are only one town away.

So, yesterday Matt and I took a drive to the Carmelite monastery in New Caney, TX..  This is a cloistered monastery, meaning the Sisters live with minimal contact to the outside world.  Sr. MaryAnne gave us directions over the phone and when we got there we were met by Sr. Anne, who was very helpful.  Here is a pic of their facility in New Caney, TX


Sr. Anne answered the intercom when we rang the bell and directed us to go down the hall on the right and into the first parlor on the left.  We found a cozy room with a table and chairs and the metal grate that would separate her from us.  She came in with an armful of hosts in different shapes and sizes and for just over $30 we had over 1,000 hosts and 100 of the larger priest hosts for Mass.  She was very helpful and when we left I asked if there might be one of the sisters who would be willing to adopt our mission and lift us up in her daily prayers.  To my surprise Sr. Anne said "Oh I would love to do that, and thank you for asking me to".  What a blessing this trip was.  Praying for missionaries is one of the charisms of this order of nuns - St. Therese the Little Flower spoke of it in STORY OF A SOUL.  I am very pleased that we have this type of spiritual support from these holy women of God.

Well, I have been typing for awhile so I should head back downstairs to be with the fam.
Ginni and I wish you all the very best that Christmas can bring
Till next time

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