Saturday Morning 64 degrees.... and a cup of coffee

Yes it is Saturday 8:00 AM and 64 degrees and I am sitting on my behind.. (I'm trying to improve my language) with my cup of Coffee.

Yesterday I exercised, did a little office work, and had Mass for our Football team. I have to admit I was a little resistant to the idea... they are not always an easy audience and you have to wonder do they really want to be there. Sometimes the "evil one" puts the "why bother thought" into my head.. You know how those thoughts go..."It's my one day off... you never get to relax etc.." all that self pity stuff that he throws at us. It is sometimes very effective. Yet, yesterday as we knelt together and they prayed for their family members, and as they came forward to receive communion, in my heart of hearts I felt ashamed of myself for wondering if it was worth it. Of course it was... To drive home the point God sent me some holy confessions and one of the players even began a dialog with me about becoming Catholic.

I hope that people who read this aren't scandalized and realize that priests are just normal people whom God has called to do incredible things. We bring into our lives as priests all of our baggage and weaknesses, human struggles... we are all broken in someway some of us have huge problems. Yet God does incredible things through these most human and broken vessels.

I hope you also realize that I am no English major. (One of the kids told me last year... "you really don't write well Fr. Bob" and here I am trying to type a blog, go figure.)

BTW if God can use priests with all of our challenges and weaknesses.
God can use you... Don't get discouraged.. and old friar priest once told me...

Robert discouragement is never from God..... It has become like a mantra for me and I repeat it continually.

Please pray for Priests... please place us continually before our Lord. Please pray God to fix our messes and heal the wounds we cause sometimes accidentally, and sadly sometimes purposely.

Last night after listening to some music on the porch I went over to see the kids (students) come back from METRO MADNESS... it is a citywide scavenger hunt. To be young again, usually they do stupid fun things like propose to Brides or stand in a fountain to get points and they run literally all over the city taking pictures of their antics.. The House and outside of the House and the Happel Room were packed (I hope we asked for permission to use The Happel Room) The RMs House Members and Freshman Retreat team were all group leaders... That's close to 25 groups with around 8 in a group.... WOW good event and cheap too. Even Madam President Katie Picou was there. It was really nice of her to come.

Football today... BEAT Shenandoah !!! Let's see what you've got this year Cards.

FR. ANDREW SANTAMORO HIS COMING TODAY... The last member of our team to be in place.. I'm excited and hopeful. He is a kind good man and I hear he preaches well... Don't forget to lift him up and if anyone on campus reads this blog welcome him and make him feel at home. It is always a little scary and exciting when you come to a new assignment.

I just wanted to drop you all (whoever you are) a few lines and this is what came out.
Have a good weekend. Keep holy the Lord's day with some sabbath rest...thanks Robert Poppleton.

Peace