I am looking forward to being part of the "Standing Together for Marriage" Convention in Casper this week. I have the privilege of learning from Ryan Anderson on Tuesday as he provides a day-long workshop for us. On Wednesday I have the honor of being one of the break-out session speakers. It should be a couple of awesome days.
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There was heavy frost this morning, but the blue sky was simply phenomenal. I took a brief walk to enjoy the brisk air and glorious sunshine. It was a wonderful reminder of the gifts God gives to us. Each day is truly a blessing.
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." ~C. S. Lewis The last two weeks have been anything but routine. While there has not been an enormous amount of time for quiet and reflection, there has been a respite from the bombardment of information from the media. I went two weeks with almost no exposure to television. What a blessing!
I will be seeking some solitude over the weekend to pray and process the events of recent days. It is good to enter into solitude and allow the Holy Spirit to move within the depths of my being to bring clarity, peace, and healing. These days of November also provide an opportunity to really and truly pray for our deceased relatives, friends, and benefactors. My mom's funeral on the Feast of All Souls Day has reminded me of the necessity to continue to pray for our departed loved ones. The end of the Church Year is quickly approaching. What type of resolution will you make for the New Year to grow in holiness? The First Sunday of Advent (the beginning of the new Church Year) is on November 29. Prepare now to establish a plan for growing in holiness during the upcoming year. 1. What will you do to enhance your prayer life? 2. What part of Church teaching will you study to enhance your knowledge? 3. What acts of service will you concentrate on this year? A Japanese proverb sums it up well: "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." Is your personal vision for your life to be a saint? I hope so. Now, what are the disciplines needed in your life to open yourself more fully to God's grace working in you? Cheyenne woke up to a dusting of snow this morning. It was the first of the season and is much later than is typical. Of the six years I have been living in Cheyenne this has been the nicest weather in the autumn season. I would love to hold on to it for a while longer, but the snow enthusiasts would beg to differ. What was on the news last night? They interviewed the owner of one of the ski resorts. You could sense the excitement and anticipation of cranking up the snow machines. The change in time over the weekend has made me feel like I am ready for bed by 7:00 P.M. I am still a bit on the tired side from the quick trip back to Missouri for my mom's funeral and the early evening darkness is not helping. It will take a bit of time to adjust my internal clock. Coming home from work in the dark is a bit depressing as well. This morning I was thinking about one of the many types of conversations I had with mom in recent years. On a day like today she would express how cold it was. "It was down in the 60's this morning. I had to get my heavy coat out." I would laugh and say, "Mom, we had snow and it is 30 degrees here. I don't want to hear how cold it is in Missouri at 60 degrees." She ignored me and continued on anyway. Change is in the air on many different levels. We continue to go forth in a spirit of faith, hope, and joy. Take time today to let someone know you love them. Cheyenne on November 5, 2015
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The last ten days have been a whirlwind of activity, and I am extremely grateful for the many blessings that I witnessed. Due to the quick turn of events in my mom's declining health and subsequent death, I did not have the opportunity to expand on a number of things that I would have liked to share. Although I am quite tired at this point and things are probably not as clear as they might have been a week ago, I will try to summarize the best I can.
On Saturday, October 24, I drove from Cheyenne to Gillette for the Parish Mission. I was the homilist for the four weekend Masses. I always enjoy preaching the weekend liturgies. When I do this as a guest in another parish it gives me an opportunity to see the faith journey of people from a different perspective. That is a tremendous blessing to me. Monday morning got off to an early start. I had been invited to be a guest on the Don Carpenter radio show on News Talk 1270 KIML. We arrived at the Basin Radio Network studios at 6:40 A.M. to prepare for the 7:00 A.M. time slot. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the Parish Mission at St. Matthew's Parish but also to discuss marriage and family life overall. Don Carpenter was a wonderful host and gracious individual. I was blessed to be part of this experience in Gillette. On Monday afternoon I sat on a panel discussion with five other individuals to discuss some of the challenges of family life in contemporary society. We had the clergy represented, Marriage Encounter, licensed marriage and family therapists, as well as the director from the Women's Resource Center (a pro-life pregnancy resource clinic). I was amazed at the talent and the resources sitting at that table. Monday evening's main presentation was given by Mary Adams, a licensed marriage and family therapist. I invited Mary to address the parishioners because of her expertise in looking at the practical components of living out our lives in a healthy manner in the context of our religious convictions. She provided concrete ideas about how to honor God and one another in our homes each and every day. On Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of preaching at the daily Mass in which the students from St. John Paul II School attended. This is always an experience to engage elementary age students. You just never quite know what is going to happen. The students were energetic and participated very well in the Eucharistic liturgy. On Tuesday afternoon I moderated the lunchtime panel discussion. Once again, the talent and expertise sitting at the table was phenomenal. The pastor was one of the panelists and this discussion provided him a fantastic opportunity to expand upon the vision of where the parish is heading in regard to intentional discipleship. There is excitement and enthusiasm in the parish and it shows. As I have tried to do every evening for most of the last 21 years since my dad died, I called my mom to be sure she was doing okay. The frustration in her voice was evident. In addition to the infection in her leg which she had been addressing for quite some time, she now had a slight case of pneumonia as well. "If it's not one thing it's another," mom said. We had a brief conversation and I headed off to get ready for the evening presentation of the Parish Mission. I discussed our spiritual journey during the one hour presentation. Where are we currently in our pilgrimage? Where do we want to go? How do we get there? It was a wonderful evening with the parishioners. My day on Wednesday began earlier than anticipated. My brother received a phone call from the nursing home where my mom had been staying after rehab from breaking her hip last February. He was informed that she had taken a quick turn for the worse overnight. It had only been twelve hours since I had talked to her, but now she was unresponsive. Later in the day the family was notified that we should probably come in if we wanted to arrive before she died. I grappled with the decision of what to do. I decided not to leave immediately because of my own doctor appointment already scheduled on Friday. One of the last things mom had told me was to make sure I took care of my own health. Several weeks ago when I got out of the hospital she said, "You can't die before I do." I told her I would do my best to honor her command. Thus, I made the decision to stay in Gillette and complete the Parish Mission. I spent wednesday morning at St. John Paul II School. This was a chance for me to put on my Superintendent of Catholic Schools hat while being there for the Parish Mission under my Director of Pastoral Ministries hat. Keeping up-to-date on school happenings is always helpful. At lunchtime I once again moderated the panel discussion. It was another powerful discussion. On Wednesday evening I closed out the Parish Mission by looking at the ways we can more effectively allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. After the evening was over I stayed and prayed with any parishioner who wanted to lift up their needs to the Lord. This is always a powerful way to see the Holy Spirit move in our lives. The priests also made themselves available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This was a wonderful night of healing on many different levels as many people sought prayer and confession. On Thursday I drove back to Cheyenne from Gillette and cleaned up some things at the office that had accumulated during my five days of absence. I stayed in touch with my family and knew that I would probably not make it back to Missouri in time to see my mom, but I was okay with that. I had been back each of the three last months to see her and had been in daily contact. I had no unfinished business to attend to with her. My mom died early Friday morning. I kept my doctor's appointment, had some prescriptions filled, and packed to leave for Missouri. We had a 10:00 A.M. appointment at the funeral home on Saturday morning. My family drove all night and arrived at the funeral home shortly after 9:00 A.M. (We had almost an hour to spare.) Mom had made fairly thorough plans and that took a pretty good burden off of us as we finalized arrangements. Visitation was on Sunday from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. I saw cousins I had not seen in 25 years or more. I saw people I went to grade school and high school with and had not seen since. Growing up in a small town creates bonds that hold a community together in some profound ways. I was touched by the outpouring of compassion. The funeral Mass took place on Monday morning at my childhood parish of Immaculate Conception in Old Monroe, Missouri. I had the privilege of preaching the homily at the Mass. It was probably the most difficult homily I have ever given from an emotional perspective. It was hard to say good-bye to mom. I was surprised and blessed by many of the people who attended the funeral or vigil service. Former co-workers from a neighboring parish where I served truly touched my heart by their presence. Nursing home staff members who cared for my mom came and shed tears with us as well. They took the time out of their lives to say good-bye to someone they had only known for about eight months. The bond of friendship and love that mom had with them was something I had not expected or anticipated. This let me know that the ones caring for mom weren't just doing a job. They were fulfilling a ministry of love and compassion. They have my eternal gratitude. The drive back to Cheyenne was long and tiring. I will take some time to rest and recuperate and then get back it. My doctor visit went well and I want to be sure to stay on the right track in regard to improving my health. Thus, a little rest seems like a good prescription today. Thank you to all who have sent sentiments of compassion and support. Your thoughts and prayers have touched my whole family. Thanks also to all those who touched my mom's life on a regular basis. You know who you are. Please know of my eternal gratitude. You made it easier for me to be 850 miles away from mom, because I knew you were there for her. May God bless you abundantly for your kindness and faithfulness! |
AuthorThis is my personal blog. The opinions expressed are those of Deacon Vernon and the blog's readers. This site operates independently and is not affiliated with any other entity. The information I provide is on an "as-is" basis. I make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on this blog. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information. Furthermore, I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use. |