All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2) were beautiful days of prayer and reflection. All Souls Day has even more of an impact on my life now since we had my mom's funeral on All Souls Day in 2015. The above photo was taken in 2014 when mom and I traveled on vacation. I can't believe how quickly things changed shortly after that trip. It is also hard to believe that she has been gone for three years already.
I had the opportunity to preach this weekend at a couple of the Masses here at St. Francis by the Sea on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I had religious education classes in between the Masses as usual, and we also had a parish ministry fair. There were plenty of things to keep oneself occupied this weekend.
I am in the midst of making preparations for an Advent Day of Recollection here in the parish. I am excited to have an opportunity to teach and preach the faith in more than a ten minute homily at Mass. (See the flyer below for details.) If you are in the Hilton head Island area I hope you will make plans to join us. The Day of Recollection is being sponsored by the Women of St. Francis, but it is open to all men and women.
I am also making preparations for a three-day Lenten retreat for 25 men in April of 2019. This retreat is already booked full, so there is no advertisement included. The retreat will take place in Rincon, Georgia in a remote area that is absolutely serene. I visited the retreat center last week and was amazed at the quiet and solitude. The hustle and bustle of Savannah is not evident in Rincon. This will be my first speaking engagement in the state of Georgia. New adventures are exciting. (I wonder if I can arrange retreats, parish missions, or Days of Recollection in all 50 states before I die. Maybe I should put that on my "bucket list"?)