Ninety-Nine Clergy at Mass

A Deacon from our parish passed away and the funeral mass was at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. The parking lot was full and so were the pews. Many of the pews were taken up by the clergy. I counted ninety-nine priests and deacons and the majority were in white albs. It was a pretty spectacular sight!

The Archbishop, Bishop and our two parish priests came in behind the clergy. The choir's hymns were soothing and beautiful. When the choir director sang the Ave Maria I got choked up and wanted to cry. I noticed many parishioners blowing their noses and wiping their eyes. Our talented director is extremely talented and has a tremendous voice.

The Archbishop gave the homily and one question he asked was "What is in your heart right now." I looked deep into my heart and came up with the word, gratitude. Gratitude for belonging to a special parish, for our priests, for my health, for reaching eighty, for my friends and for my family. I suppose my list could go on forever because there are many things that fill me with gratitude.

Sometimes we feel as if we will live a long time but the truth is that we never know when our time will come when we will be called to meet our maker. I saw the Deacon at mass on a Sunday, he was taken ill the following day and he was gone in a week. The saying that we should be prepared is so true because no one knows what can happen in the future!

The priests and deacons prepared the altar for the consecration. I liked that it was the priests, in different areas of the church, giving out the body and blood of Jesus; no lay persons. How pleased the deacon must have been to have so many clergy, family and friends at his going away mass.

May Deacon Don St. Louis Rest in Peace