Catholic_Kelly encouraged readers to read up on each day’s saints to better appreciate the Communion of Saints. Another option is Saint of the Day, revised 5th edition, for times when you’re away from the computer.

I know it’s a big jump to go from Halloween 2007 to Easter 2008, but I need to catch up somehow.  Maybe I’ll return to the time inbetween in the future, maybe I won’t.  I know that I need to get back into the swing of things, as I’m losing my ability to fully articulate my thoughts and forgetting the details of the events in my life without journaling them.

As is family tradition, my mother, step-father, and I went to the Easter Vigil mass at our former parish, St. Theresa.  That was our parish when I was in high school, and while we live in different dioceses now, we return togther there every year for Easter Vigil.  Our friend, Matt, is a transitional deacon now.  So he gave his first baptisms at this mass.  It was awesome.  The entire time at Matt he had the complete demenor, vocal intonations, and mannerisms of a priest.  Yet after mass when I talked with him, he was the same old Matt.  How cool is that.  I’m so excited for him. 

Fr. Mike, soon to be our new pastor — replacing Fr Gene who is retiring, gave the homily.  Apparently, he’s stationed at St Theresa through the end of June, before he begins his new position at our parish in July.  It turns out that Fr. Mike is a convert, who never expected to be a convert nor when he converted did he ever expect to become a priest.  He was able to tailor those experiences into an excellent homily, not only for the newly elect, but for all the assembly.  I congradulated Fr. Mike on becoming our new pastor after mass, but he was dismissive.  Hopefully he’ll be better than that as pastor. 

I also had the chance to talk with one of my 8th grade RE instructors and Dave from Game Depot.  I saw Patty briefly, but didn’t get a chance to talk with her.  Dave gave me a hard time, saying that he old ever sees me anymore at the Easter Vigil and at Phx Con Games.  It’s true, but I don’t ever go to the southeast Valley anymore.  I don’t hve a current gaming group over there, and my father and I don’t visit that often.  I should try going over there to visit them, see the Jim Henson exhibit, and see the Walace and Ladmo exhibit.  Some day.  I’m still busy using all my free time painting my house.  Today I tore off the old, worn out carpet on my stairs and painted them. 

I spent the night at my parents’ place, then Mom and I went to my maternal grandparents’ to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday.  We had cake, played games, and otherwise enjoyed socializing. 

Easter Monday my friends and I were going to complete Centicle’s Legion, but Lisa suffered a setback in her recovery from surgery.  The rest of us ended up browsing AZ Mills instead, where I had the first Garcia’s food in many, many years.  Back in the day, it used to be a birthday dinner tradition.  Back when this journal was still paper. 

The Second Sunday of Easter was Divine Mercy Sunday.  It was my turn to lector again, and I ended up needing to do both readings.  Luckily, I always prepare both just in case.  Father Milt gave another excellent homily.

Thanks to Alluveal for the music video:

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.  You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.