Fr. Jojo and I were on retreat last week at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center in Alhambra, California (near Pasadena). This annual retreat is mandatory for all diocesan priests. Besides being an opportunity for spiritual renewal, it is also a great time for camaraderie with our fellow priests.
  The retreat director was Abbott Jeremy Driscoll, a Benedictine monk from Mount Angel, Oregon where many of our priests have spent some of their seminary years; there are also about six seminarians attending that seminary now.
  The theme of our retreat was “The Paschal Mystery” of which we were reminded includes the passion, death, burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus plus the sending forth of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and the establishment of the Church. The conferences were very interesting, deep and inspirational. I also got a few ideas on how better to celebrate the Easter Triduum liturgies.
   Each year, on retreat, we have “off” on Wednesday from 12:00 noon. So, Father John Assalone (pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in Henderson) and I went to a vestment store and bought some new clergy vestments and a few other church supplies. From there, we went to Huntington Beach for some snacks, drinks, beach walking and shopping. Then, we went to the home of the couple who own the vestment store for a “surprise” birthday barbecue dinner for me! It was a great day. And, yes, I’m one year older than when you last saw me — maybe even a year “wiser”!
   Now, it’s back to summer parish work. As you can see from the wedding flower arrangement behind me, this is “Wedding Season”. In fact, I have 24 weddings between now and December 31! May God bless all these couples with many years of happiness!
  Have a good week.   God bless you.
 
   Fr. Bill