The Office Is Open

Remember when you were in high school and took all those interest and aptitude tests to help you figure out what you wanted to do when you grew up? Even though it was a long time ago, I remember like it was yesterday. We took tests and answered many questionnaires. Someone evaluated the answers (no computers back then...how did we ever survive?) and in a couple of weeks we got the results back. Lots of information in both narrative and graph form. I loved looking at the bar graphs. My bars for both scientific and artistic interest/aptitude were very high...in the high 90th percentile. There were several bars in the middle and one tiny bar for mechanical ability. There was one empty spot. I asked my teacher if this was an error...there was no bar in the clerical/secretarial slot. "No," he said, "that isn't an error. Your interest and aptitude in that area are so low, you didn't even show up on the graph!"

OMG! so why am I working here in the church office this week?? The regular secretary is on vacation and she asked for volunteers to sit in her chair. Silly me...I said 'why not?' I'm halfway through my assignment and so far, no one has yelled at me or asked me to do anything hard. I figure I'm safe as long as I don't have to file anything or figure out the computer, the postage machine, the copier that does everything except write your text, the safe, the fire alarm system or call the repair guys if the roof leaks! Anyone...even me....is capable of answering the phone with a smile. I do have the interest and aptitude for that!

Meet Me At The Market

Elizabeth and I have been trying to coordinate schedules and get together for weeks. My schedule has been relatively commitment free, but hers.... Since the end of May when she left her post as assistant rector at St.Timothy's, she's been searching and interviewing for positions and has been called to be the rector at a lovely church in northern Iowa. She's spent two weeks studying as one of the elite Canterbury Scholars at the Canterbury Cathedral in England. She and her family spent almost two weeks in Italy....doing Rome, Florence and Tuscany. She's found a place to rent in her new town, put her house in Des Moines on the market to sale, and shuttled her teen age son back and forth to football camp at his new school. Whew! just thinking about her whirlwind summer makes me tired. So, when we finally confirmed a date to meet and go to the Farmer's Market this morning, I was very excited. We bought a few things, but we spent most of our morning catching up over coffee at Java Joe's. I heard fabulous stories about the Cathedral and her colleagues, many of whom came from countries where women are considered second-class citizens and are certainly not ordained. She likened it to falling down the rabbit hole in 'Alice in Wonderland.' Every time male clergy would give her that 'You're really a priest?' look, she'd say to herself, "Yes, I am the real Alice!" I listened to her describe wonderful moments of worship in the Crypt, sacred prayer at the Thomas Becket shrine, and being allowed 'inside the walls' to see places tourists never see. I followed Elizabeth and her family through Rome as they searched for the four churches of Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons,' as she worshipped at the Anglican-Episcopal Church in the shadow of the Vatican, and as they all ooh-ed and aah-ed over the Sistine Chapel. I vicariously wine tasted with them in Tuscany and fell in love with the story of their innkeeper, a single woman who refurbished the inn and fell in love with her landscaper in the process. So much to talk about, so little time! Luckily, there's email and I know the way to her new town. Next time we must 'do' photos!

A Saintly Connection

This is Sainte Tulle, patron saint of the tiny Luberon village of Cucuron. I took this photo in April 2007 when I visited the village and its 14th century church, Eglise Notre-Dame-de-Beaulieu. When I returned home, I searched in vain on every Catholic saint website I could find, trying to learn more about Ste. Tulle. She simply doesn't exist--officially--anywhere. But to the villagers of Cucuron, she is their patron saint who saved their village from the plague that ravaged the Luberon in 1720. I remembered her this evening at church when Elizabeth spoke of forgotten saints in reference to Matthias, the man chosen as an apostle to replace Judas. In researching her once again on the Internet to write tonight's blog entry at Dona Nobis Pacem, I was startled to see that today, May 23rd, is the day of her festival in Cucuron. Ste. Tulle seems to be speaking to me across the centuries...what is the connection I'm supposed to make of this? It's a mystery...and a fun one!

Mass on the Grass

Last evening my church held its annual Blessing of the Animals service. Dubbed "Mass on the Grass" this service is held on the weekend closest to the saint's day for St. Francis of Assisi. When I searched Google images for a picture of St. Francis, I found many, but this one 'spoke' to me. It looks like how I imagine the real Francis looked...thin, intense, aflame with the love of God, yet gentle and peaceful enough to hold a delicate bird in his hands. I think the artist truly captured the essence of St. Francis. The Blessing service at church, however, was anything but peaceful! There were at least 30 dogs and a half dozen cats present along with their owners. Every breed and mix was represented. I counted at least four standard poodles...not a breed you see much anymore. One couple came with three show-quality cocker spaniels in tow. There were several yellow labs as well as two gorgeous golden retrievers. Elizabeth, Mary and Milton, the three priests there to do the blessing, were thankful that nothing with scales showed up. Everyone mingled for a bit, then services began out on the lawn east of the church. All participants were VERY well behaved as we worshipped. While the human congregants passed the Peace, the priests blessed each animal present by touching them with the love of God and thanking them for loving their humans. It was a fun way to spend a beautifully warm, slightly breezy fall afternoon.

Lucie was a very good girl; she only barked once when she saw other dogs running with their children. She was exhausted, tho, when it was all over. It was a big day for her sniffing more doggie behinds than she's ever even seen before!