Tis the high and holy feast day of St. Patrick

When I was stationed in Lost Angeles, my bishop there had spent many of his formative years in Ireland with his family. He didn’t have an accent, but there were vocal tells. He would always say that someone was “at hospital”, not “in the hospital”, and every time he said the word Saint, it would be pronounced as “Sint”.

I apologize for my absence. I wish I could say that I’m automatically coming back full time, but I’ve been dealing with a few things. I feel like I’m crawling out of a huge chasm, and I can now start to see daylight. I’m not in the light yet but I can see it.

Now then……

Father O’Brian was walking into town one morning when he spied Mrs. O’Grady, a woman that he had married to Mr. O’Grady a year ago. And being the kindly priest that he is, he stops and has a bit of a chat with her. “Mrs. O’Grady, how are you on this fine morning?”

“Oh, I’m quite fine, Father.”

“Ah, good, good. And how is Mr. O’Grady doing?”
“He’s doing fine, father. Off working this morning.”

“Wonderful, wonderful! And do you have any children yet?”
“Nay, father, we’ve been trying, but we have no children just yet.”

Father O’Brian makes a worried noise, and says “Well, I’m off to Rome soon for studying soon, and so I shall light a candle for you and Mr. O’Grady in Saint Peter’s.”

Mrs. O’Grady smiles and says “That would be lovely, father.” And then they part ways. Father O’Brian goes to Rome to study, and returns back to his little town in Ireland after three years. As he’s walking up to the church, he spies a tired looking Mrs. O’Grady and runs up to have a chat.

“Mrs. O’Grady! Saints be praised, it’s wonderful to see you! How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m fine father, just a wee bit tired these days.”

“Tired, are you? And why is that? Do you have any children?”

“Aye, father. We’ve seven little ones. Two sets of twins and one set of triplets.”

This rocks father O’Brian back on his heels a bit. “Why…. that’s wonderful! Praise God for his good works! And where’s Mr. O’Grady in all of this?”

“Oh, he’s gone to Rome father, so he can blow out that fookin’ candle.”

And now, more coffee.