Surprise! Ruined by a couple of clerics!

Ready for another Surprise attempt story? 

And this is one that almost worked and, truth be told, actually did hold an element of surprise. However, the full power of the planned Surprise was ruined and that was done by a couple of priests.

I am certain that this one was in the planning stages for a while and a number of folk from various interests were involved. It was, evidently, going to involve family and friends and parish pastoral staff. I have no idea how long they were calculating and planning but I do know that it just may have been a bit too long.

Let me tell you why.

It was sometime about mid-October when I got a phone call from a priest friend. He asked if I could spare some time for him, not for a social meeting but rather for some serious discussion and direction. He informed me that he was going through some troubling matters and needed to talk. Could he bend my ear?

Well, obviously I was ready and open to that request. I began checking my calendar for the first available and quickly found a times slot the very next day.

However, unfortunately that would not work for him.

Well then, how about sometime the day after?

That would not work either.

And so I decided, since this really did sound like a matter of urgency, I would let him pick the time and I would clear the calendar.

And he chose a Friday evening some four weeks away yet!

A bit strange, certainly, especially since this seemed to be a matter of urgency. Why wait so long?

Feebly he explained that this was the very first chance he had for us to meet.

So I agreed, marked my calendar and added that if he found time sooner, just let me know and I would make it work.

It seemed a bit strange but at the time I was still not really suspecting anything. Why should I? How could I know that he had been recruited into the plot?

And so the days passed and I am sure the planning and preparing went on, still safely secret.

Until the Friday of that scheduled meeting arrived.

I had scheduled my associate for the evening Mass that Friday so as to make sure that my calendar was clear for the "meeting." And yes, this goes back to the day when parishes actually did have more than one priest and the one I was pastoring provided me with an associate!

And he would preside at Mass that evening leaving me totally freed up.

Until - shortly before dinner.

And this is another indication of how far back this event takes us. We shared dinner together and even had a housekeeper/cook!

Only this day shortly before we were to sit at table for dinner, he informed me that he had just received a phone call requesting an emergency anointing. Someone was on the verge of dying. He needed to go. And he was not sure when he would get back and so could I, please, take the Mass?

The first thing I did was to offer to do the anointing.

That offer was rejected. He was somehow close with this family and they specifically requested him.

Well then, fine. My friend with the long-delayed crisis appointment could just wait a few minutes while I had the Mass. So I agreed to take the Mass.

And that's when the so-far well kept secret began to spill out.

My associate sat down to eat!

An emergency anointing; someone on death's doorstep, and he had time for dinner!

Someone was making very, very certain that I was not going anywhere!

And why would anyone do that? Well, I am sufficiently familiar with the calendar and I knew what day was approaching and as we sat at table enjoying our dinner, two plus two began to click and I began to steel myself for an impending "Surprise!"

While the actual surprise to me was now apparent, the manner in which it unfolded was still, truly, a surprise.

I went over to the church for the evening Mass. The usual group of faithful was present. And as was the case with most weekday Masses, this would be rather simple, basic and without music.

I vested in the back sacristy, then stood at the back of the church ready for seven o'clock and the beginning of the Mass.

The time arrived and I started down the aisle and that is when the true surprise erupted.

Music!

Singing! Organ playing!

And the doors behind see opened and marching down the aisle with and behind me family, friends and those two devious clerics fully vested and ready to join in concelebrating.

So while the actual party, held in a classroom of the school building, was no real surprise, the manner in which the whole evening erupted truly was a surprise.

What an entrance procession we had that evening!

Awfully as close to a Surprise as could be except for a couple of clerics and their very suspicious behavior!

But come on back as I have one more tale to tell!

Meantime, Keep Praying . . . and Stay Safe!