Forgive me Father, for I have sinned…..it has been a few days since my last blog entry.  I will not make excuses, as to live it this way was clearly my choice.  But hopefully in reading this you will understand.

Friday was both a very busy day and a good one.  It was ALL with family, although in two different settings.  I began the day with the funeral of my Uncle Phil for which I officiated.  Fathers PT and Kim assisted in the service and it was very nice.  Sure, it was difficult in a lot of ways, but I was really honored to be a part.  Phil was a great guy.  I then was able to spend some time at my Aunt’s house with our family.  It always amazes me how the thought comes to mind about how great it is that we are all together, yet that rarely happens anymore except in times like these.  But my mind is often taken back to all these now adults, including me, who used to sit at the “kids’ table” at our grandparents and eat together.  I thought that it would look a lot different now as most of those at the adults table have passed on.  But I valued my time there with those who are still here.  Family is family, and hanging with them at any age is a great privilege.

After saying my goodbyes, I hopped in my truck and drove to Missouri where Stephanie’s team played at 7pm.  (8 our time)  I was able to make it, and the big thing was that Scotty was able to see her play and spend some time with her.  Sadly, it was not a lot of time, as Steph and the team hopped on a bus shortly after the game for three games in Florida this week.  Yes, it was short, but sweet, for a small bit of time we had all three kids together.

And of course that points out my moronic behavior.  You would think that a dad who KNOWS what a rarity it is to have all three of them together, might, I don’t know, take a PICTURE OF THEM ALL. But no, I missed out tremendously.

There are two things I want to point out about these pictures, and really both things deal with one of them.  The first point is that the beautiful young lady standing behind Scotty is our future daughter-in-law Kenzie.  And the second is why she is in the picture.   You see, Scotty ALWAYS asks people if they want him to take a picture for them, and he generally does.  But as he does he also switches the camera, taking tons of “selfies” too.  Yes, this was my camera…..no big deal.  But he does this to everybody, including perfect strangers.  Had she not been in this one, I could have thrown it out as I NEVER LEARN and always hand him my phone.

But we are home and Steph is in sunny Florida.  Scott took Kenzie back to IU and he returns to California tomorrow.  Ben still has to go to first grade too.  But it all seems to end as quickly as it starts.

Anyway, I am posting this in the morning FOR TODAY, as I am swamped with stuff I need to get done and I would like to be free tonight to chat with Scotty before he leaves.

But today I am thankful for my family, all of them.  It has been a hard week, but seeing everyone helps us through.  We are all truly blessed.

Have a great day and God Bless!

Tommy+

With Head Coach Jack Russell

Today has been one heck of a day.  I had been waiting for it for quite some time, but I really did have many mixed emotions about its arrival.

Tonight I attended the varsity women’s lacrosse game of Noblesville High School (where I was the Head Coach before retiring to be able to watch my daughter play in college) and Westfield High School who throughout my career I enjoyed beating on many occasions.  But tonight was different as the new Head Coach of Westfield High School was my former Assistant Coach and Head JV Coach Jack Russell.  He was and is one of the finest coaches and human beings I have ever known, and it meant the world to me to go out and shake his hand on HIS field.

With Maddie Russell

Oddly enough, the young woman in the helmet is Jack’s sister Maddie, who is the starting goalie for Noblesville.  She is a senior and she, along with the other two ladies, Christa Karns who is in uniform and Lauren Beck who is not suited up as she is injured, were just coming into the program in my last year.  Maddie has continued to develop into a remarkable goalie and will be playing college next year. Christa, who played goalie back in the dark ages (yes when I was coaching) now plays defense and takes some of the draws (face offs) too.  I loved her in goal, but she was outstanding as a field player.  It was really great.  And Beck (Lauren), well she is just Beck, and I was sorry she was injured and I could not see her play.  She and Christa came out in MIDDLE SCHOOL and used to practice with our Varsity.  But she was a talent then, and a real go getter.  I will make sure I see her play as soon as she heals from that knee injury.

The new Noblesville Coach is Veronica Mitchell who used to coach at Cathedral High School, and in my recollection I never once beat her.  She is a very talented coach, and unbelievably nice.  She knows the game and is great a developing players, and that was evident watching Noblesville play.  They are very blessed to have her, and they are a solid team.

With Christa Karns

In the end, although the game was tight, the Shamrocks won by one in the final minutes.  And although the team I had coached for many years lost, and it saddened me, I was absolutely elated for Jack.  You know, I have been around for a lot of years, and coaches like him just don’t come around that often. He introduced me to his team before the game, and I let them know they had one of the best coaches in the state.  I believe it, and so should they.

With Lauren Beck

You see, leaders lead, and good coaches bring out the best, and sometimes even more, in their players. Neither Jack or I ever played women’s lacrosse (for obvious reasons) but playing experience doesn’t always translate into coaching, especially good coaching.  Because beyond fundamentals lie the concept of heart.  Team, heart, and conviction win more games than theory.  He’s got what it takes, and oddly enough he helped develop all the girls in these pictures as well.

Someday perhaps we will coach again together.  I would love that as it would be a great honor.  Or perhaps we will meet someday head to head, as Steph is graduating in May and I intend to come out of retirement somewhere for a high school or college.  But tonight I will just enjoy being a part of what I saw tonight…..great game, great players, and great coaches.  I couldn’t ask for more!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I wish I could say that today was a good day, but that would be a stretch.  I was able to end it with Ben’s music program at Lapel Elementary School, but that was the highlight of the day.  Sadly, in the middle part my Uncle Phil passed away, and I was up with my Aunt and Cousins (capitalized intentionally…..they are my family)and gave him Last Rites.

Unlike most people, I do not get a kick out of “remakes” of much of anything.  And that is probably a pretty good indicator that I am going to complain about my day yesterday with Ben and Amanda watching “Peabody and Sherman” at the theatre.

First of all, I am not a big fan of movie theaters anyhow.  Oh sure, they are far nicer than they were when I was young, but I have a lot of movies I have not watched, and quite frankly I am much more comfortable at home.  I love theatre popcorn, yet I am not supposed to have it, and I am also quite “old school,” meaning if the seat reclines, has cup holders, and doesn’t have a bunch of gum wadded up on the bottom of the seat, it probably isn’t authentic anyhow.  Yep, I am that bad.

But we DO got to movies, or to clarify, MY FAMILY often goes, and sometimes I go along.  To me however, everything is kind of the same.  Sure, some of the movies are good, but where are the original ideas and why are they so predictable?  PLUS, anything on a screen seems pretty hypocritically portrayed in our modern world.  I mean if stereotypes for people, races, and things are offensive in real life then why are they okay on the screen?

“Peabody and Sherman” was no exception, and like an
ything of that sort, it full of puns and pretty predictable humor.  My wife thought it was hilarious, but if she had good judgement she’d be at the movies with a much better husband than me!   And Ben is 6, so the word “butt” or anything of such nature, cracks him, like all 6 year olds, up.  Viper of course went along and had the better deal sleeping in the truck.  I endured it and had some popcorn because I was suffering.

But in the end I realized that “Peabody and Sherman” were really not all that funny in my time either. They were fillers to Bullwinkle the Moose and Rocky the Flying Squirrel.  We endured them as kids because they were for the adults watching with us, as no 6 year old gives a dang about Leonardo da vinci or history.  And why they didn’t take those millions and bring back Bullwinkle instead is beyond me.  Being Canadian, perhaps he had problems with his visa.

But I survived the day, and I suppose I should declare that some sort of victory.  Ben enjoyed it as he always does, and that is what matters most.  And the fact that Amanda did too, makes me think I need to check our insurance…….she clearly needs some therapy.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well, although there are certainly others, Bill will round up the “big six” for me and end my series.  He and his wife Edna both work out of the “home office” and were married to each other for OVER 70 YEARS!!  And I had the great blessing of not just know this giant of a man at the last of his life, but I also was blessed to give first Bill when he died, and then Edna when she died, The Last Rites.  They were two amazing people and it was such an honor.

Yet in all honesty, Bill and I never got to work together “formally” on anything.  By the time we met he was long retired and his sight was very poor.  I did however get to have plenty of conversations with him, and I remember one night when he was in the hospital, how he shared the regret that we had not known each other when he was younger as we probably would have taken a lot by storm.  I got a lot from him though.  He talked, and I listened.  I’d tell him things, he’d give me advice.  He had many choices in where he could have hung his hat, but I was truly blessed that he chose to hang it in my parish.  His wisdom was never lost on me.

He was a Navy Chaplain and proud of it.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and I was often its benefactor.  He was old when we met, yet I often imagined him as a younger man.  I could see me in him, and we talked frankly about aging and ministry and faith.  And now at almost 53, his lessons still ring pretty true.  All of us finish our course sooner or later, the key was to do it well.  I be where he is someday, and I intend to thank him in person.

And I end on Bill specifically as I remember quite vividly going to give him Last Rites.  I had Steph and Scott with me and it was at Community North Heart Hospital in Indianapolis.  I had been seeing him there but he took a turn for the worse.  His sons, both older than me as Bill was in his 90’s, were in the waiting room.  And as Scotty and Stephy were in there with them it kind of all kind of came together.  Four clergy kids, with probably many shared experiences, and many more to come, all gathered together to prepare one of their dads for entrance in Life Eternal.  And although my kids were young, the four of them talked a lot.  Someday maybe they too can return the favor to those who follow.

When Edna then died, it was late when I got to the nursing home where she was, but I made sure I took Steph and Scott.  They stood in the hall as I went inside, but they knew who was in there and why I was there.  They didn’t complain, they knew it was important, and I am sure it meant a lot to Bill and Edna’s sons as well.  But I miss them.  They were two of the kindest and gentlest people I have ever known and they imparted upon me, owning me nothing, quite a lot of real knowledge.

Tonight’s picture is a scan of a drawing Bill kept in his office……it is our boss!  The family gave it to me, and it is a high honor….it is now in mine.  But I will post one of Bill if I find one,  He would be tickled however to know that I am using it tonight.

Anyway, thanks for allowing me to share about Bill and these other great Saints of God in my life.  I have been both humbled and honored to serve in their presence, and I hope to be the blessing to others that they have been to me.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

At just 35 years old, I have learned a few valuable lessons: 1) I really do not believe I am 52; 2) My wife really doesn’t like that couples “Snuggie” (as seen on TV) even if it is camouflage; and 3) If I think I have posted my blog, that doesn’t mean that I have.

Of course that is why tonight’s picture of our dog Viper is appropriate.  His eyes are glowing because it is somewhere between 5 and 6 in the morning, but just because there is a truck there doesn’t mean we are going for a ride.  In fact the leash (that he carries for me) indicates that we are taking our old arthritic bodies for a WALK…..which we did.  It however never seems to stop him from walking over to the truck, as our speed would certainly be a lot faster and our distance far more impressive.

But when there are not glaciers here in Edgewood, Indiana, that is what he and I do…..we walk.  And although it was early, we were both happy to be out there.  I will say he is struggling more.  His surgery in December and his weight gain since he was “put out to pasture” as a stud dog, has made life more of a challenge for him.  Plus, that walk was “pre-meds” for him, which means it is a bit of pain for him but he sure does walk a lot straighter.  I call Amanda his “dealer” as she doses him everyday for the very reasons that are implied above.

But the other thing that has thrown me was the “series” I was doing.  I still have not found the picture I wanted, but I have one more part of the series to go, so I will figure out a solution (as Ben says) sometime on Sunday.  Which is pretty savvy on my part, as most of his solutions involve me fixing something anyhow.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well, just as I did for St. Patrick’s Day, I will take a “minor break”in my series of “Priests Who Have Formed Me,” but only because the last one I want to write about I no longer have a picture of.  I do intend to fire his family a note tonight though, and I hope to have one then to use tomorrow or within these next few days.

SO……let me classify “minor break” then as a day just like everyday where I hang out with a minor. And today we did something that I am sharing in tonight’s picture as I was never intending on posting this as I took it for Stephanie……she received late this afternoon via text.  And it is a picture of her little brother, okay her “littlest” brother (sorry Scotty) watching her old favorite movie “The Lion King.” Ben had made it up to the part with Scar and the hyenas before a few years back, but as I understand it many people have an aversion to Jeremy Irons, so he never saw the whole thing.  And he watched it with a bit of anxiety, knowing that there were parts he used to be scared by, but I stopped the DVD after the part that used to scare him and he was quite pleased the rest of the way.  He and Steph will now watch it together the next time they see each other.  So she too was quite pleased.

I suppose I can confess that I understand.  I was terrified by “Peter and the Wolf” when I was a little kid, and if I heard the music, I didn’t even feel safe outside.  It turned out okay though as I am no longer afraid of any kind of music and I have worked with a lot of carnivores as well.  But it is neat to see him like this movie as it came out in 1994, and Steph was just 3 then.  At 22 she still loves it and has been waiting for Ben to come along.  And that has, I am sure, something to do with addiction as Steph talked about The Lion King like Ben talks about Minecraft.  They will now share a common problem to use recovery language.

But it has been a great day.  I did have a grad school interview this afternoon and ask for your prayers about it.  Yes, I want them to accept me, but even with two other graduate degrees beyond university, nothing in a “shoe in” and like most of all the other sayings from my youth I really haven’t a clue what that means, other than it’s appropriate.

Anyway, I ended the day hauling my fat dog and out of shape self for a few miles tonight,  He is slowing down considerably….but we both needed it so we could stay home and whine and complain about it tomorrow.  And if my heart makes it through the night, I intend to do just that!

Good Night my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Okay, he is not was not technically a priest at any time that I knew him, he was a Bishop.  Although we priests do understand ourselves as always deacons and always priests, as we were ordained such and that mark is indelible as it were and cannot be taken or given away.  But Bishop Jones was not just the Bishop who first ordained me (a deacon June 23, 1989) but who also Confirmed me and sent me to seminary.  He was a real man of God.

Of course not everyone in the Church admired him as such as he was pretty liberal as far as bishops went those days.  So I suppose the question is obvious, why then did he nurture, develop, and ordain an orthodox/conservative?  And the answer is because he had a heart for the ministry of Christ and the care for His people.  He knew the Church was not made up of one kind, but of many, and his interest was call, not ideology.  He was fair, and he treated ALL those under his charge fairly.  And unlike what I experienced from his replacement, when he said “everyone was welcome at the table,” he meant it and practiced it.  It was never about him, and he was a great example and a humble man.

And I credit him with being able to get through seminary and move into ordination.  When I arrived at Virginia Theological (his Alma Mater) I was confronted with people from the very same denomination who believed and were taught almost exactly the opposite of what I believed and was taught.  Seeing Christ in other people was far more important than debating there.  I do not need to be your carbon copy to walk with you as a brother or sister.  And where we need to make our lines we can, as we are called to stand firm in our faith, but not to beat each other.

Bishop Jones to me was a man of peace, and a Bishop to me.  I will be forever grateful for all he has done for me, but most of all for the opportunity I had to know him.  What a blessing!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Rich was one of my dad’s closest friends, and rightly so, as they seemed to be always around each other when I was in college.  He was  a giant of a man, both literally and figuratively, and had a very gentle spirit and a great soul. He was also the Rector of St. Phillips downtown Indianapolis, which was primarily a black congregation served by a white priest.  And I say it that way as I became a member there too and the environment they all created together was not one of political correctness, but one of love and care for one another in Christ.  I don’t know for sure, but before Rich came there, I would guess that they weren’t searching for a “black” priest, they were searching for the “right” priest……and they found it in Rich.

And serving in the congregation was a great experience for me, as I was able to learn a lot from a priest who love and cared for people, and had a heart for the poor.  St. Phillips opened their doors to the homeless and and helpless, even allowing them to sleep in the building during the cold months and have a hot meal.  At that time, I became one of three people who would help train volunteers to stay the night and “staff” the shelter.  This led to the Episcopal Metropolitan Council and a much larger shelter of which I served the first year as its Director, and the year after headed to seminary.  It all then has since developed into what is now known as Dayspring, which is large and cares for many of the poor in Indianapolis.  A few years back I served on I believe some sort of Advisory capacity group for them, or maybe it was their board, I do not remember.  But I do remember the meetings being in a board room on one of the top floors of a high rise bank building downtown…..pretty nice.  But my first thought was “Toto, we aren’t in Kansas anymore,” and my mind went back to that humble, gentle, and faithful soul who opened the doors to his Church so that his people and he could witness to others about the love of Christ to the poor and those in need.  I’d imagine he never thought it would go that far.  And they were also instrumental (Rich and St. Phillips) about developing housing for the poor in their neighborhood too.

As I went to seminary I discovered a world much different than the one I came from.  Apparently being an Episcopal priest was a pretty good gig, and you could make a lot of cash, have a lot of prestige and do pretty well for yourself.  (That was not what I was interested in)  But the issues I discovered there had very little to do with the poor, but were mired in the rights of women and homosexulaity and what was wrong with the Church.  It was far more about structure and institution than life.  And although I was technically “classically” trained, I found the perspective skewed.  The poor that Jesus served and cared for seemed replaced by people seeking power, position, and control.  They were more concerned about changing the “structure” rather than doing the work.  And as I entered the ordained world I found it much the same.  Power, politics, structure, and very little trench work.

It was no surprise to me as I returned to the Diocese of Indianapolis under a new bishop that I found myself embattled with her.  She manifested just about everything that I felt was wrong with the church, and guess who she also gave a lot of trouble to?  Yep, Father Rich Roos.  The constant preaching of “tolerance” and “inclusiveness” in the Church didn’t include guys like us, and although she worked like hell to rid “her diocese” of us, I just figured I was in pretty good company.

After Rich retired he moved to Florida and would check in on me every now and again.  I however am still at it, not with that power abusing bishop though as I left “her” diocese long ago and transferred jurisdictions.  I will say AFTER I did she formally charged me with “abandonment of the Communion” and “removed” the title “Reverend” from all correspondence sent to me ever by the Episcopal Church except for those ones that still want me to donate money.  Funny huh?  To her we were both heretics, but I suppose that is the perspective you get when you have a screwed up faith.

The poor who are fed and given a warm place to sleep may never have met Rich, nor seen the Light of Christ in his eyes.  I however have, and so have many others.  She and “her diocese” can take the credit if they want for what he gave, as it won’t matter to him, nor to me.  It is the fact that when they were hungry they are given food, when they are naked clothed, or when they are sick they are cared for. Primary purpose and First Order issues…….everything else is beyond that.  Thanks Rich. The Light of Christ in you was never wasted on me.

Tonight’s picture is an old one for sure.  It is at my brother Mike’s Baptism, which Rich performed and allowed me to help.  It is before I was ordained and one of the very few pictures you will ever see where I am actually taller than Mike.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Heck, I do not know what any of those old Irish sayings are or what they mean, I only know the Irish Blessing which I have probably ended 95% of the Eucharists I have ever celebrated with.  As a matter of fact, when I don’t do it, I get asked why.

But forgive me if you will for taking the night off from my series of priests who have formed me to post these St. Patrick’s Day greetings to you and yours.  I found tonight’s picture on my phone this morning, and thought I would use it for my blog as I am quite qualified.  Sure, I have already admitted that I know very little about the Irish sayings and all, which would probably identify me quite easily as “non-Irish.”  But I grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana a (then) small city just a few miles from Notre Dame where my dad not only taught, but got his Bachelors and Masters degrees.  And up at home, EVERYBODY is Irish every St. Patrick’s Day and certainly on game day too.  (If you happen to be drinking reading this, it is St. Patty’s Day today, don’t go looking for the game.)

So I tonight gratuitously post this picture of our little leprechaun.  He and his mom both wore green all day, but I didn’t at all, hoping she would pinch me……it didn’t work.  So let me close the day quite properly……

May the road rise to greet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rain gently upon your fields,

And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+