Today, I spent much fo the day with other clergy from my diocese her in Wisconsin.     It may not mean a lot to you, but it means a lot to me. I was working last year and unable to make it because I was an additions therapist and a mental heath therapist at the hospital.

But today I was able to anoint, alone with others two different priests’ hands.  These priests will in turn anoint many others through their ministries, sometimes for the sick or dying, sometimes for healing, sometimes for baptism, and sometimes for those whiting to be baptized.

Today was being a part of being meaningful to two great men who’s hands will anoint many

Oddly enough, because in the chapel I pray in front of the windows of the Sacraments, i became very aware the the last anointing I took place in was two weekend to the day when I, along with my family, gave my dying father his Last Rites.  It seemed to make a difference for he departed us for his eternal home shortly thereafter. and for a priest of only 30 years, the high honor bestowed upon me was to do it with my family.

Sure, there can be technicalities, such as me and my wife along with my step-mom, my brother and sister and her fiancé’.    It is a bunch of crap asI see it.My step mom has always treatment me like her son and my brother and sister have also treated me no differently.  We are a family, and that is what we do.

Dad’s service was in a church that considers me a heretic.  Yet they welcomed me with one arms.  In 2007 they charged me with a crime according to church law….in fact even before i became the Rector in Anderson, the Bishop tried to convince them that i had stolen money. (even though audits and never getting arrested broke that story into what it was…lies)

But Mother Julia was nothing short of wonderful.  She told me she wanted and intended to offer me communion, which I asked for permission to take, which my bisho gladly granted and declares as  blessing.  I did not speak, although I did the preyers, and I was blessed to be a part.  Many of the supposed bad clergy came to support me and our family, and the welcome from Trinity could not be more gracious.

Even the new (new to me) Bishop of Indianapolis was gracious and pastoral to me.  I was humbled and grateful.

So now our father has entered life eternal, and he seemed to be waiting for those last rites (extreme unction).  I am glad he has let go and let God.  I am eternally grateful to my family for their love and care and support for him.

How we will live without him is full of him not going directions and telling us he can do it himself.  Good for him, he was wrong.  But we are all blessed that he is now in a better place, surrounded by people not nearly as interesting and us (like our sisters who are already there)  But we will push on.

Death is never there end but an entry into a new place.  We will all go there soon, but for me not to soon.  I still have some issues about how he told me I was helping him in the wrong way.

Good bless him, and Good luck Jesus!  We will see him soon.

May his soul through the tender mercies of God Rest in Peace.

Faithfully,

Tommy+