March Madness Priest Style

College Basketball’s March Madness is well underway. Unfortunately FSU dropped in the 1st round to Gonzaga, but this parish priest, in his first year during the Year for Priests, is still standing…barely. Round by round:

1. Red Mass—It was a great honor to invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance upon our State’s government with the bishops of the province of Florida, minus one regretfully. Our own Bp. Ricard who continues to recover from the effects of a stroke before Christmas was absent. What a powerful expression of the Church at prayer.
2. MOGS St. Patrick’s Day Dinner—The Men of Good Shepherd (MOGS) host outstanding meals several times a year. The latest was in honor of St. Patrick. I enjoyed the finest of Irish cuisine together with, I confess, one and .5 Guinesses..I didn’t give up alcohol completely for Lent..and lots of exciting music, singing, and dance. Fr. Foley was in his element. So was I since I’m a ¼ Irish, but full-blooded on St. Patrick’s. Together with this giant of Church history I place the breastplate upon me and shout, “Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ on my left, Christ on my right…!!!”
3. JPII’s South Woodstock—what a fantastic event to support a great Catholic High School. There was art, music, food, and games. Young and old, clergy, religious, laity, in-towners and out-of-towners basking in the beauty of God’s spring re-creation on the campus of JPII w/o the muddy mess of the Northern version some years ago!
4. Golf FORE Life—Open Door Women’s Clinic here in Tallahassee is a Catholic Pro-Life Women’s Health Clinic specializing in unplanned/crisis pregnancies. Together with one of our parishioners this past weekend I solicited sponsorships for my “Guarantee of Victory” round for their annual golf event. If you want to be part of this Victory please contact me at Good Shepherd!
5. Another 1st Mass: Spanish—In seminary we worshipped in Spanish frequently, but I’ve gotten rusty with the passing months. Just when I thought Spanish was something of the past I GOT THE CALL! Todavia todos los fieles son vivos despues de la disastre. The Lord is kind and merciful.
6. And Holy Week IS STILL To Come!—Let me give you a sneak preview…The Lord wins at the end of March Madness every time! Let’s allow Him to hoist the trophies of our resurrected hearts to the Father.

*The sports theme is dedicated to Deacon (soon-to-be Father) Chris LeBlanc who is a dedicated reader of his “senior” priests’ blogs.

Father Will Ganci