Happy Thanksgiving

There are many things that we can be thankful for.  I would say that the busy - ness of the past week is a mixed blessing!  There is a tiredness about being busy - but it is a "good" tiredness in my books.  I remember Fr. J Glenn Murray, a Jesuit priest and liturgist saying "I would rather wear out than rust out" - I agree!
Last week I hosted a meeting of the Chicago 6.  Perhaps not as famous as the group of 7 - yet a wonderful group, if only in our own minds!  We formed as a result of working together at a Beginnings and Beyond Institute run by the North American Forum on the Catechumenate in Chicago in 2002.  Forum is involved in assisting Parishes and Dioceses implement the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in the life of the church.
We really bonded as a team (I was the Intern) and so we gathered a year later at a Forum Convocation in Baltimore in 2003 (700 plus people) and have met each year since - moving around to each person's home town.  When I was still in Holy Martyrs of Japan parish in 2005 it was Toronto's first turn, and last week, while I am here in Bolton, was my second turn!  This past March one of our 6 died - I wrote about Margie Sullivan in this blog at that time.

This year 2 of our group arrived on the Sunday Night - and 2 arrived on Monday afternoon.  So I took Rita Burns-Senseman and Kevin Bourassa, the early birds to the McMichael Canadian Collection Monday morning.  They had both been unable to join the Chicago 6 the first time we were in Toronto, when I had taken that first group to the McMichael. So this was a real treat.  Then after some shopping - we went to the airport to collect Rita Ferrone and Rick Conway. (YES we have 2 Rita\s in our group! Who would have figured! We often refer to them by the initials of where they live: Rita NY = Rita Ferrone from New York, and Rita TH = Rita Burns-Senseman from Terre Haute Indiana!)

Monday night I treated them to a dinner that I prepared in the Rectory.  That is where this picture was taken.


Rick, Rita NY, Kevin, Rita TH, and Moi

 Tuesday morning - after a breakfast stop at the Iconic Canadian Coffee Shop - Tim Hortons - we went to the church of my Baptism: St. Leo's in Mimico (Etobicoke). Then we went to St. Paul's Basilica, and on to the Bay at Queen and Yonge.  After Lunch at their restaraunt "Bannock" we wandered through the Eaton's Centre, and after going by the Cathedral, came back to the Hotel that they were staying in (Holiday Inn Express) to freashen up, before going back into Toronto to the Royal York for Dinner. (I remember going to the Royal York Hotel as a child with my parents for Sunday Brunch!)
Wednesday they were on their way - and so I dropped them off at the Airport.

I would never have thought that on the eve of World Youth Day in Toronto that I would travel to Chicago (be left at the airport to find my own way in) and become such great friends with this group of people.  To be sure we all had a common passion for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, but there has been something more here.  These are people that I love, not simply like.  We can talk about our joys and sorrows, our hopes and disapointments, our fears and dreams - and we can be very real with each other.  This is a priveleged place for me to be.  This is what I give thanks for this Thanksgiving Day!
Peace.