Once again I’ve had the chance to spend a bit of time at St Agnes’ Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York. It’s hard to believe I have been coming here for fifteen years. Half my thirties and all my forties have seen me come here for a few weeks and it has, thankfully, remained a very happy experience and retained a feeling of home away from home. For that I am thankful. The “away from home” is important too since home is and always will be home.
Over the time here, I have had the chance to celebrate a number of Masses in the Cathedral, to officiate at a wedding and baptize a number of children. The opportunity has been there as well to share time with people in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and that is always a good feeling of achievement and a reminder of how vulnerable and fragile we all are on the road of life.
One of the lovely aspects of coming here is the chance I have to meet with people, many of them from home or with connections to do with home and it’s good to see these people and know that, all things being equal, we will meet again in a year or so. In addition, I meet the staff here and they are always so kind, attentive and friendly.
I very much enjoy meeting the priests here and having the chance to share meals and time with them. Ever welcoming, it is good to make that connection. This year I met a few new priests along the way and that too was good.
I’ve had the chance to pray a bit as well. Pray for people that asked me to and a few that I might do my best as well. I believe many people have prayed for me too. That’s always a key part of the journey for us all and one that must continue regardless of location or passport!
A creature of habit, I sometimes think I should do something different but if it’s not broken don’t fix it! So far, it’s not broken.
This is a video from a few years ago. Not the best camera work but gives a sense of the place …