Reality sets in

It's "down in the dumps" time as reality sets in.
I didn't spend my early morning today at the organ for a last-minute practice of the responsorial psalm. That's because I turned in my copy of "Respond and Complain" and the guitar accompaniment book to "Music Issue" on Friday. We will not be worshipping in that parish any longer. Today was the Bishop's-Annual-Appeal-for-Money-on-Wide-Screen-TV and there was no way we could sit in that church and watch that video. Much as I really don't like "Respond and Complain," I sure did miss singing and playing with the kids' choir.

Today my family returned to our old parish for Mass. It was nice to be back there and see all the familiar faces--so many people sitting in the same seats, even after our four-year absence. We were warmly welcomed by the new pastor there, and by our friend the deacon. The pastor invited the Big Kids to become altar servers for that parish, and he recognized the difficulties we and the other families from the school will be having in the coming weeks. Being there was nice, but it brought back some sad memories of our departure from that parish after some difficulties with "choir politics" and, ultimately, the school there.

Later we attended Middle Sister's basketball game. It was a home game, so there were plenty of people there that we knew. Father (the one Little Brother thinks is Jesus) arrived to watch the game. He sat on the bench with the team. Middle Sister's coach from last season also was in the audience and after the game he complimented her on her improvement. She made 3 baskets today, her first ever in a game! Of course the thing on everyone's mind was that there will only be a few more such games in that gym; everyone was asking each other where their kids would be going to school next year. There will be much more of that as the year goes on.

More disturbing news regarding our parish finances has been coming to light; it now seems that the school may have been a sacrificial lamb in an attempt to cover up years of accounting irregularities.

It's been a rather exhausting day, and I look forward to the end of it. Tomorrow will be better. But I think that Sundays will be tough for us, for a little while.