Full circle

Today I took a ride to Abbey of the Genesee to shop for bread and to spend time in their chapel. On my way home I drove past St. Mary Parish in Arcade, New York. St. Mary was my home parish when I was a young boy growing up in the 1960’s. It was here that I made my First Communion in 1960 and later served as an altar boy. I served on daily masses, arriving every weekday morning at 7:00 am. One day the priest found me asleep on the steps in front of the church. Today as I drove by the church I noticed they were open for prayer so I decided to stop. I’m glad I did. There on the altar in the sanctuary very familiar to me was the Eucharist. There only one other person present as I sat in silence. Over fifty years have passed since those days I served Mass for Fr. Pollard and Fr. Connelly but their presence was fresh in my memory today.