Pilgrimage Reunion

Those who went on the EOHSJ pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Rome in November with me are having a reunion here in El Dorado this weekend. Pictures will be shared, memories enhanced, notes revised and general fellowship all around. They will attend Mass tomorrow for the Feast of the Lord's Baptism as a group. It should be a great reunion.

Successful Bishop's Pastoral Visit

A very happy pastoral visit by our Bishop concluded after the lunch after the Spanish Mass. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of our diocese of Little Rock arrived Saturday at noon. Following lunch he began a series of scheduled meetings with the finance committee, planning committee, Hispanic community, St. Agnes Guild, K of C, Catholic Daughters, among others.

He presided and preached at Solemn Vespers of the Epiphany Saturday evening, which was followed by a pot-luck supper in the parish hall. During desert he took the microphone and filled us in, in a kind of state-of-the-diocese presentation. He then responded to questions and as supper finished stayed around to kibbutz with the people.

On Sunday morning, the Solemnity of the Epiphany (observed) he presided at Adoration, Morning Prayer, and Benediction at 8 o'clock. Following that he visited with the Lay Missionaries of Charity and other parishioners.

At 10 we celebrated the Pontifical High Mass where the Bishop preached. The choir sang my setting of Videntes Stellam. Following the Mass, he taught the RCIA class in the library (see picture). Then, we celebrated the Pontifical High Mass in Spanish at 12:30. All of the liturgies went very well, and I was especially pleased with the work of our acolytes.

The Hispanic community had a wonderful soup, menudo with pork and vegetables upon which we feasted with gusto. Again during the postre (desert) Bishop Taylor gave the same presentation that he did after the Saturday evening meal in Spanish.

Finally, about 3:30, all was finished and we bade our pastor godspeed as he returned to Little Rock. It was a blessed weekend for us, and we are thankful for Bishop Taylor taking the time to visit us.