Catholic Father of Eleven

Yesterday was the Feast Day of St. Louis of France, who is the Patron of my second parish, four miles down the road from the larger one. At Mass today, some of the Knights gave a little history of the good king, but as the statue we have of him is a little effeminate (even though he's got a nice sword) I had to remind the people that, apart from all his other good works, he also sired eleven children, so he wasn't quite as wimpy as his statue makes him out to be! I am still busy burying the dead - apparently that's the way it's going to be from now on around here, but we did have the joy of a nice Baptism at Mass this morning, the first one at Mass here in many years. I am enjoying having Father John Boyle with me, and introducing him to the subtle - or not so subtle - differences in US/English culture. Last night he had some difficulty understanding the young waiter in the restaurant, and we were reminded of Mark Twain's phrase: "two nations divided by a common language!" He's off exploring at the moment, in the horrible humidity of this strange Vermont summer. Tomorrow, after another funeral, we will go down south to visit the charming town of Woodstock and spend the evening with the good pastor of that parish, before returning on Tuesday for evening Mass, Adoration and Confession. Check out Fr. John's blog at South Ashford Priest.