We were all saddened at the news of Muriel Creaser’s death.  She also went by “Mert”.  She was one of the “pillars” of the Church, especially at St. Helen’s, now Christ the Good Shepherd.  She was a friend of my family since I can remember.  When my dad worked at Miller Home Bakery on State, she would often stop by for a visit and a donut.  She loved her donuts, her Tigers, her cats, and she loved the parish.  She worked as sacristan for the church long before I was ordained.  She would make sure everything was set up for mass and opened and locked the church countless times.  She would go through Church talking to her friends before mass and sometimes during mass.  She might make an “editorial comment” now and again, but no one was as loyal as she was to the church.  Priests came and priests went, but Mert stayed and outlasted them all, except for me. She could drive you crazy some days, but she was lovable too. The most endearing thing about her was she cared about people.  . I wouldn’t doubt that the Tigers might win a few more games this year if she has anything to do about it. I pray she may find rest and know God’s peace.    
     Old man winter came back with a vengeance recently with all the snow and record cold.  There wasn’t too much one could do but stay inside and keep warm.  Of all the times you don’t want snow days is during Catholic Schools Week because that’s when there are so many fun activities planned during the week at school.  I’m sure they made up for that somehow.  That also reminds me to remind you that when Nouvel Central Schools are closed because of weather, our parish meetings, masses and office are closed or cancelled also.  Dan Martin, our maintenance person, does his best at keeping our sidewalks clear and free of ice, but the recent weather can overwhelm the best of us.    
    I’ve been going through a lot of papers and pictures that I’ve saved over the years that held memories for me.  I recently found bulletin articles I wrote when I was on sabbatical in Rome detailing some of the visits and adventures I made 30 years ago.  One of the most memorable events that happened in the late fall of 1989 was the collapse of the Berlin wall on November 9^th.   Three weeks later, President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, came to visit Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.  Rome was abuzz with his arrival.  I even got to see his motorcade drive by with a helicopter flying above with a soldier strapped to it holding an automatic rifle.  It was exciting and exhilarating to be present while history was being made. In the midst of this, we got word that our group of 46 priests, from all parts of the United States, would have mass with the Pope in his private chapel and have an audience with him the day before he met with Gorbachev.  It was November 30, the feast day of St. Andrew.  Mass was at 6:30 a.m.. After we vested, we were escorted quietly into the chapel as Pope John Paul II knelt in prayer.  There was a feeling of awe.  I thought to myself, “That’s really him, he’s right there.”  My heart was racing and I looked carefully around to capture all the details and feelings in the room.  I remember how totally absorbed in prayer the Pope was and how he groaned as if he were suffering some great anguish. I wanted to remember it forever. It was an overwhelming emotional event as I thought, “Little old Fr. Ron from Saginaw is having mass with the Vicar of Christ.”  At times I wanted to cry out of joy and happiness.  It reminded me of my ordination. After mass and after we had unvested, we went to the Pope’s library and lined up in a long row.  The Pope shook our hand and gave us each a rosary.  His hand was surprisingly soft and he was shorter than the image he projected.  He quietly said, “God bless you”, to me and went on to the next priest. Our encounter was all too brief.  There wasn’t time to ask his prayers for my mother or to thank him for the mass. When he posed with us for a group picture, he smiled broadly.  Then he asked for our prayers.  We assured him that we would especially pray for him the next day as he met with President Gorbachev.  As he walked away, he turned and said, “And the day after?”  “Yes”, we said, “and the day after”.  I think we floated around the rest of the day.  It was if time had stopped for a moment and nothing else mattered.

                                                               Peace,
                                                                   Fr. Ron