Monday, June 14, 2010

Sunday's mass

The celebrant is Father Tony Laryn.  Last I remember, he had retired, left Taiwan and gone home to this native state of Minneapolis.

I was perhaps 5mins early (not my credit, taxi driver was fast).  So I sat there and saw Fr Tony with his left arm in a brace reviewing the mass proceedings with 3 sacristy/servers.  He looked a little dishevelled (versus his usual self from the past) and the sacristies/servers were holding him?  What's going on?

Jessica beside me (in the choir) whispered that Father suffered a stroke and that this would be a long mass.

He could hardly walk without aid, yet he flew 8000miles to celerbate mass with us.  He declined the offer to have another priest assist him.  And after he explained to us the story of how he suffered a stroke in Nov last year but by the providence of God, retained his abilities of speech and recovered enough to still serve God.

A grim reminder of our frailty & how much we need to have God with us.  And please say a prayer for Father Tony.  I'm glad he was back in the US when the stroke happened - that is the biggest providence God provided - IMHO.

Oh and also on display today, relics from the 12 apostles.  At close examination, appears to be bone/remains fragments.  I started a trend by staring real close & then taking a picture with my phone.  The people before me, looked from a distance with reverence and then silent filed away.  :)

1 comment:

francis said...

To locate an apostle relic would be such an achievement. Now they have all 12's together ?! Wow!
Well, to think about it, the apostles were already famous when they were alived. So thanks to some prudent early Christians to collect their remains. I believe these relics are real.
Fel, you have been in the midst of the apostles !!!