Blessed to be Present

Sanctuary Precious Blood Church
Woonsocket, RI

I went to a talk by Scott Hanh.  This is the third time I've heard him speak, so when I couldn't get anyone to go with me, I wasn't going.  It's in a different state.  I didn't know the way.  I hate to drive.  I didn't want to go alone.  However, one friend agreed to go.  It's interesting that she wanted to meet me there.

It's interesting because it turned out she didn't go, but it was too late, I was there already.  Having gone to Hanh's talks before, I knew they'd be sold out, so we arranged to get there two hours before it began.

So there I was in the parking lot before everyone else, including my friend.  I telephoned her and she was just waking up!  She said she'd get dressed and come.  It turned out that rushing around and looking for a parking space and climbing all the stairs in that beautiful old church, did her in.  She finally found me just to tell me that "she'd had it."  She went home.

There I was alone.

However, Prof. Hanh's talk was exactly what I needed.  He talked about the new evangelization and the Eucharist and Confession.  The talk on Confession was excellent.  This Monday night, my RCIA candidates are giving a talk on Confession.  Thanks to Prof. Hanh I know have a history and plenty of scriptural references on why Catholics confess to a priest.  The Holy Spirit works in strange ways.