Great kids, healing legs and Moody Blues

It's the First Holy Communion season, and yesterday we had the Thanksgiving Mass that Christ the King parish always has a few weeks after the actual First Communion. This year, it was held in St Brigid's, so that the party that goes with it could be held in the Hall. Next Sunday, it's the turn of St Brigid's and St Paul's. They have the biggest group since I have been here - I think it's 21 or so. For us priests there is always a lot to watch out for to make sure that everything goes well on these occasions, so they're quite demanding. One of the most important jobs is to support the catechists, who are, of course, all voluntary. We're very lucky in the 3 Churches to have excellent ones.

My leg continues to improve slowly. It's a matter of getting the wounds to heal over, and they're classed as ulcers now. Well, actually I should say "it" as one of the two has healed over already. The nurses are very pleased with progress, so I hope the second one won't take long. What's annoying is that the bottom end of the tubigrip which goes over most of my foot rides up under the foot and makes it painful to walk on. Then I say to myself Shut up Matthew - that's nothing compared to people who are in real pain. Like the man whom I anointed today at one of the Homes in our parishes. Once again, I am made aware of the sacredness of these last moments of human life, and the privilege it is to be able to help a fellow human being on their last journey.

More on the music nostalgia front... After Roxy Music - the Moody Blues. I remember circa 1970 buying a Moodies LP (Wot's that??) in City Radio in Hills Terrace - or was it Roath Radio - one was there and one was in the Morgan Arcade... With their orchestral effects, mellotron etc the Moodies were oh sooo progressive. Anyway, their biggest single was "Nights in White Satin" and here they are performing it only a few years ago.  As with Roxy, if anything it sounds better now! At the time we lads thought it was much girlier than the LPs and wouldn't be caught dead listening to it...