FATHER FRANK’S LOG: 1st – 8th DECEMBER 2024
I’m sorry that there was no Log last week, but Father Gareth, Brother Conor and me, had to travel to Crossgar for yet another Province meeting in preparation for next year’s Provincial Chapter. It was an interesting journey. Father Gareth was the designated driver and we had booked his car on to the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry a couple of weeks before. A couple of days before we travelled, however, he was having a problem with the driver’s window being stuck on open, and he wasn’t able to close it. Given that freezing temperatures were being forecast over those days, he went in search of someone who could fix it. As a result, our Friday night fish & chip session was interrupted by a vehicle electrician who had come to the rescue, and managed to do the needful. So far, so good. But then, the day before we travelled, this was the Sunday, Father Gareth discovered that his windshield blower wasn’t working, and so he couldn’t get any air up on to his windscreen. Once again, conscious of the ominous weather forecasts, he went in search of a garage open on a Sunday who might fix it for him. At the sixth attempt he found someone. When he went back to collect it, however, they told him that, while it was sorted, if he encountered any problems, just to give the dashboard a bash with his fist and it would get going again. This was turning into an episode of Mr Bean.
The journey to the ferry, as far as Girvan, went okay. As usual, we could see we were going to be too early for check-in, and so we took time out and went into a little café for something to eat. On resuming the journey, the blower had stopped working again and so, as I was in the front passenger seat, I gave the dashboard a bash with my fist. At the third go we got some air again, and proceeded happily to Cairnryan. After a short waiting time at the terminal, we were called back to our car to prepare for boarding. Once again, the dashboard needed a bash to get the blower going again. As we were boarding, someone, unfortunately, had a fall on the car deck, and so our departure was delayed while the ferry’s medical team attended to him. We left about 45 minutes late. I was glad I had brought a good novel, and a compendium of crosswords with me that helped to pass the time. Of course, I knew what was going to happen when we arrived in Belfast – the blower wouldn’t work. At this stage it was raining and the blower was being more stubborn, So, not wanting to get on to the M2 motorway with a misted windscreen, through which Father Gareth wasn’t able to see a thing, we diverted on to the Shore Road and pulled into a lay-by. A few more bashes got us going again, and we made it safely to Crossgar, albeit by a longer route, and arriving a wee bit later than intended. We were very grateful for a lovely dish of lasagne waiting for us when we got there, which we enjoyed immensely. After an early night, the next day’s meetings went smoothly, and we set ourselves for the journey back. We knew now that, once the blower got going, it would be fine. It was when we stopped that there might be a problem. So, we built this wisdom into our return and arrived back to Bishopbriggs in the wee hours of Wednesday without a hitch.
Earlier this week I went to Stobhill Hospital for my winter vaccines and, while it all went very smoothly, I have been feeling rotten since. I don’t have any pain in my arms, but I feel as if I have a really bad head cold. Hopefully, it will have cleared by the weekend as we get ready for the beginning of Advent and the introduction of the new lectionary for readings at Mass. Last week a great number of readers from St Mungo’s and St Roch’s came together and we had a very productive night exploring the whys and wherefores of the change, and the difference it could make to hearing and proclaiming the Word of God at Mass. At this stage we are keeping an open mind, and there is no doubt the lectionaries are beautifully produced and presented. And so, Advent is a new beginning in more ways than one this year.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
I’m sorry that there was no Log last week, but Father Gareth, Brother Conor and me, had to travel to Crossgar for yet another Province meeting in preparation for next year’s Provincial Chapter. It was an interesting journey. Father Gareth was the designated driver and we had booked his car on to the Cairnryan-Belfast ferry a couple of weeks before. A couple of days before we travelled, however, he was having a problem with the driver’s window being stuck on open, and he wasn’t able to close it. Given that freezing temperatures were being forecast over those days, he went in search of someone who could fix it. As a result, our Friday night fish & chip session was interrupted by a vehicle electrician who had come to the rescue, and managed to do the needful. So far, so good. But then, the day before we travelled, this was the Sunday, Father Gareth discovered that his windshield blower wasn’t working, and so he couldn’t get any air up on to his windscreen. Once again, conscious of the ominous weather forecasts, he went in search of a garage open on a Sunday who might fix it for him. At the sixth attempt he found someone. When he went back to collect it, however, they told him that, while it was sorted, if he encountered any problems, just to give the dashboard a bash with his fist and it would get going again. This was turning into an episode of Mr Bean.
The journey to the ferry, as far as Girvan, went okay. As usual, we could see we were going to be too early for check-in, and so we took time out and went into a little café for something to eat. On resuming the journey, the blower had stopped working again and so, as I was in the front passenger seat, I gave the dashboard a bash with my fist. At the third go we got some air again, and proceeded happily to Cairnryan. After a short waiting time at the terminal, we were called back to our car to prepare for boarding. Once again, the dashboard needed a bash to get the blower going again. As we were boarding, someone, unfortunately, had a fall on the car deck, and so our departure was delayed while the ferry’s medical team attended to him. We left about 45 minutes late. I was glad I had brought a good novel, and a compendium of crosswords with me that helped to pass the time. Of course, I knew what was going to happen when we arrived in Belfast – the blower wouldn’t work. At this stage it was raining and the blower was being more stubborn, So, not wanting to get on to the M2 motorway with a misted windscreen, through which Father Gareth wasn’t able to see a thing, we diverted on to the Shore Road and pulled into a lay-by. A few more bashes got us going again, and we made it safely to Crossgar, albeit by a longer route, and arriving a wee bit later than intended. We were very grateful for a lovely dish of lasagne waiting for us when we got there, which we enjoyed immensely. After an early night, the next day’s meetings went smoothly, and we set ourselves for the journey back. We knew now that, once the blower got going, it would be fine. It was when we stopped that there might be a problem. So, we built this wisdom into our return and arrived back to Bishopbriggs in the wee hours of Wednesday without a hitch.
Earlier this week I went to Stobhill Hospital for my winter vaccines and, while it all went very smoothly, I have been feeling rotten since. I don’t have any pain in my arms, but I feel as if I have a really bad head cold. Hopefully, it will have cleared by the weekend as we get ready for the beginning of Advent and the introduction of the new lectionary for readings at Mass. Last week a great number of readers from St Mungo’s and St Roch’s came together and we had a very productive night exploring the whys and wherefores of the change, and the difference it could make to hearing and proclaiming the Word of God at Mass. At this stage we are keeping an open mind, and there is no doubt the lectionaries are beautifully produced and presented. And so, Advent is a new beginning in more ways than one this year.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
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