Reviewing 40 years - part 4

Chrism Mass at the Baker City Cathedral.

I spent 8 years at the Cathedral of Baker City, from 2005 till 2013, and each year the entire presbyterate with the bishop would travel to the Cathedral for the annual Chrism Mass before Holy Week, where the sacred oils would be consecrated for use in administering the sacraments. This necessitated a lot of work and coordination but the priests were happy to travel to my home and stay in a local motel overnight free of charge, thanks to the owner, a parishioner. I also enjoyed a lot of digital photography in my years here, as my camera was my constant companion as I traveled into Washington state, Canada and other neighboring states during a trip I took once a year in September.

By the Christmas Nativity at St Francis in Bend, Oregon.

In 2013 I was asked to take over a hurting parish in Bend, the largest parish in the Diocese which needed a spiritual and moral revival, and thanks to an Indian priest who was helping me, we brought peace and harmony, as people collaborated with us, emotionally, financially and spiritually to see quite a turnaround in the spirit of the parishioners.

A wedding at St Francis old church in downtown Bend, Oregon.

The popular Palm Sunday donkey procession in Bend, Oregon.

Over the past year I was back in Malta, serving as a chaplain at a Retirement Home, Hilltop Gardens and Simblija Care Home in Naxxar. Many of the residents are brought in for daily Mass as well as neighbors from the area, while I try to help in the spiritual and pastoral care of the people attending, besides helping in neighboring parishes who need my help. Because yes, even in Malta we always need more priests.

Holy Thursday at Resurrection chapel at Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar, Malta