As America celebrates its 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the creation of the USA, being a citizen myself I share with you just a few phrases that describe my 35 years in the USA, most of them happy memories:
Living in a Rectory.....saying Mass and preaching in English.....learning to bike....learning to drive.....seeing snow and icicles..........baseball.....learning the flute by myself...... biking to Montauk Point from New Hyde Park NY, and back......a family of 15 children....naming number 15 Julian......teaching many classes, school and religion......crafting many banners.......vacationing in Lake Placid/Saranac Lake.....working with altar-servers, Youth Club members....celebrating many weddings, First Communions, sadly also funerals.....running the NYC Marathon 3 times.......phone-calls to heaven at Rocky Point parish......marrying my brothers and sister....my parents visiting me in NY.....2 nephews being born....shopping at Toys R Us and Kids R Us......2000 compact discs.....lots of photos......learning water-coloring by myself......learning calligraphy by myself.....
Becoming a US citizen Sept 2007.....experiencing Sept 11, 2001 tragedy,.....sabbatical with the Trappist Monks of Spencer MA,.....donating blood, 119 pints total.......transferring to Oregon.......a small parish with a big heart......driving 140 miles weekly to celebrate 2 Masses for 20 people.....wildlife photography......many times playing the flute to entertain.....Baker City Cathedral....renovation for the centennial 2008......short trips to Canada and Oregon coast.....plenty of converts.......learning Spanish and celebrating many Masses and weddings.......deer crossing...... cattle drives.......creating and presenting Power Point talks.....visiting many families......learning to cook by myself......coordinating parish Bulletins & newspapers......learning to blog by myself.......3 wishes when in Oregon: riding a horse, shooting a rifle, milking a cow......returning to Malta 2016....still in touch with many friends.
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