St. Peter Catholic Church in Washington, VA is a small, rural parish. The great faith that fills the hearts and souls of the parishioners, however, is deep and expansive. This great faith demonstrated itself on the morning of Friday, January 27th as 56 hardy souls, including some Sheep in Exile, queued up to board the Blue Ridge bus bound for the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Last year, there was no bus for the March and a blizzard limited attendance, but this year Knights of Columbus Council #14755 took the lead and sponsored the bus. The Grand Knight initiated the effort and other Knights volunteered their services to organize, promote, and assist. They rallied parishioners to join them on the March, and the parish responded with enthusiasm. After all, the cause is right and just and the Sheep of St. Peter’s will do whatever is necessary to promote the Culture of Life.

Under the spiritual leadership of Deacon Bob Benyo, the bus made its prayerful way to the March. The Rosary was prayed by all and there were many other prayers said silently. Meanwhile, back in Rappahannock County, many who couldn’t go the March physically provided spiritual support in private prayers and visits to the Blessed Eucharist at St. Peter’s.

Although, the St. Peter’s bus didn’t make it in time to hear Vice President Pence, Kellyanne Conway, and other speakers, the group knew what was going on and could hear the applause and cheers. Many said this was surely the most upbeat and positive assembly for the March for Life that they had ever seen. Our cause, ultimately God’s cause, was acknowledged and supported from the White House and by many in Congress. Once again, there is a hope that Life will prevail over the evils of abortion, euthanasia, and other assaults against Life. And as we approached the Supreme Court, we knew that through prayer, penance, and witnessing to the Truth, some day Roe v. Wade will be overturned.

St. Peter’s marched behind the flag of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe, the pregnant Mother of God, the one who knew Jesus in the womb, how fitting that we should follow her. As our Mother she gives strength to us all. And that is why one member of our group who was interviewed by the media was able to speak firmly and without hesitation in the defense of Life. He was an inspiring witness to the Truth.

At the very end of the March, there was a special gift for those who made this March for Life. Father DeMartino, a former pastor of St. Peter’s happened to be standing in front of the Library of Congress. He greeted each of his former parishioners with open arms and many hugs. He remembered all the names and spoke to each with words filled with great warmth. The Sheep of St. Peter’s had Marched for Life and in return had been granted many beautiful memories.

To the Knights, Deacon Benyo and each and every person who participated in making this trip happen as it did, our most sincere gratitude. You are in our prayers.

Kind and gentle Reader, please forgive me beforehand. My wife and I try our best to never, ever say something that will harm or offend our fellow parishioners at St. Peter’s. Yet, there are those who take offense where none is intended. So, please, please understand before I begin this sad narrative there is no offense intended.

This morning I had to pick up Fre3d Capra from the Fauquier Health Emergency Department after an overnight in the ICU due to a nearly debilitating trauma to his nerves and aesthetic sensitivities that occurred during the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Peter’s yesterday.

It all began during the first reading (Is 8:23—9:3). Fre3d was reading the words of the Prophet Isaiah in a thoughtful and prayerful manner from page 885 of The Daily Roman Missal. (Very few others were reading because our Pastor discontinued providing missalettes for the parishioners long ago.)  Fre3d had no idea what others at Mass were witnessing as the following passage began:

“For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.”

Just as the lector began the word “smashed“, he brought his fist down with great force upon the lectern and made a tremendous noise that nearly had Fre3d, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, diving under the pew. His breathing stopped, his pulse increased, his ears began ringing, and he felt as if he had just suffered the concussion of a nearby hand grenade.

Fre3d had only begun to recover his senses by the time the second reading (1 Cor 1:10-13, 17) began. This time, Fre3d could not concentrate on reading from his missal. Instead he stared, amazed and bewildered by the theatrical gesticulations of the lector. He was pointing at the Crucifix, he was pointing at the altar, his hands were waving as swiftly and expansively as the blades of UH-1 Huey helicopter. Fre3d missed hearing the reading; he merely went into a catatonic stupor and remained so for the remainder of the Mass.

After I completed saying the Prayer to St. Michael at the end of Mass, I quickly escorted poor Fre3d to my SUV and made maximum speed for the Emergency Department in Warrenton. Today, they said he should be able to recover most of his faculties, but it will be a long, long time before he is fully recovered.

Now, this unfortunate episode brings me back to St. Peter’s Bulletin_2016-05-15 that said:

WE NEED 4 LECTORS

We need 2 lectors to serve at the 5:00 pm (Saturday) mass, and 2 additional lectors to serve at the 8:30 am and 11 am Mass on Sunday. We will train you – please contact: ….

Fre3d more or less figured that something like this was eventually going to happen. That is why he began his investigation in the The Curious Case of Lector Training – A Fre3d Capra Mystery and The Curious Case of Lector Training – New Data. We recognize that our sometimes sleuth, Fre3d Capra, erred when he considered that the Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers, and Proclaimers of the Word was suspect. Nevertheless, he was absolutely 100% correct in considering the notion that something was not right with lector training. While still somewhat shell-shocked, he has come to two alternative conclusions:

1. There is no lector training and we are now seeing problems arise, or
2. There is lector training and that there will be more of what we saw at the 8:30 AM Mass this last Sunday.

For Fre3d’s sake and for all of you, kind and gentle readers, I hope Fre3d is incorrect once again and that what we were forced to endure at the 8:30 AM Mass was just a one-time occurrence.

My wife adds – For those lectors who are frustrated thespians, you might be better suited for performing at Castleton Festival than for lectoring.

To whomever responded so rapidly to our post For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-01-15, many thanks. The Parish Contacts page and the Pastoral Council Minutes page have been updated.

Now there is another point of grave concern. We have been praying earnestly to St. Drogo (the patron of coffee and coffee house owners) for the rapid return of the missing large coffee pot. If and when it is returned, we hope that the parish bulletin will inform all parishioners of the good news.

Far more importantly, we are praying that the parish bus for the March of Life will be filled and that government officials will see us, hear us, and that their hearts will be moved to bring our country back to the Culture of Life.