It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written an update on here, but I suppose I can post a bit for those inquiring minds out there.

On October 18 I flew out to what is becoming my home away from home: Santa Rosa, California. I went to assist at the convent of the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa while their chaplain was on pilgrimage in Rome and the Holy Land. The trip was full of surprises. While there I was able to add and check off an item to my bucket list: go to a rock concert with nuns! Well, I’m kinda fudging a bit on the details. The community was going to Chick-Fil-A to celebrate one of the Sister’s birthday and I invited me to join them. When we arrived there was a little parking lot concert happening next door. I had to laugh as they were playing ‘Living on a Prayer’ as we were walking up and the attention moved from the band to the line of 15 nuns walking by.

The other unexpected thing was the wildfire that started not far from us. I can handle hurricanes. But a wildfire? Nope. A long sleepless night of sirens, emergency warnings on the phone notifying of ever-growing evacuation areas, hurricane-force winds, and prepping for what seemed an imminent evacuation made for an experience that I’d be happy to never have again. Thankfully the cathedral and the convent didn’t have to evacuate, but many others did. The firefighters must have learned a bit from the fire two years ago or been better prepared because they did a great job of containing the fires and sparing many homes. It got smoky for a few days, but thankfully it was not nearly as bad as it could have been. God is good!

In addition those surprises, I also had the joy of doing things that were not surprises at all. I was able to offer Mass for the Sisters at the convent, hear LOTS of confessions at the cathedral, offer a couple of Extraordinary Form Sung Masses, spend some time with some old friends & make some new ones, do some manual work projects at the convent, and spend some quality time with the Sisters, especially my spiritual daughter Sister Philomena Marie. As I departed last night before their evening prayers, the Sisters gathered in front of their chapel and sang a beautiful hymn prayer about priests and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It nearly brought me to tears. This morning I woke up to offer Mass and get to the airport before sunup. As I boarded the plane I was stopped in my tracks by the most beautiful sunrise. One final gift from Our Lord as I prepared for the next stop: Cincinnati.

This week I will finally get to spend some time with my family in Cinci without having to rush off within 24 hours. After this week I’ll hit the road again - Tuscaloosa first to see the Tigers play, then back to Cinci for a few days before heading to Brooklyn to visit another of my spiritual daughters, Sister Trône du Roi, at her monastery. And then I’ll hop in my car once more and head south to the beautiful village of Morganza.

The last couple of weeks have reminded me how much I enjoy parish ministry (not so much the admin, admittedly) and am ready to get back to it. Here’s to hoping the last few weeks of my sabbatical can continue to bear good fruit and that my parishioners will have the ‘Father Brent 2.0’ that I hoped would return with renewed fervor.

St. Philomena, pray for us.

St. Christopher, pray for us.

Our Lady of the Way, pray for us.