Friday the 13th

     I am not superstitious in any way, shape or form. I just want to make that clear.  Yet, yesterday was Friday the 13th, and as the day progressed I was not at all certain that there wasn't something to this superstition thing.

     As the day began I found myself from the beginning getting grouchy.  People with demands, needs, questions seemed to abound.  Later in the day I found that someone that I trust supposedly was telling a parishioner things that I supposedly said or did that were untrue.  A blessing came in my joining with good friends at the former parish in Scottdale for the funeral of their husband and father.  He had suffered a long time and his death on Easter, while difficult, was a blessing.  Father George Saletrik, his pastor, spoke beautifully of the joy of his new life in Christ.  It was a blessing to be with them.

     I desperately wanted to get a haircut, by my stylist was not cutting yesterday.  Bummer.  I received a call of the death of a parishioner that was not unexpected but sad nonetheless, since he was relatively young, and that of the son of parishioners who lived out of state.  A heavy afternoon.

     Then in the evening I attended the annual fund raiser for our local Catholic School - the Queen of Angels "Angel Gala".  It was a great affair with dinner, auctions (live, silent, Angel [items made by the school children], and Chinese), a fifty-fifty drawing, and great fellowship.  The crowd was good, the wallets and purses opened generously, and a great time was had by all.  My only complaint ... holding this on a Friday the 13th.  Many were lucky ... but not me!  It was for a good cause - the education of our children in a Catholic School setting.

     The live auction items were interesting: a two day VIP stay at the Venetian in Las Vegas with dinner, etc ... a condo in Hawaii for a week ... a signed Malkin jersey ... a signed Hines Ward shirt ... VIP Pirates game seats & golf packages locally.

    Next year I hope the committee takes me into consideration and schedules the "Angel Gala" on any day BUT a Friday the 13th.  By the way:  congratulations to the committee and all invloved in the "Gala" for a truly outstanding job!