Bikers and blessings

     As I mentioned yesterday, Sunday was the 40th anniversary of my ordination and first priestly blessing - first to the bishop, then to all present, then specifically to my parents before I exited the Cathedral.

      Forty years later, after sharing blessings in the morning with those who came to worship, I found myself blessing motorcylces and riders in our second annual Blessing of Bike held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm in our parking lot.  We began this gathering last year on the first Sunday of May and had a good first response with about 125 bikes and subsequent positive reaction from those attending.  This year was equally as great, with about 145 bikes and about 200 people present.  We gathered on a beautiful day, sunny, cool, breezy, perfect.  We had a Christian music combo called MIXX playing, great food prepared by our Seton's Men's Group, a door prize from a local motorcycle dealership, decals commemorating the event, and of course the blessing.  After the welcome and group blessing, I also went to each of the bikes and offered a "deluxe" blessing (with holy water) or a simple blessing (without - some do not want their bikes getting wet).  Last year I walked through the crowd, but my legs are getting worse so we put out the word and secured a ride for me (no, not on a bike, or side car, but on a golf cart - a black and orange Harley Davidson golf cart).  I called it my "pope mobile".  It was fun.

 

 

     Everyone had a great time ... our people commented on how courteous, polite and grateful everyone was ... and an email from a second year attendee who thanked us and called it "A premier blessing!!!"

     Who would have imagined - blessings for forty years going from bishop to bikers.