It was time for the fall harvest, but this time the pumpkins glistening on the lawn in the morning sun were glass and definitely not edible.
We volunteered for the annual pumpkin sale at MIT and gathered in front of the KresgeCenter for tutorials on proper wrapping techniques. The crisp morning was an incentive for people to get out to enjoy the day. Meanwhile, a crowd of eager shoppers were lining up in droves to have the first pick of the patch.
The pumpkin sale is sponsored by the MIT Glass Lab and the proceeds are used to fund their work throughout the year. The beautiful, artful glass is made in non-credit classes that are always a sell out!
It was fun to watch the shoppers crowding around the various pods, trying to decide which ones to take home. The morning turned into a beautiful day with sunny skies, so most of the pumpkins sold before noontime. MIT also sponsors Mother’s Day and Holiday glass events, so if you will be in Cambridge, check the dates and times. http://web.mit.edu/glasslab/sales_pumpkin.html
The annual visit by Bishop Jude is always the highlight of the year! He is the Bishop of Palayamkottai Diocese in Tamilnadu, India. He flew in from Chicago and was staying at St. Anthony's . I picked him up at the rectory at St. Anthony’s in Revere and we arrived at St. Michael Church in North Andover on time for the .
Fr. Keyes concelebrated the Mass with the Bishop.The Bishop gave a wonderful homily and the Mass was beautiful. The church was crowded, AARP should be proud of.. After church, we went to the all-time favorite 99 Restaurant for a delicious American style dinner of seafood and rice. Bishop had many good stories to tell, and the evening passed quickly.
The Bishop couldn’t ask for a donation for the needy in his parish due to the regulations of the local Archdiocese here, but if anyone is interested in giving him a hand, let me know and I can pass along any donations or help to him. Even a very small amount of US dollars can work miracles there, as what is spare change for coffee here might feed a family for weeks, or help to build a school. He works with some extremely poor parishes in southern India, and has been instrumental in establishing a number of very important schools for very poor children there.
Bishop had a few places to visit on the east coast, so we didn’t see him for a few days. Before he left, I went back to Revere and had another wonderful dinner with the fathers from St. Anthony of Padua Parish. The home-made pizza was the best, and the good conversation and laughter made for a night that I will always remember fondly.
