Simple Joy and Blessing... at a Gas Station

Looking towards the sea, from a hike I did Thursday.

From the same hike, the lane back to Lanherne.

Dear Friends and Family,

As I drove into Plymouth this morning my heart was especially full of joy--so many, many blessings in my life as a priest. How is it that I have the privilege of celebrating the Holy Mass each day, hearing Confessions, offering Benediction, baptizing babies, etc. etc.

At our good Bishop Mark O'Toole's request, every parish in the Diocese had a Eucharistic Procession and Benediction, or Adoration and Benediction, today--in union with the National Eucharistic Congress taking place in Liverpool. I offered Adoration and Benediction this morning at Lanherne, so that the Nuns could participate and sing, and then in Plymouth led a small Procession, followed by Benediction. The weather was beautiful and it was a real joy to honor the Lord in this way. Then I headed to the home of a young couple, who had organized a barbecue for the young adults of the congregation. It was a real joy to talk with them, laugh with them, hold the babies of a few of them. For those across the Atlantic reading this, please pray for the young adult Catholics in this corner of England. Since Catholics are less than 0.7% of the population, courage is needed!

To give you a glimpse of one aspect of my daily life, I'd like to share with you... my stop at a gas station on my way back from Plymouth. I pulled off at "Cornwall Services," about 15 minutes from the monastery. After filling the tank, I approached the counter to pay. The two attendants (a lady and young man), asked, "So where are you from?"

I answered St. Mawgan, but they replied, "No, I mean where are you from before that?"

"From Cleveland Ohio, though I lived in Texas for 15 years."

"I thought so! Your accent sounded a bit different, not like a Texas accent."

Then we began chatting, asking me how I wound up in Cornwall. After I explained a bit, and spoke about being a Catholic, the young man said, "So you're a Catholic Priest?"

"Yes, the chaplain at Lanherne Convent in St. Mawgan."

"Ah. I'm a Catholic too," he said, and extended his hand.

We exchanged a few more words and then I hopped in the car to complete the journey to Lanherne. Hopefully, I will be seeing him here.

This was a very simple event, nothing flashy about it. But it gives you a glimpse into some of my daily life. In addition to the exchange of words, I was glad to be wearing the cassock, and to always be a visible sign of our Faith.

May God help many young people here embrace the Truth.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari