Dear Mom:
The year started off calmly. The truth is that we were all able to be together at Christmas, which is not bad at all, because of the joy it brings, and because there are so many of us. So many. Every year there are more of us.
At the beginning of January I received an email from the Bishop thanking me for the fourteen years of work in the Bishop’s Tribunal and, taking advantage of the end of my appointment, he told me that I could rest a little from the duties I had performed there. For the first time, in my twenty years as a priest, I was only going to be a village parish priest, and nothing more. What I wanted to be as a child. It has been a year rich in dealing with people, a year of being close to the Lord, and in which I have been able to read St. John of the Cross.
Do you remember? When we studied “La Canción del Pirata” by José de Espronceda at school, of which I still know some parts, Dad said that he didn’t understand that having San Juan de la Cruz in Spanish, we were wasting our time with those verses. It has taken me more than thirty years since then, but I have finally listened to him. The truth is that it is a wealth that is difficult to measure, but I also tell you that, then, I would not have understood even half of it.
On the occasion of that reading I have returned to give the classes “online”, and it is wonderful how you can make it easier for people to read, understand and, why not? Live what is explained there. The “Llama de Amor Viva” is a beauty, I was going to say, that I recommend that you read it. The truth is that you are already seeing it face to face, and you will be able to live together the Love for the Beloved, which Dad also repeated, quoting Ramon Llull.
In February, I tell you that we were invited to a meeting of “Influencers” who aim to bring Christ to Social Networks. Thanks to ACdP, I met some friends. Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, from Red de Redes, came, the Olguín sisters, who recorded “La Casita sobre la Roca”, which children like so much, Patite, the one with the beautiful drawings, the girl who walked to Jerusalem, Iceache, the one from Malaga… there were a lot of us. And from there we went to the cinema. I have been to the premiere of several films, perhaps the most striking one being “Nefarious”, because of the plot and the media impact. Although it is true that so many good films are coming out now that we don’t even get to see them.
I’ll tell you something else, with Fran, a priest friend, and two families, we escaped to Ars and Paray Le Monial, where we practically began the Jubilee for the anniversary of the apparitions of the Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret. I tell you that in Ars I asked Saint Jean-Marie Vianney to help me with a small personal problem, which was resolved in the best possible way, a few months later. Do you know what day? August 4th. The saint’s feast day. Details of Providence, once again. It was a beautiful trip, you would have loved to have gone. Although I think you had been there, many years ago. I’m sure it’s still the same. Everything is the same as it was then.
Around March, I began to prepare a conference on the apparitions of the Virgin in Garabandal. The truth is that I published it on YouTube, after having been in Valencia with a large influx of public, and they began to call me to go and speak about the Virgin in different places. It is true that I always said that they called me to talk about Social Networks and the YouTube channel, and almost never about Canon Law, which was what I had dedicated almost all my free time to during approximately fifteen years of studies. Now, it was much more endearing, because preaching about the Blessed Virgin is not only a right, it should also be an obligation of every good son and, in this case, it has been an opportunity and a great gift. Covadonga, La Junqueyra, the Novena of Santa María, Murcia capital. You can almost say that everything possible came true, and that more would have been impossible. I think the Virgin was happy.
For the Anniversary of the Ordination, the painting that they had prepared for me arrived, by Olga, the same one who painted yours. They both look wonderful, together with the Heart of Jesus by Avi Ramón. Just after the painting arrived, we went to the Aran Valley for a few days. This year we have organized ourselves with the priests of the archpresbytery, and we have been able to spend some weekends away. I celebrated again in Salardú, and we were all together again. Although now, in the Valley, there are so many people that there are places that close when they are full. It’s so nice to be on the beach, I don’t know why everyone doesn’t go there and leave the mountains as they were before! Do you remember when hardly anyone came? Those were the days!
I’ll tell you an anecdote. We went to a restaurant to have something to drink, like an aperitif, and since all the nephews were there, the waiters’ faces suddenly changed. They started saying that everything was booked. The truth is that it didn’t seem like it, but I think they were scared that we would stay. That mystery of today’s world where it seems that people don’t like to work. Maybe they think that their bosses will take their salaries out of thin air or whatever. Anyway, they gave us something, but we didn’t go back. We’ll have to put a review on Google that it’s not a good idea for too many to go, because they get scared.
More things, Inmaculada and Fernando are expecting another baby. Now there’s no room for us. We’re going to resort to inflatable mattresses soon. The course started without incident, soon we have the Pastoral Visit of the Bishop to Villar de la Encina and Carrascosa de Haro. The bishop, you might ask, is brave. He continues working more than two years after presenting his retirement. It will be more difficult, soon, to get a bishop than to buy a car. What else can I tell you? Oh, what a shame! The father and some mothers of people closely linked to the Parish died. I don’t know if you remember. Mari Carmen’s mother, the butcher. The one I went to visit in Valencia, and I was able to give her the Anointing. How nice that now, almost everyone calls you to give it! They already know that it is not only to die, but also if they are sick. Mothers of people younger than me are already starting to die. Amparo, her sister, was sad. Poor thing. We already celebrated her Masses and everything. Shut up! I have to tell you about the campaign of Masses for the Souls in Purgatory. You can’t imagine how it went. We started offering alms collected in a lamp for Masses, I put it on Social Networks, and we have distributed countless Masses. This year we have to repeat.
Wait, there are more mothers. Esperanza and Amparo died: the two ladies who could hardly move. Both families also came to the Masses. Lots of people at the funerals, and silence, mum! You can’t even imagine. And very recently, Elisa, Miguel Ángel’s mother, the owner of the rural house we use for the retreats; José Luis, who takes care of the funeral home, and Gracián, Chelo’s. You do know who that is, who taught the kids about goats when they were little.
And, as they say here, Beni’s father, Samuel, Miguel Ángel, Neme… there are many. If you had seen the number of people, the respect. It’s a joy to see how they honour and pray for the deceased here. Well, I don’t know why I’m telling you, if you already know all that.
I’ve lost count of the birthday candles I’ve blown out. One surprise after another, but of those unexpected ones, that you can’t even imagine. Since I don’t need anything, it’s becoming more and more difficult to come up with gifts. I won’t go on any longer, I’m sure you have a thousand things to do. Pray for the whole family, for the four villages, for the priests and also for the bishops, the one who is leaving and the one who is coming.
I love you very much, Mom! I won’t forget you. Your priest son: Antonio María +
P.S. What a head! I haven’t told you about the catechism girls, the prayer groups, and I haven’t congratulated you either. Even though there are three weeks left: I HAVE MANY MORE! Well, all of them. Because Heaven is forever. I’ll tell you about memory another day, but since Dad is gone I can’t remember anything, and 2023 has been completely erased from my memory.
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