Austin Howlett

 Our young friend Austin was memorialized today in a Mass of Resurrection at Christ Our Light Catholic church in Troy.  We were there with all the members of the staff of Lange home and all of his classmates from Troy HS.  It was a wonderful sendoff with a church filled with family and friends of Austin.  He and his grandma were active members of the church.  He was Shannon's pal and when he was able retrieved anything she wanted,  Judy loved him and his little spirit.  That thumbs up was always his greeting.  He brought much sunshine to the dwelling. He was dealt a pretty crummy hand in life.  With all his disabilities, both physical and mental he still had a positive outlook. 

Whenever I attend a service like this,  I am perplexed by my own personal vulnerability in the situation and not at all comfortable with it.  All the ghosts of my past as a Catholic arise.  I know all the prayers, and the priestly rituals of the mass.  I struggle to hold back the tears. The  priest that officiated was genuinely a nice guy that came down and spoke relaxed about Austin, good points and not so good.  He got a lot of laughs. I recall the priest I grew up with, a rather stilted Fr. Donald Kuntz doing all the steps to complete the mass. He helped my parents through the loss of their daughter. At mass I remember he drank the wine in the chalice and vigorously wiped out the cup with a white cotton cloth.  This guy today did the same thing.  When I saw this, I was immediately transported to being 11 or 12 sitting in church.  These ghosts are still with me.  I did not hate church and really enjoyed the rituals of the mass and contemplated the priesthood at one point.  My falling away from the church occurred some time later.  Somehow in this setting today, with kind words and words not read but spoken from the heart,  I was comfortable and felt welcomed.  But I feel compelled to comment that the singer with his perfectly played piano sounded like a broadway singer with a flawless vibrato.  

Marie got bonked in the head with a soccer ball today and ended up at the ER, but is ok with only a slight concussion.  Judy was there with her until mom and dad showed up.

Thats it for today. 

stay safe and enjoy the warm weather tomorrow for it is a gift we need

all for now