XL Deo Gratias Et Gratias

As I journey through life, I will tell you a story.
You see, it was at the end of the 8th Decade of the Twentieth Century(1980), wondering what my vocation in life was.
As someone in my Parish in City Line had been ordained to the Priesthood, I wondered if I might have the call to the Priesthood. So I decided to inquire by talking to the Director Of Vocations of The RC Diocese Of Brooklyn in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
I met this tall, black haired Priest in The Chancery. He said that he was originally from Forest Hills.
The Young Priest challenged what I believed in.
For you see, I was becoming another Archie Bunker, one who was comfortable in one's own world of Status Quo, refusing to see good in newer things, often regarding others from other ethnic/racial backgrounds to be inferior. In short, if I had continued, I would have been a lonely mess, in other words, anti-social.
For Archie's Surname of Bunker was most appropriate, for he was mired in his bunker & comfortable. Ideas irritated him.
I recall that in November, 1980, I had made a conscious decision to invite the 11-14 Boys & Girls from St. Fortunata School in East NY, Brooklyn to the Knights of Columbus Int'l Free Throw Basketball Championship-Council Round at St. Sylvester School-City Line, Brooklyn. It was the Right Thing to do. But, This infuriated people in St. Sylvester Parish, now about to go through a radical change in Neighbourhood composition. If a Black Person was seen on Liberty Avenue or Fulton Street, it was believed that he/she was lost or looking to rob someone. This was in 1980. But, these children were in a Catholic School, which the locals didn't take into consideration. Despite doing this most proper of things by inviting St. Fortunata School to this event, I was subjected to horrific verbal abuse. The locals were going out of their way to sabotage the event. My Co Chairman reminded me that I shouldn't be offending our "Gracious Hosts." I cracked, "Who said these Hosts were so gracious."
Of course, The Christ Did Right, but He did torque off The Pharisees, The Status Quo of the time. Doing what is Right & Just, may make for a few enemies along the way.
That Young Priest did make an impression, for my own good.
So that Priest, with the Title of Domestic Prelate & Papal Chamberlain will be offering a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, May 27th, 2012, 12:00 Noon at the Parish where he began his life and is now the 6th Pastor of this Parish, called Our Lady Of Mercy, in the southern part of Forest Hills, in Queens. Along the way to his current assignment, he was Temporary Administrator of Most Holy Trinity in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, about 14 Years before the arrival of the Young Artists & "Hipsters", which Williamsburg is noted for & where I made my acting debut.
Deo Gratias, Msgr Mc Guirl, Et Gratias.
Ad Multos Annos.
M