I know a Minister who each week reports to his Congregation
the number of services he has performed, the number of meet-ings he has attended, the visits he has made and all the rest.Since this will be my last column, I thought something like thatmight be in order for me to give you. As far as we can recon-struct the 9 years and 5 months I have been at St. Pat's therehave been:Baptisms/Receptions into the Catholic Church377Weddings72Funerals147Confirmations316First Communions476Graduations134Emergency Sick Calls141Boxes of Kleenex used during Office VisitsWho Knows?Anointings of the Sick at AdventGod KnowsQuarts of Tomato Juice Made from the Garden1000+That's about the best I can do. There's no way I could evercount the Masses said with you, the meetings I've attended, theworkshops, the confessions I've heard, the RCIA classes I'vehad the privilege to give you, the annulments we've managed toobtain for folks who needed to start their lives anew etc., etc.,But it has all been a labor of love because I am a priest and thisis what priests are called upon to do. No one is perfect. I'msure that I've failed some of you somewhere along the line. Forthat. I'm sorry. Please pray for me as in a week and a half Imove on to my new and hopefully last assignment. I hope I cangrow tomatoes in Utica like they grew here in Washington.Thanks for the garden. God Bless!-Father Swaner