Kentucky doing it right...

On St Patrick's Day - of course, Fr Gabriel Harty is being held strong within our hearts. I remembered his love for Avoca, Ireland and the Meeting of the Waters (Rivers).  

The Flowing together of two rivers is like the flowing together of love between two friends.  

Because of Fr Gabriel and because of a dear friend who is battling some heavy illness issues, we decided to go to Carrollton, Kentucky. Our friend, whose name is Carroll, is a private person so I need not go into his struggles but simply ask you to pray for him. In Kentucky - the Ohio River and the Kentucky River meet at Carrollton.  

An appropriate place for us on St Patricks Day - to be at the meeting of the waters. There we prayed for Carroll and held all our dear friends close at heart. I had picked a shamrock (representing Trinity) and spring flowers (representing the regeneration of Spring time) and at the meeting point of the rivers, I tossed the bouquet into the waters.

Seraphim had brought the Blessed Host from The Reserved Sacrament and we took Communion 

at the Waters as the flowers and shamrock (oh and as a memory of Irish struggle, I also placed a potato leaf into the bouquet) floated into the mixed rivers.  

After prayers were offered, we journeyed thru downtown Carrollton to our favorite place to pray in that town, St John, the Evangelist Catholic Church.

The Meeting Of The Waters

by Thomas Moore

There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet

As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet

Oh the last rays of feeling and life must depart

Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart

Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart

Yet it was not that nature had shed o'er the scene

Her purest of crystal and brightest of green

'Twas not her soft magic of streamlet or hill

Oh No 'twas something more exquisite still

Oh No 'twas something more exquisite still

'Twas that friends, the belov'd of my bosom were near

Who made every scene of enchantment more dear

And who felt how the best charms of nature improve

When we see them reflected from looks that we love

When we see them reflected from looks that we love

Sweet vale of Avoca! How calm could I rest

In thy bosom of shade, with the friends I love best

Where the storms that we feel in this cold world should cease

And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in peace

And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in peace