Mormons from Africa?

GOOD MORNING!

This past week, we encountered some confusion as to who exactly we are, and where we are from. At the Scoil Mhuire Beginning-of-the-Year Mass, Fr. Sean introduced us to the kids, then asked them where we were from. The overwhelming response: AFRICA! Apparently the tans we’ve developed while over here have worked quite well to throw everyone off… And then, while riding to the cross country race yesterday with one of the coaches, Dan and I were talking about what we were doing in Wexford and where we were from (not Africa, this time, though we were tempted to keep up the ruse), when Catherine suddenly piped up, “So you’re at Clonard Parish?” We confirmed that we were indeed from Clonard, to which she said, “Oh! Some of the boys at the workouts were saying that ye were Mormons.” Apparently, Dan and I need to start looking more like Catholics, and less like two young American males who travel abroad in pairs. We’ll get back to you on how that goes.

Semi-identity crisis aside, things have been going really well. This past Friday and Saturday we were at Glendalough to spend time with the group from the Diocese of Ferns that went to World Youth Day in Madrid. We provided music for an evening prayer service and Mass, and spent part of a rainy Saturday on a walk through the valley, which made for some great conversations. We are looking at hosting an Emmaus-style (Scripture and faith sharing) evening at our house for the group, starting in the next couple of weeks, which will be exciting.

Some of the Ferns WYD group + us

Dan and I competed at the Wexford County Novice Cross Country Championships (WCNCCC) yesterday in Adamstown with the Menapians Athletics Club (MAC). The club came in 3rd place in the men’s race, which was quite an improvement, but the afternoon was a real treat. The race was held in a cow pasture, so not only were we running through thick grass for 6 km, but simultaneously dodging cow pies. They had races for the younger kids, too, which provided for an all-ages format of cross country that I had never seen in the States.

We’re gearing up for several upcoming events at the moment, including Dan and Jess for tonight’s first CoBCT-AFF (great acronym, rolls right off the tongue) meeting ( Conversations on Being Christian Today – Adult Faith Formation), a visit to Scoil Mhuire this afternoon to prepare for the first Class Mass of the year, and our Fall Music Workshop (FMW), coming our way on October 16th. Also, we get ready to welcome our second visitor this weekend: my Dad! Please keep him in your prayers as he travels all the way from Arizona.

Jess wanted a picture of the Teach at Glendalough, so here’s what I came up with: