Thursday (Eve of All Hallows)

  • Quality time on the treadmill first thing in the morning, per my Thursday custom.
  • At the local urgent care clinic right when they open at 9:00 to obtain prescriptions for an antimalarial and a strong antibiotic--the former to take prophylactically and the latter to have on hand while in Tanzania. It was nearly 10:00 before I got out of there.
  • Prepared the readings and mentally hatched a homily for the 12:15 cathedral Mass, which it was my turn to celebrate.
  • Spoke by phone with Fr Swan in Decatur as he wore his Chair-of-Commission on Ministry hat.
  • Began processing my email inbox, which was inordinately time-consuming because it prompted me to do such things as draft a fundraising appeal letter for Nashotah House and answer inquiries on a range of sensitive issues.
  • Presided and preached at the regular midday liturgy in the cathedral chapel.
  • Lunch from Micky D's (McRib is back!), eaten at home.
  • Re-engaged the inbox.
  • Journeyed to Illinois National Bank and obtained the cash the three of us journeying to Tanzania will need for in-country air travel and hotel lodging.
  • Put meat on the bones of a homily for the feast of Christ the King (27 November at Emmanuel, Champaign).
  • Finally took care of a long-delayed bit of work I had promised to do for the diocesan stewardship committee.
  • Put meat on the bones of a homily for Advent Sunday (1 December at All Saints, Morton).
  • Evening Prayer for the Eve of All Hallows in my office.

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