From the Pews

I was trading messages with my friend Steve who I know from both Olympic Gym and Holy Spirit Catholic Church and it got me thinking and reminiscing in my mind about sitting in the pews and what I'd pray for and of course what I was thankful for from the Good Lord.

HEY... let's jump in my time machine and go back... way back in time back to when I'd go over to my training partner's house for Strongman Training then I'd clean up, put some nice clothes on (nice shorts and a collared shirt is enough when you drive a Jeep in South Texas) then head to Church for Sunday evening Mass.  I loved going to the Sunday evening service they called the Youth Mass because the Youth Choir did a wonderful job singing and the dress was a bit more casual which worked well for me pulling into the parking lot with Metallica playing!!  I sat in the same area all the time... myself and it seemed every other single person all spread out but we will get back to this in a second.

Father Tony was usually the Priest for the service and he and I had our own story that I'd like to share.  I had seen Father Tony one crowded Friday night at my favorite Italian restaurant, Little Italy so I invited him to share my table. He was an interesting man and every bit of what you'd think a Catholic Priest would be complete with the Irish accent and a dry sense of humor.  He said that he'd seen me at Church saying that there was no way to miss me!! I'll tell you that we had a blast sitting there for a couple of hours talking about everything under the sun.

So one Sunday Father Tony's Homily was about "Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover" and it started off good until he said, "Now take Big Ed back there in the singles section of the Church" to which I started sliding down the pew trying to hide and the others who sat there looking at me when Father Tony laughingly says "Come on Big Ed you can't hide that big ole sunburned head!!"  Now everyone in Church was snickering and turning around looking for me!!  Good Lord I could feel my face getting red from embarrassment.... Then Father Tony proudly exclaims "I had dinner at Little Italy with Ed a few weeks ago and if you only judged him by his looks you'd run the other way if he came towards you but if you did that then you'd be missing out on an amazing human being.  I'm not kidding he's obviously big and strong but he's also so much more than just that. He's intelligent, driven, passionate about so many things and has a huge caring heart!!"

Now it's time to receive Communion and Father Tony makes sure he's handing out the Communion and when I come up he proudly says "You like how I weaved you into the Homily?  I'm on a mission to get you a good Catholic girl to marry!!!"  I smiled at him and just said "I told you who I wanted back in my life!!"  He told me to pray on it and if it was God's will then He would take care of it.

One of the best memories was bringing Father Tony to a San Antonio Spurs game.  So after the game I brought him back to the weight room and locker room to meet some of the players when Jerome Kersey asked him how he knew me and Father Tony was proud to say that he was the Priest at the Church that I regularly attended when the players turned at looked me I yelled out "I only look like a heathen gentlemen!!"   Since Father Tony had their attention he decided to tell them the story I just told you and then the players decided to tell him some stories!! Thankfully they didn't tell ALL of the stories!!

In 2006 before I left for a coaching gig in New Zealand I saw Father Tony and told him that God had indeed answered my prayer and that I was very happy.  I went to Church when I got home from New Zealand but Father Tony had moved on to another Parish.  I think about him and all of our interactions at Church or when I'd meet him for dinner and we'd talk...

I miss him that's for sure he was a great man and a positive influence in my life.