In Baker City

Naturally I am presently in Baker City for the annual Chrism Mass to be celebrated tonight with Bishop Liam Cary and all the priests. It was a pleasant drive yesterday although overcast and cloudy, but it's bright and sunny this morning, with the spectacular Elkhorn Mountains majestically displayed above Baker City. Most of the priests stay at the Welcome Inn Motel, courtesy of Rich and Lynn Langrell, and the place is buzzing with activity.

The sad news has been announced that the plane crash in the Alps in Southeast France was the result of a murder suicide maneuver by the co-pilot. Our hearts go out to the families of the 150 people who were innocently murdered in this heinous tragedy. Among the victims were 16 German students, two opera singers returning home after performing in Wagner's "Siegfried" and many other Spanish and German citizens. The plane was flying from Barcellona to Dusseldorf and crashed in a rugged mountainous region after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit, and what followed was an 8 minutes free fall that resulted in an intentional crash of the Germanwings plane. Our prayers go out to all the victims and their families.

Today March 26 would have been my Father's 90th birthday. He was born in my hometown of St. Julian's on March 26, 1925 and passed away on January 4, 2002. Today happens to be my 12th anniversary of starting my ministry in the Baker Diocese, when I was assigned to serve as pastor of St Elizabeth of Hungary parish in John Day.