Happy 19th Birthday, Teresa S.!

Teresa is the older sister of one of our 5:15 Sunday Mass servers, her little brother Francis inherited the job from her last year. She graduated high school last year from Our Lady of Peace Academy with highest honors, and is now a theatre arts major (with a history minor) at University of Evansville in Indiana. She's just started her 2nd semester there and is away from home for the first time. Teresa got a 2/3rd scholarship there and that's no small matter with the cost of private colleges these days.

I feel privileged to have gotten to watch her grow up. I've known her since she was 7, and asked her one day after Mass if she'd like to help me bring things from the sanctuary back to the sacristy. She served Mass most weeks from age 9 until a little after she turned 18 and got senioritis! I must say it's interesting watching her little brother serve Mass now. Same genes, similar good looks and charm ... and her mom reported yesterday that "Hey, when she came back from Christmas break they actually got along!"

She just sent me her first professional head shot the other day, and I must say she is as beautiful a person inside as she is on the outside. At 19 you're chomping at the bit, and can't wait to grow up and get on with life, turn around and it's 30 years later. Life is all too short, and Carpe Diem!

May God Bless her always

[And you thought I forgot Monday was your birthday, Teresa. Hope the day was fine and your suite mates weren't toads and treated you to something fabulous! ]