Tomorrow morning: a wonderful surprise

Regular readers will know that I live in an isolated country district in south west France, and am taken to Sunday Mass, twice a month at the most. Mass is rarely celebrated in our village church just across the road, although, on my request the Blessed Sacrament has been reserved there since Palm Sunday this year and I'm therefore able to visit the Lord twice a day, and it is our job to open the church in the mornings and lock up again in the evenings.

This afternoon I was telephoned by our priest who looks after 24 parishes including ours. He is resident in a town about 20kms from here but has a priest friend staying at the moment and the two of them want to say their Office in our church tomorrow morning, after which the visitor will say Mass. Pere Marchand assured me that I'd be welcome to attend. Could I be certain to open the church by 8am. No problem there, as my husband is normally on key duty by that time in any case. So, an early start tomorrow.

I cannot be certain, but it must be at least 30 years since a priest recited his Office in the church, let alone two on the same occasion.

Office and early morning Mass on an ordinary weekday. I am quite overwhelmed!

Deo gratias.