Last night Mass, followed by a two hour Adoration of the hidden Eucharist, at St Paul Shrine proved profound.  Closing, Night Prayer from the Divine Office was conducted with the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.  A sincere bond has been formed with the cloistered sisters.  Religious service with them deeply edifies the soul.  Within the event a silent commitment filled my heart and mind, blossoming within prayer.  It remains anonymous and secret.  The four hour bedside Hospice vigil proved interesting yesterday. The man was actively dying within his home, surrounded by loving family.  I honestly felt in the way, attempting to remain unburdensome, flexible and soft, demanding as little attention as possible.  There were so many people about I simply spoke kindly when someone close addressed me directly.  The oldest son took impressive charge of his father’s passing, holding his hand, a source of strength for those surrounding.  He was quite an interesting man, a swimming coach, a celebrated swimmer competing at Orange High School.  Coming out of high school, he rejected scholarship offers from Ohio State and Michigan in order to swim for a nonscholarship Division II California school.  He felt a great longing to travel west after graduating from high school in 1986.  He is now a swimming coach for a high school in Bakersfield, California—the home of Buck Owens.  Currently, he is on sabbatical from that position in order to coach in Thailand for two years.  He hosted an exchange student from Thailand, a gifted swimmer and followed the boy back to Thailand, taking his two daughters and wife along with him.  His family is loving Thailand and Southeast Asia.  He was telling me how many foreigners from Germany, England, and the United States retire in Thailand for the beauty and the fact the exchange rate is so ridiculous a serious retirement savings turns into great wealth in Thailand.  Throughout Southeast Asia, he informs me there are English speaking international schools.  He himself is not fluent in the language of Thailand, although his daughters are doing pretty good.  Something funny he spoke about was the fact that the Thai people are childlike, stubborn in their refusal of improved ways.  Many times he makes suggests of improvements, simple practical ideas, and almost always he is met with obstinacy.  The refusal always: ‘we have been doing it this way for centuries why should we change now’.  The childlike innocence he admires in the Thai people he admits can also be frustrating.  They are so polite and friendly in refusing everything you present to them.  As I was leaving, everyone was waiting for the eldest son’s son arrival.  He was flying in from Hawaii, attending college at the University of Hawaii on a swimming scholarship.  The Hospice would call and tell me the grandfather died an hour and a half after I left.  I realized it must have been shortly after the arrival of his grandson.  In terms of fellowship, God graced bountifully.  I must be going.  Mary is waiting on me.  The two of us will be going to the Jennings Center to visit with the retired priest and another patient, then lunch followed by Stations of the Cross at St Paul Shrine.  The car rental mix-up earlier in the week was made up for this morning when the agent offered me a brand new Charger with a Hemi. The decked out car is a beast of a race car.  Driving will be an extravaganza this weekend.  God is good and all giving.