Author: patcamerino

This year there are no apologies for our annual letter. We’ve been doing them too many times out of necessity (because of our tardiness in getting out personal letters) that it has now become routine to be late! Although they are “form” letters, we hope you know that we intend them to be more than junk-mail. Our love and concern for you is present, even when it is word-processed. This is especially true this year, a year of great personal happiness for us, yet one of general unease for so many we know and care about. We would like to share some of that joy with you; it would be better done through hugs and smiles than in mere print, however, our gratitude for the good in life is there … as well as our prayer that what is now in turmoil will be calmed during this Season of Hoped-for Peace and Goodwill. We have all undergone change during these past twelve months; in most ways that change has been growth in spirit.

Kip was graduated from Westfield High School, the first class to do so, and has entered Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. (The school’s most noted alumnus had the initials LBJ.) He is currently considering to be a geography major: something had to be put down! Since a young lady in whom he has an interest is a senior at Westfield, he is in Houston almost as much as in San Marcos.

Ken continues to be a loyal Aggie, i.e. a creature who is associated with Texas A&M University. He has lived and worked in College Station during the fall semester and will be enrolled in January as a psychology major, having tasted both electrical engineering and business administration. He is involved as much as possible in singing and in the Newman Center, the Catholic student group.

Deb remains a Texan by residing in San Antonio, where she has an apartment and a job as a librarian in the city system. Now that she has a full time job and the money to go with it, she may become more hedonistic than she has been thus far.

The main event for Pat and Karen this year has been the celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary. The whole family was in town for the renewal of their vows at a special Mass celebrated in their parish, Christ the Good Shepherd. Once the younger ones were back in their own parts of Texas, the older pair went on a two-week vacation in England, Wales and Scotland … an adventure they have been waiting for a long time. With a well-used Britrail pass, they went from London to Penzance (no pirates but as far west as possible in southern England), on to Bath, Cardiff, York, Inverness (as far north in Scotland as one can readily go), and Edinburgh. It would be difficult to say what were the most enjoyed and remembered parts of the journey. All of the cathedrals seem to run together after a while; but Pat took 18 rolls of film to help sort it out. (So far, none of their friends have seen the results; Pat doesn’t know why!)

On the business side of life, Pat remains with Baylor College of Medicine; Karen left the Chancery/Vocations Office prior to the fall trip and is now working part-time in a Catholic bookstore in Houston. (It’s the only one; there is some doubt whether she gets paid in money or in books!)

A significant part of the year was consumed by more classes for Pat’s Diaconate. He will be ordained a Permanent Deacon on February 25, 1984. He still needs your prayers.

N.B. The reference to “general unease” is difficult to identify some forty years later. An Internet search for 1983 yields some references to bombings in Beirut, London, and the Senate-side of the Capitol Building. The U.S. invaded Granada. Japan had a major earthquake; there were fires in Australia. A nuclear war, by accident, with Russia was prevented. The Soviets shot down a Korean jetliner. There were riots in Seattle. The AIDS virus had been identified. All-in-all, it seems like a typical year, albeit, one for the twenty-first century rather than the last decades of the twentieth.

It scarcely seems possible that so much has transpired since our last Christmas letter. The year began on a sad note but the months of 1984 have brought us joy. Pat’s mother died last December; her funeral Mass was on the morning of Christmas Eve. He and Karen flew to Ohio and combined the sadness of loss with the gladness of His Birth. Deb, Ken and Kip were present for a combined New Year’s Day/Christmas Day with improved expectations for the coming year. The greatest expectation was realized on February 25th when Pat was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate. The life-style for us hasn’t been dull ever since!

As a Permanent Deacon Pat has been involved in not only liturgical celebrations but also in adult religious education. Karen has been with him on every step of the way. It is difficult to say who has been the more involved in activities at their parish, Christ the Good Shepherd, what with Bible study classes, convert education, college ministry, marriage preparation, etc. Yet there has still been time for prayer and reflection – albeit, never enough. In July they managed a visit to Ohio and a week in South Bend, Indiana for work-shops at Notre Dame. Their vacation also consisted of a long weekend in San Diego in September, with as much golden-beach time as possible.

There has been so much to do that there has been little opportunity to fall prey to the empty-nest syndrome. Kip is now a sophomore at Southwest Texas State University; Ken is in his third year at Texas A&M; and Deb continues to reside in San Antonio where she answers questions at the information desk at the public library. (The rest of the family is reluctant to challenge her in a game of Trivial Pursuit!)

Pat continues to play with a new computer system at Baylor College of Medicine. Karen has left paid employment to engage in almost a full-time occupation in the parish. Except for the salary, Karen seems to have the better deal. She is our expert on the Old Testament and is rapidly becoming one on the New; she is also very active in writing prayer services and has been accused of writing Pat’s homilies/sermons (at least the “better” ones)!

In summarizing 1984, it seems that little has occurred which can be easily tabulated. Yet there has been much peace and contentment, values which can not be measured but nevertheless pervade everything and make all of it worthwhile. We hope that this has been true for each of you as well. The tangible accomplishments may seem insignificant – or even non-existent – in themselves, but the spirit of peace is there and the sense of growth is ever present. May your growth, too, continue in the coming months. May your beauty shine forth in this Season and throughout your life.

Dear Friends,

It must be obvious by now that we are late with our Christmas greetings to you who mean so much to us. The Lord does work in mysterious ways sometimes and our best intentions take second place to the events of our lives.

On Saturday, December 13, we celebrated Ken’s graduation from Texas A&M University. All our Christmas cards were addressed and everything seemed to be on schedule. Then, on Monday, December 15, Pat’s father died in Ohio. He had been in pain for a long time and for him death was a gift from God. For the rest of us it was a shock and a sad time, but we too recognize the blessing in it. Pat and Karen spent a week in Ohio clearing up financial, legal and spiritual affairs and returned home on Monday evening, December 22. Christmas was beautiful as always. The “kids” were all home and we were once more reminded of the presence of God in our lives.

As for news, Pat and Karen are chugging along trying to find an extra few hours in each day. Pat is busy marrying, baptizing and catechizing at the parish as well as holding down his position at BCM. Karen seems to be a full time volunteer which is a real joy. She is training to be a spiritual director, singing at Baptisms, working in the food pantry, and generally keeping very busy! Deb is finding a lot of fulfillment and challenge in her new job as convention coordinator at the San Antonio Convention Center. It’s great to see her happy in her work. Ken is considering his options now that he’s out of school and one of them might be graduate school in the fall (if he can figure out how and where.) Kip is entering his last year at Southwest Texas State U. The world may soon have a new science teacher. He too, is busy, happy and involved in a number of hobbies such as karate and scuba diving.

Hopefully, next year we will have time to give you a more personal message at Christmas. Until then, know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. May 1987 be a year of happiness and blessing for you.
Much love,

N.B. There is no Christmas letter for 1985, or at least my files do not include one. No explanation for the omission is available. For some reason, this letter for 1986 was typed using all capitals. The usual lower case is used for this electronic copy.

Sometimes it’s called “being organized”; othertimes, being a “pack rat”. Either way it results in a file of past Christmas letters back to 1980. Some began with an apology for another form letter (brought on, no doubt, by reading Ann Landers and all of her writers who dislike annual Christmas letters); others, with a bold assertion that next year we would get started early enough to write personal ones, but this year we were (again) so rushed that we had to resort to another form letter. (This is soft guilt rather than hard guilt.) No matter what the cause may be and recognizing that although you may side with Ann’s friends, we are, nevertheless, again sending what is now our “traditional” word-processed greeting. While it may be reproduced mechanically, the warmth we offer is far from mechanical.

Over the past year the changes have been minimal, or gradual enough to go unnoticed. Perhaps that means we are finally maturing, which sounds better than aging. One change has been Karen’s return to a paid position in the church. She is now the Associate Director of the Family Life Ministry Office for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. This means she is involved in all those efforts that make up the part of life she omitted when she worked for the Vocations Office: engagements, marriages, annulments, family planning, parenting, family development, etc. Pat still devotes his days to Baylor College of Medicine and his evenings and weekends to Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Community.

Deb remains in San Antonio where she is one of six coordinators for the city’s Convention Center. Having an office next to River Walk, a major tourist center, has its advantages and disadvantages. Ken is using his psychology training at a local psychiatric hospital. He has his own apartment about ten minutes away from Grand Valley, a minor tourist attraction for him when he is in need of a home-cooked meal. Kip is about to enter his student teaching in an Austin suburb. Next comes a full-time job as a biology teacher, probably in the Houson area, after he graduates from Southwest Texas State.

Our travel has been limited this year. A meeting in Charleston, S.C. allowed us a chance to see the Boston-of-the-South last spring. We recommend it highly. This summer we spent our usual week at Notre Dame taking a couple classes there: a busman’s holiday. A fall meeting allowed us to journey to Washington D.C. where we experienced their 15 inches of overnight snowfall. It was an excellent reminder of why we moved to Houston. (But we also admit that we miss the colors, even the whites, of New England and the northland.)

As we close this summary of our life for 1987, we wish each of you happiness and peace in the coming months. This next year dawns with a hoped-for change in the world. May it bring you a personal sense of the peace we seek.

N.B. It’s about time we stopped apologizing for what had become a routine endeavor. This appears to be the first computerized letter; at least an electronic copy does exist. There is, however, an “error.” This letter says my file goes back to 1980. Actually, I’ve found letters from 1963, 1964 and 1968. I’m even a greater pack rat than I thought.

Dear Friends,

Another year has gone by and with it many changes in the lives of the Camerino clan. It seems we are all in the throes of growth and change … and while that is normal and healthy, it can be unsettling as well. The “nest” is empty after years of the comings and goings of college students. It’s wonderful to see three children become such fine adults; but now and then it can lead to memories of how it used to be … and musings about future grandchildren seeing Santa for the first time. We are at the midpoint of it all, enjoying the intimacy and spontaneity of being a couple again. That part is good!

Pat is still chugging along at Baylor College of Medicine .. would you believe eleven years? … and busy preaching, teaching, marrying and offering spiritual direction at Christ the Good Shepherd. Karen is semi-retired after a year as associate director of the diocesan Family Life Ministries Office. She is working on special projects two days a week and filling her “spare” time with spiritual direction, volunteering and teaching adults at the parish. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary by returning to England and Scotland in October. It was an exciting and wonderful experience. Come and see our photographs of castles and cathedrals!

Deb has moved from San Antonio to Denton, Texas where her intended, Joe Gunter, is working on a graduate degree. She is still looking for a position worthy of her talent and experience but seems content to live in Denton, a college town north of Dallas.

Ken is still working at Gulf Pines Psychiatric Hospital but is looking around for other options with more career potential. He is close by and becoming involved in the music ministry at Christ the Good Shepherd.

Kip (or Chris, as he is now called) graduated from Southwest Texas State University in August and is teaching physical science at Oak Ridge High School in The Woodlands, Texas. He lives in the same apartment complex as Ken, only ten minutes from home. He is hoping to teach biology next year but meanwhile is getting his feet wet as a first year teacher.

So here we are at the end of 1988, hoping that it has been a good year for you, too. Although we write seldom, you often cross our minds and enrich our memories of over thirty years as Pat and Karen. We value our friendship with you; it is our sincere hope that your lives are blessed and happy.

N.B. This electronic copy is one of the first ones printed on special Christmas paper. A very large candle with holly appears on the left side; it required that the format be modified as the outline of the candle was reached. It’s great how easily a word-processed version can accommodate this requirement. However, as a result the amount of “content” has been reduced, accounting for the brevity of this letter.

Dear Friends:

What a year this has been! For the world and for us, personally. So many changes, so much puzzlement about the future which looks so good, yet has so many potential surprises in it.

Early last spring, Karen went into “official retirement”, which means she now works three times as hard, enjoys it five times more and doesn’t get paid. She thought that she would have little to do; but that was before May 18th when we had over a foot of water inside our house as a result of a twenty-four hour flood in our part of Houston. Although the water did not stay long, it was sufficient to force us to put in new exterior dry walls and paneling, carpeting, drapes and furniture throughout the entire first floor. For several months we lived in our kitchen and a second floor bedroom. Yet, with prayer and her hard work, our abode was in order by the big date of August 12th, the day Ken married Tracey Sturek.

The newlyweds are as happy as any classic newlyweds could be. Ken is also beginning a new career with Universal Computer Management. Tracey, who is a truly wonderful daughter-in-law, is currently an office manager for an architectural firm. Once Ken completes his company training they will be moved, it appears, to the Washington, D. C. area, a place of fond memories for us; we hope it will become so for them.

Deb has gone back to school. She is seeking a Master of Library Science degree at North Texas State University in Denton while working full time as a librarian in Irving, a suburb of Dallas for our Yankee friends. She hopes to have her degree by next December. (Her Joe was awarded his MLS from Texas Women’s University in Denton this past summer; also on August 12th.)

Kip who now goes by Chris, is happily employed as a biology teacher at Oak Ridge High School in The Woodlands, TX, just north of Houston. He has decided to trade in his apartment for the thrills of renting his own house, complete with large dog (Ace) and small cat (Webster).

Karen and Pat were able to recover from the events of the spring and summer by relaxing for two magnificent weeks in October with the foliage of New England. A flight to Boston and a rental car trip along the Maine coast and overland through the Franconia Notch area, Stowe, VT and down through our beloved Hanover and Amherst to Mystic and Cohasset reminded us just how beautiful maple leaves and birch bark can be. Our Texas friends enjoyed the pictures and now understand us a little better.

Our changes have not been as dramatic, perhaps, as those now occurring in Central Europe. Perhaps the years during which all of us have prayed for peace are now bearing fruit. We truly hope so. We join you in wishing Peace on Earth for all of Good Will.

N.B. The “new mailing address” is not the result of a physical move, but rather of the devastations brought by the flood as well as other factors. For some unknown reason, neighborhood kids took to knocking over mailboxes, even brick ones such as ours. (Evidently trucks can be readily used as battering rams!) We now had our mail delivered to the postoffice on FM 1960, a process we had endured in Amherst for better reasons. Until re-reading this letter, I’d forgotten completely about this new, living condition! As to the “changes in Central Europe” … revolutions against Soviet rule had occurred in Hungary (June), in Prague (November) and in Romania (December). The Berlin Wall came down on November 9th and 10th. The Tianamen Square incident had occurred the preceding June. Yes, 1989 was a momentous year, even if none of it was part of our annual Christmas letter!

Dear Friends:

Last year we began our Christmas letter with the statement: “What a year this has been! For the world and for us, personally. So many changes, so much puzzlement about the future which looks so good, yet has so many potential surprises in it.”

It appears that the same feelings exist once more as we await Christmas 1990. The future now, however, does not look quite as “good” as last December with the shift in attention from Berlin to Baghdad. The level of “potential surprises” is even higher.

On the positive side for our family, we had neither floods nor hurricanes to occupy us … there are blessings! In fact the weather has been so mild this year that we were able to landscape our entire yard this past November. The roses are still in bloom!

In August of 1989, we celebrated the marriage of Ken and Tracey. One day less than one year later, in August 1990, Kip (who now goes by the name of Chris!) married Kelly Siegel. This way the boys (and we) will always be sure of remembering their mutual wedding days. We are looking forward to August 1991 to see what is in store for us … there is bound to be something!

Although there was a possibility that Ken and Tracey would be moving to Washington, D.C., upon completion of his training with Universal Computer Management, this did not transpire. The one-year newly-weds live near by. Ken has continued with UCM and Tracey with her part-time employment as an office manager for an architectural firm.

Chris and Kelly are living in The Woodlands, Texas, a planned community several miles north of Houston. They are both teaching at Oak Ridge High School. Chris handles biology and Kelly is the mathematics expert in the family. Between them they cover the scientific waterfront.

Deb has completed her work for her master of Library Science degree at North Texas State University in Denton and officially graduates this December. She has, however, been working as a full-time librarian in Irving, a suburb of Dallas … that northern Texas town. Both she and Joe Gunter work for an enlightened system in that the city council practically doubled their salaries; who said literacy doesn’t pay!

Karen and Pat traded off the foliage of New England this autumn for the majestic Rocky Mountains. Karen had wanted to see west Texas. That she did! We drove from Houston to El Paso and north through New Mexico to Estes Park Colorado. It was truly breath-taking. Then there was the drive back from Denver through eastern Colorado and northern Texas. If you want to see forever, that is the place to do it!

As we bring to a close both this summary letter and this year, we join all of you who long for peace. We wish you peace in your personal lives and hope that all of us can achieve what was promised by angels on high: “Peace on Earth to all of Good Will.”

P.S.: Although we have not moved, our mailing address is now a post office box: P.O. Box 90278, Houston, Texas, 77290-0278. Thanks!

N.B. The year began “well” with the Soviet Union on the verge of dis-union. On the other hand, summer saw the beginning of the re-unification of Germany. However, in August, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and by the end of the year, the world was wondering what the US and Russia would do about Saddam Hussein in 1991.

Dear Friends:

Another amazing year and another Christmas letter attempting to summarize it! Our note for 1990 began with a reference to the shift in our attention from Berlin (was that really two years ago?!) to concerns of Baghdad. Who would have thought, then, that we would now be puzzled by Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, Israel, Palestine, Syria and all the other names which last appeared on the maps at the beginning of our current century? Then there is personal history.

Before starting to write this annual letter, there is a need to review what has gone before. It is surprising to find that our first “epistle” was for Christmas 1963. It focused on our new son, Kenneth, our move from New Hampshire to Oregon and Deb’s adjustment to nursery school. (No mention of anyone named Kip.) In the one for 1968 from Rockville Maryland, we wrote: “Deb, now in the fourth grade, is still in love with her classes; Ken has no complaints about his daily kindergarten sessions; and Kip keeps everyone busy just being Kip – a small package of dynamite.”

What about 1991? First we write of the newest Camerino: Jordan Michael, born to Ken and Tracey on August 6th, weighing in at 9 lb, 12 oz. At four months of age, he is 17 lb (or so) and 27 inches (or so)! He is doted upon, as one might expect, by parents and grandparents. When Ken is not being an active father he continues with his computer work and program documentation; Tracey is seldom other than an active mother.

And the eldest of the “middle” generation: Deb. She is now Mrs. Gunter. Joe and Deb were married on October 12th in San Antonio in La Villita, the “Old Town” on River Walk, near where she worked when living there. The location was chosen as being central to where they live (Irving), we live (Houston) and Joe’s family lives (Corpus Christi). For our Yankee friends, that’s like having a wedding in NYC with family in Boston and Baltimore, while living in Buffalo! Needless to say, no matter where we all live, all of us are very happy for them.

And the one who didn’t make mention in our first Christmas Letter: Chris. He and Kelly have moved from The Woodlands near where they still teach to a house they bought in a development near us. Their plans call for a cousin for Jordan sometime in early May. With August 11th and 12th and October 12th for weddings over the past three years, and an August 6th birthday so far, what date looks good to you? Remember, Kelly teaches math and Chris handles biology. (In addition to coaching freshman football, he now also coaches basketball; will wonders never cease?)

What with births and weddings, Pat and Karen were not able to get away for an extended travel vacation as in prior years. But there was a week with a view of the Gulf of Mexico at Port Aransas in late October. Unfortunately, the weather was unseasonably cold and wet, so the view was from the condominium and not from the beach, itself. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant change from the world of College and Church. We, the older generation, have weathered these parts of our lives well, albeit, with concern about Karen’s folks who are still living in Ohio.

Yet, this is what life is about: love for friends and relatives; concern for the generations before and after; joy with births, marriages and yes, with deaths, as well, for all of these are integral to the God whose coming among us we celebrate once more. So once again, we wish each of you, peace and happiness in this time of joy and continuing wonderment.

Dear Friends,

Another year is ending and who could have predicted all that has happened in 1992? We have seen the world in turmoil and although that is not new, new areas of unrest and warfare fill our newscasts and our minds. Places such as Mogadishu and Bosnia-Herzegovina roll off the lips of anchorpersons these days – places most of us were unaware of just last year. Natural disasters have devastated this country and others – earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires, tornadoes and typhoons have changed many lives forever. And into this cauldron comes the Prince of Peace to touch our hearts, to give us hope, to teach us about love and caring and everlasting life. Once a year we remember. If only we would remember every day!

This year for the Camerinos has been one of many peaks and valleys and not many plateaus. In May, our first granddaughter, Kirby Michele, was born to Chris and Kelly. She is a charmer (of course) and has won the hearts of one and all. Pat had the privilege of baptizing her and once again reaped the benefits of his call to the Permanent Diaconate.

Then in June, we traveled with a group of 50 to the Holy Land. It was a wonderful experience! Pat particularly enjoyed the hour we spent in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. We could have remained there all day long, remembering what was spoken there. Karen was moved to tears at the sound of the well at Nazareth where Mary and Jesus must have come every day to fill their buckets. We both found the “authentic” places to be more uplifting than the “traditional” ones, most of which are surrounded by fences or covered by churches. In any case, we want to go again some day and would encourage you to make the trip.

We also traveled to Eagle, Colorado where Deb and Joe are living now – a scant half hour from Vail. The Rockies are gorgeous and it was good to see them with our almost newly-weds.

Now for the valleys. We learned last year that Karen’s nephew, Steve, was infected with the AIDS virus. Karen spent some time in Ohio with her sister Tami and a lot of time on the phone as support to Tami and Steve. We lost Steve on September 9. He was a charming, witty, talented and caring man and he is sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

On November 9, Karen’s mother died in Ohio. Once more the trip was made to celebrate Peg’s life and to grieve her passing. Karen’s dad and sister are left to comfort each other in Ohio. Tami has her son Jeff, daughter-in-law Sharon and a dynamo grandchild, Devon, to help her through the bad times. There are times when the distances between Texas and Ohio are very great; this is one of them.

Back to good news! Ken and Tracey are expecting their second child in February. Their son, Jordan Michael, is 16 months old and lots of walking (talking?) fun. We look forward to new life and more joys of being grandparents.

Pat is chugging along at Baylor College of Medicine during the week and at the parish several hours on nights and weekends. Karen is still on the Ministry Staff of the Cenacle Retreat House and spends her time in spiritual direction and retreat work. She also has another passion: counted cross stitch. She has begun a seemingly-unending project of making Christmas stockings for all the family, eleven in all! It keeps her out of trouble, Pat says.

Our love and prayers go out to all of you. May you have a blessed and happy holiday season and a peace-filled new year.

N.B. Over the years Karen created twenty-one Christmas stockings for relatives! In addition she produced several cross-stitched illustrations and samplers. Given her arthritis of the last few years, she has purchased completed Christmas stockings for our great-grandchildren! Good things sometimes require modification.

Dear Friends,

We find it hard to believe this is the “30th anniversary” of our Christmas letter efforts. For the first six Christmases or so, we did not bore you (if Ann Landers is to be trusted) with the activities of our family and the relations with kin and others. During many of the following years we also avoided the ritual, yet, in looking back at these efforts, it would be wonderful to have a written record of the memories of those missing years. Fortunately many of them still exist in the cluttered attic of our mind and the storage bins of our heart. What will be packed away for 1993?

In mid-February, another Camerino entered the world: Dillon Andrew, at 9 lb. 133/4 oz, joined his brother Jordan Michael, who had weighed a mere 9 lb. 12 oz. Tracey and Ken seem to be destined for large events in their lives. Dillon, who is just as cute as his big brother, is almost to the walking stage. Jordan is now in what some would call the “terrible two’s”, but he resides there only a minimal part of the time. Ken is still into computers and Tracey is still keeping up with the men in her life.

Not to be outdone, Chris and Kelly are counting on a brother or sister for daughter Kirby. High school biology and mathematics teachers must be especially addicted to lesson plans, since their children are scheduled for the end of the school year and the start of summer vacations: some vacations! Right now Kirby is the favorite grand-daughter and knows exactly how to win the adorableness awards.

Deb and Joe have moved back from Colorado to San Antonio where she is the Assistant Director for one of the branch libraries and he is with Our Lady of the Lake University Library. Although they have lost the mountains and scenery of the Rockies, they have gained in being closer to Houston, for us, and to Corpus Christi, for Joe’s relatives. They are also within driving distance of Dallas for the Cowboy games, which might even be more “relative” to the move south!

Since academic institutions no longer have a mandatory retirement age, a major project Pat has been working on for Baylor College of Medicine has been “incentives for early retirement.” It would be tempting for him to practice what he preaches. But some would say that this is probably equally true for the homilies he continues to give as a permanent deacon. Karen continues her own pursuit of a spiritual life through her ministry at the Cenacle Retreat House in Houston.

Once again Karen and Pat made a “big trip”; this time a cruise of the Mediterranean. It was the first time (and we hope not the last!) we have been on a cruise. It was even more fun than we were told it would be. The Royal Odyssey departed from Rome (where we visited the usual: St Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Roman Forum, Colosseum) for Naples and Pompeii. Then to Cyprus and Jerusalem. (We still cannot believe we’ve been to Jerusalem twice within one year!) Then on to Rhodes and Istanbul, where Pat got his fill of Crusader sights. Next: Ephesus, Corinth and Athens. Yes, last year we “did” the Gospels; this year it was the “Acts of the Apostles” and St. Paul’s journeys. We both wish that we could have spent more time in Ephesus meditating and praying and in Rhodes, just drinking up the atmosphere. Our day-dreams now include a return to Athens and the Greek isles, shortly after winning the Texas Lottery!

In reality, we did get to Put-in-Bay and South Bass Island in Lake Erie where we spent a relaxing, long weekend. It was part of a visit for Karen to Sandusky while Pat was attending his 40th high school reunion in Niles. It gave us an opportunity to see dear friends and relatives once more. And that is what life is really all about: to share with friends and relatives the gifts of memories and dreams, the fabric of love.

No one can be sure of the memories & dreams yet-to-come; but we treasure those we have acquired these past 12 months. We hope that your treasures have also been found again at this particular season of the year, when we seek in a special way the peace and good tidings promised so long ago.