Still Making It Look Easy: Fr. Pat Kerst

Posted on by
Reply

A Smooth Delivery

It’s quite impressive. If you ever attend a mass celebrated by Fr. Pat Kerst, don’t expect him to use the pulpit during the homily. Rather, Fr. Pat will stroll to the front of the sanctuary and naturally engage the congregation. No notes, no hesitation, no ego.

He makes it look so easy. Sunday after Sunday, Fr. Pat preaches in a seemingly effortless way. But make no mistake about it, each homily is crafted with prayerful thought and preparation. But after that prep work is done and the gospel is proclaimed, Fr. Pat’s God-given talent takes over and he connects with those in the pews in his conversational and sincere way.

Congratulations to Fr. Pat Kerst on his 35th anniversary of his ordination.

Full Circle With Fr. Pat

Today, Fr. Pat marks 35 years of not just impactful homilies but overall dedicated and holy service to his vocation. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1990.

Today, Fr. Pat celebrates the 35th anniversary of his ordination. Last week I included this slide at the beginning of one of our Engaged Encounter presentations so our attendees could recognize his achievement.

If his 3.5 decades as a priest makes him feel old—don’t worry, Fr. Pat—it makes me feel old too! You see, some of my first vivid memories of Catholic clergy are of Fr. Pat. Early on in his priesthood, he served in Walla Walla at the three parishes in that community. When my family would make our frequent trips to town to visit grandparents and other relatives, Fr. Pat would be the celebrant when we attended Sunday mass at St. Francis of Assisi. A little bit later down the road, he would preside at my grandma’s funeral in that very same church.

I left the state for college and would eventually move across the country for my career, but Fr. Pat’s influence eventually caught up to me. In the late 2010s, nearly 3,000 miles away from Spokane in South Carolina, I found myself listening to Fr. Pat’s distinctive voice once again. It came via the Bishop and Vicars podcast, an outreach of the Spokane Diocese in which Fr. Pat would discuss topics with Bishop Thomas Daly and two other priests in diocesan leadership positions. By that time, Fr. Pat had ascended to the crucial Vicar of Priests post, a role he still holds today.

Fr. Pat Kerst has positively impacted me at different times and in different ways throughout the course of his priestly ministry.

Sharing the Stage

Eventually, the mileage between Fr. Pat and myself dwindled from 3,000 to 30. My family moved back to Spokane and I was delighted to find out that he was now the pastor at my parents’ home parish, St. Thomas More. On weekends when I needed a break from that priest at St. Mary in Spokane Valley (just kidding, Fr. Jeff 😉), we would drive “up north” to St. Thomas More. While there, it was obvious that Fr. Pat had not missed a beat from decades prior as I felt blessed to attend each mass that he celebrated.

A couple years after moving to Spokane, my family’s connection to Fr. Pat became even more profound. Sid and I were asked to join Spokane’s Engaged Encounter community, a ministry near and dear to Fr. Pat. If you ask him, he will say he jumped headfirst into EE after he was “pulled into it” a couple days after his ordination.

Fr. Pat Kerst joined the Engaged Encounter ministry soon after he was ordained and immediately started to make a difference in the relationships of engaged couples. This photo was from the March 2024 retreat.

Upon our inclusion in the group, we found ourselves now sitting at the same table as Fr. Pat during monthly EE team meetings. But our bond would soon become even closer. In March 2024, Sid and I presented at our first Engaged Encounter weekend retreat. The priest who teamed up with us during that weekend? Fr. Pat! What an incredible experience that first retreat was—thanks in large part to Fr. Pat’s experience, expertise, and support. Needless to say, we were ecstatic to serve another EE weekend retreat with him just last week.

Sid and I presented with Fr. Pat for the first time at the March 2024 Engaged Encounter retreat. What a pleasure it was to present with him and Joe & Natalie Schroeder.

Please take it from me: Fr. Pat is exceptional at these retreats. The way he connects with the engaged couples and pours all his energy into the weekend is inspiring. During the presentations we give about various marital/spiritual topics, Fr. Pat talks to the attendees in a relatable, knowledgeable, and—oftentimes—humorous way. Throughout the weekend he makes himself available for confession, sits with the couples during meals, runs the epic Yes/No game, sums up the key to marriage using a song, and presides over an intimate Saturday evening mass with a homily beautifully custom-made for the engaged couples in attendance.

Fr. Pat Kerst had fun with the engaged couples as he directs the infamous “Yes/No” game.

A Superb Priest

But there is a lot more to Fr. Pat besides his chops as an expert homilist, involvement with EE, and his privileged relationship with the Reser family (sorry, had to slip in another cringe-worthy joke 😂).

Fr. Pay stands with the engaged couples from last week’s Engaged Encounter retreat (May 2025). However, the Engaged Encounter ministry is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to all he does.

Where do I begin?

He is fluent in Spanish, a major asset in a diocese with a large Hispanic population. He serves on numerous boards while still making time to attend the sporting competitions of the parish school. He is on speed dial at hospitals because nurses know he will always answer when a Catholic patient need him. He is an effective administrator and authentic relationship-builder as evidenced by his assignments at the largest and most complex parishes in the diocese. He willingly travels long distances to distribute the sacraments—sometimes out-of-state and on his own dime. He owns a memory that would make an elephant envious (just ask any parishioner at St. Thomas More if the pastor knows their name 😉).

And I could keep on going but I want to make sure I wrap this up before the 36th ordination anniversary comes around.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

But there is something I admire about Fr. Pat even more than the many ways he excels as a priest. For me, it is his faith. Many people might not know this—and I am at no liberty to elaborate—but he has gone through some painful stuff that would have shaken me to my core if the events happened to me. Still, he pursued the priesthood with vigor and has continued to be dedicated to his vocation and faithful to God. Talk about an awe-inspiring example!

What a blessing it is for Sid and me to know Fr. Pat Kerst.

Setting Himself Apart

He makes it look so easy. That’s how I started this tribute to Fr. Pat. But when I mentioned it, I was alluding to his homily delivery style. He is calm, cool, and composed—the golden standard when it comes to public speaking.

However, a favorable stage presence can only get you so far. The big reason why Fr. Pat has been such a blessing to the Diocese of Spokane over the past 35 years is because of how he frames the content he pairs with his delivery. There is no doubt about it, he conveys the word of God with simplicity and straightforwardness. He speaks in terms that anyone can understand. In a world where religious leaders can lose followers within two minutes, Fr. Pat can relate biblical principles and church doctrine with accuracy and ease.

So let’s celebrate Fr. Pat Kerst today. Take a moment in prayer to thank God for a talented and kind man who has brilliantly answered the call of his vocation for the past 12,775 days. And trust me: Make the effort to visit St. Thomas More one of these weekends. Not only will you hear an epic homily but from that point forward, Fr. Pat will most likely never forget your name 😊. Don’t Blink.

A Shattered Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

I understand that this blog post might be the last thing between you and a four-day Memorial Day weekend so let me try to move fast. Thankfully, it is a Thursday Rundown so you don’t have to worry about reading a novel. But I guess continuing on with this introduction isn’t helping much so let’s get right to the five topics…

Olivia Is 1 – Last week my niece turned 1-year-old. Olivia, who was born on May 15, is the daughter of my brother and sister-in-law. I remember the day she was born I picked up the kids from school and surprised them by taking them to the hospital to meet Olivia. A strawberry-themed birthday party was thrown at my parents’ house to celebrate her first 365 days.

Olivia at her 1st birthday party.

Basketball Hoop Destroyed – Speaking of my parents’ house, I must convey some really tough news. Our family basketball hoop was recently ripped from its pole and rendered completely unusable. If you remember, we celebrated the hoop’s 30th anniversary last September and the post I wrote to commemorate the milestone was chosen as my #1 blog post of 2024. On Sunday, I helped my dad pick up the detached backboard/basket and place it in his truck for transport to the dump. My parents plan to purchase a new basketball hoop and I will update you when it is installed.

The Reser basketball hoop after it was taken to the ground.

Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day – It is Spirit Week at St. Mary Catholic School as Sloan and Beau have thrown their full participation behind it. Yesterday happened to be Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day and while both children were able to check the “tie dye” portion, my youngest struggled with the “crazy hair” part. Sidney recently cut his hair extremely short and when he asked for a mohawk, we couldn’t exactly swing it. Maybe next year, Beau!

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo before going to St. Mary Catholic School for Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day.

Fun and Original Pizza – Before heading to the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center on Friday night, our Engaged Encounter ministry team went out for dinner. At the recommendation of Fr. Pat Kerst, the five of us went to Republic Pi on the South Hill. What a great choice! The sandwiches were made with the freshest bread, the service was great, and the atmosphere was on-point. But the best part was the restaurant’s signature item—pizza! I ordered the Wilson pie which consisted of garlic cream sauce, smoked chicken, Yukon potatoes, cheese blend, green onion, and roasted garlic. It was excellent and worth another trip one of these days.

This was the Wilson pizza I ordered from Republic Pi. It was good!

Peanut Butter Sandwiches for Days – In another example of how some things seldom change, I want to flashback to a blog post I wrote 11 years ago on May 21, 2014. It chronicled my obsession with eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. In this particular blog post, I outlined the long history I had with eating the classic staple and shared some of the reaction from co-workers who became astonished with my consistent hobby. Well, guess what I ate for lunch today? Yep, you know.

A peanut butter sandwich I devoured 11 years ago. I still eat these delicacies every day.

—————————-

I am pumped for the Memorial Day weekend. The weather is going to be gorgeous and I am looking forward to just relaxing. After a couple big trips and a retreat, I am ready to stay home and rest. Please enjoy and be safe! Don’t Blink.

A Marital Lesson I Recently Accepted

Posted on by
2

This past weekend, Sidney and I had the blessing of serving at an Engaged Encounter retreat. We teamed up with another couple and a priest to help prepare a group of engaged couples for marriage.

Sid and I presented at our third Engaged Encounter retreat this past weekend.

Throughout the weekend, numerous presentations were given. Sidney and I delivered half of them while our partner couple delivered the other half. The priest participated in all the talks, leveraging everything us couples presented with biblical context, teachings of the Church, and his own personal examples.

For this particular weekend, our presenting team was identical to the first weekend Sid and I attended back in March 2024. We served as Couple A (the “younger” couple), Joe and Natalie Schroeder served as Couple B (the “senior” couple), and Fr. Pat Kerst joined as the weekend priest.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

The weekend was full of blessings and special moments. However, I wanted to focus on one specific sentiment conveyed by the Schroeders on the final day of the retreat.

Joe captivated my attention when he said the following to all the soon-to-be husbands in the room: The greatest gift to your family is to prioritize your relationship with your wife.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at this past weekend’s Engaged Encounter retreat.

This hit me hard because I usually think and act the opposite. Over the course of my marriage with Sid, I have put our children first, usually believing it to be the right and noble thing to do.

But could my good intentions be misguided? Joe explained that when the relationship between a husband and wife is prioritized before all other earthly relationships, everything else—children, extended families, friends, in-laws—will seamlessly and orderly fall right in line behind it.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at a precious Engaged Encounter retreat.

I guess there is a reason why a marriage rooted in the Church is a sacramental bond, right?

Again, in the past I have made it my mission to drop everything for our kids above all else. If it meant Sid and I missed out on time together then so be it! I did this even when my wife preached the same knowledge that Joe delivered over the weekend.

Why am I re-considering my priorities only after a fellow brother-in-Christ mentioned it? After all, Sid has urged this approach for years. However, I don’t think my wife’s past pleas have been made in vain—they simply set the foundation and the Schroeder’s presentation sealed the deal and drove the point home for me.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder are an inspiring couple!

As courageous and intuitive as it might seem to boldly claim that nothing comes before the needs and wants of our children, I need to walk back on that seemingly innate thought. After all, being a parent is not a sacrament—but entering into holy matrimony is. The sacramental bond between Sid and me needs to be prioritized and nourished at all times…or at least most of the time.

Because when it is, our marriage will continue to thrive. And marriages that thrive illuminate the light of God’s love to those gathered around the husband and wife. That is why Joe told the guys that the greatest gift we can give our kids is to prioritize the relationship we have with our wives. When we do this, God’s love is on full display to our children and they come to know, respect, and appreciate the holy bond between their parents.

Although Sidney and I hold positions as leaders/presenters at these Engaged Encounter retreats, we aren’t experts. And because we aren’t experts, that means there is plenty for us to still learn. In addition to Fr. Pat Kerst’s incredible wisdom and the bursts of inspiration I absorbed from the engaged couples, I am especially thankful for the 39 years of marriage that Joe and Natalie Schroeder brought to the table. Even beyond the prioritization of the husband/wife relationship, I learned so much from them this weekend.

It won’t happen overnight because old habits die hard, but I am going to try harder to put Sidney first, even when it doesn’t seem instinctive. Because again, God didn’t institute marriage to play second fiddle to any other relationship on earth. Also, if I truly am trying to do the absolute best for my kids—like the Schroeders said—I need to honor and take care of their mom first. Don’t Blink.

An Ordinary 14th Anniversary for “Don’t Blink”

Posted on by
Reply

Another year in the books! Last week I marked the 14th anniversary of Don’t Blink. I still remember penning my first several blog entries from my bachelor’s pad bedroom I rented shortly after I graduated college.

I celebrated the 14th anniversary of my “Don’t Blink” blog this month.

More than 2,700 blog posts later, I am still writing. Only I am no longer a bachelor and I graduated college a long time ago.

I guess that’s why my wife wrote “going faster than you think” on the latest homemade blogging anniversary sign she made me. It seems like just yesterday I was thick in the festivities for the big 10-year anniversary of my blog—how has another presidential election cycle and summer Olympiad passed so quickly?

Well, I guess time flies when you are blogging. 😂

Time goes by fast when you blog so Don’t Blink!

I don’t think I have too much to write about this non-milestone anniversary. In the past I have made threats about ceasing blogging or I have highlighted significant posts from the previous years. I won’t be doing either of those things to mark this particular anniversary, but I will make one observation: it seems like the number of in memoriam posts continue to increase each year. That’s distressing.

But on a happier note, I sure have enjoyed authoring this blog over the past 5,110+ days. Even greater than my enjoyment is my appreciation for those who consistently continue to visit brentreser.com to read, subscribe, and provide feedback. Thank you.

Thanks for reading my blog. 

When my 15th anniversary rolls around next year, I will plan to do something a bit more thoughtful than this rather vanilla blog post. But until then, please continue to keep reading—I will try to make it worth your while. Don’t Blink.

Bling Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
1

Don’t Blink because we are already halfway through May. Dang, after concluding every blog post I have ever written with “Don’t Blink” it was kind of weird to begin a post with my iconic phrase. Okay, let’s get to the rundown…

Ring Bling – It was 10 years ago on this date that I walked into a mall jewelry store and purchased an engagement ring for Sid. Not going to lie, I felt like a boss. You see, I wasn’t sweating whether my future wife would like her rock or not because we had already gone ring shopping. Several years ago, I wrote a post about the intricacies of purchasing an engagement ring and explained why it is wise to have some specific advice from your special someone before making the investment.

This photo is from the night I asked Sid to marry me. Because I asked Sid exactly what she wanted, I didn’t stress over whether she would like the ring or not (instead, I stressed over whether she would say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’).

Banner Bearer – Part of my job as marketing director at EWU is to oversee sponsorships. This past Saturday I found myself in downtown Spokane at the beginning of the route for the Jr. Lilac Parade. EWU served as the title sponsor and we had the honor of leading off the event. I was there to make sure President McMahan, Swoop, and the EWU cheer squad were all taken care of and ready to go. However, right before the parade started, the realization hit that Swoop needed a little help carrying the banner as he naturally wanted to interact with the adoring fans lining the parade route. Thus, I carried the banner for a good portion of the parade. Although I can’t say it was an adrenaline rush, I did feel semi-important.

I walked shoulder-to-shoulder (or wing-to-wing?) with Swoop for most of the parade. When he would go engage with people lining the route, I would carry the banner (photo courtesy of Hawkinson Photography).

Nonnas – It seemed like it had been forever, but Sid and I finally watched a whole movie together last weekend. We opted for “Nonnas,” a Netflix new release featuring Vince Vaughn. Based on a true story, it chronicles the ambitious business plan of a down-on-his-luck mechanic to open a restaurant employed entirely by Italian grandma chefs. For someone of Italian heritage, this film was a lot of fun. The dialogue, music, and FOOD all made “Nonnas” a movie that Sidney and I really enjoyed. If you are looking for something that is relaxing and won’t stress you out, you should give it a watch.

I recommend “Nonnas.”

Party Like a Rockstar – I have mentioned before that I drink Rockstars every now and then. My wife? She drinks them every day! Because of our preference for these caffeine-packed beverages, I can’t help but get excited when they are on sale. The moment I walked through the door at WinCo on Tuesday night, this display greeted me. You better believe that I stocked up and even drank one of them today.

This was the display at WINCO the other night.

Spring Sports Updates – May could possibly be our busiest month of the year. There is something on our calendar every single day with many of those obligations pertaining to Beau’s t-ball season and Sloan’s soccer season. Both kids are doing decent on their teams (although there is room for improvement). The biggest challenge? Trying to figure out if Beau is a left-handed batter or a right-handed batter. It seems like he is opting for a different side of the plate each time he is up to bat. Of course it would be cool if he matures into a switch hitter but I want him to first find a primary side that he prefers. Switching gears from offense to defense, Beau had the opportunity to play catcher last night.

Beau played catcher on Wednesday night.

——————–

And just like that, this May 15th Thursday Rundown has come to an end. Thanks for reading and please pray for Sidney and me as we lead another Engaged Encounter retreat this weekend. Don’t Blink.

A Field Trip For Work

Posted on by
Reply

A unique characteristic of Eastern Washington University is that we are only one of three universities in the country with a research facility on a national wildlife refuge. Just six miles from campus is Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, a 15,500-acre “playground” of beauty and nature.

Lucky for me, I finally had the opportunity to visit.

My team is currently working on a student profile of an accomplished individual, Jeff Schell, who will wrap up his undergraduate career at EWU next month. A differentiator at Eastern is that undergrad students actually do real research and Jeff took full advantage of this perk. In order to tell his full story, we went with him to the location where he conducted fish research—Turnbull!

Our team setting up a shot with Jeff Schell where he tosses a net into one of the Turnbull ponds.

On Tuesday afternoon, I accompanied four members of my team to Turnbull. We followed a group of grad students and Jeff to some cool spots so we could document hands-on learning in action.

Now, to be completely honest, there was some minor anxiety in our group. During the spring and summer months, ticks are very active at Turnbull. In fact, research is ongoing at the site centering on the various species that are thriving there. So, if you notice in photos that some of us have our pants tucked into our socks, we weren’t trying to make a fashion statement—we were just trying to keep the ticks at bay. But lucky for us, we had absolutely no issues or encounters with the creatures while we were there (or when we got home and checked our clothing one last time).

I promise, my socks are pulled up like that for a reason! Meet some of my team members (l-r): Emily Ausere (graphic designer/art director), Ali Saragoza (digital content strategist), me, Aaron Weer (intern), and Luke Kenneally (multimedia specialist).

Turnbull is such a gem. Beauty is visible with every step you take. Gorgeous wild flowers, calm ponds, fascinating birds, and picturesque hiking trails surround you. Perhaps even better than the visual stimuli is the symphony of nature that pleasures the ear. If you ever needed a place to escape and close your eyes to soothe your soul, make a trip to Turnbull.

Turnbull is so relaxing. In this photo, our multimedia specialist Luke captures a headshot of Jeff.

What a treat it was to take a work “field trip” to this nature sanctuary. Jeff was amazing to work with! As for my team, they brought their “A games” as they collaborated to generate the b-roll footage that will make the final product something that prospective students will want to watch over and over again. Special thanks to Luke Kenneally (multimedia specialist), Emily Ausere (graphic designer/art director), Ali Saragoza (digital content strategist), and Aaron Weer (intern) for working hard and making the afternoon so enjoyable.

Our team takes a selfie with Jeff at the end of the shoot.

If you ever get the chance to visit Turnbull, don’t miss the opportunity—just remember to tuck your pants into your socks 😂. Don’t Blink.

2025 Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts

Posted on by
Reply

As I have echoed my own mom’s words in past blog posts, homemade Mother’s Day gifts are simply the best. Once again this year, St. Mary Catholic School offered the initiative/thought while our kids supplied the creativity to produce some special gifts for Sidney.

Let’s open up these gift bags and see what is inside!

First, let’s start with Beau. You know if the gift bag has a cute pun on it that the contents should be halfway decent…

Based on the pun, any idea what is inside?

Beau gave Sid a cilantro starter kit. Everything she needs to grow the herb is in the pot that Beau painted himself. Thanks to the handsome photo of himself, there will be no confusion on who gifted his mommy the cilantro wants it begins to grow.

Beau gave Sidney this cilantro kit.

Sloan channeled her inner-Picasso for the second straight year. However, instead of the stunning portrait she made of Sid last year (which I loved), Sloan painted this moody landscape to be hung at the most highly-visible spot in our house.

Sloan painted this for Sid.

As a bonus, Sloan also filled in this sheet for Sidney. However, I think as kids grow in age, these things just get more mundane because this is probably the most boring/least funny/straight forward “All About Mom” exercise I have ever seen.

These have sadly become pretty straight forward as Sloan has gotten older.

In addition to the above beautiful gifts, the kids also helped serve breakfast in bed to Sidney. I hope your Mother’s Day was just as sweet as the cinnamon sugar pancakes we made for her. Don’t Blink.

Habemus Papam: Introducing Pope Leo XIV

Posted on by
1

WHITE SMOKE.

It didn’t matter if you were Catholic or not—on Thursday, it seemed like everyone on the planet was captivated by these two words. Once the College of Cardinals made a papal decision and the smoke conveyed the good news, you couldn’t escape the phrase: it resided on breaking news tickers of all stations, screamed in all-caps on social media, and filled up text message chains.

After the initial adrenaline rush and hysteria from just seeing the white smoke, attention started to shift to the monumental question: WHO?

I don’t think I need to fill much of this space with the pleasant shock I felt when Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the next pope. I shared the same sentiment as pretty much every other Catholic…surprise. This line is cliché by now, but I too didn’t think I would ever live to see an American pope. But here we are.

Count me all-in when it comes to the papacy of Pope Leo XIV! I am optimistic and excited for the direction of his holy leadership. Let me share three quick tidbits surrounding his selection…

I am excited for the papacy of Pope Leo XIV.

– Initially, you hear commentators proclaim that Pope Leo XIV is a moderate. I dislike using political terms to describe leadership tendencies of the Bishop of Rome so let me paraphrase it in a different way: I think the new pope is going to make the Church even stronger by uniting the faithful to a degree we haven’t seen in 20 years.

– It has been surreal for me to realize just how…umm…American that Pope Leo XIV is. I can go back to when he was Cardinal/Bishop Prevost and watch clips of him talking in plain English. I can view news reports featuring his siblings—ordinary American people—talking about an extraordinary disciple of Christ. I can scope out past social media posts, learn about his favorite Chicago teams, and research his time at Villanova. Pope Leo XIV simply hits very close to home…what a blessing!

– Speaking of blessings, I had the good fortune of benefiting from the insight and expertise of my pastor, Fr. Jeff Lewis, before/during/after the announcement of Pope Leo. When the white smoke was spotted, the Signal group I am part of with some of my best friends and Fr. Jeff started to blow up. After our initial excitement, we deferred to our priest as he took us through the proceedings, provided us background on Pope Leo, and offered his observations about the new pope’s initial choices and preferences (name, speech, clothing, etc.). It was enlightening and very much appreciated.

Pope Leo XIV made a great impression when he addressed the faithful who packed St. Peter Square.

But can I make a confession (pun intended)? Although I was so excited about the selection of Pope Leo XIV, I think I walked away from last week feeling even better about the way that Catholicism was truthfully and elegantly presented. Every single news station and media organization devoted wall-to-wall coverage of the conclave. And what did you see?…

You saw the true global reach of the Church. You marveled at the thousands upon thousands of devout people who filled St. Peter’s Square. You were touched by the joyous live reactions inside Catholic school classrooms when Pope Leo XIV was announced. You observed a diverse College of Cardinals comprised of holy clergy members from all corners of the earth. You sensed…perhaps even boldly felt…the billions of prayers being lifted up for Pope Leo and the Church in general. You were awed by the authentic faith in Christ that was on constant display.

What you saw was a large, passionate, faithful Church. It was simply a profound week for the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world—this blogger included.

As the papacy of Pope Leo XIV begins in earnest, let us pray for holy and humble leadership that leads us all closer to Jesus Christ. Don’t Blink.

Disney Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

My apologies for last week’s lack of a Thursday Rundown. Disney World kind of got in the way. But don’t feel too sad because I am back tonight with five random topics…

Five Amazing Years – On this date five years ago, with COVID turning the world upside down, Sid and the kids landed in Spokane to begin a new chapter with me (watch Sloan and I re-unite). I had moved to Washington a couple months before everyone else so I could start my new job at WSU while giving Beau more time to acclimate/grow post-NICU. I am so proud of how everyone adjusted—especially my wife. She took a chance, showed courage, and ultimately thrived by allowing us to move out here. I know others look at her as a role model in terms of what can happen when you move outside of your comfort zone. Thanks be to God for the grace he bestowed on us.

Sidney holds her sign moments after landing in Spokane on May 8, 2020.

Crowning 2025 – It is the Month of Mary and one way to honor our Blessed Mother is by crownings. Sloan and Beau had their Mary crowning at school earlier this week. Every student was invited to bring flowers to lay at the feet of the school’s Marian statue. When I brought them to school on Tuesday, we spent some prayerful time with Mary in the courtyard…a truly great way to start the day. St. Mary, pray for us!

Sloan and Beau hold the flowers they presented at St. Mary Catholic School’s (Spokane Valley) crowning of Mary.

Sword in the Stone – I didn’t share this photo in my Disney recaps so I figured I would place it here. If you have ever watched the Full House episode where the Tanners go to Disneyland, you are probably familiar with the Sword in the Stone. Park attendees can try to lift the sword out of the stone (just like King Arthur). If they are successful, a contingent of dignitaries come out of the woodwork to recognize the noble person. Unfortunately, Beau’s muscles weren’t enough to make the sword budge.

Beau tried his hardest, but he couldn’t remove the sword from the stone.

Squirrel and Bacon – Like pretty much every other place in the United States, Disney World is also home to lots of squirrels. As our group assembled outside of our resort to head to another park, we watched this squirrel chow down on some bacon. I bet it tasted so good.

I took this photo of a Disney World squirrel eating bacon. That is all.

Dum Dums Surprise – The lighthearted story I enjoyed the most from this week was the Dum Dums ordering spree an 8-year-old boy went on. He wanted to host a carnival and give suckers to those who attended so he made the “quick” order while playing on his mom’s phone. He evidently thought that 70,000 Dum Dums would be enough. Despite his mom’s best efforts to cancel the order, the large shipment arrived at her house and she was on the hook for $4,000. Luckily, everything got sorted out as the candy was eventually returned and the mom received a refund. If you are a longtime reader, you might remember a blog post I wrote 11 years ago that addressed why Dum Dums are special to me.

Me with some Dum Dums.

————

Thanks be to God that we have a pope! Please pray for Pope Leo XIV as he begins his new ministry. Thanks for reading and I wish you a magnificent spring weekend. Don’t Blink.

My Favorite School Nurse

Posted on by
Reply

For those of us lucky enough to have one at our school, you probably still remember this person. They saw us at our worst and did their best to straighten us out.

No, I am not talking about the detention teacher.

Rather, I am talking about the school nurse. On those days where our stomachs felt sick, our heads pounded incessantly, or our knees left some skin on the black top, we could depend on the school nurse to help us feel better (or at least give us a one-way ticket home to watch TRL).

School nurses weren’t just reactive either—they screened for ailments before we even knew anything was wrong. Hearing tests, lice screenings, and scoliosis checks, anyone? Always busy, overworked, and underpaid, the school nurse was definitely an MVP in the schools I attended as a youngster.

But despite the stellar nurses I had in the schools I attended, there is someone else who I prefer. My favorite school nurse is my mother-in-law!

My mother-in-law is my favorite school nurse!

Brenda started her career as a general practitioner nurse. When my wife was 4, my mother-in-law made the transition to the Marion (South Carolina) school system. However, I don’t know if “transition” is the  right word because there was nothing to transition to. You see, Marion didn’t have a school nursing program…

So Brenda created one from scratch.

After building and establishing a nursing presence in the Marion County School District, Sid’s mom would eventually work for Horry County Schools. By the time she retired in 2018, my mother-in-law had devoted more than 20 years to nursing in schools. One can only imagine how many students and staff members she treated.

Although she is now retired, my mother-in-law is still very active in the community as she lends her nursing talents to various causes. She is also the perfect “personal nurse” to my father-in-law, all her children, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. It goes without saying, thanks to Brenda, we were all in great hands at Disney World. 😉

It sure was nice to have our own personal nurse with us at Disney World.

The Wednesday of National Nurses Week (May 6 – May 12) is always reserved for National School Nurse Day. Take a moment to remember the school nurses you had growing up and perhaps do something special for the nurse currently serving at the school where your children attend. Much gratitude to my mother-in-law for the incredible impact she made in the lives of so many. Don’t Blink.