Homebound Mass & Luncheon

One of the ministries our family is involved with is serving the homebound by providing a communion service at their residence. Once a year though, we gather all of our homebound residents and bring them to our church for a special Mass and luncheon. Today was the day!

Confession: We've somewhat selfishly gotten involved in this ministry because our kids don't have a grandparent within 1100 miles and they have no great grandparents, so they love the interaction and have learned so much from these fun folks! I love how the children are naturally comfortable interacting with them whether the people like to joke around, need assistance, want to share their wonderful stories of the past, or ask for prayers. They also understand everyone needs a hug...and boy, do they know how to deliver!

As we pulled in to the church parking lot behind one of the home's vans, our kids dashed up to the doors to greet our guests.

Arrival.


Jimmer was a greeter/door holder (schmoozer, ham bone, charmer, etc.).


After Mass, Jimmer was walking to the dining room holding my hand and said in his regular (louder than normal) voice, "Do you know that lady in the bright pink outfit? She's 79 years old."

All I asked was if he had asked her or if she offered the information herself. Lucky for me, it was as I had hoped. Whew!

During the luncheon, Jimmer was snatched up by the same lady who he sat next to at last year's luncheon.


Reunited!


I'm not sure what it is about this little guy, but he's a magnet of sorts. Even our new associate pastor (first Mass at our parish, in fact!) started in on him!


Schmoozin'


Hammin'


The girls sat next to a few ladies who only had grown boys for children. They asked me if they could take them home with them for a while.


This lady just looked at Mary Kate's braided pigtails and said with nostalgia, "Ohhh...I remember so well how my mother did my hair like that when I was a little girl."


Mike had a lengthy conversation with another lady who said that he was just delightful.


(Always nice for a mother to hear--especially since after she said that, she turned to me and asked where his mother was.)

The kids visited some more with them as they waited for their buses to return.


Sweetness.
All the way around!