Rocky and I went to Hickory, North Carolina to buy furniture. The trip was successful. We stayed at the Park Inn and shopped on Twenty Miles of Furniture Highway and the Catawba Furniture Mall. On Friday we visited St. Aloyius in Hickory. It was very nice. The people were friendly and we saw both the pastor and the parochial vicar in the church. They have a lovely adoration chapel.
On Saturday we went to Blowing Rock, NC and it was incredible. It was like being in Fairyland. We will definitely go back for a vacation one day. The parish is Our Lady of the Epiphany and it's a mission church. They have Mass on Sundays at 10 and the pastor, Fr. Joe is a very fine man who took time from his very busy schedule to chat with us.
This morning we went to Mass at St. Francis of Assisi in Lenoir. That was weird. They cancelled Mass in order to have the church picnic. They left no sign on the door and about 8 people including us (tourists and locals) were standing around looking unhappy. Finally a nice woman showed up and told us all that the picnic was today. Rocky and I were disgusted. You cancel the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the mystery of Faith for a hotdogs, burritos and beer in the park? For shame.
There was one other weird thing we noticed. Every parish directory in the Charlotte diocese had a listing for the anullment contact person. Interesting diocese ya got there, Bishop Jurgis.