Monthly evangelization training today, all day. A woman asked me, “Which parish are you from?”

“St. Joseph’s in Perrineville.”

“Oh, I don’t know where that is.”

“Most people in the diocese don’t. What parish are you from?”

“Oh, I’m from Somerset county.” She’s not from the diocese!

If people in the diocese don’t know St. Joseph’s, how can someone outside the diocese hope to?

But, I was able to converse with her anyway because I know her neck of the woods. I mentioned my upcoming summer class at St. Elizabeth’s and she seemed interested in auditing classes there too. She is finishing up a degree in pastoral ministry at Seton Hall

Wish I could have gone there, to SHU … but neither my French nor German was good enough, even ten years ago.

The lady turned out to be nice. Maybe just a little too nice.