Where were you?

 

Dear Friends

Three priests walked into a bar….. Just kidding.

Three priests walked onto Disneyland’s “Rise of the Resistance”. Not kidding!

Kathleen and I were celebrating the 1^st week anniversary (May 8) of our 49^th wedding anniversary (May 1^st). We had seen near the park entrance, two priests with what appeared to be a school group. We didn’t expect to see them again.

But a couple of hours later, we discovered that they were in the same “Star Destroyer” in the row right behind us! How? During the ride, I heard a voice behind me say “May the force be with us” and of course I turned around and said, “And also with you”. There were the two priests! We had seen them in another part of the waiting line but don’t know how we all ended up in the same vehicle!

As we got off the ride, I asked if we could take a picture, because no one would believe this story. I introduced myself as a priest and added quickly, “An Episcopal priest” as Kathleen was with me and we were wearing anniversary buttons.

We shared with each other that we had seen the white smoke from the Vatican chimney on our phone screens while waiting in line. An hour later, just after getting off another ride, we saw Pope Leo XIV being introduced.

And then, as were leaving about 10 hours later, we saw the two priests from Clovis again, sitting near the exit, and so we had the chance to say good-bye!

The “It’s a Small World” ride was closed for renovations. But we had a small world experience of our own in a park full of thousands on our own!

And needless to say, we will not soon forget where we were when the new pope was elected.

John

P.S Another very special part of this day was seeing and spending some time with friends Sarah Jones and Jose Hernandez!