DIOCESE OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA - PART TWO

ONGOING FORMATION WORKSHOP

Bishops, Priests and Deacons

April 30 - May 1, 2019 

BUILDING AN INTENTIONAL PRESBYTERATE AND DIACONATE

Claiming Our Responsible Freedom as Individual Priests and Deacons

Rev. J. Ronald Knott

It was a great two days with some wonderful bishops, priests and deacons. However,  it got off to a rough start because of yet another air travel disaster. 
O'Hare Airport in Chicago was practically shut down because of a storm on Monday morning which caused us to be delayed from even taking off from Louisville. We sat on the tarmac for an hour. I thought that I would miss my flight out of Chicago to Omaha only to find out that the flight was cancelled for mechanical problems. I was put on a flight for that evening which meant that I had to spend seven hours in the O'Hare Terminal. I tried to get on an earlier flight, but I was number 7 of 37 people on the stand-by list. I didn't have a chance because the airport was packed with delayed passengers going in every direction. 
I finally got on the 7:08 flight to Omaha arriving at 9:30 pm.
Father Josh picked me up after spending most of the day killing time in Omaha before a four-hour drive back to his parish in North Platte. 
Even though it was getting late, we set out on the four-hour drive, only to be caught in a blinding snow-storm about an hour from the parish, With speeding semi-trucks whizzing past us, we crawled the rest of the way back to the parish, getting there at 2:30 am! 
I have never seen snow coming down at us like that - wet clumps
hitting our windshield in streaks like arrows for miles and miles! 
After a short night, the program was back on schedule! 

I got home safely last night without a hitch in spite of the four-hour trip back to the airport. Getting there on time was very very close. I got through security at the Omaha airport as the plane was loading for Chicago! Chicago to Louisville was a piece of cake! 

If you are tempted to envy me for all the travels I "get to do," don't! It was one of the most stressful travel days of the last couple of years and I have seen some doozies! 

The Priests and Deacons Beginning To Gather

Saint Patrick Church

North Platte, Nebraska

Father Josh Brown, Pastor and Ongoing Formation Director

Various Shots of the Two Day Program. Some were actual students of mine from my Saint Meinrad days, many knew people I knew and I  think I made some new friends. 
The Knights of Columbus and their wives served us cocktails and a delicious prime rib dinner with wine on the last evening.

Present Bishop Hanefeldt is on the far left. Former Bishop Dendinger is second on the right. 

Bishop Henefeldt presided and preached the closing Mass.