Barkeep, I Need Some Wine....

I woke up one night in my hospital bed to see my friend Father Vincent Druding preparing to say Mass. I was groggy from sleep, so I took me awhile to realize what was happening. Fr. Vince told me he would like to say Mass, would that be OK? While I was very tired, how could I refuse this great grace?

I followed the liturgy as best as I could, drifting in an out of sleep--so just like a regular Mass! I didn't realize it at the time, but it was between 1am and 2am on July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Much of what I remember comes from hearing the story of that night from Fr. Vince weeks, maybe months later. He was able to find some hosts in a Chapel, I think, but no wine. So he and someone from the hospital went out around midnight to try to find some wine for the Mass!

As I understand it, there were no regular liquor stores open and nearby convenience stores had only beer. So Fr. Vince ended up in a bar asking for some wine to use for a Mass! I'm not sure how much the bartender understood about why a priest was looking for wine after midnight, but Fr. Vince left with enough to say Mass.

Since then, I try to remember that night when Fr. Vince  after tracking down some wine in a bar, came to the foot of my hospital bed so he could say Mass for me on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Beatae Mariae de Monte Carmelo, ora pro nobis!