Dennis' friend Steve here. Mrs. Rich asked if I'd be willing to update his blog. I said I would when I found the strength and had something to say (that was last July).
Dennis has been gone 2 years now, as of Holy Thursday. Since his death, the Triduum has become even more emotional for me, as I'm sure it has for many of you.
That first Triduum after he died I remember thinking warmly about his confirmation, which I had the pleasure of witnessing and the honor of co-sponsoring, and it was one of the highlights of my life. I remember that trip to DC, of praying the Divine Mercy Novena for the first time that year, of making a holistic confession and of talking with Dennis about all of the things he was looking forward to in his life as a Catholic (the Eucharist being chief among them). He was positively glowing that day.
I also remember the sense of the love of God that I had in that week after Dennis left. I attributed it to Dennis' intercession and consider it a great reinforcement of my faith in a time of deep sadness (just like Holy Week itself).
Thursday, my 2 oldest children and I participated in the tradition of visiting Catholic churches after Holy Thursday evening's mass, to spend time with the Lord in the tabernacle and to "keep watch with him" and remember his time of suffering in the Garden of Gethsemene. Every Catholic church is open for visitors until midnight on Holy Thursday, and one of the churches I have visited for years has been St. Dennis in Lockport, a 165 year old stone church sitting up on a hill overlooking rte. 83. I was there this Thursday at the hour of our friend's passing, and was reminded to make a post here on his blog.
The picture that I have uploaded here is from one of our trips to picturesque Mundelein Seminary (which, incidentally, has one of the saddest web pages I've ever seen - this link is to wikipedia, which at least has some information about the place). We would travel there for the periodic "love fest" weekends that Jim Rielley would host. The seminary sits on over 600 wooded acres encircled by a scenic car path with beautiful bridges and comes complete with its own lake. I ran across the picture a few month back, and I have to imagine that Heaven will look very like this.
Dennis, I hope that you are having a blessed Triduum and that you are spending it in the presence of our Savior, and that like your life, in death you may continue to be a beacon of love and friendship with our Lord. I pray continually for your soul and for your family, and ask you to pray for me and mine. And thank you for gifting me with so many years of friendship. It is an honor to have known you. I miss you. -Steve
