#13 - FF

My family has always attended Maria Immacolata Church.  I grew up going to mass every weekend and my parents were always close to our parish priests.  The first priest that I can remember was Father Fleming.  He presided over the masses both on the weekends, and during the school weekday mass.  I remember him as being a large man with glasses and thinning hair that was brown and curly.  I remember that his masses were short.  They use to be held in the school cafeteria on Estate Drive which was converted to a Church on Sunday's by picking up the lunch tables and putting out chairs.  A few years ago, I was working on a Church history page for the school website, and I discovered that Father Fleming was not only the first priest that I remember, but he was the first priest in Maria Immacolata parish.  If anyone is interested in the history of the church, here is the link. 

In 1980, Father Fleming was transfered from Maria Immacolata parish to the parish of Grand Isle, which was fine with me because we got to see him each summer when we vacationed there.  His ability to make the masses short was really appreciated on the island, because we really wanted to get back to the skiing/swimming/sunning.  I'm not sure if he was the priest who baptized me (Mom? Dad?), but I'm sure he presided over the sacraments of First Communion and Reconciliation.  When I think about my elementary school years, I remember him fondly.

key words:  priest, friend, spiritual advisor, grand isle, church/cafeteria