Picture this: you arrive in New York City after a two-hour Megabus ride on a beautiful morning. You're a little dehydrated, a little hungry, and a little disoriented ("Excuse me, which way is 5th Avenue?").
Your options are: Door #1: Duck into the nearest Starbucks and ask the locals for directions.
Door #2: Grab a soda and a hot dog from the nearest vendor and sit down to fuel up before navigating the Big Apple.
Or, Door #3: Hoof it 22 blocks to Saint Patrick's Cathedral and end up drinking a Pepsi in the Archbishop of New York's rectory.
Ladies and gentlemen, the answer is, Door #3! What a way to spend Saturday morning!
Here's the full story: Father Qui-Thac Nguyen (the chaplain at my old Newman Center, and a really awesome friend and spiritual father to all of his students, both currently-studying students and alumni!) found himself in Washington DC last week and this week for vacation. Since we were on the same coast for the first time since Christmas (and even then, he and I were both so busy that we could only visit for about an hour), he gave me a call and asked if I wanted to meet him in NYC for lunch on Saturday. Knowing of my stipend-based poverty, he very generously got me a bus ticket to head north for the day! So on Saturday morning I got up early, took the subway into Philadelphia and hopped on a Megabus headed north.
Once I arrived, Father called me to say that he was at Saint Patrick's Cathedral. I figured it couldn't be too hard to find (I was standing at 28th St. and 7th Ave). I called my brother, who had been in New York more recently than me (and who visited the Cathedral about three times) to ask where the church was. He told me to go to 5th Avenue and start walking-- the church was "somewhere in the 30's". So I walked. All the way through the 30's, and I passed nothing that resembled a cathedral. So I asked a police officer where it was. He answered, "50th St." I muttered a quick "Holy Mother" before thanking him, and then I kept walking. Fast.
When I finally arrived at Saint Patrick's (God bless Father for waiting so patiently!), I called him to tell him I was out front. He told to go to the back, where the rectory is (which meant over another street-- this church is HUGE). I still wasn't sure where to go until I looked up and saw Padre in the window! I was so glad to see him!
Father had run into the Archbishop at a funeral service that morning, and His Excellency offered him a ride back to the city and a place to chill out until I got there. When I did arrive, Father said, "The bishop said you could have a Pepsi."
The Archbishop of New York! One of the most important Catholic leaders in this nation! And I got to drink a Pepsi in his parlor! We made sure to leave a thank-you note!
Once I'd cooled my heels and chatted with Father for a while, we decided to hit the city. The first place we went was right back into St. Patrick's so that Father could pray the day's Liturgy of the Hours. I decided to pray my rosary for the day while he did so.
I have to say, kneeling at the altar in Saint Patrick's, next to my favorite priest and before the tabernacle of the Lord, and praying was my favorite part of the whole trip. It's amazing-- no matter how far away from home you are, even in a city you've never been in before, visiting Jesus in the tabernacle (especially with your spiritual father at your side) always reminds us of where home truly is. I haven't felt that warm and safe in a long time.
Father, ever true to himself, was so generous all day! We picked up lunch from a deli and ate it in the middle of Times Square. We walked around a lot, and eventually headed to the top of the Empire State Building to take in the whole city at once. (The Statue of Liberty looks tiny from up there!) Afterwards we did head to a Starbucks to just hang out and chat before heading back to the Megabus stop. He had to head back to DC, and I went back to Camden. (New York is a LOT cheaper if you make a day trip there!)
I feel like this blog isn't doing the day justice-- I was just so overjoyed to be there, hanging out with Padre. He is such blessing to his students, and he goes to amazing lengths to shepherd us and remind us that we are loved, even after we've graduated. Anyone who knows Father QTN would not at all be surprised to hear that he bussed one of his old peer ministers up the East Coast just to hang out, which points to his amazing generosity and kind heart. But that doesn't diminish the fact that it was wonderfully generous of him, and that I am so thankful!
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