Notes from a parish cat and his author Julie Mackenzie

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I am Father Tom Fish, esteemed member of the religious team at Temptation of Christ Parish in the novels by author Julie Mackenzie. As to my background, I was invited into the rectory as a stray, laid on the charm, and was invited to stay, even honorarily ordained and no less spiritual than my sidekick Father Will. He dotes on me to high heaven and forgives all of my street cat proclivities, whatever the hell that means.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Father Jack

Who wouldn't trust this guy?

Here I am, all the time telling you what's happening at Temptation Parish and who's doing what, but I don't fill you in on the people I'm always talking about. 

Like Father Jack, for instance.

I love Jack. He's been my rock along with Mary Lou ever since I got here. He's funny, totally irreverent for a priest, but don't kid yourself, it's his very lack of respect that endears the parishioners to him and makes him tons of friends. He's down to earth and never shocked at anything, since he's heard it all. He goes out of his way to where people congregate, high-brow, low-brow, and no-brow! (hehehe...)

He was once married and had a secular life, so he's a late-blooming cleric. Years ago, he married his high school sweetheart. I heard he was a big cheese quarterback on the school football team and she was on the cheerleading squad. They were happily married for a time, but then the news came that she had cancer and he lost her. Needing some space between his pain and events, he went into the service. He got along so well with everybody he found himself looking for the same sort of camaraderie when he got out.

It was in the priesthood and then high school again, this time an all-boys school and he taught history. He was famous for his practical jokes and the boys loved him. Ask him about the time somebody dumped chickens in his classroom!

He met Mary Lou there, too. This is where the story gets fuzzy. All I know is they were attracted to each other and something happened and he got transferred.

Anyway, he's my buddy and I love him to death. He's awfully busy, though and when Fr. Will got here, he turned much of the church stuff over to him, so, between you and me, Jack could play. While he does that, I'm taking care of Will knowing he's going to have awfully big shoes to fill when Jack retires.

So, that's it. Now you know a little about this holy man I call my friend. The same one who hides catnip mice around the rectory and whose jokes I steal (not really). Here's one: A grasshopper walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Hey, we got a drink named after you!"
The grasshopper says, "You got a drink named Murray?" 

Have a great weekend!

3 comments:

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Haha, that was a good joke Tom. Dad freaks out at mom's aunt, the sister, she tells jokes and stories that are kind of, well, blue. Mom's explained that she wasn't always a nun, that the call came later in her life and that she was a nurse at an military hospital first. Heck, she wasn't even Catholic! Dad still blushes when she starts telling stories tho.

Fr. Tom Fish said...

Zippy, Sadie & Speedy,
How funny! I can just see it. I'd love to meet the sister! I bet she would get along great with Jack!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Fr Jack sounds pretty cool to me and I really like the Murray joke! Have a wonderful weekend!