The Mass And The Day Buddy Came Home Poem by Joe Rosochacki

Ever since I involved this music composition,
A’cappella MASS dedicated Pope John Paul II
(Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass)
Weird things are happening
Until recently I knew of his beatification,
However I didn’t know the date of the late Pope John Paul II’s canonization
The Mass remained dormant, only existing
In a few important places, The Library of Congress, Hamtramck Library,
(Hamtramck was a vibrant Polish community in Michigan)
-the city which I grew up in,
Entombed with my sister‘s Pat‘s coffin,
Jagiallonian University, Warsaw, Poland,
Eastern Michigan University; my Alma Mater,
and the Vatican.
Through the decades it sat
I remember the day in ’76, after taking a 16th Century Counterpoint class
(with Dr.Sylvan Kalib) in room in Pease Auditorium in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
After taking the class, along fellow student Ernie Piper,
Yes, the University opened the class for two students, unheard now,
(A class usually required 10-12 students to sign up, to make the class feasible to Registrar to process, i.e. paperwork, computer entry, et cetera)
“I am going to w rite a Mass and dedicate to the first Polish Pope.”
(First non-Italian pope in almost 500 years
it is by coincidence I took 16th Century counterpoint to lay a foundation of Mass)
Dr. Samuel Adler, Manhattan School of Music,
- -liked it more Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Mess’
His words not mine; this encouraged me to under take my next step
It just happened to be that I planned on visiting Europe the following summer,
And one stop was the Rome and the Vatican for 3 days
I worked on Mass for 10 months under the direction of Dr. Ianacconne, who was head
Of the Composition Department at EMU to get the Mass ready, I did a lot a prep, c
If not that, in ‘70’s speak, that would be a bummer.
When in Rome do as the one American did,
I had the packet in hand; I cautiously walked to the colorful red, yellow, and blue, vested guards with pantaloons, with matching hosiery, Swiss Guard,
I said “A Popa”
Afterward, in the fall,
I received a letter that was accepted by Holy Father that blew me away
Msgr. Coppa, the assessor, accepted the Mass for the its intrinsic value,
I was the company of Orlando de Lassus and Giovanni de Palestrina
Fast forward ’87, the Pope came to Hamtramck, remember that city that I mentioned,
I would get him a more legible copy
I used three Pentel markers, a calligraphic one, medium one and fine point one,
20lb. paper and a professional ruler to create my finest calligraphy
My Mass would stay for a century if not a millinea.
Through Archdiocesan of Detroit connections, the Pope received the rewritten Mass
And I received a letter dated a day later after and 10 years later,
The 1st Vatican response was Oct.26th,1977, the latter Oct.27th,1987.
Could this be Divine Intervention?
Little would I know,
Through the decades I found myself traveling the world, playing and teaching guitar,
- through a few marriages, until my partner in life Judy, through the internet.
Could this be Divine Intervention?
Having a family, going back for my MA,
I was braved to get Buddy in the house
There were 2 dogs,16 cats in the residence
There wasn’t even a growl, hiss not even a meow.
The following were sent to me by my wife:

“getting Buddy home and setting up his personal space below the kitchen,
a beautiful calm came over the house.
He is happy and sleeping on his own blankie,
the cats are all safely staring at him from the kitchen counter...
no hissing, and the girls seem perfectly fine with him being in here.
The Budster
discovered the pleasures
of running through the wash and scaling the nearly vertical banks.
He's VERY smart and quite hilarious.
But nothing is funnier than Millie
when she hops into the small pond at the back of the property
and then tears out like a piranha just bit her butt.
I've started taking each girl back there so they won't feel like the 'new guy' is getting
all my attention.
Today, Miranda went in the water briefly...first time ever! ”

I knew that Pope John Paul II would bless us.
Could this be Divine Intervention?
You tell me.

2-21-14