Breakfast with a very dear friend...

I had the pleasure of having breakfast with Father Rick Frechette from Haiti at a diner in Wethersfield.

I've known him for over 40 years and we laughed, he listened, I talked. We reminisced about prom, hanging out with the gang from NWCHS. I needed to laugh. You'd never know this man is a Passionist priest from just looking at him.

He's good friends with Andrea Boccelli. The stories he told me had me rolling on the floor laughing.

I told him about a HUUUUUUGE fan of Andrea's, Laura's Babies. He told me how Andrea donated one of his guitars that he signed (with the help of his manager) to Rick to be auctioned off and the proceeds going to the Passionist organization. It went for $2500 US dollars.

Andrea sent him another guitar signed, and Rick called him and said that his signature doesn't look like the first one. Andrea's response was, "What the hell do you expect??? I'm a blind man signing a piece of wood!!"

Rick asked me if I'd like it and I told him that while I would love it, I know someone else whose birthday is coming up this month who would be absolutely be over the moon for it!!! He told me to send him her address and he'd ship it to her once he returns to Miami.

Oh, the stories Rick told. He is THE most wonderful man I've ever had the pleasure to know.

Donna, I'm so glad you had this opportunity, you did need it! :)

WOW. So glad you had good company and the laughs!

Loved the "blind man signing a piece of wood."! :D

Is he a Catholic priest, or is he able to, er, date? ;):D

I hope you have more visits and more laughs!

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Is he a Catholic priest, or is he able to, er, date?

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I WISH!!! He's Catholic, but he is a Passionist Priest and no, he can't date. He was actually my first boyfriend in high school. When he ever walked into the diner, my heart went pitter pat. But he is a wonderful man with a mission that he knew he had from the very beginning. He made a deal with God that if he got his father through his coronary, he would devote his life to him. And he did!!!

He said he was heading back to Haiti on Friday and would call me whenever he came back to CT. His Dad lives in CT, along with his brother and 3 sisters.

I needed an ear and a shoulder today and he was there, always has been. For that I'm grateful.

Any pix, Donna?

Mary,

There's one picture I took on my cellphone and I'll be damned if I know how to get it off my phone. It's also my cellphone wallpaper:D:D:D:love::love:

I´m so glad you had a great time.. and he sure is a hottie with all due respect ;).. awesome story about the guitars.. lol and it will indeed be an awesome bday present for your friend ;)

Husky Mom,

My "friend" is Laura's Babies on PT. She ADORES Andrea Boccelli. I wish I had the software to transfter the one photo from my phone.

I'd give my eye tooth to go to Andrea Boccelli's concert at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2. I'm going to look into tickets as a Christmas present to myself.

The stories Rick told would curl your hair. But you'd have to know him and his dry, sick sense of humor (even for a priest) to understand.

One story just had me cracking up (among all the others). Boccelli asked Rick to accomany him and his girlfriend to the Golden Globe Awards. Rick said Boccelli insisted that he walk on the red carpet with he and his girlfriend. Rick hesitated and thought of every excuse why he shouldn't. Boccelli would not take no for an answer. So there are the three of them on the red carpet with the papparazzi swarming them. Boccelli introduced Rick as Father Rick Frechette from Haiti. Rick said he heard the media say, "What the 'F' is a priest doing on the red carpet???" They kept trying to push Rick out of the way to get a picture of Boccelli and his girlfriend. Boccelli, who is blind (as everyone knows) kept reaching out to see if Rick was standing next to him, and the media kept pushing Rick out of the way.

I don't think I ever laughed so hard in such a long time.

What a wonderful friend! And what a fine time together you had! Thanks for sharing him with us,. Donna. :love:

Has Laura already left on this month's boat journey? Will she ever be in for a big, wonderful surprise when she gets home again!

You're an excellent friend too, Donna! Once again, you've thought of somebody else. LB will be flabbergasted and ecstatic!

I was a receptionist/travel agent intern at my first job. One supervisor's brother used to call and tell me the funniest jokes, and I him. He was hysterical, and frankly, I fell in love with him, sight unseen. The supervisor (who later became my boss and was a doll)also had a wicked sense of humor and would laugh when I told him how I felt, sort of hoping for a "fix up". Imagine my utter shock, and I mean JAW DROPPING shock when his brother walked in one day, introduced himself to me, wearing a Priest's collar.

OMG Karen, I would've been mortified!!! But Rick wears normal clothes when he's not "on the job" if you know what I mean. I just adore him. He is so special to me. Disappointed? Oh heck no. I'm glad he's doing what he's doing. It shows what kind of true, wonderful human being he is and that there ARE people out there that do care. He will always have a special place in my heart.