Along with a group of other guys, I went road biking with Fr. John every week. I was actually part of the effort to purchase him a new bike once! We would meet at the Solana Beach train station and ride all the way up to Carlsbad. At Carlsbad, myself, Fr. John, and the rest of the group with us would stop at our usual coffee shop and shoot the breeze for a half hour or so- just spending time together. Sometimes the others couldn't join and it would just be me and Fr. John. We would go together for coffee and just talk. Even if no one else was able to come, Fr. John was surely always riding.
I wrote him an email on December 27th, close to his birthday, not knowing it would be the last one. He responded and told me how nice it was to have no daily demands or activities and to have time to just relax now that he was retired. That was our last communication and I still have that email.
Sometimes on our bike rides we would have conversations and disagreements- and he would lecture me. Once he was lecturing me and gave me a gentle punch in the arm! I told him If I wanted to save my arm I better not have any more discussions with him!!
You know, I helped him, and he would help me. Once I was lectoring at a mass when he was presiding and I forgot to check if the mic was on before I started speaking. He casually walked over and switched the mic on for me.
Biking with someone is really a different way to get to know them. He was a good person. I attended his funeral mass and I don't know what else to say but that it was very sad - I miss him.
Rest in Peace, Fr. John
