The accident was also the beginning of the end of my time in Washington. Cardinal James Hickey had personally called me and asked me to come to Washington, but after I got there, he suddenly became less accessible. I had to go through his secretary. I was never sure whether comments being made by Msgr. Lori were the cardinal’s thoughts or Lori’s interpretation. I don’t play politics very well.

At any rate, I had been pushing for a one-on-one with the cardinal. About a week or so after Scott’s accident – and after I wrote about angels watching over us in my column in the Catholic Standard – I finally got my time with the cardinal. Of course, the monsignor was there as well. Throughout that entire hour or so, not one mention was made of the accident. Not a “How is he doing?” “Is he okay?”

It was then I realized how little family meant to them. Family is my life, not work. My relationship with my family is more important than my relationship with the archdiocese or any job. I remember leaving that meeting by flippantly saying, “By the way, my son Scott is doing fine. He’s a little shaken and sore, but OK. Thanks for asking.”

It wasn’t long after that when the cardinal decided to go in a different direction. That was a blow to my ego (I sent out hundreds of resumes), but it also gave me peace. Washington was not where I wanted to finish raising my family … even if it meant leaving another child behind.

Which is a good place to transition to New York, New York …

To be continued…

THOUGH TO REMEMBER: The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe it is possible. — Richard M. DeVos