Nancy, Bill and their 5 children are back home in Minnesota, and adjusting to catching up on school and their ministry after time away for Amy and Bill's wonderful close knit family in PA. Something this major makes life around you seem to be less than important, but we are called to return to our day to day lives with heavy heart and the deep painful sense of loss leaving a huge hole in our hearts. It flavors with sadness all that we do... we are forever changed.
My sister, Mary, died 35 years ago, and she still brings me to a place of sadness and loss most every day. United with my 7 losses of my children in heaven, and now both of my parents in the last year... There is a continuing waiting for the dawn to arrive when we will be united in heaven someday. It certainly keeps my eyes, heart, mind and soul focused on getting to heaven to be united with my many gone ahead of me!
I have been allowed to share in the ministry of 7 Sisters for each of our priests. My day is Friday and I am to pray for my friend, Fr Denny! Each day both Fr Tony and Fr Denny are lifted up for an hour by a woman from the parish. So important to assist them in the work of Jesus they do for our parish!
Dark and silent alone in the church in the early hours. Our Lady of Guadalupe at the foot of The Cross - she takes my prayers to her Son for Fr Denny - how our priests need to have us praying for them each day as they minister to us!
Fr Denny was so much a part of dad's final days - he came and heard dad's confession and anointed him just a little over a week before dad passed. So comforting to have that special time for my father to have peace towards the end of his days here on earth.
The Psalm today speaks in a special way about the LIGHT entering my life each day through prayer and worship and the Rosary and reading The Prayer of the Church in my dad's prayer books... so much each day!!!
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? Psalm 130
It is so good to see my special friend back healthy after he has gone through Covid. A week ago I had to pray for him in PA and virtually be with Jesus in Singapore! Today to pray for him with Jesus there in the tabernacle and then share mass with him!
His homily today on the Gospel where Jesus asks us to be make peace with any that we are angry with or have a damaged relationship. "Jesus is not just asking us to repent. He wants more than that! He is asking us to have a change of heart/Metanoia."
So comforting to hear Fr, who brought TEC to so many - first my 3 girls went, then they asked me one by one as they came home on fire for Jesus and His Bride, The Church! After the 3rd one I could no longer say that I was good with my Catholic Faith, and the prayer I experienced changed me to realize that prayer is REAL and the love language that gets me through each day of dragging my Most Cherished Cross and following Jesus!
Nancy shared that Amy had also had the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Anointing a week before she died. The priest came that morning of her coming home on hospice to bless and anoint her with Last Rites. "For Fr Tony to share how strong her faith was very comforting to hear at her funeral mass." Wonderful at such a very sad and hard time!
Amy's Obituary
Fr Denny anointing dad's hands on October 11 - dad passed away on October 23rd
Dad and I shared the host.
The morning dad passed we had mass on EWTN. There was much talk about the respect for LIFE with the election coming up. The priest not only mentioned numerous times how we are to respect all LIFE from conception to Natural Death. My father modeled the peaceful passing with Faith in a natural death!
The rosary that continues to be in his hands in the casket... The relic of Blessed Solanus is now with me. Nancy and Bill took it to Amy and she placed it on her abdomen where she needed the healing. Jesus wanted her more. It is a mystery, but there is a measure of peace knowing how she loved Jesus and had the Sacraments shortly before she passed into the next life.
Fr Denny came to pray with us after dad peacefully took his last breath while Pat and I were praying with him. Holding his prayer book - after praying the prayer of The Church morning and evening for 44 years as a Permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church! I am now blessed to have the prayer books of both of my parents and one that they found 2nd hand from Lydia. The wives of he deacons were asked to pray with their husbands and so the ministry is for them to share as a couple.
Pat shared this morning that Scott Hahn spoke to them at This Man is You, about how we are each other's cross in marriage. "He spoke about St Teresa of Avila being shown many crosses and asked which one she wanted. 'I want the big one!' The Lord answered her; 'No, the big one is for those that are called to marriage!' " Yes, we truly are each other's huge Most Cherished Cross!
Father Denny here for us at our time of loss. I was so glad that dad got to meet the man I have talked about for the last 20 years since I made my TEC retreat... 2 months later Pat made his, and eventually all of our children joined us! It has been very important to Pat and I in our marriage and very instrumental in getting prayer into our marriage. Together Encountering Christ is a very important part of our marriage and domestic Church as a tool to share our Catholic Faith with our family and friends!
My father's prayer life was so important to all of us! I was able to share with him for 6 months in my home is prayer for each one - first and middle names each Monday! Talk about a man, who was as sharp as a tack!
Wearing his deacons stole was so appropriate and reminded us that he is an ordained minister now in The Catholic Church! He left behind his ministry in the protestant church, and the Lord allowed him to serve on the altar in The Church! Mom would have to pinch herself to see him assisting the Bishop in The Cathedral of The Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis - our home parish and where Pat and I were married!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
Dad brought all 10 of us together! Covid was still a pretty big thing, but we gathered together for his mass and at the cemetery around his final resting place.
There are fake plans to go up there and visit dad and mom on dad's birthday a week from tomorrow. Going out for Mexican food nearbye after with many of my siblings will be what dad would have liked!
The youngest member, Birdie Barbara. It was great for dad to be here, meet her and the other of our 19 grandchildren, and he knew that we were expecting our #20th, too! Dad and mom modeled for us a love for life and open to life and raising LIGHTS!
We love you dad, and thank you for bringing us into The Church, and showing us how to pray without ceasing. We are so grateful for the prayers we are surrounded by from you and mom now united in heaven forever with Jesus, Mary and all the Saints. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
May we have a change of heart and forgive without counting the cost. "Wounded, I will never cease to love." The motto of The Community of the Lamb is so very hard to do most especially with those the closest to us in our Domestic Church/family. The ones the closest to us hurt us... they are the hardest to forgive and the easiest to treat badly... May our hearts be changed and our love shine through - may we love and forgive as we are by The Spotless Lamb of God, who showed us how to give without counting the cost! Bless-bless, Barbara
My roses from Pat for a late Valentines are giving me so much JOY - so very beautiful. John said that he prayed to St Therese to send him orange roses... here they are!
Each one a work of art!
Little 2 year old George with his granddad in PA - Pappy! George seems to have a sense of comfort with the grandpas around him, and they are blessed by his sweet snuggly ways, too! Thank you for the love of children as we navigate our narrow path to heaven.
Danielle Rose
Yes, we lose loved ones on this journey. We are given much love with each new member in our families - our love grows bigger and more!
Danielle Rose
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