It's no coincidence

I don't believe in coincidence. A few months ago when my mother became very very house bound I thought I would like to enable her to continue in the practice of her faith. My mother was a daily mass person. And all of a sudden November 2007, she couldn't even do that. So I went through the proper channels to become a minister of the Eucharist to the home bound. I approached her parish priest about this with positive results. However, I felt I needed to partake in the celebration before I could share it. The mass was at 8 a.m. in Hamilton. That means me starting from home at 5:30 a.m. I just couldn't do it. One day, I'm not even sure why, I was walking up the hill from the Hamilton Go Bus Terminal and discovered a church that had a mass at 9a.m. Perfect I thought, I get off the bus at 8:45a.m. and I'm there. I approached the priest and was very warmly greeted, and not just by him but also by the daily mass goers. There are usually only 7 or 8 people there. They soon discovered that I was Polish. On Friday one of the men who have been so kind started to talk about how old he was and his life history. It seems he was in Italy with my DAD! at the battle of Monte Casino. His ride arrived and I was unable to get into the thick of things, but just when I thought I would be doing research on line forever, for this portion of my scrapbooking, I met a live participant with a memory. I'm not sure if anyone will appreciate all this research but I'm sure feeling good about it. So my next scrapbooking Tuesday should be very interesting. Coincidence you say, I think not!

Just when you think you know everything...

Just when you think you're old enough to know everything, you learn something new. Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel is somewhere in Israel. My dad loved the Middle East, he often talked about the fabulous oranges, and olive groves there. This was a big deal to a man who had spent two years in the ice and snow regions of Siberia starving. What's the connection you ask. Well yesterday was also the 30th anniversary of my dads death. There are a great many beliefs and legends related to death and the Carmelites. Today we celebrated mass in his honour. I never connected the two until tonight, when my friends said I picked a special day to celebrate the anniversary of his death. I confess I didn't pick it. They say that those who honour Our Lady of Mount Carmel are blessed in death. I don't remember weather he did or not, but I think he must have been to the blessed site, during his stay in Israel. I know, I feel great about this coincidence. I thought I would be crying throughout the mass, but I felt very peaceful. My family will tell you I cry a lot at these things. Death is something none of us escape, and I hope that a peaceful one is something both my parents enjoy, after their very difficult lives. After all, if we are the Catholics we profess to be ,death should be a blessing. I've subscribed to a e newsletter for a number of years, "Saint of the Day" is always an interesting read, and I love the history of all these things. For those of you who do not believe, look at it as a lesson in History. I'm loving learning something new even at my age.

I've been reading one of Leslie's picks, "the many lives and secret sorrows of Josephine B." by Sandra Gulland, and I am just amazed at the historical research this author has done, and the faith connections often mentioned in the book. I like that. So when a connection is a personal one I find it even more fascinating. I know it sounds like you could find a connection in everything if you looked hard enough, and I do look. So do take a moment to reflect on my muse as far out as it may seem.