Dear parishioners,

One month ago today mom fell very ill and waited it out at home. By the following weekend her oxygen was dropping and my brother-in-law took her to the hospital. Her lungs were starting to fail and she had no energy left. During the week that she went onto a ventilator, I had a great opportunity of spending the days with her to keep her company. I washed her hands and feet, I combed her hair, I prayed with her and over her, I read to her and I gave her a daily preaching (or multiple!). I got to know the nurses and thanked them again and again. It was a grace for my family to work together and stay hopeful and prayerful. Mom came off the ventilator a week later and my Aunt Joan took my place at mom's side. I then visited my Dad each day while he was in ICU for a short time. Mom left ICU and her lungs were strong. And though she was still fatigued and tired of the hospital, she was thankful and gracious and sweet.

On Monday night we got word that there were complications, mom needed a transfusion among other things. She was headed back to ICU. At that point my Dad was able to visit her and we were all alerted, waiting for her to turn a corner. Yesterday we began planning a prayer novena. Nine more days would make it that symbolic forty days, the time that Jesus faced in the desert. Every time the number forty appears in Scripture, there is a time of testing followed by transformation. Last night I gave mom a long pep-talk on how we would keep waiting patiently and praying for healing. Aunt Joan told me I really had a lot to say. But this morning I woke up to the news. Mom became unconscious last night, the hospital called, and Dad and mom's sisters, Joan and Rita, went to the hospital at 3AM for a last visit and a goodbye.

I wish this weren't a goodbye and that the outcome would be different. So many things need to change and evolve now. It hurts really bad to think about mom. But for the moment, we are planning the funeral and staying hopeful and prayerful. I cannot thank staff, clergy, and all of you enough for your support and prayers. I trust that God does beautiful things with all of those desires expressed in the language of the Spirit.

With great love and appreciation!!

Fr. Joe

Queridos feligreses,

Hoy hace un mes mamá se puso muy enferma y esperó en casa. Para el fin de semana siguiente, su oxígeno se estaba reduciendo y mi cuñado la llevó al hospital. Sus pulmones comenzaban a fallar y no le quedaba energía. Durante la semana en que se conectó a un ventilador, tuve la gran oportunidad de pasar los días con ella para hacerle compañía. Le lavé las manos y los pies, le peiné el cabello, recé con ella y sobre ella, le leí y le di una predicación diaria (¡o múltiple!). Llegué a conocer a las enfermeras y les agradecí una y otra vez. Fue una gracia para mi familia trabajar unida y mantener la esperanza y la oración. Mamá salió del ventilador una semana después y mi tía Joan ocupó mi lugar al lado de mamá. Luego visité a mi papá todos los días mientras estuvo en la UCI por un corto tiempo. Mamá salió de la UCI y sus pulmones estaban fuertes. Y aunque todavía estaba fatigada y cansada del hospital, estaba agradecida, amable y dulce.

El lunes por la noche nos enteramos de que había complicaciones, mamá necesitaba una transfusión, entre otras cosas. Se dirigía de regreso a la UCI. En ese momento mi papá pudo visitarla y todos fuimos alertados, esperando que ella doblara una esquina. Ayer comenzamos a planear una novena de oración. Nueve días más lo convertirían en cuarenta días simbólicos, el tiempo que Jesús enfrentó en el desierto. Cada vez que aparece el número cuarenta en las Escrituras, hay un momento de prueba seguido de transformación. Anoche le di a mamá una larga charla sobre cómo seguiríamos esperando pacientemente y orando por la curación. La tía Joan me dijo que realmente tenía mucho que decir. Pero esta mañana me desperté con la noticia. Mamá perdió el conocimiento anoche, el hospital llamó, y las hermanas de papá y mamá, Joan y Rita, fueron al hospital a las 3 de la mañana para una última visita y un adiós.

Desearía que esto no fuera una despedida y que el resultado fuera diferente. Tantas cosas necesitan cambiar y evolucionar ahora. Me duele mucho pensar en mamá. Pero por el momento, estamos planeando el funeral y mantenemos la esperanza y la oración. No puedo agradecer lo suficiente al personal, al clero ya todos ustedes por su apoyo y sus oraciones. Confío en que Dios hace cosas hermosas con todos esos deseos expresados ​​en el lenguaje del Espíritu.

¡¡Con mucho cariño y aprecio !!

P. José

Dad asked We had a good life with Mom didn't we?

I remember winding along some hilly mountain road in Garanbandal, Spain, wondering if our caravan was going to lose a wheel off the steep decline. I had a feeling we were doing something religious in Garabandal. Anne said when we were in France, Dad and Mom drove through Paris, passed the iconic Eiffel Tower, and kept on going to their destination, Lourdes.

I remember my doodling pad, sitting up front by the choir at the George Mason mass when we had Mass in a lecture hall before the church was built. Mom would be singing and Dad would be playing the guitar. That was when Fr. Bob had brown hair and ran marathons. Music was always a part of our life.In the van on road trips, you would hear Karen Carpenter and John Denver crooning and floating towards the back. “We've only just begun...to live.” “I'm leaving...on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again.” Hey wait, did we sing those songs back to back?! That's a bit odd...

I've decided in the past few days that mom must have been the Pink Panther of good deeds, kindness and charity. For instance, she was with Dad all the time, or so we thought. She was also at my house babysitting and reading with grandchildren. Seemingly at the same time, she was singing at a marriage vow renewal ceremony at church. Or no was she in the parish office putting together welcoming packets? No, she was on the phone with Dunkin Donuts ordering 150 dozen donuts for Donut Sunday. She was out walking with her neighbor Kay. Wait, she was on her way to rosary and then going to run errands with Bridget. Still yet, she was last seen outside the parish doors giving encouragement to someone after mass. Oh, she's at her desk writing notecards. She was the Catholic MomSquad of 1. But she was always by Dad's side. Go figure that out.

Mom showed me the faith. How to pray the rosary. How to find the Blessed Sacrament when I felt lonely or worried. She said words of encouragement always.

“Life by the yard is hard. Life by the inch is a cinch.” One of the last things she said to me was, “one step at a time.” About marriage, she said, “if your husband did 10 things to annoy you and one kind thing, thank him for the one kind thing he did.” About being a Grandma, when we were leaving for Australia, I thanked Mom for putting in all the hard yards with me, helping out so much with the children when they were so little. She said, “what? That was fun!” Her granny basket was a great big basket that she brought when babysitting it was filled with playdough, paint, mac and cheese, snack bars, coloring pages and markers and all manner of good granny items. Just so Craig and I could go out on date night. She'd say, “If they're bad, I'll sit on ‘em.”

Sometimes I'd go for a walk with Mom. One day we were walking up a hill and she was slowing down and I smiled endorphins and started singing one of her Up with People songs, “Keep Young at Heart Keep that light in your eyes pick up those dragging feet hold your head up high.”

Craig said she's making welcoming packets for those Just arriving to heaven. She most likely showed up and said, “Okay, Boss, I'm here to work.” I was waiting for her to recover and come home so I could tell her I learned that Maris Mattingly from RCIA at All Saints passed away. She'll probably bump into Maris and go, “the gang's back together.”

About Mom and warm introductions. I'm struck and never surprised the women who stop me and say, “you know, your Mom is like a second mom to me.” In a way, people from these parishes are happy to meet and speak with me just because I'm related to Mom. I wonder if she knew that her inner beauty and her ability to make new friends had that trickle down effect on her children.

We must have recruited thousands of people to pray for Mom, knowing either the Lord was going to restore Mom or Comfort us.

Mom must be better serving us from her beautiful seat in heaven. Flanked by Aunt Sue, Annie, Paul, her beloved family and friends who have gone before her. Like St. Therese, she'll send little roses when and where they're needed. If the Lord felt confident calling her home, we must have all confidence that her work is better served from where she is now.

Rest in Peace Beautiful Mama. I love you so much.

Rebecca, Goldsmith