Some positive stories about Catholics!
I have a good friend, Jim who lives in Scottsdale and writes a column for a newspaper. He wrote to me recently with some fascinating stories about two WWII veterans whom he felt deserved recognition this past Veterans Day. This is an excerpt from my letter back to him:
Awhile back I served as Historian for our Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish-American social group) in Ohio. I did research and wrote a paper about Irish-American ladies who served in World War II--there were several. Actually I tracked the activities of Irish-American women from the time they got off the boat up to today. It was truly impressive to learn about this particular group I had plucked from society. Female Irish immigrants worked as domestics and nuns when they first arrived on American soil. Later they assimulated in American life and accomplished many more wonderful things. They saw to it that their sons and daughters became educated. They wanted their children to have a better life than they had when they first came to America. In their marriages (performed back home in Ireland) they were often the dominant ones who ran the house with a strict hand and kept things together when their husbands (the weaker ones who couldn't find or refused to work). (Don't get your noses bent out of shape, men, as the majority of Irish-American men went on to become infamous politicians, policemen, firemen, pilots, and you name it, too!) The LAOH was originally set up in the 1800's to help these women (especially the ones who came over alone) to get adjusted to American life and find work. The group is still in existence today while these women now serve as pilots, researchers, nurses, doctors, and you name it!
In line with what my friend, Jim, was talking about (WWII veterans) Irish-American women and their sisters-in-arms who went on to serve as pilots during WWII (WASP's) were put in danger not only by the enemy but by American soldiers who didn't feel they belonged up there. They really did have to prove themselves. Sometimes they were shot down by the enemy and other times they were put in danger by their own side as they often dragged targets behind the planes for the soldiers to shoot at for practice. Sometimes American soldiers sabotaged their planes! I thanked Jim for remembering the WASP's in his article.
A couple week ago we lost our beloved parish priest, Father Chuck. He was a good man who was beloved by many and suffered with his own demons just like the rest of us. Father Chuck got in his car and was driving home late one night when he lost control of it, hit an embankment, and was ejected. He was killed instantly, and his death and leaving left a big hole in our little country parish. This man had accomplished so many things serving as an athletic coach, teacher, principal, and lastly building a Catholic High School in Warren County--the first to be built there! His funeral was held at a high school in a local town where he had been born, raised, and educated. He had attended that school and graduated from college before going into the seminary. When his funeral Mass was held it was held at this high school football field. The pall bearers rolled his casket out and put it on the 50-yard line. This is probably the way he would have liked it. He may have even asked that this be done earlier?? Even though it was a sunny albeit very cold day 6,000 people filled the stands to give Father Chuck his last send off!
Story #2 is alot more fun to tell! We joined several of my husband's relatives at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Dayton a couple Friday's ago for a Fish Fry. We were all sitting around enjoying the meal and conversation. My brother-in-law, Jim (Irish to the hilt in mannerisms and fun) came up to me and told me that a man we were both familiar with had just come up to him and said he would probably need a ride home! When Jim asked why John told him that on his way to the K of C Hall he was out on the highway and talking on his cell-phone. This particular stretch of highway has orange barrels up all over the place which means drivers have to be sharp! Needless to say, John couldn't be sharp and talk on the cellphone at the same time! He lost control of his car at one point and flipped his car over in a 360! The car managed to right itself on the road, so John went ahead and drove it to the K of C Hall. My brothers-in-law and I went out to see a very nice albeit slightly damaged car with one rear-view mirror missing, a side window busted out, the window in the rear was completely smashed out, the hub-caps were all scraped, and one wheel appeared to be bent in a little! Jim said, "Guess what John does for a living"--"(auto) body work"! You see, Jim, you cannot keep the Irish away from a good party!
Good Night, kids!
Awhile back I served as Historian for our Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish-American social group) in Ohio. I did research and wrote a paper about Irish-American ladies who served in World War II--there were several. Actually I tracked the activities of Irish-American women from the time they got off the boat up to today. It was truly impressive to learn about this particular group I had plucked from society. Female Irish immigrants worked as domestics and nuns when they first arrived on American soil. Later they assimulated in American life and accomplished many more wonderful things. They saw to it that their sons and daughters became educated. They wanted their children to have a better life than they had when they first came to America. In their marriages (performed back home in Ireland) they were often the dominant ones who ran the house with a strict hand and kept things together when their husbands (the weaker ones who couldn't find or refused to work). (Don't get your noses bent out of shape, men, as the majority of Irish-American men went on to become infamous politicians, policemen, firemen, pilots, and you name it, too!) The LAOH was originally set up in the 1800's to help these women (especially the ones who came over alone) to get adjusted to American life and find work. The group is still in existence today while these women now serve as pilots, researchers, nurses, doctors, and you name it!
In line with what my friend, Jim, was talking about (WWII veterans) Irish-American women and their sisters-in-arms who went on to serve as pilots during WWII (WASP's) were put in danger not only by the enemy but by American soldiers who didn't feel they belonged up there. They really did have to prove themselves. Sometimes they were shot down by the enemy and other times they were put in danger by their own side as they often dragged targets behind the planes for the soldiers to shoot at for practice. Sometimes American soldiers sabotaged their planes! I thanked Jim for remembering the WASP's in his article.
A couple week ago we lost our beloved parish priest, Father Chuck. He was a good man who was beloved by many and suffered with his own demons just like the rest of us. Father Chuck got in his car and was driving home late one night when he lost control of it, hit an embankment, and was ejected. He was killed instantly, and his death and leaving left a big hole in our little country parish. This man had accomplished so many things serving as an athletic coach, teacher, principal, and lastly building a Catholic High School in Warren County--the first to be built there! His funeral was held at a high school in a local town where he had been born, raised, and educated. He had attended that school and graduated from college before going into the seminary. When his funeral Mass was held it was held at this high school football field. The pall bearers rolled his casket out and put it on the 50-yard line. This is probably the way he would have liked it. He may have even asked that this be done earlier?? Even though it was a sunny albeit very cold day 6,000 people filled the stands to give Father Chuck his last send off!
Story #2 is alot more fun to tell! We joined several of my husband's relatives at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Dayton a couple Friday's ago for a Fish Fry. We were all sitting around enjoying the meal and conversation. My brother-in-law, Jim (Irish to the hilt in mannerisms and fun) came up to me and told me that a man we were both familiar with had just come up to him and said he would probably need a ride home! When Jim asked why John told him that on his way to the K of C Hall he was out on the highway and talking on his cell-phone. This particular stretch of highway has orange barrels up all over the place which means drivers have to be sharp! Needless to say, John couldn't be sharp and talk on the cellphone at the same time! He lost control of his car at one point and flipped his car over in a 360! The car managed to right itself on the road, so John went ahead and drove it to the K of C Hall. My brothers-in-law and I went out to see a very nice albeit slightly damaged car with one rear-view mirror missing, a side window busted out, the window in the rear was completely smashed out, the hub-caps were all scraped, and one wheel appeared to be bent in a little! Jim said, "Guess what John does for a living"--"(auto) body work"! You see, Jim, you cannot keep the Irish away from a good party!
Good Night, kids!
posted by The Celtic Contessa at
9:42 AM
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