Today is the 25th Anniversary of my Fathers death. He died in his late 80's at home in his bed after a long but comfortable enough struggle with failing health. I remember, that our local Priest would call and Dad would recieve Holy Communion and probably Confession too as he was unable to travel to Mass. (That Priest has since died as he too was an older gentleman.) I also recall he was a strong figure in our lives, strict but very kind in a fatherly way, and a man of powerfull belief and faith in God. (He was a stone mason & a wall plasterer.) In later years he would walk a quiet country lane near our home and he would pray the Rosary. Every day. As I was young at the time he would use a homemade walking stick to push my bicycle along the pebble path while he slowly walked and prayed quietly. I didnt pass much remarks of this at the time. However when he died and at his funeral Mass, the Priest spoke of him, stating that he was a man of the greatest faith that he had met in his work as a Priest. I have brothers and sisters, and thank God they are all well and happy in their daily lives. My Mother is in her very late 80's now, and she is very strong for her age, with a tough unshakeable faith in God above. You know I was wild enough in my 20's but now with my own young children, I can see the huge value in an example of a life lived in the faith, belief, and respect of God. My own young family faith has grown stronger, much stronger and as a result we are very strong as a family unit, and for this personally, I just wish to thank you, Dad, you were great, and I did'nt see it at the time, but you did, and never doubted your faith example would pass on to us. Thankyou, God Bless you, DBM.
I too was so blessed to have such a faithful father. We will see them again....can't Wait! Thank you dad....love and miss you.
DBM, I wished I could put 100 likes on your post. Your father must be a lovely holy soul. Like Beth B, I too was blessed with a kind, faithful earthly father. And I thank God for him. We need to pray for people who never had fathers who left this impression on their children, and I believe that is a great number of souls especially in our day.
It's true they are never closer than when they are gone. I foten my feel my own one's close. Your da sounded wonderful.
Julia...you are so right! We were blessed! I truly pity children who grow up either without a father, or a bad father.
