Recently our  Sisters had a heritage tour here in Ireland.   They  visited places associated with Mother Mary’s life and the early foundation years of MMM.  One of those places was St. Joseph’s parish church in Glasthule, South Dublin ,where Marie Martin was baptised.  I too was there a week ago at the funeral of an elderly in-law.   Can I tell you about my own very prayerful visit?

I arrived early having travelled from Bettystown by train.  Finding the church locked, I called into the pastoral centre and the two ladies on

duty immediately asked if I were attending Jean Hardiman’s funeral.  Before I had time to answer they quickly went on to talk of her many virtues, great service to the parish and her popularity in the area before she went into a nursing home.  “This will be a big funeral” I was warned so I quickly found myself a seat halfway up the church.  The people started arriving, and yes, a lot of people; musicians brought their instruments and tested loudspeakers and then I saw a family member who decided we should stand outside to greet the hearse and coffin; I agreed.

On my return  I found all the middle and back seats filled so I went up to the front on the side opposite the immediate family.  Soon the overflow from there came into the seats nearby,  and a foursome of two parents, a boy of 7 and a girl of 4 were immediately in front of me- Jean’s great-grandchildren Leo and Ellen.  They looked around a few times, then whispered  to their parents and then peeped back a couple of  times again.  I was a stranger; who was I?  Ellen clung to  a  soft toy and Leo held a small holy picture.  I answered the prayers of the Mass with a clear, and hopefully not ‘too loud’ voice.   In doing  so I  was in a minority – a small minority.

After the service we all stood outside offering condolences to the next of kin and chatting to each other.  The father of the two children, Eddie,  came over and we had an interesting  conversation.  He was an archivist, with a speciality in architectural data and talked of the design and drawings of Árus Mhuire, mentioning that they were created before computer generated designs became the norm.  We parted and I met several other people.

Just before I left Eddie caught my eye and came over to say that the children wanted to know my name for a special reason.  Smiling he said  that they thought I was amazing, adding that Leo couldn’t understand how I knew all the prayers even though I had no booklet.    Ellen believed that I could compete with, or even beat, their (late) Nana who was the prayer warrior in the extended Hardiman family!

Well, I am really delighted with myself  knowing  that I gave such good example.

I imagine Mother Mary was happy too – maybe even surprised?