OCR Text |
Show ; His Sister's Letter , , . . . . After perusing the following letter addressed to a local citizen, Bishop Scanlan requested its publication, pub-lication, in the interest of religion. It is (the bishop bish-op says) a beautiful development of maternal love and filial affection which go to make the perfect per-fect Christian: My Dear Absent Brother: Miles from home and dear ones, you are waiting to hear the particulars par-ticulars of our dear mother's death. How can I begin I Would that 1 could forget the scene of the past week a scene so sad, yet so beautiful. Sad, because a dear old mot Iter whose life was spent ii love and sacrifice for her family, was taken from our midst, where she will be missed as only a helpless child would be, for she was constantly con-stantly on our minds. Beautiful, because our Blessed Mother called her on that loveliest of all feast days the Immaculate Conception. Would that I were a gifted writer to describe our mother's moth-er's life and death. Patient, like our Iminmacu-late Iminmacu-late Mother, she shared the sorrows of seeing her children men taken from her one by one, while she, feeble and helpless, was left to suffer the heavy cross. Xot a year ago dear James was called to his reward, while our dear mother lay helpless on her sick-bed, begging God if it be his holy will to take her first, and let the bitter cup pass. As I wrote you before, mother had a dread of Purgatory. Pur-gatory. The last few days of her life were surely the sufferings of Purgatory here on earth. We feel confident that God gave her her crosses and sufferings here and took her on 'that beautiful day to her eternal reward. . After dropsy set in mother suffered very much from suffocation. She found no rest.. She prayed constantly and fervently until the last, as she was perfectly conscious to the end. Several times when we were so pleased to think, she hail fallen asleep, and afraid to stir for fear of disturbing her, to our surprise we would see her lips move and hear the Hail Mary repealed in plain words. Her rosary is worn smooth so much had she used it. Three days before she died I said: "Mother,, if you die before I do. which rosary shall I place on your hand your old one or the one P sent you?" She replied: "Place on my hand lhe one that P sent me." So. my dear brother, he comforted. com-forted. She was thinking of you and carried to her grave the little token: you sent her, blessed by dear Father C . The day she was dying your let-tor let-tor came. This I read to her and also showed her the pretty card so kindly sent by Father X . She said. "God bless Father K ami all." Thank God wo were spared to give mother the best of care while she lived, and her funeral was one of the nicest lhat ever took plaeo in our church. Over 1,000 people visited our home to view the remains. Dear P .mother looked lovely. The prettiest old lady ever seen in death, so everyone said. The Children of Alary came in a body. on Sunday. It was most edifying to see them as they knelt in prayer. If mother could have seen them at her syle, how happy she would have been. I am sure she will intercede for them in her heavenly heaven-ly home, where she can enjoy the real company of Mary. Xow, my dear. brother, bear up; and since your dear mother js gone to her reward, do not forget her. I feel that she does not need prayers, but if she does not, there are others for whom prayer will avail. I know that mother is at rest; away from the cares and-trials of this wicked and selfish world. Tho misfortunes; that 'have overtaken you and I (through no fault of ours) has caused her many an hour of sorrow. Let us try and live a perfect life through remembrance of our mother. Lot her good example of faith and love burn in our hearts. Let us continue in our correspondence and perpetuate per-petuate mother's affection for her children. Out of mother's seven sons, only one followed her to the grave. Father Wt called at the house and over mother's remains, he said : "Your mother lias left monuments behind in the faith of her children and grandchildren." He gave us great consolation, indeed. At the grave. Very Rev. X B was present to consign the body to Mother Earth. The first carriage after the pall-bearers, was occupied by four Sisters of St. Joseph, one of whom was our venerable cousin. Mother Mary Philip. As I said before, if mother rolled in wealth no more respect could have been shown. We arc very lonely and now the Christmas holidays, holi-days, so near at hand, make the heart grow sadder, although we feel that dear mother and James arc together this Christmas. Write as soon as you can, for I will be anxious and alwavs happy to hear from you. For mother's sake, write often, for there are only a few of us left. |