I recently ran into Peggy a gentle woman who worked in a local school district as a paraprofessional with special needs children for decades. We shared a seat on a bus in September 2009 heading to a Eucharistic Congress for women religious held at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
Here's a wonderful story from her.
I'm so glad I ran into you at the 40 Days for Life Mass. Thank you so much for your book, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I've been wanting to share a story with you. A few weeks ago I went to the funeral of my friend Martha's sister. A long time ago after Martha's parents died, she took over the care of her retarded brother, adding an apartment on to her home for him. A few years ago she was no longer able to care for him and he is now a resident at St. Joseph Living Center. He is 82. He has never been to a funeral. He could never handle it. Even though three of his siblings had previously passed away he wanted to attend this sister's funeral. The staff from the Living Center brought him. When the Mass was over and just as they were preparing to remove the casket, he asked to be brought over to the casket in his wheel chair so that he could kiss the casket and say good bye to his sister. The recessional music came to a stop and in the hush of the congregation he asked forgiveness for anything he might have done to hurt his sister and then word for word he recited an Act of Contrition. That day a lot of people discovered there is a lot to be learned from God's most special children, even into their old age. How many of us would publicly do such a beautiful thing?
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