Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: my friend and mentor Gerry Mannato

Mentor, Teacher, Friend in the Spirit of God: Gennaro Mannato

     As high school junior, my first job was working as a desk sitter at St Philip Neri Parish in Northport for the illustrious wage of $1.25 an hour. I wasn’t prepared for a major crisis; I was merely told how to answer the phone, and never to leave my post at the rectory. Nothing serious had happened in four months, until one Friday evening, a call caught me unaware. The caller, a woman, was very agitated, and demanded that I go up the hill to the Charismatic Prayer Meeting and tell Gerry Mannato some bad news. “Tell him his wife is dying, and he needs to come home right away.”                               Reluctantly, against orders, I ran up the hill and arrived breathless in the school cafeteria, wondering how I was going to give a man I barely knew the worst news of his life. Thirty people were singing a hymn of praise, faces aglow, hands uplifted, while I hesitated in the back of the room, wondering how to reach Gerry without breaking up the meeting. The crowd parted, and he came to me, with a look of concern on his face, and asked me, “What’s the matter?” I blurted out, “I work at the Rectory, and a woman just called, saying you have to go home right now, your wife is dying”.

     If someone had told me this news, it is likely that the only reaction they would elicit would be a brief “thanks” as I flew out the door. Gerry’s reaction was completely different. He put his arm around me with deep compassion in his eyes, saying, “I’m so sorry that you had to be the one to tell me this”. Tears sprang to my eyes, and a friendship which would endure three decades, was born.

     Soon afterwards, I was praying after Mass in the rear of the church, when Gerry tapped me on the shoulder. “I noticed the way you pray, and I think you might want to join our prayer group”, he suggested. He couldn’t have chosen a more grateful young woman. I was searching for a way to deepen my faith, in the 1970’s, when the Church was in the Post Vatican II whirlwind. At that time, a teen interested in spiritual growth was sent to RAP groups, which offered little spiritual nourishment. There was no Catholic TV or radio, few books, and no purity programs for teens.  This “I’m OK, you’re OK approach”, failed to feed the great spiritual hunger which reading “The Story of a Soul” had awakened in me at age 15. I wanted more of Jesus, and though I knew He was at Mass, thanks to my mother’s teaching, I needed guidance to build a mature spiritual life. Gerry filled that gap, unbidden, but so welcome.  

     In time, I became a regular at his prayer group, and attended a” Life in the Spirit Seminar”. I began to read Scripture, and learn to listen to the ‘still, small voice’ of Our Lord as I made important decisions about my future. I wanted to be a journalist and chose a Catholic college where I would deepen my knowledge of the faith. When I returned home and entered the working world, I started attending Gerry’s prayer support for the Renew Program in his home. Each week, I looked forward to his prayerful discussions, where his eyes shone with joy as he described how God was working in his life.

One night was particularly memorable; it was a dreary February evening and  the Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Gerry played a song from Michael Card called, “Now that I have held you in my Arms” a reflection on the Nunc Dimitis of Simeon. Suddenly, the joy of beholding the infant Jesus in person illuminated the gloom of that winter night. I drove home singing, and Candlemas, became one of my favorite feast days.

     As part of Gerry’s prayer group, I attended Forty Hours Adoration for the first time, and discovered the joy of meeting Jesus in Exposition of the Holy Eucharist. Gerry was there as an example and a mentor, gently encouraging me to live fully for Christ as he offered prayers for our pastor, Fr Tom Colgan, and the entire parish to embrace their faith more fully. He shared details of his day to day life, which included gardening, Italian cooking and regular exercise, and taught me how to life a truly integrated life, caring for body, mind and soul. If he experienced moments of loneliness, he never showed it, despite retirement and widowhood, his calendar was full. He enjoyed being a Grandpa, giving us updates on his twin grandsons, attended charismatic events, and intellectual pursuits. Soon I followed his lead, and ran two Renew groups, one for teens and the other for young adults.

      In later years, Gerry moved to East Patchogue, and became active in the parish community of St Joseph the Worker. He lived three decades as a widow, and despite statistics of widowers living short lives, his was a long and happy life, never marrying until he was called home last month at the ripe old age of 86.

I was saddened by the news, until I recalled one of the last times I saw Gerry. It was February 2, 2000. He had come to our new church St John’s in Center Moriches as part of a millennial celebration of the Feast of the Presentation. The church was aglow with hundreds of candles, reflecting the light in Gerry’s eyes as he praised the Lord with his whole heart and soul. I can see him now embracing his wife and his best friend, Jesus, singing;

“Now that I’ve held Him in my arms,

My life can come to an end,

I’ve seen your salvation: a light to the Gentiles,

 And the glory of His people Israel”.

 

Kristin's big move

It took me two years, yes, two years to finally fully unpack and feel moved into this beautiful new home. Yesterday, my family and I helped Kristin Bothru of 11 On My Own and her family move into her new home, and today she'll be unpacking books. Books for a homeschooling mom are ususally 50% or more of our boxes when moving, and the last thing to be unpacked, so I am so impressed.
The reporters from the Hartford Courant and Fox 61 were duly impressed as well, and said so, as we formed human chains and passed boxes along smoothly and quickly into the waiting truck. One asked me what our secret was, and I mentioned the fact that we had just coordinated efforts for our parish Rummage Sale. The Holy Spirit made it a smooth and peaceful move, and we finished by saying grace over 8 pizzas, the first prayer in Kristin's new home. I was honored to give the statue of Our Lady a ride, seatbelted into my van, and the photographers loved it, taking photos of her trip, and her arrival in the new home.
I hope we were a witness to the life of Christ in our hearts, and that when this appears on the Fox 61 website and the Sunday August 22 edition of the Hartford Courant, that many people exclaim, "See those Catholics, how they love one another?"
UPDATE: Read the Courant article here, and see the photos here.

 

I came to you late

I am reviewing my friend Kristin Luscia's book "11 On My Own" and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes.

"I came to You late, O Beauty so ancient and new. I came to love You late. You were within me and I was outside where I rushed about wildly searching for You like some monster loose in Your beautiful world. You were with me but I was not with You. You called me, You shouted to me, You wrapped me in Your Splendour, You broke past my deafness, You bathed me in Your Light, You sent my blindness reeling. You gave out such a delightful fragrance and I drew it in and came breathing hard after You. I tasted, and it made me hunger and thirst; You touched me, and I burned to know Your Peace."



St. Augustine of Hippo

A Message from Mary Ellen Barrett

When a tragedy hits, sometimes the newspapers get it wrong. This happened when my friend, Mary Ellen Barrett's 14 year old autistic son Ryan was found dead at a family campout this Friday.
I have her permission to share her side of the story with you. Ryan will be buried in a Mass concelebrated with Mary Ellen's uncle Msgr Robert Brennan and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, whom Ryan had hoped to join this Wednesday.
Please keep the Barretts in your prayers.

"Ryan was a light in our lives and now that he is forever at the feetof Christ his light will shine even brighter for us.I know it’s been difficult for everyone, getting information piecemeal.
Here are some details, please feel free to share them or any part of this email.

Ryan was playing in a little stream a few yard from the campsite. His father and the others knew where he was and he was in view. Other kids were near him but after a bit they spread out. They were all very excited to be in the campsite, they had only just arrived. When theyc alled the kids for prayers Ryan didn’t come and after a very short time the rangers were called and then the state police and firemarshals.
They searched with dogs (my poor Ryan so terrified of them). Dave called me at 11:30pm and then every hour until our dear friend,who was scheduled to go up there Sat with his four boys, drove me upat 4:30am. I arrived there at about 8:00 and they were searching with a helicopter and infrared radar as well as divers. He was found atabout 10:30.
In the five minutes between the other kids being thereand his being called Ryan had a grand mal seizure and slipped into the stream, his body was found a few feet away in a drain in a culvert.
It is believed the seizure is what killed him although we don’t have confirmation of that yet. When Dave and I saw him, he looked very peaceful and that was of great comfort to us. Ryan received last rites at the campsite, two priests against all odds showed up in the middle of the woods at exactly the right time toadminister the sacrament. Only Ryan could have arranged that.
It was reported that Ryan wandered off and some reports were quite cruel in their tone. It just is not true. We did a brief interview with Newsday to try to correct that and have since had my brother dealing with turning away all of the news agencies. They have been like barbarians at the gate.
In the last 48 hours we have been so blessed by all of the prayers and love that we have received. My friend Chris has completely taken overand has made it possible for us to not have to think.
The Knights ofColumbus and Squires have also been incredible. I know all of the people on IHM and MO have been contacting Chris and lining up to help and we are just so grateful. The pain that David and I are in is too unbearable to speak about. I ask for your prayers for us and our children. Katie and Erin inparticular are old enough to understand and are completely devastated. Every time I look at them my heart breaks all over again. The little ones are sad and confused, not really understanding.
We are very mindful of how sad this is going to be for all of Ryan’ s friends in IHM. For many it will be there first experience with losinga friend and Dave and I are offering up some of our sorrow for their comfort. They have lost a dear friend but gained a mighty intercessor. In the coming weeks we will read all of the emails and posts and doour best to respond to everyone, in the meantime please be assured ofour gratitude and love for you all. "

How typical of Mary Ellen to offer up her sufferings for Ryan's friends! I hope to attend his funeral Wednesday.

Among Women nominated for Catholic New Media Awards

My friend Pat Gohn's podcast Among Women was nominated for several categories at the Catholic New Media Awards(formerly Catholic Blog Awards). See my review here, then go vote for her!

Extreme Makeover; Home Edition features the Girard Family Tonight!

They have a tragic yet inspring story which teaches Ty Pennington a thing or two about faith. We know the Girards through the Friary, and they are an example of faith through the darkest of times.
Watch it with us tonight. See the preview here.

My friend Elizabeth Gerold Miller's poem on pregnancy

is up on Mom-writers literary magazine. She is THE most gorgeous pregnant lady I have ever seen! She just glows; and so do her beautiful lines of poetry. They just make you miss those precious days.
Nice work, Elizabeth! Time for another baby, you look so lovely pregnant!

A new baby and a new president

My friend Mary Ellen Barrett has a moving column at the Long Island Catholic on how the arrival of her eighth child (Brendan was born after she wrote the article) is a blessing to her family and wonders about the president's views on the sanctity of human life.
Great job, Mary Ellen, and congratulations on the Barrett family's newest blessing!

Why did the birthday party invitation make me cry?

If you have a child with Down syndrome, you probably understand.
Christina has always been accepted lovingly in the homeschool community, but this is the first birthday invitation she has received for HERSELF. I wondered if it would ever happen, and I'm so grateful for that kind mother.

Friar Supplier Barbecue

The young, dynamically orthodox, Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and their co-order the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, are one of the reasons I am so hopeful about the future of the Catholic Church. I am fortunate to belong to a large organization of laymen who contribute to their food supply as well as their missions in Haiti, and Honduras. We have an annual barbecue at the home of Joan and Charlie Moran, a lovely couple who run the Suppliers. The volleyball, sharing and music are topped off by participation in evening prayer with the Friars. The peace that pervaded the formerly boisterous crowd of 435 was edifying, and gave us a taste of the beauty of their prayer life.

I was thrilled to meet friends, both new and old. Mayra and Regina, in matching striped outfits, spent some time getting to know us, and will be sharing their amazing story in my book on Catholic mothers. Sr. Mairead has a special relationship with Christina. Sister has just come back from a long trip to the new house they have established in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On her return trip, she was interviewed by Fr. Francis Mary on Life on the Rock. She said, "I was very nervous, Fr. Francis didn't tell us what he was going to ask us!" I saw the show, and Sister Mairead did wonderfully, the joy in her face says it all.

Go to Causa Nostrae Laetitiae to read about my conversation with Fr. Andrew Apostoli.

Nothing makes a homeschool mom happier than a box of books!

No, my homeschool book order hasn't landed on the doorstep, it's even better.
A friend of mine who has decided to send her children to Catholic school, has donated at least seven boxes of the kind of books I see my fellow homeschool bloggers rave about.
Books I have been meaning to buy, after reading about them on friend's blogs, like Maureen Wittman's Homeschool Companion, or Rita Munn's A Family Journal.
Books that may be in the basement somewhere, but I can't locate them, like the Bible History. Books I have given away to someone, and missed ever since, like Letters to Gabriel, Fertility Cycles and Nutrition, and .
Books I have seen over and over in Ignatius Press, but just couldn't afford, like The Spirit of the Liturgy by Cardinal Ratzinger, or Fire Within by Fr. Dubay.
Books which I haven't yet read from well-loved authors, like James Stenson's Compass.
Books which I love and can now give away because I have an extra copy like Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy, or Karol Wojtyla's Love and Responsibility.
Books I need to re-read like Dr. Dobson's The Strong Willed Child.
Books I planned to recycle but the older child's answers were written in pen, like the wonderfully written, Our Pioneers and Patriots by Rev. Philip Furlong.
Books I've always meant to read like Ruth Beechik's You Can Teach Your Child Successfully.
Books I know I'll read in one sitting like Secrets of the Eucharist by Michael Brown.
Charlotte Mason books. Fr. Lovasik books. Mother Teresa books.
Spiritual books, textbooks, art print cards, old fashioned music books and cool science kits. Phonics games and the perfect history and health books for my 5th grade daughter.
Preschool books for Christina, my Kindergartener.
There are even videos on Maximilian Kolbe, Pope John Paul II and that miraculous staircase.
Don't I have a wonderful friend? Don't you just love these books?!

Thank you, Lord, for your generous provision, there's just one more thing. . .could you send me a bookshelf, please?

A New Blogger is Born!

I always recommend blogging to my expressive friends. It's a great way to get those creative juices flowing, meet wonderful people, and share our Catholic faith. My friend Elizabeth taught a Little Flowers group which our daughters attended and I always admired her organized presentations, her gentle teaching style, and her personal poise. I am just now discovering she is a novelist. And now, both she and her sister are bloggers.
Go on over to her brand new blog, The Divine Gift of Motherhood, and enjoy her way with words.

Blogger Reflection Award

Blogger Reflection Award: this award should make an individual reflect upon five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and who have provided a Godly example. In other words, five dear bloggers whom, when you reflect upon them, you are filled with a sense of pride and joy. . .of knowing them and being blessed by them.

Noelle over at Jaden's Journal has nominated me, and I'm so honored. She always been an inspiration to me. Her blog began as a personal reflection of life raising a son, Jaden, who has Down syndrome. . .
" my blog has morphed into a clearer reflection of my passion for changing the way our prenatal community treats diagnoses given to expecting parents. Amazingly, in just 6 months time, my blog has really brought me closer to so many people who also feel things in the prenatal world need to change! Most of you reading are already well aware that I started a Petition to get the Prenatally & Postnatally Diagnosed Condition Act passed, and already we are at almost 600 signatures! Also, I have been devoting most of my time to speaking with other parents, professionals, doctors, nurses and Senators in trying to see how powerful our voice really can be. I upload videos to Youtube to spread the word, I join all parent lists and groups that are out there on special needs and down syndrome and basically just try and get the message out that we are sick and tired of our babies being so disposable!

Here's her nomination of me for the Relflecting Blogger Award:
Leticia over at Cause of Our Joy is one of the most passionate parents I have met through blogging. She is a huge advocate of changing the prenatal care, just as most of us are, but she takes it further than most of us have a chance to. She has 2 blogs and they are very inspirational. She has offered her help on countless occasions to me, and is there to help any way she can in spreading the word! Her blog is very conscientious and inspiring. She is the mother of 3 beautiful girls! Her time and energy is most definitely altruistically spent! Thank you for all of your support and all that you do Leticia!
Thank you, Noelle, and let's keep the momentum going by calling our senators to support S609, the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Act. The Capital Switchboard number is (202)224-3121.

Here are my five nominees for the Blogger Reflection Award:
1. Jean M. Heimann at Catholic Fire. Jean not only knows everyone in the Catholic blogosphere, but she is up on all the buzz, I know that when I read her blog will be inspired and informed by her keen insight. She is passionately pro-life, yet perennially optimistic about the birth of a Culture of Life in this world. She is heavenly minded, as you can see in all her holy posts about the saint of the day, yet she is practical, making her one of my all time favorite bloggers and a great blogbuddy.
2. Anita at V for Victory She is a Tertiary Dominican and never lets you forget it, her blog has a marvelous WWII theme, which brings to mind the importance of the war on terror, but also the war for the Culture of Life, which she passionately supports. She has great posts on some of my favorite saints, and comes to my aid in times of distress. Anita took her Confirmation seriously as she is a true soldier of Christ!
3. Monica at Be Not Afraid Though she is a webmaster, not a blogger, her website is just so dynamic, I couldn't resist. Recently featured in Catholic Exchange and interviewed on the Drew Mariani Show, Monica is the mother of three, including little Celine, on whom the doctors had given up hope for survival after birth, due to her heart condition. But Monica and her dh never gave up, and now Celine is a young lady of five. Monica now encourages other parents with poor prenatal diagnoses, and she is a real dynamo who I am proud to call my friend and co-author. We are writing a book on Catholic special needs mothers.
4. Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has a flair for beauty, she can't help it, she lives in paradise! Reading her blog is like going on retreat, beautiful images, inspiring prayers, and thoughtful commentary lift up your heart and soul to Heaven. She is always charitable, and always Catholic. I treasure our blog friendship, and her work in the blogosphere.
5. Lori from The View from Our Porch Swing. She will be surprised at this, since she doesn't know me, but after one visit to her blog, you feel like part of her wonderful family of 12, which includes a lovely young lady with Down syndrome. She doesn't preach Catholicism, she lives it, and we are fortunate to have a view into her happy, Christ-centered life. Her blog is truly an example of what St. Francis said, "preach always, use words when necessary".
Congratulations, ladies! Now you display your award, and nominate five other bloggers who have inspired you.

A tale of two parks; life with mother

Out till midnight at our Friday evening rosary at a dear friends' home, my daughters went to bed exhausted but happy. Early the next morning, I awoke Gabbi and Bella to accompany me to an advance screening for the film, An Arctic Tale (review to follow) in Manhattan. We have to travel 2 hours to get there, and the parking was $40, so it's quite an undertaking. They slept a bit on the way, and were alert enough to be awestruck by the Loew's Lincoln Square Theatre on Broadway with its 1930's Hollywood-style decor; art-deco murals, rich red carpets, and soaring ceilings held up by pineapple-topped columns. We entered the Majestic Theatre and enjoyed the world of the Arctic for two hours.
Afterwards, I had an inspiration, and asked the girls if they wanted to go to the Central Park Zoo and see a real Polar Bear. We trekked through the park, getting lost numerous times, and finally found the diminutive zoo. We were fascinated watching the bear's powerful swimming style, as viewed from underwater.
Fighting three hours of traffic on the way home, we collapsed into bed for a nap at 5, only to hear the phone ring at 6 with my friends' inviting us to join them in the park for the annual New York Philharmonic concert on Long Island. I dragged the poor girls, three of them this time, into the car with our chairs and some provisions, and off we went again for another cultural adventure.
Their lack of enthusiasm was gently overcome by the sheer beauty of Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" symphony ennobling the treed landscape while we were caressed by the soft summer breezes. Fireworks finished off this amazing day, and this morning, Mom is finally letting the girls sleep in. We'll go to evening mass today, and be thankful Sunday is a day of rest.