HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

During Mother's Day today, we pray in a special way for all mothers: those living and deceased; those who have given birth, adopted, or fostered; spiritual mothers and godmothers; and all women who have blessed us with their maternal spirit and care.

We pray in a special way with gratitude to all mothers of the STM family!

So grateful that the Lord gave me such a wonderful caring mother, Roberta Ellen Varnum. We miss her dearly, but know she is interceding for us ever day so that my brothers, my Dad, and I may some day be able to join her in heaven.

- Scott Varnum

Mother’s Day takes me down memory lane. Three women in my life who truly formed my faith where my mother, aunt and grandmother. My mother taught us our faith with a special emphasis on the sacraments. She had my brother and I walk our lane, 1.5 miles to the church every Saturday to go to confession and 1.5 miles up hill back home. That walk would seem like enough penance, but there were prayers and actions to teach and form us as well. Mother wanted us prepared in spirit for Mass on Sunday. We never missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days. One Sunday we woke up to a snow blizzard. My brother and I were sent out to shovel the driveway so we could get out onto the lane. The snow on the lane however was so deep, the wheels of the car spun just trying to get headed toward the church. Wheels spinning and screeching, my mother kept her foot on the gas until we started to move. We drove through deep snow on the lane all the way to the church.

Another memory was something that was delivered to our lane. My aunt bought my brother a subscription to some comic books for his birthday one year. I mentioned that I thought it was so cool for him to get his own book in the mail and how he looked forward to it every month. The comic books were all about men who were super heroes. My aunt searched until she found something for me. She found a subscription in the format of comic books, but it was the lives of saints. I loved reading about the different saints, their life struggles and how they grew to know God. My super heroes were heroes for God.

The memory I treasure most is about my grandmother. My grandmother lived on a quiet lane. When she woke up each morning, she prayed the Rosary. She prayed all the mysteries everyday; the sorrowful, joyful and glorious mysteries. She began this practice before the luminous mysteries were known. Her respect and devotion for Mary, the mother of our Lord was shared with us as she taught us how to pray the Rosary. It is her Rosary that I hold as I pray the Rosary each day on my lane.

- Judy Shallcross