The Gift

Today is my Daughter Danielle's Birthday.  For her Birthday, she asked us for only one gift.  She asked us to attend Church with her for her Birthday.  My husband was traveling for business, so I told her I would go to Mass with her.

I will admit, I have not been to Church in a very long time.  Not since they closed my Parish, joined Parishes, and then actually reopened the Church that for so much of my life was a Home to me and my family.  My faith has never waivered and my closeness to God is not measured by whether or not I attend Church.  In fact, my husband and I miss our old Parish very much, but when the Churches merged, and our Pastor left, we almost felt a sense of homelessness, and we actually stopped attending our old Parish.

Today, for the first time in a very long time....I felt at home.  St. Cecilia's in Boston and Father Unni, brought back so many memories for me, and it was nice to feel a sense of being home again.

 My gift to Danielle, actually became a Gift to me.   So much so that when I walked into the Church with  my daughters Danielle and Mary  we were greeted and asked to bring up the Gifts....Ironic.  Another gift of the day, was the priests homily....it was about living a life to the fullest, with no regrets, because we actually never know when our time is up, so we should live our life as best as we can, and surround ourselves with positivity, forgiveness and love.

There were messages in the homily and in sitting in St. Cecilia's  that touched my heart.  When I walked into the Church  I saw behind the altar a very large picture of The Last Supper.....my Dougherty grandparents had this picture always hanging behind their couch in the living room when I was growing up, and so many memories of my faith and my religious upbringing come from my Nana and Grampy Dougherty who were very involved in their church..In fact,  I believe they are my first memories of a Church being a place to call home.  Then after communion, I looked above that picture, and there she was.... a statue of  The Blessed Mother, another inspirational message, because I have always called to her in times of need and in times of gratitude and both of my grandmothers had a closeness to Mary, that  I have carried that closeness in my heart as well.

All these messages reminded me of why I loved going to St. Bernard's and being a part of that Parish Family.  I wish that Donnie had been with us today, because I know his heart would have been feeling the same things my heart felt today.

I don't know if I will ever go back to our original Parish, but I do know this...for anyone who has left the Church....there is always a home out there for you.  St. Cecilia's reminded me of this today.  Will I start going back every Sunday? I don't quite know, but I feel comfort in knowing that two of my daughters have found a place that feels like home to them, and I do believe I will go back from time to time with them to this very beautiful church. And I have faith that there is always a home out there waiting to welcome back anyone who has left and who wants to go home again.

I have no regrets, I live my life with love and gratitude...I cherish each day as a Gift, and  today, I am grateful to my beautiful daughter who on her Birthday gave me the gift of remembering what it felt like to have a home in a Parish.

I have always used this blog as a venue for gratitude, and I have already thanked Danielle, but I also want to thank, Father Barry, Sister Joanne, and all the people who made so many years of being a part of St. Bernard's so warm and inviting and a place to call Home.