In Loving Memory

Today, we attended the funeral Mass of a dear priest, a dear friend.

Father Timothy was joyful priest, truly filled with the joy of Christ. You could see it in his eyes, his smile. The bishop referred to him as "that happy Franciscan." That he was. Though he suffered greatly due to many physical maladies, Fr. Tim never complained. And he was so witty. Gosh he could crack a joke and get you laughing.

One of the things that I loved most about Fr. Timothy was how sweet and gentle he was in the confessional. Once, after hearing me confess, for the hundredth time, my failings as a wife and mother, he said to me, "Your penance Maureen is to do something special just for yourself. I mean it. Go out by yourself tonight and do something just for you." The next time I found myself confessing the very same failings, he told me, "Maureen you got all them kids, get them praying for you! The first thing they should do every morning when they get up is pray for their mother."

My favorite Fr. Tim quote from his homilies: "If you (insert sin here) you'll end up down south. And I don't mean Florida! Dontcha know?"

Though I know that Fr. Tim is now free from all his suffering and that he is on his way to his Beloved Lord (and oh, how he loved Jesus, especially in the Eucharist), I'm going to miss him terribly.

Please pray for the repose of his soul.