By Elaine Cordeiro, Special to the Neighb News
On September 21, Our Lady’s Haven celebrataed Our Lady’s Mission Day with a special mass and reception.
It was the last day of summer, one of the most beautiful days when I walked through the doors of the haven. I looked around and said, “Our Lady, you did a beautiful job. “
All the beautiful people were coming in and out of this door and that door. I could hardly focus on one thing.
To my eyes, the people were like angels spreading their wings, going from this room to that room. I think I was a little out of place because I was dressed so casually. The women had a sparkle in their eyes with all the glitter of earrings, necklaces, and happiness.
I was there to write a story of the event. After looking around, I sat at the first table to the center on the left side of the dinning room. The woman on my left was Juliette, she was eager to talk. I wanted her to tell me a little bit of what she observed.
She told me in the Chapel she sat with a nun that she met on the plane 50 years ago coming from St. Michael to America. Her next thought was to tell me she felt all the love that was there in that room.
To me this woman was so holy, could it have been the nun that she sat close to in mass? I think, yes, the next thought was there was so much love in the look of her eyes, I think she was a saint in disguise
On the table sitting to my right was Henry. When I sat down in my chair he had a plate with chocolate dipped pretzels, pineapples, and marshmallows that Teresa, his mother, served him. I think he felt like a king.
Teresa’s mother lives at OLH. She’s been in the Haven for three years now. She’s 93 years old and does not communicate. She responds very well with the staff, which is a great blessing for her daughters. So family together is such a great bond for her mother, because her two daughters frequently visit her.
Now I changed tables and people looked like they were happy to see and talk with me.
Ronald was born in Fairhaven and still resides in Fairhaven. He came out of the service and married his wife Jeanine. They sat to my right at the table. He worked for UPS and retired. They have two daughters who are married, one in Mattapoisett and the other in Acushnet. Ronald and Jeanine spend quality time together, even though he is in a different home for his nursing care.
Ronald wrote something for Jeanine and gave it to her, telling her how much he loved her. With the two of them not being very talkative, Jeanine didn’t know how they got together. She remembered that she had to start talking with friends to bring out the talk in him.
She reminded me of my mother and he reminded me of my father. I told her that hearts always know there is love, so that quietness was special for Ronald and Jeanine.
Across the table was a familiar lady from church. Her name is Joanne. She told me of the time that she and Joe went to Mother Teresa’s Canonization Mass. They were in the crowd outside at St. Lawrence Martyr Church. There were too many people in the church. They were there, too, at the time Mother Teresa came out onto the balcony of the Missionaries of Charity Convent across from the church when Mother was escorted by Bishop Sean O’Malley. Joanne had tears rolling down her cheeks today as she spoke of the day Mother spoke to everyone.
Joanne told me she would never forget what mother said: “The family that prays together stays together.”
Joe had his picture taken in the crowd when the words of Mother Teresa touched her heart. That’s when the tears came flooding down. To me that was a miracle on the spot. Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Joanne.
The reception was over and I was given a caramel apple and red candy apple to take as a favor.
Mission complete.
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