history_matters - Requiescat in Pace

Siobhan ^ | J+M+J 8 June A.D. 2002 | Siobhan

[Siobhan]

Dear Friends,

This is a terribly sad day and joyous day. First, we learned of OxfordMovement's son Michael having died. Now I must tell you that my father who was known as the Freeper history-matters has also died today.

At 2 o'clock my family gathered in my father's hospital room for my son Finn to announce that he and Aileen are engaged. They have only known each other a few weeks. Aileen was my father's nurse in ICU. She is young, Irish, and a Gaelic speaker. My father instantly told me she was the one for my son Finn. I introduced the two, they were instantly smitten, and today they made this announcement.

My father gave them his Gaelic blessing and then announced we would all say a Rosary in Gaelic as a thanksgiving and a prayer for Finn and Aileen. When my father announces something, we all jump to it. Indeed, if he said 'jump' to this day we would all say, 'how high, Sir'. Bless him.

We said the Rosary, and at 3 we were still there so we joined him in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. At the end, he fell asleep and we all quietly left the room and went outside into the atrium to congratulate Finn and Aileen and to make a fuss over them.

At about 3:30 the nurse went in and discovered that my father had died in his sleep. She was very upset and weeping. She had come to care for my Da just as most folk do. We ran back into the room. Da had a smile on his face. There was the overwhelming aroma of roses. Even the nurses commented on it.

It hasn't really sunk in yet with me. He had suffered so much in the last couple of years. And his face was the picture of peace. The Maronite priest was in the hospital, and he came by just intending to call on his old friend my father. He is such a saint of a man. He prayed for Da in Aramaic and Arabic. It was very beautiful and perfect given my father and mother's service to the Church in the Holy Land. Father was a great comfort to my dearest mother.

Everyone of the nurses was wonderful to my mother, and for her part she cried but more because she was happy for my father to see Jesus face to face. She is actually older than my father and not in the best of health either. She is resting just now, and my brother Kevin is handling various arrangments that were made from when Da had his surgery. There was such a likelihood that he wouldn't make it through that surgery that he had prepared everything. We just didn't know that we would need it at this time.

As you all know, I only lately came to FR to fill in for my father who was so worried about the Catholics on FR and the troubles in the Church. I have tried to do some of what he wanted, but I know I haven't been able to do nearly so well as he.

He cherished many of you and kept you in his prayer intentions. He would want me, in the most Irish way possible, to bless all of you on behalf of my family for your kindness to him. And so in the name of good St. Patrick and sweet St. Brigid, I bless you all and your loved ones too, and I thank you for your prayers and your many kindnesses in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..

[saradippity]

I came home after a day of Saturday errands,which I did with a sad heart. I was praying for Oxford and his family and thinking of how for most of us,each day is quite the same as the day before and we expect the same for tomorrow. And,for others,like Oxford,their world had unalterably changed. I thought about Jesus turning Michael over to some one who knew his family,who would take his hand and introduce him to the angels and saints at Mary's Coronation,which I see as an unending celebration of the communion of saints who wait for us.

I came home to find your letter telling us that history_matters had died and was heartbroken. Your Dad was a joy and inspiration to so many.Each day I checked to see if he was back at it. And while you too are gifted with a grace and an intellect that is extrordinary,I missed your Dad. It was hard to realize that he was not going to be encouraging and enlightening us with his knowledge,thoughts and prayers. I read what you wrote and realized that he did have what we all pray for,a peaceful,beautiful death with his family surrounding him and was now with God.And,I was especially happy that you also pictured Michael,in Mary's arms until your Dad got there.

I was immensely moved to find Oxford's message to you expressing his comfort in knowing your Dad would take care of Michael while he was unable to be with his son. I can go to sleep tonight thinking how God works in His mysterious ways. Love and prayers.sara

[Jeff Chandler]

I'm so sorry. A terrible loss.

[ThomasMore]

I grieve for you and your family but rejoice in my heart for your father. He was a devout man truly in love with his faith. I know he is with the Lord. I will miss him.

Until we meet again, Greg, pray for us and the Church. Say hello to my mom and dad, Roger and Antoinette.

[Cap'n Crunch]

I'm very sorry, here I was hoping to start seeing his posts again. Sounds to me that he was quite a guy and the world will be a little less without him.

A Marine too. Rest in peace & Semper Fi.

[RnMomof7]

What can I say to you?

You dad was a special man! he and I often has doctrinal disagreements...but he was always so warm and knowlegable..Know that on this Sunday I will pray that your family have peace at this time..

Dia duit

[Salvation]

Requiem Ping.

[firewalk]

Morning Prayers

[big'ol_freeper]

My prayers are with you at this time of grief.

[big'ol_freeper]

"In the designs of Providence there are no mere coincidences" -- Pope John Paul II

We can all take comfort in knowing that there are two more intercessors in Heaven at a time when the world grows more and more crazy around us. We are truly blessed.

[pegleg]

I like to think of our Mother holding young Michael, Oxford's son in her arms and welcoming my father home.

Well said and I totally agree. Please accept my deepest sympathy and condolences. I offered an intention for your dad at Mass this morning. God Bless you and your family.

[jrherreid]

I'll keep your father in my prayers. Please also pray for my mother, who passed away on May 22nd at the age of 54.

[Siobhan]

I will pray for her, and I will pray for you with all my heart. God bless you, and God keep you safe in the palm of His hand.

[Askel5]

Morning, Siobhan ...

Fr. White (from Ireland and a missionary for 20 years or more to Nigeria) was back from retirement to celebrate the Latin Mass today. I shall drop him a letter with your family's intentions in the hopes he will keep you in his prayers and maybe offer some Masses for you. I know he will.

In Christ's love and with continued prayers,
Chris.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

A beautiful death for your beautiful father. Against all reason it provides a ray of hope.

Journey of the Magi
T.S. Eliot

A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times when we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities dirty and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wineskins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

[Siobhan]

God bless you, Chris. Thank you. I will tell my family. Bless you for your kindness and your prayers.

[ninenot]

'Twas (St.) Michael who cleared a path for HM. Mike can join with our son Maximilian (RIP 1/7/01) and another newly-crowned saint, Evan, (RIP 6/8/02). You, Oxford, are one of a VERY few fathers who already have a saint interceding before the Throne of God.

In paradisum, deducant te angeli; in tuo adventu, te suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam, Jerusalem. Chorus angelorum, te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro, quondam paupere, aeternam habeas requiem.

This text is set by both Durufle and Faure. The edge goes to Durufle because of his leaving of the 2nd of the scale on the word 'aeternam;' the chord never resolves (that is, it portrays eternity.)

Shaw/Atlanta Symphony does both, I believe. Worth purchasing for a real lift at this time.

[dennisw]

My good wishes and condolences go out.

[Salvation]

At the age of 54 -- that is fairly young for a mother to be passing on. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you.

[VOA]

I introduced the two, they were instantly smitten, and today they made this announcement.

Had a friend in college who told me about his mom and dad.
His father and mother met during WWII, "they knew", married two weeks after meeting,
marriage (at that time) was going strong after more than 40 years.
Some folks get lucky that way...

[VOA]

As you all know, I only lately came to FR to fill in for my father who was so worried about
the Catholics on FR and the troubles in the Church. I have tried to do some of what
he wanted, but I know I haven't been able to do nearly so well as he.

Not to worry. Those of us who are in other sectors of the Christian world aren't
wishing ill on the Catholics in these times; most of us know about problems in our own house!

When your loved one passed it is no wonder there was a smile on the face.
With the imminent union of Finn and Aileen, he must have instinctively know the future
was going to be in good hands.

(If we "lock horns" on issues here at freerepublic.com, please do remember I'm
not that I may be opinionated and wrong sometimes, but I do have a heart...)