Remembering Father

BEADS OF JOY 4-23-12 “Remembering Father”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

"Remembering Father Mullally"

My friends…
This morning blog is all about me missing Fr Mullally. I am so sorry, but I really miss him. I understand our faith very clearly, I understand where he is, and I understand that one day I will see him again. I honestly understand all that; I just really miss him. To me it's like losing a parent, or a sibling, or thee absolute best friend you have ever had in the entire whole world, in your entire life... He was actually that best friend and that brother (a brother I never had) and that loving guiding parent in my life. My parents are wonderful and I love them, but they just didn’t fulfill the spiritual heart inside me, with the kind of guiding, loving parental leadership that Father had.

I realize I do reflect back a lot, I go through these patches of really missing Father and I don’t know what to do except express them. I’d like to start by saying that I have 5 (Spiritual Super Hero’s) in my life. And I realize that might sound corny, but it’s true. I did an audio reflection all about it, I need post that. Anyhow, these men of God have been mentors like no others in my life. I turn to them for direction, leadership, guidance, and so much more. In turn they have told me that they to gain from my input, so that we both were able to move forward in our spiritual life by our friendships. These men are as follows and in this particular order on purpose…

MY 5 SPIRITUAL SUPER HERO’S

#1. Fr Gerald Mullally (20+ years) what can I say that I haven’t already; and that I will continue to say…

#2. Jack McElligott (18-20 years) a very dear friend, he to, has gone to be with the Lord. I miss you Jack. Jack was a man who I spoke to, online, on the phone, and in person. One day, a few months before he passed away two years ago, (when Chrissy first got diagnosed with cancer) he said to me while hanging out in my yard, “You know Jim, I get it, and I think I really understand you now. No matter how much stress you are under, no matter how many horrible things get thrown at you, you stay upbeat and happy and joyful all the time… It’s the depths of your faith, isn’t it?” I said, “Of cause it is, it always has been.” He just smiled at me and said, “You have a wonderful gift, the gift of Joy in your heart, I am so happy for you Jim.” That was one of our last few conversations we had.

#3. Jerry Kelly (29 years) The Leader of Our Lady’s Pathways prayer group. A dear close friend, he was there from the beginning, when I first gave my life to Jesus. Jerry is a true man of honor and a true man of God; his private words to me, always touched the prayers I privately pray. God spoke through him many times to me…

#4. Fr Peter Calabrese (10 years) He is the Associate Director of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Lewiston, NY. He is busier these days, compared to the days when I use to hang out with him. He is living the life I would have loved to live if I were to be a priest (which I did at one point). Fr Peter was also my Spiritual Director for a little while, when we lived up in Niagara Falls. He is a man of some incredible insightful wisdom. His bible studies where out of this world.

#5 Al Picogna OFS (8+ years) He is my Franciscan brother / father / dear friend. He and I talk most days. He pointed out after Fr Mullally’s passing that he understands the depths of my sorrow. He said to me, “Jim, you talked about whatever was going on with you and Father, every single day we ever talked.” I was like, “I did??” Al’s insights and deeply rooted faith based life are a true inspiration. He is a remarkable friend, a true man of honor and dad to his daughters and their families and wonderful attentive grandfather.

I never realized how much I spoke about Father, till others have stepped forward and told me. He and I use to talk through many many nights, even directly before Mass. I can’t tell you how many times Chrissy would roll over to me; because I was at my desk in our bedroom, and she’d say, “Who have you been talking to all this time?” or “…all through the night?” I’d be like, “Father of cause...” She knew who I was talking about, nothing else needed to be said. It was just a regular event between Father and me.

Some Other Pondering Thought: When someone we love passes away, are they able to hear us; when we believe we are speaking to them alone? Our longing, our sadness, and our ongoing desire for connection with that person, pour through your words, and our thoughts of that them. How are you handling Fr. Mullally’s passing? Some of you might think, hey its 4 months ago, are you ok? I say, yes I am. I guess my love for him and my dependence upon his absolute loyal, loving friendship… miss him the most. He honestly has been the closest person to me in my life, aside from Chrissy. He and I have had some really wonderful, in-depth conversations over these past two decades. I’m talking beyond confession; our lives were an open book to one another. He made me always feel like it was important to him that I knew the real man behind the altar. I feel very blessed to have known him so well; and of cause no one knew me like he did. No stone was ever missed; no stone was ever left unturned. I trusted my life with him.

Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

Divine Mercy Chaplet

BEADS OF JOY 4-15-12
“Divine Mercy Chaplet”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday Time B
My Friends,

Today is a most JOYOUS day for us to celebrate. I love Sister Faustina; her diary is such a blessing. Please if you haven't taken the time yet, I highly recommend you read through it, you will be inspired but such a Godly woman. If today's message were to be put in a capsule I'd say, "Be merciful and loving to everyone, especially those in our lives who we know don't deserve it." Today we need to be like Jesus even more then we try to be on other days. Heaven is real, as is Hell is real. We are all given this tiny piece in time to make things right with Almighty God. We have more than adequate time to do so; so we can't waste it on things that in the end bare no meaning to the final judgment of our soul. In the end, all that will matter is that you made your life right with God. We must surrender fully to Him. I know many will resist and believe their own choices and priorities matter first. Sorry, no one, and nothing comes before God. His mercy and compassion and love for us; got himself nailed to a tree so that you and me can spend eternity with Him.

Today we celebrate "Divine Mercy". Let me share some excerpts from Sister Faustina's Diary. She has so much love from God to share with us. Please take the time to learn about her, her message and what she has written. My dear friend Fr Joe Roesch, MIC is the Divine Mercy Priest, you see him leading us on the video I always post, when I invite you to join us in praying, The Divine Mercy Chaplet. “I have discovered that everything is possible for God if we will only say yes to His call.” ~Fr. Joe Roesch, MIC. Today is a day of sharing as much as we can about Mercy, and how Sister Faustina has opened a blessed door of some wonderful wisdom for all of us to prosper from. There are far too many to share them all. But I'd like to share some of the ones that pop out.

"When I met the Lord I humbled myself and said, "Jesus, it seems that You do not associate intimately with such wretched people as I." Be at peace, My daughter, it is precisely through such misery that I want to show the power of My mercy." (133)

"For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray - that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict." (1158)

"I often communicate with persons who are dying and obtain the divine mercy for them. Oh, how great is the goodness of God, greater than we can understand. There are moments and there are mysteries of the divine mercy over which the heavens are astounded. Let our judgment of souls cease, for God's mercy upon them is extraordinary." (1684)


Divine Mercy Chaplet (Prayers)
Begin with the Sign of the Cross...

Pray, "Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world."

Pray 10 Times:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).

Conclude 3 Times:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Personal Invitation to YOU from Fr. Joe Roesch and me: Please join us in praying THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET. The attached link is my favorite; FR. JOE ROESCH is the priest who is in this video. He is a long time personal friend of mine from back in the “Charismatic Prayer Group” years on Staten Island. It was in the early 1980’s, the days of “The Handmaids of Mary” and “Mother Eugenia.” Remember her Fr. Joe Thank you Fr. Joe for all you do.

FR JOE'S EWTN VIDEO
http://marianweb.net/archives/flash/chaplet/video.php?id=3

More Sister Faustina, words from her diary:

Suffering is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the Saviour; in suffering love becomes crystallized; the greater the suffering, the purer the love. (57)

He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart. (390)

Oh if only the suffering soul knew how much it is loved by God, it would die of joy and excess of happiness! Someday, we will know the value of suffering, but then we will no longer be able to suffer. (963)

Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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