Godly Ancestors -- Nana and Gram

The following was written by Mom.  It was part of a sermon that she gave for a senior citizen group on 147 Hackensack Street.  (As a Eucharistic minister for St. Joseph's Parish in East Rutherford, New Jersey,  Mom was asked to do this sermon, filling in for one of the nuns.)

This is a very special Feast Day for me. If I can, I want to tell you why.

July 26, 1963, my mother-in-law, Margaret Manner Conlon, died. That's 32 years ago now. It seemed fitting that she died on the feast of the grandparents of Our Lord because when she died she had 32 grandchildren--one more would be born after her death--that was our Thomas--so there was a total of 33 grandchildren.

Let me show you Nana and Pops Conlon--my ancestors so to speak--their family tree: In their tree there are Six trees--representing their six children;

• Jim's sister Marge's tree with five branches;
• Bette's tree has six branches
• and so does his sister Jane's;               
• his brother Bob's tree has four4 branches
• and John's has three;
• our tree--Jim's and mine--has 9 branches. And there's Tom. He is so proud to be at the very top--the last grandchild.

The tree is still growing. Now in 1995 there are 44 great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren filling out these branches.

But--to get back to July 26--today's feast--and to praising these godly ancestors--glorious in their time--leaving behind their names and praiseworthy deeds.

Nana was the greatest Mother-in-law a girl could have. I can't begin to tell you how I have tried, in dealing with my married children, to be the kind of mother-in-law that Nana was. But there is more to this story. I didn't realize at the time and am only realizing it more and more as time goes by that my Mom was a grandparent too and a mother-in-law, my husband's. And I don't think I told her what a good job she did.

Dad loved his brothers and sisters dearly. Here they are pictured from left to right: Robert Conlon, Margaret (Marge) Conlon Shaw, Elizabeth (Bette) Conlon McKeon, Dad, Jane Conlon Ulrick, and John Conlon.  Click here to view the image enlarged.

I guess that sounds strange. Back then I always thought Mom was butting in--she kind of demanded equal time with Nana. Now I realize that Mom was kind of competing, probably very unconsciously, for some attention. My Dad and Mom's family tree couldn't be nearly as impressively large as Nana and Pop's--there was only my brother and I. They had only our nine children and my brother's one child as grandchildren. Now I realize they must have felt left out because we were always at Conlon family birthdays, baptisms, communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings.

Oh how I wish I knew then what I know now--I would have made more time for Mom and Dad. I thought then that Mom was being the kind of mother-in-law I don't want to be; and I realize now she was just outnumbered. How I wish I had told her that she did good. How I wish I had told both Mom and Dad I'm sorry they were left alone.

Now I know that you have to make every moment count before it's too late. That's why July 26th, the Feast of Joachim and Ann, means so very much to me.

As it says in the Scriptures: their virtues have not been forgotten; Now will I praise those Godly men--our ancestors--each in his own time the abounding glory of the Most High's portion.... their wealth remains in their families, their heritage with their descendants; Through God's covenant with them their family endures, their posterity for their sake. And for all time their progeny will endure, their glory will never be blotted out. Their bodies are peacefully laid away, but their name lives on and on. At gatherings their wisdom is retold, and the assembly proclaims their praise.

Let us respond to the prayer of the faithful with the words: O Lord hear our prayer. (Prayer of St. Francis)

Everyone’s petitions.

Now let us pray together in the way the Lord taught us.