Monday, March 17, 2014

The Irish are Still Missing

   

  
     My 3rd great-grandparents Patrick Devine and Emily Sheldon are still missing. I have no idea where they are after the 1875 NY state census. I think they divorced and I think I found Emily in the 1900 federal census, I'm 98% sure. I think she might also be the same Emily that I found in the 1905 NY state census. After that she is a mystery like her husband.  I won't give up.


                                                          Happy St Patrick's Day



Saturday, March 8, 2014

Bless Me Father...

                     "Bless me father for I have sinned.  This is my first confession."
     My  Little Gregory made the sacrament of Penance today and he did very well.  I remember being nervous the first time I went as a child.  He asked when I was going to go so I promised that I'd go next Saturday.  "Bless me father for I have sinned.  It has been forever and a day since my last confession."
     My mother told me that the last time she went to confession was when she was about 18 or 19.  The priest had asked her if she promised to never do that again and she told him that she couldn't make that promise.  She doesn't even remember what it was but it was a venial sin and really not that big of a deal .  If you knew my mother then you'd know this was true because she was a good girl.  Anyway, because she told the priest that she couldn't make that promise, he told her that he couldn't give her absolution.  She walked out.