Good morning!

I got up late! 10!

Unusual for me. But it felt good.

A most interesting radio show yesterday. Many comments afterwards. All directed to the same topic.

My Cousin Rose.

Rose and I grew up together. The early years.

Rose is ten years younger than me. She is presently 65.

Her parents, my aunt and uncle, were Fannie and Frank. Fannie was my father’s sister. Aunt Fannie passed on at age 86. Uncle Frank years ago.

Fannie and Frank went childless for many years. As the story goes, my Aunt was around 50 when she had stomach pains. They thought it was appendicitis. It wasn’t. It was Rose.

My Aunt and Uncle always said Rose was a gift from God.

At age 14, Cousin Rose went into the nunnery. It was her decsion. She wanted to go. It was not uncommon back then for girls to enter the nunnery at a young age.

My Aunt and Uncle said their gift was being returned to God.

It was not easy going for Rose’s parents. They could not see her but one day a year.

Rose was a nun. No question about it. Prayerful. Mindful. You could see it in her eyes.

Rose’s life is and has been her work among the poor and needy.

As the years went on, I rarely got to see my cousin. Generally, a wake or wedding. It has been at least ten years since I last saw her.

I received a telephone call this week. From another cousin. Rose is sick. She has leukemia. She is in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse undergoing 35 days of chemotherapy.

I telephoned Rose. Spoke with her two times. Each conversation brief. She sounds terrible.

All she said was, ” Pray for me.”

This woman who has spent her life praying for everyone else now needs the prayers of everyone else.

Please say a prayer for my Cousin.

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