TheresaThoma Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Catherine I just wanted to let you know I offered up Mass for you and Zack today. I pray that everything will work out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
his_remnant Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 You have my prayers, i'll be in front on the Blessed Sacrament exposed for a few hours today...they will be for all of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 We got their house full of food. The St. Vincent Society food bank came up with many sacks. Other people in the parish just started showing up this afternoon with stuff the St. V's doesn't stock like eggs and butter and toilet paper. We got him his underwear and socks, and a big bag of dog food. St. V's doesn't stock dog food either. We also had to get some triple antibiotic ointment. He'd been going commando and had a zipper accident. I'd forgotten how much fun having a teenager can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regina_coeli Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 [quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1326063863' post='2365212'] We got their house full of food. The St. Vincent Society food bank came up with many sacks. Other people in the parish just started showing up this afternoon with stuff the St. V's doesn't stock like eggs and butter and toilet paper. We got him his underwear and socks, and a big bag of dog food. St. V's doesn't stock dog food either. We also had to get some triple antibiotic ointment. He'd been going commando and had a zipper accident. I'd forgotten how much fun having a teenager can be. [/quote] Praying you keep that wonderful sense of humor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I think I update this more for my sanity than anything else. We just got back from taking him to his Cadets meeting. I knew that they had taken up a collection for him, and expected a few gift cards. I told his Captain that cash wasn't a good idea. They gave him $700 worth, with more coming next week. I was beyond floored. We've had 13 funerals since Christmas in our parish, including another one today. The ladies had a bunch of food left over, and took it all over to his house. My mom did the funeral dinners at our parish back home for 35 years. That parish was at least 4 times as big as my parish here, and she said she never had a stretch like this. We have another parishioner that isn't expected to survive the week. Both of our priests have that look like they just made a Vietnam War movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaThoma Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Continuing prayers for you, Zach and your parish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictlyinkblot Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I will offer up prayers for you, Zack and every one involved in adoration today. I wish I could offer more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Catherine, My prayers follow you - you certainly are dealing with way too much at once on so many levels. Be sure you are taking care of yourself in all of this. Thirteen funerals in less than a month time is a staggering grief load for all of you; you might want to see if your diocese (or a local hospice or another supportive service) has any resources available for your priests and/or parishioners.. sometimes they can send grief counselors to work with clergy in this kind of situation. I've done days of Remembrance for our Secular Order people when this kind of thing happened in our Community. Again, we will be praying for all in your parish. Don't hesitate to PM me if I can be of any help to you with resources, etc. I find myself thinking... perhaps it is for this that God summoned you to the new parish a month or so ago... obviously God had need of you. Perhaps there was more to your 'having to change parishes' than met the eye! What a lovely tribute from the Cadets! Will a credit union or bank set up a trust account for Zach if there is that much money involved? Might be worth checking into this.... but I am sure you already have thought on this. We are praying for you in the outside world. God bless all of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I'm actually still at my old parish. They made a lot accommodations just for my husband and I, so we are sticking in there. I basically have to ring a door bell at the elevator door. My spiritual director said that having to beg for admission to the mass might be good for me. She also said that the Church was my family, and family sometimes have fusses, but we eventually have to get over it. She knows me really well, and can be infuriating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Wow. Thanks for clarifying about the parishes. I bet your parish priests are glad that they did what it took to keep you then. Prayers for all involved - you must be doing something right to be meriting this much 'negative attention' if you know what I mean.... Please let us know if there is anything more tangible we can do to support you and/or them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 [quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1326218505' post='2366445'] Wow. Thanks for clarifying about the parishes. I bet your parish priests are glad that they did what it took to keep you then. Prayers for all involved - you must be doing something right to be meriting this much 'negative attention' if you know what I mean.... Please let us know if there is anything more tangible we can do to support you and/or them. [/quote] Believe it or not, for the weeks we had been going elsewhere, they kept my name on the sick list in the bulletin. I was told by a source that wished to remain anonymous that it was easier than answering questions about where we were. As to Zack, the nun who is in charge at Catholic Social Services plead with the guy at the bank today to not evict him and his sisters out of the house, and he refused to budge. They've got about 3 weeks to eviction. We are going to have to go into overdrive in trying to find him a place to live. I also have to make time somehow to read my Mystical Theology text for a big report due at the end of the month. School doesn't seem like a priority right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amppax Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 [quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1326229457' post='2366498'] Believe it or not, for the weeks we had been going elsewhere, they kept my name on the sick list in the bulletin. I was told by a source that wished to remain anonymous that it was easier than answering questions about where we were. As to Zack, the nun who is in charge at Catholic Social Services plead with the guy at the bank today to not evict him and his sisters out of the house, and he refused to budge. They've got about 3 weeks to eviction. We are going to have to go into overdrive in trying to find him a place to live. I also have to make time somehow to read my Mystical Theology text for a big report due at the end of the month. School doesn't seem like a priority right now. [/quote] Send it to me, and I'll read it and summarize it for you. I'm only slightly kidding, well mostly kidding. I'll just pray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 His sister told him today that she wanted him to pay $300/month for rent, and do all the house cleaning, dishes, laundry, and babysit all three of the little kids all day everyday so she can go to her trade school. The two kids that belong to his sister in Toronto that were supposed to go back to their mom are not only going to stay here, she's going to send her youngest to live here too since she's pregnant again and the sister here wants the extra welfare benefits. So he'd be babysitting 4 kids under the age of 8. We got him enrolled in school, and he starts in two weeks, so I guess his sister wants him to skip school to babysit for her. They want him to basically be Cinderella. What is most disturbing about all this, is that the nun working with the family at Catholic Social Services thinks it's a great idea. She is only focusing on the younger kids, and "keeping the family together," and is willing to sacrifice Zack to that end. I'm not willing to sacrifice him in that way. It wouldn't save the family long term anyway. In a year he'd turn 18 and be gone if he didn't run away beforehand, or just get into trouble again out of stress, acting out or escape. Anyway, we were able to finally get the upstairs owner on the phone. She hadn't gotten our earlier message because she was out of the country. We rented the apartment, and he can move in there right before he starts school. We just have to get his guardianship straightened out before then. We are going to children services tomorrow, and since he's 17, the decision is completely his anyway, so it should just require some more red tape. I just cut a check for $2600 for the first four months rent. His cadet group is collecting furniture for him, and St. Vincent is going to take care of sheets, towels and kitchen stuff. We are expecting to be made out as the bad guys if things fall apart after we pull Zack out of there. He's sleeping in an attic room that has a hole in the roof right over his bed, and we're expecting -40 degree wind chill tonight. I know how these kinds of dsyfunctional people react to things, so I can even foresee one of his sisters calling child services and saying that we are using him sexually or something to try to get back at us. So we are trying to keep things quiet until the last minute. I'd love to be able to help them all out, but I'm not willing to let Zack shoulder the responsibility for two older sisters and four kids that shouldn't be his responsibility. I'd love to know where all these dads are, but I'm not sure these girls even know who the were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaThoma Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Catherine I will continue to keep you and Zach in prayer. I'm hoping that you will be able to get things settled soon. Zach is very blessed to have someone like you in his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hermanita Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Prayers for your family and Zack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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