By Deacon Gregory M. Kirk
Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Galion
Saint Patrick’s Day summons images of shamrocks, grand parades, a white bearded Saint Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, and for some, green beer. For me, it is a reminder that among my Irish ancestors, none was more special than my Great Grandmother, Julia Clare O’Connell.
My Grandmother Julia was born in 1880 in County Kerry, Ireland. At the age of sixteen, she boarded a White Star Line ship named the Majestic, in Liverpool, England and sailed to the United States. The captain of her ship was a young, upcoming White Star Line officer named Edward Smith. He later became famous as the captain of the Titanic. She was processed through Ellis Island, carrying all she owned, in three small bags. In her purse was the rosary that she prayed with devotion throughout her long life.
Julia initially lived in Newport, Rhode Island with her older brothers who had previously emigrated here. Soon, she met my Great Grandfather, on his way home after serving in the U.S. Army as a personal messenger to Rough Rider Colonel Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish American War, in Cuba. After a whirlwind romance, they married and made their way to my Grandfather’s farm in West Virginia.
My Grandmother raised eleven children, helped to manage a farm, taught her children the Scriptures, and still found time to help her neighbors who were in need. In many ways, she was no different than your ancestors – they were people who came to America with hopes and dreams, with a willingness to work in order to build a better life, and with a desire to be of help to people with challenges. Like your ancestors, my Grandmother loved America and all that she stands for. She dealt with challenge with stoic strength, and she never tired of giving glory to God for her blessings.
This Saint Patrick’s Day, I will once again cherish the memory I hold of my Grandmother, the Grandmother I remember, as a young boy. I will once again be grateful that the rosary she carried to the United States and prayed with, throughout her life, is mine today, and will one day belong to our daughter “Julie.” Most of all, I will remember the values my Grandmother held dear, and once again, recommit myself to making them my own.