Happy Father’s Day!

I am blessed. I have a good father.

How many times do memories come flooding back of growing up with Dad (and Mum of course) in our wee house with 5 kids and no basement and one bathroom ?

I remember all these gangly children looking at the t.v. with Dad and trying to join him as he did his “Jack LaLanne” morning exercises.

Our Dad made up crazy nicknames for people in our lives that I can’t repeat for today’s audiences but we all still giggle about them.

Dad always always wore a suit to work , even when that mandate was dropped, and he looked pretty snazzy too! I particularly remember these multicoloured, leather, round toed shoes with laces that got a lot of comments. Dad was once asked if he wore a suit to bed… HA HA HA.

He used to work at the University of Windsor as Director of Administrative Services and I often drove to the U. of W. with him on the way to school there. He always had comments about bad drivers and one day we kids bought him this silly “stick on the dash” sound maker so that when he got frustrated he could press a button and it would make laser sounds. My Dad had a regular schedule at work…something like 8:30 am to 4:30 pm ( in my recollection) and when I got married myself I had to adjust my thinking as to what a dad’s work schedule should look like. (My husband could work through into the wee hours!)

Our Dad has a great sense of humour, a great love for God, his bride, his children, grand-children, great grandchildren, and his fellow man.

And of course I know that many are not so blessed : absent fathers, abusive ones, and fathers who have passed on.

My father-in-law, Ed, is also a good father. And he left a good example for his son, my husband, who became a good husband, father, and grandfather.

Here is a story I recently read about a father…..enjoy!

“A son took his father to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious dinner.

His father was quite old and therefore ,a little weak too.

While eating, food occasionally fell on his shirt and pants. The other guests watched the old man with their faces contorted in disgust,but his son remained calm.

After they both finished eating,the son quietly helped his father and took him to the toilet. Cleaned food scraps from his crumpled face and attempted to wash food stains off of his clothes, graciously combed his gray hair,and finally put on his glasses.

As they left the restroom, a deep silence reigned in the restaurant. The son paid their bill but just before they left, a man, also old, got up and ask the old man’s son , “Don’t you think you left something here?”

The young man replied, “I did not leave anything that I can think of.”

Then the stranger said to him,”You left a lesson here for every son and a hope for every father.”

The whole restaurant was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop!

One of the greatest honours that exist ,is being able to take care of those who have taken care of us too.

Our parents and all those elders who sacrificed their lives with all their time, money and effort for us, deserve our utmost respect.” ( anonymous)

Happy belated Father’s Day to my father and to yours…living still or living in Heaven.

God bless them.

A good father is an immeasurable gift and something our world is in need of today. Join me in praying for all fathers this Father's Day...

• For our biological, adoptive, and foster fathers on earth--that God protects and blesses them with the strength necessary to live their vocation and role as a father well.
  

• For our fathers who have passed from this life--that they are living in the presence of Jesus in heaven.
  

• For our priests, Bishop, and Pope--that Jesus blesses them with joy and courage to fully live out their vocation as spiritual fathers to their flock.
  

• For all those who play a fatherly role in our lives--that St. Joseph helps them to lead, instruct, and live as examples of holy men

Whether you have a beautiful or a broken relationship with your own biological father (or any father figures in your life), you can always turn to God our Father, and to St. Joseph, the head of the Holy Family for comfort and guidance throughout your life.

If you're a father in any capacity, ask St. Joseph to guide you in your role. He was the foster-father of Jesus Christ--he raised the Savior of the world! There's no better example of an earthly father than him! ( St. John the Evangelist)