Four months before she died, mother called me, crying bitterly.
“Tony, I’m all alone in the hospital. Could you come to be with me?”
“Of course. Ill be there as soon as I can.” I booked the next available flight to St. Louis. My brother Pat met me at the airport.
He revealed, “Mom is declining fast. She has been in and out of the hospital multiple times in the last month. The doctors ae trying to stabilize her again and send her home. ”
He dropped me off at the hospital as he had to go back to work. “You can get to my place from here, right?” His house was only a quarter mile away.
“Right.” I got out of the car and entered the hospital.
The lights in her room were off and the shade was drawn as I entered her room. She greeted my with a wan voice.
“Hello, Tony. I’m so glad you could come.”
Let’s get some light in here,.” I said. I opened the shade. Light spilled into the room, defeating the darkness. Mom appeared pallid and unkempt. I brushed her hair away from her face as our eyes met.
“You don’t look so hot.” I said. “Have you been praying?”
“I keep forgetting.” She admitted. “Will you help me?”
“Of course. Let’s say the rosary.” We prayed the Glorious Mysteries.
The Resurrection of Our Lord. The Ascension into Heaven. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mother. The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
“You know that they are waiting for you in Heaven.” I said
She replied, “I know. It’s just that I haven’t been doing my best, lately.” She replied.
I spent the next few days at her bedside, encouraging her. Her color came back. She looked healthier.
The doctors finally released her. Pat and I took her home, where she was greeted by Mark, another brother who was acting as her caretaker.
We spent the next few days praying, playing board games and cards when we could find a foursome. Mom used to be very sharp at playing cards and scrabble. Usually it would be a rare event when you could win when she was your opponent. This time we could tell that her concentration was flagging.
I discussed my observations with Pat as he took me back to the airport. “We both know mom isn’t going to last long. We need to call all the brothers and sisters and grandchildren to tell them to visit mom while they have a chance.
So we got on the phone and informed the family to pay mom/grandma a visit while they can. Over the next two months, all of the siblings and their children visited her. I brought my wife and spent a weekend with her, praying, playing games and visiting. It was a time of peace, grace and blessing for us. A few weeks later, she died.
My sister, Cindy called me to report mom’s passing. She was in attendance along with Pat, Mark and a Catholic priest who prayed the Anointing of the Sick, heard her confession and gave her the Eucharist. Then they prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Cindy remarked, “After this, mom became very still. At first we all though she had died. Then she opened one eye and looked around. The other eye opened and she quipped, “Why is this taking so long?””
An hour later was when she finally peacefully departed. She was ready to go. But that’s not the last we heard from her.
As I discussed funeral arrangements with my sisters, I realized that they had no intention of having a funeral Mass said for mom. They believed that all “good people” would automatically go to heaven at their death.
“We all saw her before she died. She received the final sacraments. What more doe we need to do.?”
I insisted that we have a funeral Mass in St. Louis. I also arranged for a Mass at my Parish to be offered for the repose of her soul. It happened that the next available date was the 11:00 am Mass on All Saints Day.
The funeral director in St. Louis kept on putting off the date that mom’s urn would be available due to Covid regulations. They finally released it in time to arrange for a Mass in St. Louis on All Saints Day. Coincidence? I think not.
I drove to St. Louis with my wife the day before the funeral. One of my younger sisters put us up for the night. We went to bed, exhausted from the long drive.
I suddenly woke up at 5:00 am. Suzanne was soundly sleeping next to me. I sensed a presence in the room. The room was filled with the scent of roses, mom’s favorite perfume. It brought back a flood of memories. She felt so close, I could almost touch her. “I am waiting for my Masses.” she said, matter-of-factly.
As Catholics, we believe that even the souls of saints must go through a purgation or refinement before seeing the face of God. In mom’s case, she had two Masses being said simultaneously on All Souls Day for her release from Purgatory. At 11:00 am in the Eastern Time Zone and at 10:00 am in the Central Time Zone.
My sisters were surprised at the attendance of all the people coming to say their good-byes to mom…and wishing us their condolences. I thanked all the attendees at the luncheon held after the funeral and mentioned my “dream.” More than a few heads nodded, knowingly. The priest said, matter-of-factly, “This happens more than you know.”
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