Visit with an Irish Friend . . . .

Nowadays, I'm supposed to call him "MONSIGNOR."  Over the past 40-plus years, I've called him "Fr. O'Donovan," "Fr. John," "Fr. Tim" and even teased him occasionally with his first name "Malachy." 

He's no longer "Fr. anything" after being honored as a Monsignor a few years back.  

Yesterday I avoided calling Msgr. O'Donovan by name.  That was okay. We still had a great visit. 

This amazing 91-year-old----he hates to think of himself as 91 and seems quite happy that in a couple of weeks he'll be 92----remembers the names of virtually every person he has ever met or served as a parish priest.

He did stumble once yesterday and called Bill "Bob," but that was okay too.  After all, he had already called him Bill the first time he asked how my husband was doing. 

We have wonderful history with Msgr. O'Donovan, even if I'm not a great Catholic.  

He celebrated the wedding ceremony for William E. Love, Jr. and Marianne Catherine Brown 40 years ago this coming June.

He chased down my "pagan babies," Willie and Annie, and made sure they were baptized, at a time much beyond "baby" stage.

Several years later, he, along with Presbyterian minister Nancy Copeland-Payton, con-celebrated the wedding ceremony of William E. Love III and Deborah Loretta Ann Williams, reminding the attendees that such a union of celebrants would have been unheard of years before in his beloved Ireland. 

The paths of the Love family and Msgr. O'Donovan have crossed many times for numerous reasons.  In addition, he and my mother were good friends, especially because Fr. O'Donovan (at the time) reached out to my mother with a very special and meaningful gesture in her life. 

During yesterday's visit he reminded me right away that he prays for my mother every single day.  

And, shortly before I left the wonderful lunch time visit with our dear old friend, Penny, another dear friend and his caregiver, summoned me to see something on the wall around the corner from where we had been visiting.

It was difficult to contain my tears when I saw the framed works of art---sketched and painted by my mother---of St. Joseph's Church in Sandpoint and Sacred Heart Church in Clark Fork, both parishes that Msgr. O' Donovan served.  

Mother had given him the pair as a gift. 

Yes, this slight figure of a man, who no longer wears glasses because he can't see and who clings to a walker to get around, has meant so much to our family.

He was very excited to know that we are going to Ireland soon, and he was full of questions and anecdotes.  

As I told him the planned route for where we'll stay and explained that we'd be geocaching along the way, he interrupted me briefly, perfectly reciting the lyrics to "Galway Bay."

We are staying overnight in Galway on our trip.  Annie and I stayed at a bed and breakfast there three years ago.  

Galway has now taken on new meaning after hearing the soft Irish recitation by the sweet and loving priest who has left an indelible mark on our family. 

Before leaving yesterday, I copied down names of relatives---Bernard, Joseph and Rita, whom I'm to call if we have time on our trip.  A reminder from the Monsignor: make sure you have plenty of time for Joseph because he talks a lot. 

I also heard the story of actress Maureen O'Hara and how Msgr. talked with her on the phone on a recent St. Patrick's Day.  She is really a Fitzsimmons, and she now lives in Boise with her grandson Conor. 

Msgr.  thinks he may call her this St. Patrick's Day. 

I left yesterday with a promise that I'd pick up a late 92nd birthday present for M.John O'Donovan when we go to Ireland.  He thought that would be nice. 

Oh, yeah, he also told me a joke before I left.  

This morning, as a teaser about the upcoming great adventure to the Emerald Isle for my fellow family members, I sent the words to "Galway Bay" to each of them, implying that maybe we'll recite those lyrics as we sit by the bay in the evening.  I believe that is where we'll celebrate Bill and his twin sister Margaret's birthday. 

Of course, it's always fun to listen to these words set to music too.  So, enjoy: