Many members of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarksburg were saddened to learn about the death of Father Jack Federico.  When opening the local paper this morning there was an extensive write up about Father Jack. All of it true and very impressive.  As I thought about him and my association with him over the last two decades, my thoughts were all different and I just want to share a few with you today.

Father was not only my priest but he was my friend.  When I was going through a divorce, one day he appeared at my office and offered his support to me and my family.  He assured me that I would get through this and that he would always be there for me. When I decided to remarry he guided Dave and I through the necessary steps so that we could be married in the church and I could continue to receive the sacraments. He supported our family through the death of our mother and visited her at her home frequently. Being a communion minister, I served at the 7:00 a.m. mass with him almost every Sunday.  I am full of memories of him.  

 

One day I called his office and instead of identifying myself I said "do you recognize this voice from the confessional?'  And he replied "No not nearly enough."  I can close my eyes and here him addressing my mother as "Florencee, Florencee, Florencee" and what a smile it brought to her face. He always addressed me in threes saying "Ros a lyn, Ros a lyn, Ros a lyn."  He loved his cigars and one year when we were on a cruise we were able to bring him back a few.  He loved to take his vacation to the beach and he really made us laugh when he shared the story about the lady who walked the beach every morning in her red, white and blue swim suit and he always felt he should salute her.  Every Sunday after 7:00 Mass, if he did not have to serve the next mass, he would join us for breakfast.  For some reason, along with the other menu items, he would either have ham "off" the bone or little piggies. We sometime had some very spirited conversations and sometimes we just enjoyed each other’s company. Sometimes we put our priest in a position, not realizing that they are as human as we are and although they are there to minister to us, they are also there to share their everyday happenings.

Every Sunday, when we were about done with breakfast he would look at me and say "Now this or that is not for publication in the Grapevine. Wow, how that made me feel to know that he read the Grapevine. I am sure that he might say "Ros a lyn " some of the above should not be in the Grapevine, but I do this to pay homage to a great man. I miss him and he certainly was an influence in my life. Farewell my father and good friend.

It is official, I am going to be a "great" grandmother and Kathy and Marty have announced that they will be having a little girl in early summer.  I am so excited and can hardly wait.

Please be aware of the measles outbreak that is going around and be sure to protect the children.  Speaking from experience the flu will really get you down,so be sure to take precautions not to catch it. A happy birthday to Vanessa Haymond, Jenna Robey,Tonya Davis Zedek, my brother Bill Burnett and my sister Joan Smith and all you January babies. Many more in good health.

Keep warm, keep healthy and keep in touch with me.  Until next week "Now You Have Heard It through The Grapevine."