My name is Brianna. I am the secretary here at St Mark's Parish. I wanted to talk to you about my father Joe and all he does for our family, our church and community.
My dad's parents came here from Italy in the early 1930s. The only work my grandfather could get was a job with the church cutting the lawn here and at the cemetery. As you probably know, back in those days it was hard for an immigrant to find work, so our family has always been so thankful for all the blessings that St. Mark's has given to us.
My father raised my brother and me with a respect and understanding that everything we have is on loan to us from God. I can remember being proud when dad would give us our $10-a-week allowance, to be divided appropriately between God, Joey, and me. I can remember beaming with excitement at Mass, placing Gods money in the plate. Now that I'm grown up and married, my father is still teaching and leading me.
After my wedding two years ago, my father sat down with my husband and me and we spoke about the gifts from all of our family and friends. He asked us if we had given our envelope to the church yet. How could he expect us to give a portion of our wedding money back to the church? Dad, Brian, and I talked for hours that evening over dinner. We were going to Hawaii for our honeymoon, that money was going to make the trip that much more comfortable. Dad talked some sense into us, and Brian and I went to Mass that Saturday afternoon and put the envelope in the plate, then left filled with joy and love for Hawaii. The trip was wonderful, we never even thought twice about that money we gave back to the church.
Although my father is a very successful lawyer, he still maintains the church's cemetery and the lawn here at the church, like his father had. He is out there every weekend on his mower. I once asked him why he didn.t pay to have the lawn cut rather then forgo his entire Saturday each week. His answer was amazing to me; he told me that cutting the lawn at St Mark.s and at the cemetery made him feel closer to both his Father and to his Dad.
I am very proud of my father and only hope now as Brian and I are expecting our first child that we will be the kind of parents he was to my brother and me.