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October 2018

Do you like to look at old photos? Most of us do, even though the quality of the photos may have faded over time. Here I am at about age 11 or 12 standing with my Mother and my sister Barbara's mother-in-law, Mrs. Leila Ponce, in Mrs. Ponce's front yard in north Jacksonville. My Mother, Grace Stovall, is holding my first nephew and her first grandson, Patrick Ponce, in her arms following his baptism, I believe. This was around 1960 or 1961. See the old cars behind us?

My nephew had to find a copy of his baptismal certificate recently because he plans to get married in April in a Catholic church up in North Carolina. He was baptized in our home parish, Holy Rosary, in Jacksonville. At this time I was a student at Holy Rosary School. My parents allowed me to go there after it opened, which for me was when I was entering fourth grade. My first teacher in Catholic school was Sister Philip Neri, an Irish Sister of St. Joseph who died tragically in an automobile crash.

My brother-in-law, Patrick Ponce, Sr., was named after another Irish Sister of St. Joseph, Sister Mary Patrick, who Mrs. Ponce used to drive places when her children were in school at Immaculate Conception School and/or St. Joseph Academy, Jacksonville.

October is a month dedicated to the Holy Rosary in the Catholic Church. I am thankful for the blessing of receiving a good Catholic school education starting in Holy Rosary and continuing with Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville.


I was blessed to have many dedicated Sisters of St. Joseph and lay teachers those formative years. My favorite teacher at Holy Rosary was Sister Mary Pius who directed the student choir that sang on Sundays up in the choir loft in old Holy Rosary Church. She ended up leaving religious life in the years following Vatican II Council. She instilled in me a love of beautiful liturgical music that endures today. She even suggested that I take voice lessons from another Sister of St. Joseph after school in Immaculate Conception Convent, which I did.


Today is the anniversary of my sister Barbara and her husband Pat's wedding at Holy Rosary Church. It was a Saturday morning many years ago. May my nephew Patrick's wedding next April be as happy a day for him and his bride.





Comments

  1. TcwMay 5, 2019 at 6:12 AM

    Carol, what a nice story. I loved Sr. Philip Neri. Sr. Plus was my favorite, but not because of choir - not my cup of tea - because I loved math, as did she. In fact, I took my Confirmation name after her, Pia. Fond memories of Holy Rosary. The old church, place of my parents wedding, my baptism, my First Communion, our wedding and our three girls’ baptisms. My other sacraments were at the “new” church. Hope you are well. Dolores Corn

    ReplyDelete
  2. TcwMay 5, 2019 at 6:14 AM

    By the way, Carol, you look the same.

    ReplyDelete

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