A LAY INITIATIVE FORMED TO DEFEND

CATHOLIC TEACHING ON THE FAMILY

“Mine too”

This story by Frances Grey first appeared in Catholic Home magazine (Autumn 2024) with illustrations by David Lloyd. Catholic Home Magazine is a joint initiative of the Catholic laity and clergy to form the imagination and intellect in Christian culture at all ages, with endless resources for children to grow and thrive as Catholics adults. Catholic Home is available to buy in the USA and Canada, in the UK and in Ireland & the EU.


My parents named me Frances after Saint Francis of Assisi the joyful singing Saint who would go around cheerfully reciting poetry and praising God. What a misnomer! I am very quiet and shy and love to spend time alone in my little room. My Grandma calls it my happy place. All my books are neatly arranged and I have a big desk where I can draw and do my crafts. I call it my cell it is quiet and peaceful. Or at least it used to be!

I was preparing for my First Communion and I read a story of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. While on a walk with her father, Therese saw an old man dragging himself around on crutches and she offered him a coin. The man refused and Therese thought she might have offended him. Therese vowed to pray for this poor old man on the day of her First Holy Communion, as her sister Pauline had told her that Our Lord grants everything we ask Him on our First Communion Day. Everything we ask Him on our First Communion Day! I knew exactly what I was going to request. I am sandwiched between four brothers two older and two younger. My Dad calls me his jam in his sandwich. At church there are two sisters, Maddie and Margaret. They braid each other’s hair, walk around arm in arm, and wear beautiful matching dresses. I feel lonely when I see them together. So among other things, I begged God for a little sister. 

I always wondered about the big wound in the Sacred Heart. My mother told me that love and suffering go together and sometimes, when you feel a strong emotion like love, it can even hurt. I asked her if her heart ever hurt. “Yes, Frances, the first time I saw you I was so filled love that it hurt.”

A little time passed, and God answered my prayers. I had a sister! Dad took me to the hospital to meet my sister Judith. I was so nervous. I hoped she would like me. I fixed my hair and dressed myself in a blue tartan skirt and matching tam. Then I started to worry. Saint Therese did not like people in hats when she was a baby. My baby sister might be frightened by hats too. I snatched off my hat then nervously put it back on then off that was the longest trip I had ever made, and my hair was such a mess when we arrived. Mommy sat me down and nestled Judith in my arms. My heart was beating so strong and loudly, I hoped I wouldn’t scare the baby. I could not speak or move and looked up at my mother. “Mommy,” I was barely able to whisper, “My heart … it hurts.” Mommy understood. “Mine too … mine too,” she said.

A few months later, my joy turned to horror. The baby was going to be moving into my room my oasis my happy place my cell! Baby Judith was not what I had imagined as a sister. She did not sit quietly braiding my hair. Judith was a bundle of bounciness and noise. She was cheerful, smiley, messy, and loud. I was horrified and stressed. I loved her red curls, bright blue eyes, and cheerful ways, but not in my room all the time. I tried to explain to my mother about my calm little room I called my cell. I could be quiet there and talk to God and it was so peaceful. Mommy explained that there was no room elsewhere and I should try instead to make a little sanctuary or cell in my heart where I could retreat anytime, anywhere. So in other words, Miss Bouncy would be moving in.

I felt very sulky and guilty that I found Judith so irritating. “Try and bear wrongs patiently,” my mother would encourage me. “Try and be like Saint Francis and be cheerful despite your sufferings. God loves a cheerful saint.” This advice made me feel more guilty. I suppose that is why I bought Judith the doll. My brothers and I had gone to the community garage sale on our bikes and there she was a doll that looked just like Judith red bouncy curls, bright blue eyes, and a big smiley face and the price tag one dollar. I biked home with the doll thinking that now I would be like Saint Francis an instrument of peace.

Christmas was very happy. Grandma gave me the best present ever: a glue gun. I could hardly wait to decorate my letters, cards, books anything! Judith was speechless with joy when she opened the doll. She called her Bella, and Judith loved her more than anything. I was happy too. In a way, I was making up for my stony, silent tolerance of Judith in my room. Judith and Bella went everywhere together. Everywhere except Mass. Dad said Bella was not baptized and therefore a pagan and stayed at home in bed on Sundays. You are so funny, Daddy.

Then disaster struck. Brothers and teasing! A recipe for making Judith cry: take away her doll and the howls and drama begin. After Mass one Sunday, Augustine ran to wake up the “sleeping” Bella. He threw her up in the air, whacking her head on the bedroom ceiling then tossed her through the door and down the stairs, where she was rescued by her screaming mother, Judith. Who would have thought the angelic altar boy, two hours after so reverently holding a candle on the altar, would be behaving in such a way? Silence…then a shrill cry of alarm. One of Bella’s eyes was missing!

Judith was sobbing and crying for what seemed hours! Augustine was very sorry. We all were very sorry and no one could find the eye anywhere. Augustine made a paper patch for Bella, but that caused the crying to begin again. I heard momma trying to comfort Judith: “Try and forgive him, Judith. It’s a big trial. Maybe God is trying to get you to talk to Him a bit more rather than Bella.” I felt terrible and tried to find ways to be nice. I gave her my little picture of the Sacred Heart and showed her the painful wound caused by His great love for us. Judith took the picture and looked carefully. She fell asleep shortly after with her now funny-looking, one-eyed doll beside her.

Judith was by this time six and Father Herk said she was ready for her First Communion. Maybe that is what inspired her. Judith came downstairs the next day very serene and said to Augustine, “I forgive you, Gus. It’s my big sacrifice to show Jesus that I truly love him. I now have a pirate doll. Thank you for the patch.” Augustine and my mother started to sniffle. Judith did prepare well for her First Communion Day. I was kind of in awe. She was renouncing her will a lot and trying to be obedient right away. At night and in the morning, I would hear her prattling away to her picture of the Sacred Heart — and to Bella, too, of course.

I thought I would make her a most beautiful book cover for her First Communion. I was up late on the night before Judith’s First Communion Day, gluing sequins and paper flowers on the book cover. The moon was streaming through the window. I paused and watched the moonbeams. My momma says the moon is a symbol of Our Lady lighting our way in the darkness. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a sparkle a bright blue sparkle. I got up and followed the moon beam to the sparkle. There, wedged between the floorboards was Bella’s bright blue eye! I picked up the doll’s eye. In my other hand was my glue gun. I pressed a small dab of glue and walked over to Bella and put her eye back in place. It seemed like a dream. 

The morning of Judith’s first Communion was crazy. We all overslept, and within ten minutes of awakening, we were out the door. I didn’t tell Mommy that Gus had on odd shoes, but I did tell her that her sweater was on inside out. 

Mass was beautiful, and Judith was very calm and peaceful on the ride home. “How was your first meeting with Jesus?” asked Daddy. “Very nice, Daddy. We had a nice talk. I told Him I was trying my best to know Him and love Him and asked Him to help us all be good and take us to heaven. Then I told Him our yellow bird joke and then told Him about Bella and my beautiful room.” 

This response from Judith made all our brothers laugh and laugh. But Daddy was very quiet and then said in a serious voice, “That is the way to talk to God. You have no better friend in this world. He loves you more than Mommy and I, times one hundred. “

“I also asked Jesus to send me a little present,” said Judith. “I hope that wasn’t selfish.” 

“Oh no,” said Daddy. “God is good and generous and a First Communion is a special day.” 

“And nothing is impossible for God?” asked Judith. “No,” answered Daddy, “God is all powerful, all knowing, all loving.”

We were home, and we all piled out. We had to prepare for a few visitors in honour of Judith’s First Communion. Mommy and I started running around the kitchen, and time flew. All was set in place. Father Herk arrived as well as Grandma, Grandpa, our Aunties, and the Clark family. But where was Judith? I ran upstairs to our room. 

Miss Bouncy was sitting very still on her bed. 

“Judith?” I called. Tears were streaming down her face. “Judith, what is wrong?” 

“I am so happy,” she said. “Look what Jesus did for me,” and she held up her Bella. “He put her eye back.”

I did not know what to say. I was in shock. I realized that God had inspired me to do that tiny act of kindness. He had given me something very important to do for Him to show His love for my little sister.

“Oh, Frances,” whispered Judith, “I am so happy. My heart … it hurts.” 

I could barely answer. “Mine too, Judith.” I choked, “Mine too.”


Catholic Home is available to buy in the USA and Canada, in the UK and in Ireland & the EU.

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