“Some Photos are worth a Thousand Words”
“Everyone remembers this PHOTO… this is the President of our organization and he is also called…Mr. Wonderful…TOM, himself”
“Before the above PHOTO was taken at St. Vincent’s… we three younger small fry, were at the Fairgrounds Park in North Saint Louis, and just by taking a good look at these photos, and then… taking note of “WHO” is the one running the SHOW!”
That is MARY ELLEN…TOMMY…DENNY – – and we are HAPPY…because it is Visiting Sunday!
Over Eighty Years ago… can you believe, this is what the three of us looked like!!!
When I look at this photo…I am now taking note that there are so few parents in the back ground, so few of the children were as LUCKY … as the “McClarrens” – –
to be able to see and visit with someone from their own FAMILY…
to receive some sign …that there is someone in this world… that will even bother to come out on the second or fourth Sunday of each month… and spend a couple of hours…
sharing “FAMILY LOVE” with the ones you LOVE the most!
What I really LOVED… was the surprise “VISIT” – – that would happen any time…any day of the week …when either my FATHER or my MOTHER would just show-up and always with a bag full of goodies…
just reliving and thinking back …as to what was good and enjoyable about being in an Orphanage… especially when at the time… I could hardly stand to be there …and could hardly wait for the day that I would graduate …
and be able to leave …and forever be in my own HOME!!!
This PHOTO is MOM – – TOMMY – – DENNY Jr. and our DAD, Denny, Sr., up on the Pavilion – with one foot on the bench, leaning forward… so as to give me directions on how to take this PHOTO… and still it is not as clear as one would want it, but the memory is with us forever, and this visual is just a reminder, this was a “VISITING SUNDAY” at SAINT VINCENT’s”
“This next picture, is with MOM and the three of us…
February 1946 as our baby sister, “EVE KAREN Francisca McClarren” … was born on the 16th…
and when “MOM and DAD” took our sister to the “HOLY NAME CHURCH” to be baptized…
and when asked… what the baby’s NAME will be…
the Priest was told “EVE KAREN” … the Priest said … “there is not a “SAINT EVE KAREN” …”
“DO you have a DOG?” … “I need a “SAINT’s NAME” ….
So as not to hold up the ceremony…
MOM … remembered that a “Francisca CABRINI” was in the NEWS … as just having been canonized a “SAINT” …
so that is “HOW” our sister “KAREN” received her long and full name.
This was… an “IRISH PRIEST” and his “IRISH brogue” was so strong … “you could hardly understand what he was asking and saying… as the word “DOG” really sounded like “DOGUE!”
Just an added footnote…
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