by Michael Morrisey
This is the first of a two article series on “inspiring women.” Fasten your seat belts as I know you are on the edge of your seats. And, please, no backseat driving from the female persuasion.
I ask you to close your eyes and think about the women in your lives. OK, I said close your eyes!
For me, there are several women who stand out. Each of these “inspiring women” has at least one thing in common.
I will start with my mom, who loved her five children like no other. Mom was a competitor and, if ever someone was negative toward one of her kids, especially on the ball field or basketball court, you could count on experiencing her wrath. The wrath would come with some love. Mom was a convert, but figured out quickly the importance of a Catholic education.
My sister, Sue, is the next woman who comes to mind. She made many personal sacrifices and did a remarkable job of keeping our family together and helped Dad raise my youngest brother and sister after Mom died at an early age. She also was heck-bent to send her two children to Catholic schools.
My wife and partner in crime for 30 years, Patty, is next on my list.
(I am doing this in chronological order, so don’t yell at me for being third, honey.) Making sure our family was “faith-based” and ensuring that Catholic school was the focal point of our children’s education was one of the missions of this inspiring woman. I am forever grateful to her for figuring out ways to make sure a physically challenged kid could fit at the respective Catholic schools she attended.
Are your eyes still closed?
And last, but certainly not least, is a new acquaintance of mine, Angela. She is a very proud single mother of three who currently works one full-time job and two part-time jobs to keep her kids in Catholic schools. When I met with Angela, she had recently fallen from a ladder and was on crutches. Because of her accident, she was not able to work for at least six weeks. She was distraught and concerned that she was not going to be able to keep her kids in Catholic schools. She let me know, in no uncertain terms, that public schools were not an option.
I know you as readers are very smart! What is the common thread for my “inspiring women”? You got it: a Catholic education.
In many family situations, this can be the difference between success and failure. For many, this is the best way to break the cycle of poverty!
Look forward to part two of this short series on May 11. You can now open your eyes!
