Friday, November 2, 2007

Feast of All Souls

Pray For This Man Marcin Maciej
December 19, 1969 - December 28, 2003
Catholic Husband, Father & Scientist


When I met him, I thought he was a Catholic Fruitcake Egghead Pollack in need of a tan and some fashion advice. He just needed some of my edjamucation, American-style. I mean, he had been locked away living under a mushroom in an ex-Soviet central European Gulag.


Well, I was right on every count (except that last little bit about the Gulag stuff). But I fell deeply, madly in love anyway. I helped him get some sun and stop wearing black dress socks with shorts and tennis shoes.


He helped me see that there must be a Creator and that the Creator was none other than Jesus Christ who established the One True Catholic Church. I definitely got the better end of that deal. Although, I didn't do him any harm either. Look above at what our Southern food, sun and woman did for him.


He was a paradox.





He was a serious thinker -- the smartest person I've ever met -- and a lover of Christ. He had an innocence and purity to him that I just can't describe in words. Dostoyevsky's The Idiot captures some of the idea of his goodness, kindness, and innocence. But he could also get angry and scream scary curses in Polish that made me want to hide under something. He loved new foods, new experiences and meeting new people but could be painfully shy and suffered from social anxiety at inconvenient times. He loved big pickup trucks, big tools and big guns but he wasn't afraid to let little girls fix his hair. And he only used the guns on non-living targets. He just couldn't kill animals himself but saw nothing wrong with hunting and loved meat, like any red-blooded man.












I miss being able to discuss everything under the sun with this intelligent, funny, sweet man.
This is him at our dining room table probably laughing at me trying to pronounce Polish. He always got a kick out that. I mean, have any of you even tried to pronounce that language? Sheesh! Give me a break!















This is him a couple of hours after making a decent woman of me.


"What in the world have I done?! Man, keep those beers coming, would ya'?! Don't you have any kielbasa? Oh, well, I'll just stand here like a man in a JCPenney ad and hope no one notices that I'm the groom."










I'll leave you with my absolute favorite photo of Marcin. I took it when we were at our favorite destination, the lake, after he had been painted like a Brave by daughter #1.

Please pray for my wonderful hubby and all the
Poor Souls in Purgatory.
They cannot pray for themselves and
depend on our prayers.

13 comments:

Rebecca Frech said...

I love it. Thanks for sharing your hot, funny hubby with us.

Isn't it funny that after all this time of being your friend I forget that I never met him. You've told me so much about him that sometimes when I see things I'll think "Marcin would have love this."

Love always,
the Mom

Anonymous said...

Thank you for a wonderful post. It is so much easier to pray for someone when they have come to life like you made Marcin come to life in this post. I will continue my prayers for him.

Love, Suzanne

cathmom5 said...

Beautiful. I wish I had known him. He sure looks wonderful in your favorite picture. I met many different people while living in Europe. Polish and Czechs are some of the nicest people. I will pray for your handsome hubby and your family. Take care of those precious girls. They will see their daddy again, somedy. ;)

Therese said...

I am sorry for your loss Pilgrim. Many prayers for your husband this month especially.

Pilgrim said...

Therese,
Thanks for your prayers. Yes, it was a great loss for us but an enormous gain for him. I don't begrudge him, but am overjoyed for him.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post, wonderful photos. I will pray for his soul.

Pilgrim said...

Thanks AM. Also thanks for doing the saints assignment. Wonderful idea! I can't wait!

swissmiss said...

Sorry for your loss, but what a wonderful post. My husband is of Polish descent, but can't speak any of it so appreciated your comment. Will keep him in my prayers.

Pablo the Mexican said...

I will remember him in my Holy Rosary prayers at Mass.

Que Dios te bendiga, Senora.

pablo

Pilgrim said...

Gracias Senor,
Me gusta su blog y queria escuchar los sermones, etc. en su otro website tambien.
Estan los sacerdotes de traditionalcatholicism.org en una orden religiosa?
May God bless you also.
AMDG,

Pablo the Mexican said...

Dear Madam,

Salutations.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and website.(your espanol is pretty good).

The Priests featured on the sermons belong to the SSPX. After spending time with them I realized placing their sermons free gratis on the web would be pleasing to our Mother. Laypeople are not allowed on my sites; everything is Priests or Nuns.

The sermons of Father Pfeiffer have a picture that shows him surrounded by light. That is not trick photography. He is holding the Host while on the altar a 450 year old carving of the Virgin of Guadalupe is faced towards him. At that time he was being persecuted relentlessly. I guess Nuestra Senora wanted to let him know not to worry. These Priests of that society are very interesting.

There are many stories behind my relationship with them. Very interesting.

Padre Pfeiffer told me something about my family that completely astounded me; his opinion of some of the things that have happened with you would be interesting, to say the least.

There are well educated Roman Catholic Scholars that cannot write a column as good as yours. When I am back home in Mexico in the quiet of poverty, and attend Mass or the Holy Rosary, I am able to find the love for our Lord your husband must have had.

Fear not. And please continue your good work for God's greater glory.

With the assurance of my Holy Rosary prayers for all your good work in the vineyard of the Divine Master, I remain yours truly in Jesus and Mary Immaculate.

Santa MarĂ­a de Guadalupe Esperanza nuestra, salva nuestra patria y conserva nuestra Fe.

pablo

Pilgrim said...

Our parish is FSSP, but I know and understand the important role that the SSPX has played in the continuing renewal of Our Church.
It is so interesting the way God works. I've been listening to all the sermons at www.audiosancto.org (which are FSSP priests) but I'm about to run out. I can, of course, start over but now I have a fresh batch at your website.
You are so blessed to have a good confessor and spiritual advisor in Fr. Pfeiffer.
May God bless you in your work.

Pablo the Mexican said...

Dear Madam,

Salutations.

I thank you for the compliment.

It is good you have such a voracious appetite for our Lords gospel. When you run out of your current sermons,

http://www.saintisidore.org/Audio.htm

has more for you.

I do not know why God has allowed me to stand in the shadow of such a Holy Priest as Padre Pfeiffer. Some of the things I have seen happen around him are very interesting. He does make himself available to anyone in need of a spiritual advisor; he works day and night.

God be with you, madam.

pablo