A sad goodbye.

Matt's Uncle, our beloved Father Eugene Hughes, has passed away. He had a bad car accident about 2 weeks ago and despite a surgery and other efforts, he developed pneumonia. Matt's parents were there and he was surrounded by love in his last days...from his fellow Priests, parishioners, and his sister and brother in law.

He was one of the strongest of spirit and kindest people I know and I count myself very lucky to have called him family. He married us, blessed our houses, baptized our children, and has given his life to God, the Catholic Church, and served in interfaith conferences outside Catholicism.

I was nervous when he married us. I was Methodist, not Catholic. While Matt and I had been attending a Catholic church for some time, I had chosen not to convert just for the wedding - if I were to consider it, I wanted it to be for me. He was so welcoming - even praising me for not just going through the motions of it and for being strong in my faith - whatever it may be.
His unconditional love and acceptance opened my eyes from the blind stereotype I had up until then. It was not until years later that I converted, but his, and Matt's parents' example were a big part of it.

He was a Marist Priest. Which basically means, unlike some other types of Priests, he takes a vow of poverty. He gives his time, but also worldly possesion/ownership up. The Church provides him his basic needs and he takes no salary, has no home of his own, car of his own - he lives at the church rectory and shares communally these types of things.
He gave his whole life to others.

A lot of people think Priests are stuffy or serious. Father Gene certainly has a serious commitment and appropriate conservatism...but he also was so fun and could be goofy with the kids - spar with Matt over sports - and loved movies, even scary ones!
I think with all the serious things he hears and helps with every day - movies were probably a great escape for him - just like the rest of us!

Joan and Gene were the last living siblings of their very large family. (8 in total I think).
Bob and Gene had been brothers-in-law for so long and had been quite close as well.
Please - pray for Bob and Joan to find peace through this difficult time.

Matt adored and very much respected his Uncle. I was so proud of him last night as we sat down and had the difficult job of telling a 6 and 3 yr old that he had died. He was strong and sensitive to their individual, age appropriate way of hearing it and dealing with it. Even though - just saying it made his own heart sad.

Please pray for Matt too.

He'll be heading out to Atlanta for the services this weekend and speaking a the funeral. I know he will speak from the heart and Uncle Gene will hear him and smile.

I'm certain they have blogger in the wi-fi cafe in Heaven, so if you are reading this Uncle Gene - we love you, we miss you already, and we hope they have great movies there!