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Father TIm Column



FATHER TIM

Sarah Palin, my hero




Sarah Palin and her son, Trig
Sarah Palin and her son, Trig

My friends,

I ran into Sarah Palin a week or so ago.

Well, not the Sarah Palin — and not comedian Tina Fey, either. Temporarily away from my mission work and visiting old friends at an Irish parish, I was enjoying the (rare) sunshine after Mass, greeting parishioners as they left church, when I noticed a young mother pushing her daughter in a baby carriage. Her child — like all children — was radiant to me, with a shock of orange hair and a smile of beautiful wonderment at just about everything. Her head rolled back and forth as if taking in every bit of Creation around her.

But the young mother’s face was tired and careworn, and she looked many years older than the years she had lived so far.

Her lovely baby clearly had Down Syndrome. As does Sarah Palin’s son, Trig.

“Isn’t she a rose!” I exclaimed as I walked over to them. The mother, who said her name was Bridget, brightened a bit and introduced me to to her daughter,  Mary. “She’s ‘special,’ you know, Father. I was late for Mass — could you give her a blessing?”

“She is as blessed as you are, Bridget,” I said, drawing the Sign of the Cross on Mary’s forehead, and then, on her mother’s. She thanked me with great kindness, then hurried away.

I remembered this moment after I made the long journey back to my work, and read about Sarah Palin’s new book, and, inevitably, of the darts thrown at her — sometimes with what seemed great cruelty.

Now, Sarah Palin is a politician, and she has given as good (or as badly) as she gets. Such is the sad reality of a life in the public eye — or is it the public lie? In truth, there is probably not a great deal about her politics and mine that match.

Or that matter.

Life and love do matter, though — more than anything. For they are gifts from Our Loving Father. Politics, while it occupies an important place in this strange world we have created as a poor substitute for God’s Perfect World, is built from human perception. God does not perceive anything; He knows.

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Most recent comments - See all comments

Posted by ciarrai on November 23,2009 | 01:33PM I call the Palin's irresponsible. Knowing the risk, she nonetheless thought it okay to take the chance and she has a Down Syndrome child. She already had how many children? Irresponsible and devious. RESPONSE: take the chance??? Sara Palin, baptized catholic, was raised by a pre-Vatican II mother who brought the family to an evangelical church after Vatican II. Does it really surprise you that she would not be a woman who did not believe in birth control. In addition, what difference does the number of children she already had make? Morality is not a matter of number crunching. Oh,and BTW, Michael Collins, the youngest of seven children, was born when his father was 73 years old. A good thing for ireland the collins gang didn't subscribe to your views of life, includiong conception; although, in your case, you are probably descended from a long line of soup slurpers and, in all likelihood, a relation of Maggie Thatcher's Kenmare relations. Ciarrai also said: "The only one to be trusted is Levi Johnston. He is the Jose Canseco in this Palin saga". The knackers in Catleisland and you deserve each other; please go home and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
I think Gsthe Tim is eactly correct. Sara is a hero and an example to those who would destroy life for their own selfish reasons - God help them.
Fr. Tim, this is the same woman who didn't ask her supporters to stop yelling out "Kill Obama" during her campaign rallies.
How does this turkey know so much about God's thinking. Gotta be touched, I'd say like his rogue hero Palin.
Happy Trails TRIG!!~!
Fr. Tim said "Life and love do matter, though — more than anything. For they are gifts from Our Loving Father." Apparently the majority of liberals that posted here can't seem to see past the politics. Maybe they should reread what was written by Fr. Tim and try to get past the politician and see the human side of Sarah Palin.






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