IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
This title may you lead to believe that this is a lead in to a Disney promotion, but really it is a lead in to a casket builder promotion. Such a promotion is appropriate since this is November, and the Poor Souls, whose bodies have been laid to rest, are on our minds.
A couple days ago, I talked with Marcus Daly of Seattle, Washington. He turned from a livelihood of boat building to casket making after watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II whose humble casket gave him an inspiration. Seattle often brings to mind the word “sleepless”, but I think among us it should now call to mind the words “eternal rest”.
It is appropriate that a successor of St. Peter should have been the one to inspire a boat builder to abandon one way of life in favor of another. After all, St. Peter knew something about boats, and may have built them. We think of Peter jumping out of a boat to walk on water; of his jumping out of a boat to run to shore to Jesus and of his casting his nets into the deep to bring in a boatload of fish. Eventually he jumped ship and left behind his nets to dedicate his life entirely to bringing eternal life to those who would receive it.
Not quite so dramatically, Marcus left behind his boat making to begin a livelihood of casket making. His casket making is a means to an end (not that end) which is to be able to raise his six children and home school them. In addition, in a great paradox, he sees his casket making as a pro-life apostolate. Washington is a state that has legalized “assisted suicide”. Marcus sees his caskets as a way of advancing the culture of life, because every casket brings Pope John Paul’s love of life and his pontificate’s mission to bring the life-giving message of hope to a despairing world. You will have to go to his website www.mariancaskets.com to see how he does this.
The very first casket Marcus made was for one of his children who did not live to full term. He donates some money from every casket sold toward the purchase of an ultrasound machine to help mothers to choose life.
I enjoyed my conversation with Marcus very much. It was in this conversation that the smallness of the world was evident. Marcus is the nephew of Father Daly, a retired priest in the Arlington Diocese. He knows of Seton and Christendom. I hope that some of us will be able to use his service at some time and encourage others to do so as well.
I wanted to let you know about Seton’s soccer and volleyball postseason tournaments. The soccer team won the regular season and tournament titles – beating Fredericksburg Christian 1-0 on a late goal in the league tournament. The volleyball team beat FCS in their last game of the regular season, but fell to Highland in the league tournament. Both teams have qualified for state. The boys are ranked 3rd and got a first round bye. They will play Hampton Roads at home on Monday, the 5th. HRA beat Highland 4-0 in the opening round. FCS also advanced to the second round. If Seton beats HRA they will advance to the final four in Richmond. The pairings for the volleyball tournament come out on Monday. If you want to follow the tournaments here’s the link: www.viriginiaindependentschools.org Scroll to that name, (be sure it is Virginia Independent Schools – there is another site that has a similar name) then on sports, then the sport of your choice and then tournament results.
Jezu, ufam Tobie.