Holy Day Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 8, 2022

My paternal Aunt, Mary Margaret Fallon, was born on this day December 8, 1926. She was named after Mary, the mother of God and her grandmother Margaret Veronica Heaney who was born on December 8, 1859. December 8th is the day that Catholics celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which is to say, that Mary was born without the heritage of the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I ponder these little bits of religious history and data every now and again as I reflect on how Mary Margret’s father ( my grandfather) was excluded from the Catholic Church. Excluded due to his marriage to a divorced non-Catholic woman with a child from that marriage. And yet, he chose to honor not only his mother, Margaret Veronica Heaney, but also Mary, the mother of Jesus when his third child was born on December 8, 1926. I write about this in “He Didn’t Want to Work on the Railroad” pg 51. “ At about 12 years old, Dad asked his father why he didn’t go to church. His father’s reply. None of your business. ” “ He Didn’t Want to Work on the Railroad is available thru the author at jmower@hvc.rr.com or Amazon Prime. Search the author name: Janine Fallon Mower

Pearl Harbor Day Reflection

Many of us will say that the 9/11 attacks were our generation’s Pearl Harbor. I worry that we will forget what happened at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Jack Fallon was greatly moved by the enormity of the attack on the U. S. Military Base. When I wrote his biography “He Didn’t Want to Work on the Railroad” , I included his recollection of where he was and what he was doing at the time he learned about the attack. An excerpt from “He Didn’t Want to Work on the Railroad” , pg 92 “ As Dad recalls, he and Shimmy were relaxing at the table after completing their meal, waiting for the waitress to bring their coffee. An especially entertaining musical piece played by Freddie Martin and his orchestra was on. The melody was from a classical concerto called Piano Concerto in B Flat. When retelling this story, Dad would frequently point out; it was one of his favorite pieces of music. He knew the song from its Ameicanized title, “ Tonight We Love” and if asked, he could sing it in his Irish tenor voice. When retelling this story, Dad noted very emphatically, the music stopped abruptly. They both paused, wondering why the music suddenly went quiet, the song not yet at its conclusion. After some static, a man’s voice apologized for the interruption and the announcer stated that it was felt that the patrons should be told the news that Japan had attacked the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor on this dayat 7:55 am Hawaiian time, December 7, 1941” An excerpt from “ One Marine’s Story Corporal John Fallon, U.S.M.C “ Pg 14 “ Dad was contemplating quitting Syracuse University at the time of our country’s declaration of war. If dad wasn’t in college, his selective service status would change and he would be eligible for the draft. One of his friends at Syracuse University, a fellow football player named Paul McKee talked to dad about signing up with the Marines in a reserve program of the U.S. Navy. If you signed up for a four – year stint, you would be deferred from going on active duty until you completed four years of college.” Both books are available thru the author at Jmower@hvc.rr.com or Amazon, search author Janine Fallon Mower