Comments on: M.E. and Me

By: CherylK

CherylK — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:31:50 +0000

This post is both incredibly funny and incredibly touching. I’m stopping by to congratulate you for having this post chosen as Post of the Week from The Smitten Image. Hilary is very selective in her choices so this is indeed an honor.

By: land of shimp

land of shimp — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:43:25 +0000

This was very touching and brought a tear to my eye towards the end.

I remember being in the car not that long ago with my son, and the car in front of us had a “If the Rapture comes, somebody grab my steering wheel!” sticker on it.

My son said, “I kind of want to rear-end them.”

And I, not quite done raising him yet although he is twenty, said that life can be very threatening and confusing. That those people had found their lifesaver in this sea of life, etc. etc. and then ended with:

“But I still kind of want to rear-end them.”

I didn’t, of course :)

I’m so glad your parents had such a wonderful group of friends, who clearly were very loving, but the bumper sticker stuff still drives me insane.

By: Cricket

Cricket — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:04:58 +0000

Hi Carolyn –

Wonderful post. I passed it along to a friend (http://thesmittenimage.blogspot.com) who selected it for one of her “Posts of the Week.” Just in case you were wondering what that was about.

I had a few laughs over this one. My parents did “Cursillo.” Not quite the same, but close enough. I get it. I really do.

Cricket

By: gaelikaa

gaelikaa — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:57:55 +0000

Some things are just not for everyone…
congrats on POTW mention..

By: gaelikaa

gaelikaa — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:57:36 +0000

Some things are just not for everyone…

By: Ann-Marie

Ann-Marie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:29:57 +0000

This was such an entertaining look at a throughly wacky situation. You put so much heart into it. Lovely. :)

By: rosiekg

rosiekg — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:43:22 +0000

I was just laughing with a singing friend of mine this morning. She sang “I love you truly” at a funeral recently. I told her, if it was his choice, he would have, as I told her, “some goofy song about never finding another you” at my Mom’s funeral… And then I found this. Beautiful. Heartfelt. Touching. It’s good to know there are other people in the world tortured as I was in my childhood by parents who loved each other. And I love you, too!

By: Ed & Dee Grahan

Ed & Dee Grahan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:59:23 +0000

We made our Weekend in ’76 and it truly changed our lives. It reminded us of why we got married — to be with each other, not against each other.
We were involved in leadership in Philly and were going out to speak to couples in a Church to encourage them to make a weekend. Our 12 yr old dtr was really upset, “you’re going to that ME thing again!”
We sat here down, and said “you knew us before our Weekend, and you know us now. Which way do you like us, — we will become that couple.” She liked us better since our Weekend. “Do other children deserve what you now have?” “Yes.” “Well we are going out to talk to parents so their children can have what you have. You decide, do we stay or go.” “Go” And She never complained about ME again. She and her husband have made a Weekend, as well as one of our sons. We are working on our other daughter and our other son to make a Weekend.
Great story, by you. We have met so many couples as the ones you wrote about. Much success in your writing, and wish us success as we continue to work to invite couples to make a Marriage Encounter Weekend.

By: Anni of Finland

Anni of Finland — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:54:15 +0000

I also felt the pain of M.E and the failing marriage of my parents during my early teens. Luckily, despite the effort, it ended up in divorce.

My dad found his current spouse in M.E. so it wasn’t a total waste of time after all, at least someone got laid!

By: Eileen Marr

Eileen Marr — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:20:08 +0000

Stumbled on to your site and account of your parents encounter. I read it because my daughters experienced a lot of this stuff when growing up. To read it from your point of view has helped me to understand that they were right all along. My unrealistic expectations of them to join in all the lovey attitudes mustve confused them because they had already experienced love within our family. So what was mum going away to all these retreats. It was the Beginning Experience I went to after my marriage broke up for the second time.I tried to join in all the activities, entertaining others life experinces, wheeping and whailing to Bridge Over Troubled Water. Oh yes I did it all. Till the last evening, when viewing how more than cudly some of the priests and team were! my experience fell appart and I thought what have I got myself involved in now. Catholic Woodstock! What a perfect description I can’t stop laughing. Thanks so much for bringing us back to reality. God Bless

By: Shannon Greenhaw

Shannon Greenhaw — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:15:25 +0000

I am one of the kids from the above posted guy. (hi Dad, study hard) Loved the artical!!
Along with our 3ft ME sign in the livingroom, we also had pesonalized M.E. plates on our big green van. My parents had bright yellow shirts with the ME sign and “We are Lovers” on the front and “Pat loves Judy” and “Judy loves Pat” on the back that they wore. I have also never known them to leave in the car without giving the three car horn honk.
(the one ringers did drive me nuts. To this day I do not get up to answer the phone till it rings twice!!)
We still talk about the Garrets, Browns, Blumes, Shepards and so many others that were as close as family.
I grew up thinking that Fr Chuck Gallager was darn near as important as the Pope! I will never forget the National Convention in LA that us kids got to attend. I think it was theamed “Year of the Family”. My parents loved each other deeply and had an unshakable Faith, and I know ME helped shape that.

Shannon (Cunningham) Greenhaw

By: Pat-n-Judy Cunningham

Pat-n-Judy Cunningham — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:37:32 +0000

What a story. I found out about from your dad. I am now a seminarian with him here at Blessed John XXIII. I am from ND but when we were in ME it was when we lived in Kansas. Our kids grew up in a home just like you. We had a 3ft x 3ft ME sign hanging in our living room. We were the first executive couple for the Dioceses of Salina Ks. It was the most wonderful time in our lives. Our kids now in their 40′s still talk about it with great affection. I have sent the article to them. We believed we could chance the world… and we did. On our headstone will be the ME motto.. Love one another. And next to it will be .. We did.
Keep Writing!
Patrick Cunningham

By: Carol Mungo

Carol Mungo — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 02:01:36 +0000

There’s a New World Somewhere” how many
meetings and prayer groups did we sing that song, the laughter, the sharing, the
weekend planning, the phone calls, busy,
crazy busy at times, Fr. Chuck and Fr. Harry, Bro. Ben and Fr. Jack, I have to
admit I miss those times and HDIF dialog.
Thank you so much for that beautiful sharing Carolyn and thank you Kevin and Winnie for forwarding this to Judy and Al, I love you and God Bless

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:06:46 +0000

I smiled; I laughed; I cried. Thank you.

By: twoinlove

twoinlove — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:37:53 +0000

Our kids also grew up as children “of the movement” in both germany and the U.S. They learned to express feelings and ‘fight fair’ and be embarrassed by the public displays of affection that their parents shared. You eloquently shared the gift of love that your parents gave to you. We hope that it will be the same with our kids.

By: Kevin & Winnie Athaide

Kevin & Winnie Athaide — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:00:05 +0000

As team leaders for several years in upstate NY, we identified with everything written. We remember Tony & Joan & Fr. Al well. Those were memorable years for us, thanks for the memories.

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:24:11 +0000

well-told,accurate,funny and serious- WWME has moved and affected so many and our larger family is one we treasure!

By: FRANK AND CHICKIE

FRANK AND CHICKIE — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:04:42 +0000

My beloved spouse, Chickie, was Baptised and given the name Catherine.Peace,Frank..

By: cathyf

cathyf — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:51:31 +0000

G’mon, people, WHAT’S CHICKIE’S REAL NAME?!?!?!? *grin*

By: FRANK AND CHICKIE

FRANK AND CHICKIE — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:28:59 +0000

Dear one, know that you are loved and missed.Give our love to Dad and your brothers.Please get in touch with us.We read your story with tears of joy. Thank you for being the total gift that you are to so many.Mom is so proud as well. Yes I love you. Much peace and joy, Frank and Chickie

By: radar

radar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:01:55 +0000

I an another of Frank and chickie’s children. Thanks Carolyn, it brings back many of the memories. By the way, Frank is not quite 80.

By: Pamela Boyle

Pamela Boyle — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:42:52 +0000

So, I was forwarded to read this article by a very close family friend as there was mention of “Frank & Chickie”. Well, I happen to know “Frank & Chickie” personally as they are my parents! Frank still tells everyone he loves them & your guessing at Chickie’s real name, wasn’t any that you mentioned! Anyway, thanks for the great article. I will be passing it on to my siblings for their reading pleasure & review.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:57:58 +0000

We are so grateful to have gone on a Marriage Encounter Weekend. This is our Family :)

By: Ovide Rajotte

Ovide Rajotte — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:18:29 +0000

Because of Marriage Encounter, seven years after our marriage, I finally learned what “love” is. If you don’t know what it is, how can you fix it when it goes wrong? And it WILL go wrong! Keep it up Carolyn because … the love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay, for love, isn’t love, until you give it away! May God bless you and yours.

By: Daisy

Daisy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:16:39 +0000

Wow! Did this ever take me back! I’m sure that we persecuted our kids as much as Carolyn’s parents did to her. However, that weekend in June, 1974 changed our lives forever and I’ll not apologize or feel guilty. Two years later at separate Cursillo weekends, my husband and I both experienced our adult conversions and life has never been the same. When God touches you, there’s no saying what might happen. And now, 35 years later, we are still walking (perhaps a little more slowly) with the Lord and for 26 of those years with others in a covenanted charismatic community. Never any regrets! Never turning back! Wouldn’t change a thing. I thank God for Marriage Encounter and what it has wrought in our lives.

By: Garry & Arla

Garry & Arla — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:51:36 +0000

Thanks for a glimpse into your ME childhood. We are also torturing our children with ME couples. They also claim it is a cult. We have our gang sign, song and secret meetings. But their best friends are all ME kids! We love you!
Garry & Arla

By: Kelley Bush

Kelley Bush — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:20:18 +0000

Beautifully written and moving.

By: Annie

Annie — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:37:46 +0000

Once again, your story-telling and writing has taken me through a variety of emotions and have given me a chance to realize we all come from interesting families! I love knowing that your sarcasm and distrust of “the man” started way before we crossed paths! Keep up the wonderful writing!

By: donna

donna — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:52:58 +0000

I hope our kids will write like this about us one day! And they do call ME a cult! LOL

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:21:05 +0000

yep. i feel your pain.