Faith of Our Mothers ~ Theresa Bonney

Photo of Linda and Theresa Bonney at Pleasure Island ParkThis is the only photo I could find of me and my mother when I was a kid. Like me, Ma usually was the one behind the camera, snapping shots of Dad, my sister, and me on our family jaunts to small theme parks in Maine and New Hampshire. This one was taken at  pirate-themed Pleasure Island. I was ten years old.

Ma didn’t know it at the time, but back then I didn’t believe in God. I went to Mass and confession and attended eight years of parochial school, but I had no real conviction that God was anything more than a mass delusion, wishful thinking.

But Ma had enough conviction for both of us, with plenty to spare. When I went off to college, she gifted me a subscription to Guideposts magazine, which she has faithfully renewed every year since. And prayers! I joke about how many rosaries she’s ground into fine powder, praying for me and my kids.

If you’ve looked around this website or read much of my writing, you know that God finally got my attention. Now I write for him. Ma is my biggest fan, cheering each accomplishment and commiserating with my struggles. You could say that’s her part of my ministry—a very important part. And yes, the beads are still clicking on my behalf!

Thanks, Ma. And Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,
Linda

Edit: My beloved Ma passed away less than a year after this post was published. I still hear her rosary beads clicking. ♥

10 thoughts on “Faith of Our Mothers ~ Theresa Bonney

  1. This makes me cry. I know that early on God wasn’t part of your vocabulary. What a plan God had for you, for sure. You just didn’t realize it. You have touched many lives with your gifts of words, inspiration, humor, caring, and family. Love you. And Happy Mother’s Day to both you and your mom.

  2. Linda – I really enjoyed this. Mothers and Grandmothers can make such an impact on children’s lives. There is power in a Mothers or Grandmothers prayers. Nice tribute to your Ma.

  3. Thanks, Sue.
    Both of my grandmothers were very religious, in different ways. Memere Richard was a very duty-conscious Catholic. Grammy (Eda) Bonney was very active in her little Congregational church, especially supporting missionaries.
    I remember being commissioned to carry a casserole dish of Grammy’s baked beans to the church for a potluck supper when I was a little kid. It was just a short walk down the country road, but it seemed to take forever, I was being SO careful not to drop the beans!
    Neither of my grandmothers spoke about religion to me, but Grammy always had Elsie Dinsmore books and lots of Sunday School take-home papers at her house for me and my sister to read when we visited. I never understood why Elsie carried on about her father playing cards on Sunday. 🙂

    • Thanks, Roger! Bill told me when we met that women always bored him by the second or third date. (Real smooth thing to say, right?) Well, after 40 years of marriage, he says he’s not bored with me yet. Heh, heh …

  4. A beautiful tribute to your mom. …for me mom always sent the Upper Room …and to God many prayers! 🙂

  5. Thank you for sharing…and yes she prayed for you and your children…we had many discussions….as I did with your dad….he believed in a God…had many questions he directed to me on our fishing times…pertaining the RCatholic beliefs…dared to state he did not fully agree…and of course being a rebel Catholic I enjoyed out times together in discussions….
    Yes most likely your moms prayers had an influence on me as well…I at some point I started to be very dedicated in doing God’s work…in sharing His love…and still do.
    Thank you again for your sharing, your gift of writing and composing…

    • Jean, thanks for telling me those memories. Dad had to convert to RC to marry Ma. His knack for popping out with funny comments on the absurdities of life included gentle jabs at religious hoohah. Yet he was very sincere in his faith in the Lord. His mother, my Grammy, was one of the most devout Christian women I ever met, in a very pure, quiet way.

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