By Tim Cao
Throughout my childhood years, my mother was the one who had the most influence on me and my Catholic faith. Her actions and devotion to the Catholic Church profoundly impacted my life and my faith. I am so grateful for what she did for me. She unselfishly put her family’s needs first, and taught me a lifetime lesson on how to be a good and responsible Catholic. She set great examples and demonstrated what a Catholic should be. I must go back to those early years of my life, 1970s, to recall those blessings.
It was always pitch dark when my mother woke me up every morning and told me softly that it was time to get up and go to Mass. As usual, I neglected for a few minutes, wanting and tempting to go back to sleep, but with some hesitation, I managed to get up and out of bed most mornings. Then, I followed along with my siblings on a dark and narrow dirt road for a 20-minute walk to our church. We usually arrived just in time for the 5:30 a.m. Mass. That was my usual morning routine for several years.
I recall growing up in a very rural and small village in Vietnam. You see, my parents are very devoted Catholics. They took their parent responsibilities very seriously, especially with their children’s faith.
We are a large family, with 12 children, and I am the ninth in the family. My mother was actively involved in my childhood life and thus had the most influence on my Catholic faith. My dad was mainly away on military duties. My mother stayed home, caring for me and my siblings while working full-time. She was one of the hardest-working women I’ve ever known. Even though she was busy working and caring for our family, she always set aside time to be with God. In addition, she had always made it a priority to pray and do the rosary with us almost every night.
My siblings and I were not always willing or motivated to pray the rosary every night. Many nights, I was bored and often got distracted during prayer. There were nights I fell asleep right in the middle of the rosary. It was because my parents wanted me to do, not what I wanted. Thus, I was never motivated to do it. I must admit, it did get a bit easier as it became a routine and a tradition for our family.
During this time set aside, I learned many prayers and learned how to pray the rosary for the first time in my life. I was able to memorize and recite all the three mysteries of the rosary on my own. I was around 10 or 11 years old.
Looking back at what my mother had done for me throughout those years, I owe her a tremendous debt. I wish I could go back and thank her for what she did for me. I wanted to tell her I am sorry for being such a stubborn son and for all those hard times I gave her. But most importantly, I want to tell her how much I appreciate what she did for me and my faith. She had instilled in me a strong foundation, rosary by rosary, and day by day, and topped it with the daily Mass.
I’m so thankful for those countless rosaries and Masses. They have become a part of my life ever since. The seed she sowed continues to grow and thrive in me today. As a father to our four sons, I strive to follow her example and share those lessons with them every day. Her gift of faith was truly invaluable. She instilled in me the importance of putting others first and doing what is right, especially for the children and their beliefs. Without her unwavering love and support, I can’t imagine who I would be today as a Catholic. May her soul rest in Jesus Christ!
In memory of my beloved mother, who passed away on August 8, 2022 at the age of 97.
