The Day My Father Was in the Sunday Homily

By Loretta Kennedy Tulley

June 12, 1996

Following is a letter from my relative, Loretta Kennedy Tulley. Loretta’s father was James Kennedy, a brother of my grandfather, Dan Kennedy.

Dear Tom and Family,

I’m enclosing information from an abstract. Maybe some of the dates or the information will help you.

We have been very busy – graduations, weddings, etc.. 

Sunday, June 2^nd, we attended a high school graduation party at Normal. It was for Joe Tulley. He is Ellen’s godchild. He is Tom Tulley’s youngest son. Tom lived next door to us, but lost his farm, got a divorce, remarried, and moved away when Joe was a little past two. Jack and I enjoyed his older brother. They often walked over to visit and eat with us. Now, Joe has applied to the University of Illinois and will start college June 1, 1996, if all goes well.

Pat Tulley, Harold and Loretta’s oldest son, has been in the intensive care unit since May 3^rd. He was driving a tractor in a field and had a seizure. He was able to stop the tractor but did not shut off the motor. The cause of his illness hasn’t been determined. Possibilities being considered are the chemicals being used and a severe injury Pat received in a car-train collision years ago.

I’ll relate a story my father told of his youth.

My father, some of his brothers, and some young men of the neighborhood, generally played baseball on weekends if farm work allowed during the summer. In winter, they played cards – 45, euchre, or poker –  and perhaps smoked pipes or drank some beer or other liquor. There was no refrigeration.

On one occasion several of the young men gathered on a Sunday afternoon at Jim Quigley’s house. Jim was soon to be married and had built a new home about a mile east of my father’s home. The card players had come on horseback. Therefore, several horses were tied out. 

The game was going well in the kitchen of the new house when someone spotted Fr. O’Hara. He was riding from the west toward the house. Fr. O’Hara held services at the 12-mile Grove church and often rose out on horseback. The card players hastily cleared the table of all incriminating evidence. However, Father rode on past. The players resumed their seats and their game.

The game was underway only well started when Father walked in the back door. Father didn’t say much then, but the following Sunday at the Grove church, St. Patrick’s, he named many of the young men and gave their parents a lecture. The lecture was to the effect that their sons should having something better to do on Sunday than to drink and play cards.

PS: I hear Pat Tulley is going to St. Joseph’s for therapy.

Best wishes to all, Loretta.

We are praying for fry weather.