Page 15 - With Mungie MacNeil of Iona Rear

ISSUE : Issue 59

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/1/1

(In those days they wore their collars.) All the time. They weren't going out then with sportshirts on. (Were they different home? Were they strict?) No. They were very kind. Well. I mean, you'd have to--it was a different life, you know, you just didn't have to--you wouldn't gallivant around very much! You had a kind of a--a life, you know, that nobody would find fault with in any way. But they were very, very normal. You must have heard of Fr. (Hugh A. MacDonald). He used to sing, you know, and play the piano. He'd just roll the house away with his play? ing. He got a piano after. He couldn't get along without it. He was from Inverness. Fr. Hugh A. MacDonald. And he'd sing--he had a beautiful voice. He's still living. get now. I think he said. "I'll be home tonight." In July. Nine o'clock that night. It was his niece in Halifax that called me (to say he'd died in an accident).... But see. (Fr. Chisholm) was a boxer as a young fellow. And he told me. oh. before we left Sydney River. One night he was coming home. Or was it at lona? Believe it was lona. He was coming down the road late at night, and he kind of blacked out. He slept, like, driving the car. And he never wanted to travel alone. I think he was al? ways scared, you know, that something would happen. And he told me about this bad blow--the bad blows he got around the head. I had a feeling that was what might have happened that night. I liked it better with one priest. It was kind of easier. You know, that was an awful busy place (with several priests in West- mount) . There would be visitors coming, you know, about the school, and there'd be oth? er priests coming. There was room for extra priests--it was a big place, you know. It was almost like a small hotel, really. Just with priests there. (It was more comfortable, more homey, like, when you were....) When you were with the (one) priest, oh, yes. Oh. it was easier. And then--well. I had to come home then--my brother died. And then my mother was 96 before she died --96 1/2. And I had to come home. So Fr. Chisholm was after coming to lona. And Fr. Chisholm was looking for a housekeeper. He went down for me and spoke to me. And. I'd be home at night, you know. I'd just go in by the day. so it suited me fine. I'd get up early. I'd fix my mother up--she was bedridden by then. Do some washing and stuff for her. I'd walk in. Rainy days he'd come out to meet me, and drive me home in the evening, after supper. And I went with him wherever he went after that. I was with Fr. Chisholm until he died. Dear soul. I was at the house at St. Pe? ters, you know. He left that (day). And he said. "I'll be home tonight," or he said, "I'll be home tomorrow night." I just for- Bru • e'??l Place RESTAURANT 562-5400 • Spaghetti, Lasagna, Fettucmi Alfredo Subs, Burgers, Quality Steaks and Bruce's own Pizza Pizzazz with more than 15 toppings to choose from FULLY LICENSED TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE Aff • Welton Plaza We accept the HUU Sydney, N.S. major credit cards, 'u 11 am-11 pm • Fri & Sat 11 am-IVIidnight • Sun Noon-11 pm He'd sleep--he'd fall asleep. I think that was most of what it was. He'd fall asleep at the wheel. He wanted somebody with him really, all the time, travelling. He hated to travel alone. At night, anyway. He'd fall asleep. Sometimes going, you know--if he'd be going to Sydney, he'd say, "Do you want to go into Sydney." And I'd say, "I'd love to go." He'd stop the car at the side of the road and just get out and walk around, you know. He was a wonderful priest, you know. Every? body liked him. No matter where he went, he was always loved so much. And he was only at St. Peters for. oh. a little over a year, or just about a year. And they were just heart? broken, the people there, he was there such Our thanks to Cape Breton's Magazine for its 20 Years of Commitment to Cape Breton's History and Folklore Congratulations! from Sydney Shopping Centre HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. • 10:00 p.m. MALL OFFICE • PRINCE ST., SYDNEY, N. S. B1P 5K6 • 539-6912 HEAD OFFICE • 115KINGST.,STELLARTON,N.S.B0K1S0 • 755-4440

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