Esperanza and Gavino Aguayo, No. 2, Hispanic Oral Histories, Accn 1369

Page 82

OHI E&G Aguayo 3-12-85 s4:32 EA It has. You go to funerals now and very few do it. Even the older people don't do it any more. (mourn in black) Even the church isn't draped in black anymore. Well, the father would come in black vestments. Ah, bey had and now they don't they wear the white. For, like they say, the joyful. becuase it's a joyful time. And I remember Father Mer , he was our P_?§_t__s,r_!._~en. And Ji~ lelp~d the family a lot through this. Hard tikme. And in fact, he was with mother when she died. And that's before we even knew him. And then he was assigned to our parish. And I remember thefirst time I met him, he said, to us, I know you. I was with your mother when she died. And Fatehr Mer __ . at the ti.me, he was mt our pish priest. He just happened to be at the cathedral at the time. Mother died at LDS hopital. And He says, I remember your family quite well. And he helped us alot. And I remember his saying one time that death was a joyful - becuase--and I said to him, tlel me that when your mother dies. But don'tyou tell me right now. And when his mother died. I would have loved tohave said this. But I didn't say a word. becuase it's different when± hits you.It's good to say it - don't do that - wait til it hits you and then see kow you react. That's the way I feel. Becuse it' s a lrd time , GA You read about Father Meirsman. He's in a lot of this prison-- EA Yea, he was the chaplain of the prison. In fact he did that -- Gary Gilmore movie (laughs) with him. He' was the chaplain.