22

Mary Zurko interviewed by Denis Mercier -15- 8/21/72
Tape 12-1

that would be, that would be, four-thirty and three seventy-four, and the holy day was three-forty-five, and that was a day by itself, you know.
DM: That's not bad at all. No, I see now, I see now what you mean.
MZ: I don't think it is. But you see, there's all classes go to there, too. You know? But they won't give to the improvement fund. They'll give to the plate collection, but you see, they won't, because we have envelopes for that. They'll give it in cash, you know. But they don't give that much. Because you're sitting beside some of them, you can see what they're doin', you know! Ha! Ha!
DM: Well, I've got a couple more things I would like to ask. I know you are probably wanting to get back to work, but...
MZ: Um-hum.
DM: I really am happy that you could do this, because I figured I would have to make an appointment to see you later on today, tonight, but, a couple other things that I think will kind of tie up some loose ends - do you know anything about how the priests were selected, or was it just the regular diocesan, you know, the bishops ordering...
MZ: Oh, yeah, they were appointed by the bishop.
DM: And this was a regular, full-fledged parish at one time.
MZ: Yes, it was.
DM: Did you ever know about any priests who could "express a wish" to be here, to come to Eckley?
MZ: Well, I have heard of a lot of priests, I still hear of a lot of priests today, that they would like to have an appointment to a different parish, you know, they would rather go here or go there.
DM: Did you ever know about the priests up here? Did they ever request, let's say, to the bishop...
MZ: Well, Father Fallaghy, when he left here, I heard mother talk about it, when he was appointed at Freeland, he said he was very, very, very dispressed (sic) when he had to leave Eckley. Well, you know, because he was here for a couple of years, you know. And he got so known here that among the people, that he missed them like everybody else.
DM: But he didn't ask to come here, though, probably the bishop sent him?
MZ: Oh, yes, nobody in Eckley know him them, you know.
DM: I see.
MZ: I can just about remember him. Just about, you know.
DM: Yeah, I imagine so. What did the priests do in the community besides just run the church? Were they considered very influential people, or?
MZ: Oh, yes, mother says when they lived uptown, Father Brettany used to come to visit every blessed morning after the Mass, you know? Every blessed moring he was down. He'd have his cup of coffee, she said, he had just had his regular breakfast, but he had to come down to have a good cup of coffee and a couple slices of home-made bread! Ha! Ha!
DM: I don't blame him! I'd be there, too. You know me!
MZ: Of course, they, the housekeeper that kept house for him, she baked bread, you know, but he said, Granny baked the best bread in Eckley!
DM: I don't doubt it at all! Did he socialize a lot, did he...
MZ: She said to our father, I'll tell you what you are doin' with me, now, she said, you're just makin' me feel good! Now listen - her name is, her name was, they used to call Nancy, you know - and he said, now listen Nancy MacHugh he said, I'm not tellin' you that, he says, that I don't believe in my own hearth that you don't! So, mom said towards, Granny got to believe him that he liked that bread. But she said she did make wonderful bread.
DM: Well she must have. I'd like to....