McCarthy Family Habitat Forever
An Historic Farmland Preservation Project for a 4th Generation Minnesota Family
Memorial Service for Patrick McCarthy
St. Peter's Historic Cemetery
Mendota, Minnesota
Saturday, June 1, 2024
3:00 - 4:00
Presided over by Fr. Kevin Clinton, former and long-time pastor of St. Peter's Catholic Parish
Ode: Thanksgiving for the Life & Legacy of Patrick Owen McCarthy
Beneath the sky's vast, open embrace, Patrick Owen McCarthy sowed seeds of faith and diligence. A pillar of strength, he stood firm as the ancient oaks on the farm, his hands weathered by years of nurturing both the soil and the soul. His steadfast heart beat with the rhythm of the land, reliable as the dawn that greeted his labor. In the community and in his fields, he was a rock, unyielding and true, a beacon of constancy in a world ever-shifting, ever-fallible.
When his weary heart ceased, death did not extinguish his light but rather put out his lantern in the light of a new dawn. And on this bright day, we give thanks for his enduring legacy that flourishes in every sprouting seed on his land, and in every cherished memory of the McCarthy family heritage.
Memories of Patrick: Recollections of moments spent with Pat and the McCarthys
Katie Guthrie -- visiting Patrick & the farm with the kids and playing with his kittens
Jack Conrad -- visiting Patrick & the farm with his daughter and Pat letting her feed the pigs & steer with day-old bread
Tony LeMay -- the LeMay family visiting the McCarthy family over the holidays
Michelle LeMay -- having a large picnic gathering with the McCarthys during the summer
Lee Markell -- Pat using a welding gun beside a stockpile of hay bales
Scripture Reading: John 12:24-25
24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much [d]grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Stewardship Prayer followed by the Unveiling of Patrick's gravestone
(Modified from Catholic and Episcopalian sources)
Gracious and loving God, you call us to be stewards of your abundance, the caretakers of all you have entrusted to us. Help us to always use your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously. Whisper in our minds that we are but temporary guardians of your abundance; we are called to pass your gifts on to the generations to come. Bless us with your wisdom as we come together to honor Patrick Owen McCarthy and to ensure that his land remains fertile ground for all who honor it for generations to come.
Amen.
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As the photo at the bottom left illustrates, Patrick's final resting place is beside that of his parents, Rose & Michael McCarthy.
Note: See the following [article] for information on Fr. Kevin Clinton's current activities that aim to restore the natural environment of his own family's farm.