Remembering My Dad and Praying for All Fathers on Father’s Day

Today I remember my dear Dad, Jack Meehan, a devoted father whose love, sacrifice, and joyful spirit were a blessing in our family’s life.

In 1956, my parents, Jack and Bridie Meehan, made the courageous decision to leave Ireland and bring my brothers Patrick and Sean and me to the United States so that we could flourish and have opportunities that were difficult to find in our homeland at that time.

Dad worked three jobs to provide a better life for us. With the support of our wonderful Aunt Molly, our family was blessed with opportunities, including a good education and the chance to pursue our dreams. Yet what stands out most vividly in my memory is the reason we left Ireland in the first place.

Dad often reminded us that he did not want our family to be separated in order to survive. In those days, many Irish fathers had to leave their families behind and seek work in England to support loved ones at home. Dad wanted something different for us. He wanted our family to stay together. And that is exactly what he made possible.

In Ireland, Dad worked as a porter in a bank and played music with Billy Ryan’s Band. After immigrating to the United States, he earned his engineering license and worked in building maintenance while also leading a band that performed at congressional and embassy events throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

My brothers and I learned from Dad not so much through his words as through his example. We grew up in a happy home, largely unaware of how hard he worked because his joyful spirit, generous heart, and unwavering love were what shone through.

Dad also supported me throughout my journey as a sister, priest, and bishop. Even when my path led me to serve on the margins of a Church not yet ready to embrace the ministry of women priests, he encouraged me to follow my conscience and live my dreams.

On this Father’s Day, I give thanks for my Dad and for all fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, godfathers, mentors, and father figures whose love, sacrifice, and guidance have blessed our lives.

May all fathers know how deeply they are appreciated. May those who have died rest in the embrace of Divine Love. And may we honor their legacy by building families, communities, and a world rooted in love, compassion, and hope.

Happy Father’s Day!

Our last Father’s Day Celebration with Dad

https://jackbridgetmarymeehan.blogspot.com/2012/06/blog-post.html?m=1

Dad plays at American Legion in 2005 in. Sarasota 

https://youtu.be/LUCo9MV1ppw

See Video below of Jack Meehan in Ireland with Family on Video that Aired on TV in DC/VA. area.

https://youtu.be/SJK6kwq3d8s

Features beautiful landscapes of the Aran Islands, the breathtaking mountains and lakes of Connemara, Cliffs of Moher. Explore sacred sites of Celtic Saints such as St. Enda's well, St. Gobnait's Church and St. Patrick's holy mountain.   Jack  narrates  the characteristics of Celtic spirituality through the lens of our Irish family heritage. Enjoy some beautiful Irish tunes like Galway Bay, Danny Boy, the Rose of Tralee and many more played by Jack and Dan Hallissey.  This program aired on Godtalk on public access TV in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC . I wrote a book about Celtic spirituality, Praying with Celtic Spirituality, available on online retailers including
amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/Praying-Celtic-Women-Bridget-Meehan/dp/0764809296/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g2609328962?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8

— Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan

MARY MAGDALENE: A VOICE OF COURAGE AND WISDOM A dramatic script based on the Gospel of Mary

Characters

• Mary Magdalene
• Peter
• Andrew
• Levi (Matthew)
• Thomas
• Other Disciples
• Narrator

Scene One: Fear and Uncertainty

(The disciples are gathered in a room. Their faces reveal grief, confusion, and fear. Mary Magdalene stands among them.)

Narrator:
The Teacher had died.
The tomb was empty.
The disciples struggled to understand what had happened.
Fear gripped their hearts.
Would they continue his mission?
Or would fear silence them?

Peter:
Brothers and sisters, what shall we do now?
The Teacher is gone.
The authorities seek us.
Our hearts are troubled.

Thomas:
How can we continue without him?
Where do we find strength?

(Mary steps forward calmly.)

Mary Magdalene:
Do not weep.
Do not lose heart.
His presence has not left us.

Peter:
Mary, what do you mean?

Mary Magdalene:
The Savior taught us that Divine Life dwells within us.
We are not abandoned.
We carry the Holy Presence in our hearts.

Disciples:
(whispering among themselves)
Can this be true?

Scene Two: Mary’s Vision

Peter:
Sister Mary,
you were especially close to the Teacher.
Tell us what he revealed to you.

Mary Magdalene:
I will tell you what I saw.

When I prayed, I beheld the Living Christ.

I said,
“Teacher, I have seen you in a vision.”

And he answered:

“Blessed are you who do not waver when you see me.
For where the mind is,
there is the treasure.”

He taught that we must seek the Divine within.

Not in fear.
Not in domination.
Not in outward appearances.

The reign of God is already among us.

Scene Three: The Teaching

Mary Magdalene:
The Savior taught:

Do not search for God in distant places.

The Holy One dwells within your deepest being.

When you know yourself,
you will discover your true nature.

You are children of Divine Love.

Nothing can separate you from this sacred union.

The soul becomes free when it releases fear,
anger,
greed,
and the illusion of separation.

The journey is inward.

The path is awakening.

The destination is peace.

(The disciples listen attentively.)

Scene Four: Doubt and Resistance

Andrew:
I am not certain these words came from the Savior.

They seem difficult to understand.

Peter:
Did the Teacher truly reveal these things to a woman and not openly to us?

Why would he choose her?

(The room becomes tense.)

Mary Magdalene:
Brother Peter,
I have spoken only what I received.

I have hidden nothing.

(She lowers her head in sadness.)

Scene Five: Levi Defends Mary

Levi:
Peter,
you have always been quick to anger.

If the Savior found Mary worthy,
who are we to reject her?

Surely he knew her well.

Surely he loved her as a faithful disciple.

The Savior chose her because she was ready to hear.

Let us not oppose what he has revealed.

Instead,
let us go forth and proclaim the Good News.

Scene Six: The Sending Forth

(Mary looks around the room with hope.)

Mary Magdalene:
The Teacher calls us beyond fear.

He calls us to become whole.

He calls us to reveal Divine Love through our lives.

The world is longing for compassion.

The world is longing for justice.

The world is longing for healing.

Let us become bearers of that healing.

Let us trust the Spirit within us.

Let us proclaim the Good News:

Love is stronger than fear.

Life is stronger than death.

The Divine Presence lives among us and within us.

Final Blessing

All Together:

We will not be ruled by fear.

We will walk in the light of Divine Wisdom.

We will honor the sacred dignity of every person.

We will carry forward the mission of Jesus.

Together we proclaim:

Love is alive.

Christ is alive.

And we are called to share that Good News with the world.

Prayer and Blessing for an Open Heart in a Time of Turmoil

Loving and Compassionate Presence,

In this time of uncertainty,  I come before You with an anxious heart.

Some days I feel overwhelmed by concerns I cannot quiet, questions I cannot answer, and burdens I cannot carry alone.

Anxiety tells me that healing may never come.

Yet deep within, beneath the noise and turmoil, Your gentle voice calls me back to trust.

Open my heart, Holy One.

When fear closes me in, open me to Your peace.

When anxiety tightens its grip, open me to Your healing grace.

Help me release what I cannot control and place it into Your loving hands.

Teach me to breathe deeply of Your presence and remember that I am held in a Love greater than my fears.

Remind me that healing sometimes takes time.

Often it unfolds gently, like dawn breaking after a long night.

Even when I cannot see the way forward, help me trust that You are already at work within me, and within the situation I am concerned about, mending what is wounded, strengthening what is weary, and renewing what feels broken.

Open my heart to recognize the blessings that surround me.

Open my heart to the quiet wisdom rising from within and within others.

And open my heart to the sacred truth that I am and all whom I hold in my heart are Your  beloved.

 Blessing for an Open Heart in a Time of Turmoil 

May Your healing presence flow through every anxiety, every conflict, every situation.

May Your peace settle within me like a calm river.

May Your love become the ground beneath my feet and the light that guides my efforts to go forward.

Today, I choose trust over fear.

Today, I choose hope over despair.

Today, I open my heart to healing.

And I rest in the assurance that I am held, loved, and accompanied every step of the way.

Amen.

Blessing for Healing and Peace 

May the Holy One bless us with hearts open to grace.

May we feel held in Divine Love when anxiety rises.

May healing unfold within us, gently and steadily, in its own sacred time.

May peace find a home in our spirits.

May hope return with every sunrise.

And may we always know that we are deeply loved, wholly blessed, and never alone.

Amen.
— Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan

NEW BOOK with Healing Prayers and Blessings for Everyday Life by Bridget Mary Meehan

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5FNP9R1

You are Healing, You are Loved, You are Blessed!

My new book, Healing Prayers and Blessings for Everyday Life, offers prayers, reflections, and blessings to accompany people on their journey toward healing and wholeness.

Rooted in an inclusive spirituality that welcomes everyone, this book invites readers to rest in the healing embrace of Divine Love and discover the sacred strength already within them. Each chapter offers comfort, encouragement, and hope for everyday challenges and life’s deeper struggles.

At the heart of this book is a simple message:

You are healing.
You are loved.
You are a blessing.

Drawing on decades of pastoral ministry and spiritual practice, I share prayers and blessings that have helped many people find peace, resilience, and renewed hope.

My prayer is that this book will remind you that you are never alone and that healing happens in the presence of Divine Love.

Healing Prayers and Blessings for Everyday Life is now available on Amazon.

With gratitude and many blessings,

Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan