Sundays 93

was a way of raising extra funds for the parish. Parishioners often traded seats to satisfy personal tastes. In the early 50s this system was replaced by a ten-cent seat collection which in- dividuals placed each Sunday on a table at the church entrance. Visiting priests were rare on Sundays since Fathers McCarthy and McKenna almost never took extended holidays, although the latter was plagued with extended bouts of illness. Replace- ments would be from neighboring parishes or from St. Dunstan’s University. The pastor’s brother, Father Merlin McCarthy of Edmonton, spent a holiday in Iona every second year or so and would celebrate the parish Mass. As well, some of our parish natives would be here on occasion for Sunday. These were Fathers William McKenna of Nebraska and Pat McKenna of Kansas, Fathers Michael Rooney, Willy McCabe and Phelan McKenna from their local parishes, as well as Father Edmund Roche from S.D.U. and his brother, Father Clarence, from the basilica. With Mass over, parishioners left the church quietly with the ladies remaining a short time in their places. In good weather all hands tended to congregate near the front of the church to mix with friends and chat awhile for this was indeed the great social event of the week.

Visitors to our house after Sunday Mass always included the Valley family, including grandma until she was past ninety. When wheeling was good they often had a passenger or two in their 1929 Chevrolet. All would have tea and on occasion stay for dinner which was always informal but tasty with the addi- tion of a chicken or a cut of beef. One of my earliest recollections of Sunday at home was of tagging along with Dad as he strolled back along the farm and in the fields with his hands behind his back examining the crops. This would take place shortly after dinner and was an early reminder of the sabbath rest. On rare occasions, however, Father McCarthy would suggest that parishioners could work at their harvest that afternoon, of course only after the weather had been inclement and the need Was pressing. Even on these infrequent occasions it seemed so strange and awkward to be doing this kind of work on Sunday. At certain times of the year parish youth returned to the church for catechism classes on Sunday afternoons and occasionally there would be evening devotions for all. The latter had a special charm and peace as the shadows began to lengthen and the day came to its close.

In general, however, we were free from Sunday noon to Simply rest or find our own amusement. Pick up ball games in