A Legacy of Love:
Personal Reflections upon a Kind, Loving and Gentle Mother
| The new book about her mother Ruth Conroy is finally in print and is now available directly from Susan, click here to order via Paypal or if you prefer, use this order form. |
| From the back cover of the ~500 page book: |
| This book expresses what we love about our Mom. That is why it is so long. I started writing it for the same reason I wrote about Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa's Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity; Our Sunday Visitor, 2003): to share the story of a beautiful present-day model of love, holiness, and heroic virtue. Ever since I was a little girl, I was aware of the fact that I had a dream-come-true mother. And yet it never occurred to me that I might write a book about Mom until just before she was called home to Heaven. I became even more inspired by her beauty, bravery and blessedness during her final agony, when all her virtues were rigorously tested and yet continued to shine. Her patience and peacefulness were pushed to the limit and still did not break. Even when she was in the dark valley of suffering, she was filled with the light of hope, the sweetest love, amazing courage, and unfailing confidence in God’s goodness and mercy. Our Lord was clearly leading her beside waters of peace. It seems to me that her entire life was a miracle of God’s love and kindness—from her birth into this life, all the way to her birth into Eternal Life. While reading this story, you will see. There was so much beauty in her heart and soul, in all of her ways. Just look at her eyes! Look at her face! You will see the grace, peace, love and joy. It is like looking through a window to Heaven. |
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Please be assured of my prayers for you and for God’s blessing on the loving memorial you are working on about your beloved Mother. May the lessons of love taught and learned in your home continue to live on in those who read it. |
| —SISTER M. NIRMALA, M.C., Mother Teresa’s successor as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India. |
| [Excerpts from Susan's book Mother Teresa's Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity]: |
 From time to time, my mother would order religious books for our family. She was the most peaceful, happy, patient, and loving mother any child could ever hope for, and she nourished us with good things in every way. I benefitted greatly from these books, because my heart was always inclined toward God and holy things. I am one of ten children. My parents raised our family in the Roman Catholic tradition and they lived their faith beautifully. They kept us very close to God and to the sacraments while we were growing up ... My parents always referred to us as their "ten treasures," and the most important thing my father taught us was to "keep the faith," so that all of his treasures would arrive safely in heaven in the end. ... Home has always been the greatest classroom of love. It has always been the place where love is best taught, learned, and lived. ... 
I thank God for my mother. It was my mother who gave me those first words I ever read by Mother Teresa (on joy), and it was she who had ordered the beautiful set of three little books by Mother Teresa which inspired me with such longing. Yet, when I shared this dream [to go to Calcutta to help those suffering in the Home for the Dying] with my mother, she could not accept it. Obviously she had no idea what these letters and books were inspiring in me. She did not realize at the time that God was using her as an instrument of grace and a channel of divine influence in my life. If she had forseen the consequences of her deeds, namely, the wishes that they would inspire in my heart, I imagine she would never have followed through with them! It was obviously not her intention to make me dream of helping Mother Teresa someday. It was simply God's intention. ... I tried to put aside my dream but within a short time, my yearning to serve the poor in India came back, in full force, and continued to grow. This is how I knew most clearly that it was God's will and not my own. I would never have pursued something that left my parents in great fear for my life unless I sensed clearly and strongly that I was being drawn to make the journey. I knew that, truly, this was a seed planted in my heart by God. |
| "This book about Mom will naturally be a lot about Dad too. They were inseparable for about 56 years. And when it came to raising this family of 10 children, they did it together. It will be a loving tribute to both of them." The manuscript was mailed to the publisher March 26, 2014. |
| - a recent email from Susan |
Webmaster's Note: Over the years I've heard a number of stories from Susan about her parents Ruth and Francis Conroy, and what it was like for Susan and her 9 siblings growing up in Southern Maine. This project is a very special and inspirational memorial to two of the most important influences of her life who are both now with God.
Susan's father Francis recently passed away, and she shared this with me in an email at the time:
I am pouring my heart into finishing my book about Mom. ... The final chapter has ended, so the book can now be finished. My joy and comfort is in knowing that Dad is reunited with the love of his life, and also in knowing – as Papa said even while he was in a coma – “we will all be together again.” I am counting on it. I have my heart set on that. I am holding onto those comforting words of faith, hope and love. As Mom always said with a smile: “Ever onward and upward!” - Susan