Jimmy Breslin would always talk about the parish of his youth in his articles. I believe he left the faith to become a famous newspaper reporter. But he always remembered the Saint Benny's of his youth. For God, who brings joy to our youth.

St. Benny's is my mother parish, and Saint Benny is connected to the Cure of Ars who is connected to St. Philomena who is very special to all us traditional Catholics. The Child Parish is my own, The Church of The Holy Child Jesus which is two blocks from my home. So today I wanted to go to Saint Benny's. I decided I would not go before the Blessed Sacrament because I was wearing shorts and not attire suitable for Church. I was planning on going to the vestibule and putting some change in the poor box.

As is common these days, the Church doors were all locked. Should not the Church be open to all at all times? Or at least while the sun is above the earth giving light to the world? But, no, it was shuttered. So I left a penny by the door as a sign and a little sacrifice.

I saw that the gate in front of the door to the rectory was open. I walked half-way down the path and read the sign. I saved the parish phone number in my cell phone. I may call them sometime.

Before I checked the Church doors I noticed the garden to the Blessed Mother. A big statue of the Immaculate Conception as depicted on the Miraculous Medal, behind a gate that was closed and locked. They don't even want people to kneel and pray on the pavement before the Blessed Virgin Mary. Before her feet lat a cross, etched in the pavement.

What could I do? I had so many coins, some pennies, some nickels, some dimes, and some quarters. All I could do was offer them to the Blessed Mother.

When I first saw her I took a penny out of my pocket and kissed it and tossed it into the garden. It landed in the grass.

So I did the same and one by one I took my coins and kissed them and tossed them into the Garden of Our Queen and Mother. Some hit the pavement and one I tossed too far ans hit the statue of the Blessed Mother herself. I begged her pardon. And then I went home.

I was only in the Church one time. Some Mexicans were saying prayers before the tabernacle without a priest. It is as if they were trying to keep the faith without any shepherds like they always say about the Catholics in Japan who kept the faith for two hundred years with no priests. The only sacraments they had were Baptism and Matrimony, yet they still held strong to the faith.