General George

Michael was living in Canada – originally he had come from England. He still remembered the soccer games, the fish and chips at Stewarts Inn and the 'Bobbies' – British policemen. He was twelve now and had come to Canada when he was only seven.

His Dad had been a miner in the Sudbury nickel mines, but he was killed in a mining explosion in 1966. His mother, Margaret was feeling lonely now that her husband had died. She worked at a sewing factory and she would be staying for six more months, until she had enough money to move back to England.

Margaret received a letter from her Uncle George, asking her to send Michael to England. He said he would pay the cost of the trip and that the boy could stay with him until she arrived. He promised to take Michael to Mass and Confession and make sure he said his Rosary.

The boy had just finished grade six and was now on summer holidays; he could start school in England, in the fall. Margaret was grateful for the offer but one thing bothered her about Uncle George, he was a decent, upright man, but he had stopped going to church years ago. He had been an Army General in World War II, and there, had lost his Catholic faith. She prayed and thought over the matter, and in the end she decided to send her son to England. Just before the boy got on the airplane, she warned him, "Remember Michael, if things get unbearable with Uncle George, or if he does not keep his promise to take you to Mass and Confession, I want you to phone me immediately!"

Michael arrived in England at 4:00 in the afternoon and George's butler, James, was there to pick him up at the airport. On the way to his uncle's, Michael asked James many questions about his uncle, and James answered the questions as well as he could.

When they arrived at George's mansion, Michael was shown into a large parlour where his uncle was waiting. He said, "How do you do Sir?"

His uncle burst out laughing, "Hah! That's a good one! How do I do? I take good care I do! The question is – how do you do?"

"I'm well, thank you Uncle," the boy replied.

"Nonsense! He roared. "You look like your half starved and your white as a ghost. You look like some parsnip that hasn't seen the light of day for a whole year! Do you play soccer?"

"Sometimes Uncle," answered the boy.

"Do you ride horses?"

"No, Sir"

"Frightened of them, eh?"

"No, Sir"

"Don't answer me back boy! A little imp like you is probably frightened of horses. You need to exercise and eat better, you hear, boy? Tonight we will have chicken. You will eat a big plateful, right boy?"

Michael swallowed hard, "Yes, Sir."

"That's it boy! Now run along! I'll see you at suppertime."

Michael was glad to leave the parlour. He went to see the butler who was in the kitchen with the cook. "Uncle George scares me half to death, with his brusque ways!

"Don't worry Michael," the butler consoled, "he's got a big heart! You'll soon get used to him – it took me awhile!"

Michael sat down and chatted with the cook while the butler was busy setting the table. The cook, a Filipino lady named Maria, had many interesting stories to tell. Time passed quickly and at six o'clock, the butler rang the dinner bell. Michael sat at the table across from his uncle, and said grace. Uncle George made sure that the boy had a good helping of chicken on his plate and Michael ate every bit of it. After supper, George asked his nephew, "Do you know how to play chess!"

Michael smiled and said, "Yes, uncle."

"Hah!" roared the old General, "I will see how well you play. If you win, I'll buy you a pony!" Michael didn't mention that he had belonged to a chess club when he was in Canada, nor that he was the champion chess player. They set about playing and in half an hour his uncle roared, "Good gadfry, your a fine player boy – I didn't think you had it in you! I haven't been beaten in chess for five years! – You'll get your pony; the best money can buy!"

General George would go outside everyday and watch his great nephew, ride his pony. He was proud of the way Michael held himself in the saddle; he was a real natural. Several weeks passed and one day he strutted up to Michael, "By all the tea in China, I'll make a jockey out of you yet. You’re a good rider; I'll train you to race horses!"

A month had passed, it was now August. Uncle George and Michael would often go for walks. The boy was feeling a little sad that his uncle had not converted back to the Catholic Faith yet, but he said nothing. One day after a walk with his uncle, he took out his book on the Lives of the Saints. He read one story and then read one saint story a day, for the next week. He suddenly came up with the idea that he had to make sacrifices, to convert his uncle. Everyday he wrote the sacrifices down on a piece of paper, after he had made them, so that he would know when he had made ten sacrifices.

A few weeks passed by. Michael came in one Saturday after riding his pony and hung up his coat. But he didn't know that his daily sacrifice paper had fallen out of his pocket. Walking to the kitchen he went to get a drink of water.

A minute later General George strolled into the parlour. Suddenly he noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the floor. Picking it up he began to read – "What's this…? Sacrifices for Uncle George…?" He twirled his moustache, adjusted his glasses and began reading again, "Sacrifices to convert Uncle George," he read, "Ate asparagus; which I hate, made my bed neatly, didn't answer back, didn't drink chocolate milk; which I love…"

That afternoon Michael found that James and Maria were quite worried, "The Master's sick, something is ailing him," said James.

"He didn't eat any lunch and he's not smoking his pipe," put in Maria. "Michael, why don't you go and ask him what's wrong?"

The boy walked into the study, "Uncle, please tell me what's wrong! James and Maria think you are very sick. You didn't eat any lunch and you're not smoking your pipe! If your dying, you'd better call for the priest, because we love you, and we wouldn't want you to go to Hell!"

All of a sudden Uncle George started laughing. He got Michael's sacrifice paper out of his pocket and handed it to the boy, saying, "Read this!"

When Michael read the paper, he turned beet red, "I'm sorry Uncle!" was all he could say.

"Sorry?" his uncle cried, "No need to be sorry! I've been trying to see if I could do the same for you, as you've been doing for me! I think it's very manly of you! Good gadfry, I couldn't keep it up! I hate asparagus myself –never touch the stuff! I give it to you Michael; you've got more General in you than I have!"

Michael explained, "Thank you! If you say so Sir! But it's only because I go to Confession and Holy Communion that I'm able to make these sacrifices; without Jesus I could never do it!"

"Never do it?" his uncle bellowed, "I don't believe you! You've got a lot of guts, you have. God bless you boy!"

That Saturday evening, Uncle George took Michael to Confession and the boy waited at the beginning of the line. When he came out of the confessional he noticed that his uncle was at the end of the line. Michael pretended not to notice his uncle, and after he said his penance, he said a long thanksgiving.

At suppertime that night, Michael was surprised to see the table set up so fancy: crystal vases with fresh flowers, the best china and cutlery, roast beef and gravy, and strawberry shortcake – loaded with whipped cream! Uncle George poured some chocolate milk for Michael, "We're having a feast tonight. I've been and done it; gone to confession. Tomorrow, on Sunday, I'll be kneeling beside you at the Communion rail!"

Michael jumped up and gave his uncle a hug, "God bless you, uncle!"

"God bless you! You've given me a new start – I owe you my life. On Monday, we're taking a trip to France. We're going to the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes – and at the shrine, I'm going to buy you a two foot high, marble statue of Our Lady of Lourdes!

Michael jumped up and hugged his Uncle again; this time he was crying. As Maria placed the peas on the table, she was crying too. When she went to the kitchen she told James the good news. God was truly powerful; they would all remember this day for the rest of their lives.

So you see, it's important to pray in order to convert somebody, but you must make sacrifices too! Do as Our Lady of Fatima said, "Pray the Rosary and make Sacrifices", then see what Our Lady will do for you!

The End

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