Fraternity in Our Lives Robert McGarvey

Fraternity in Our Lives

Robert J. McGarvey

I looked up the definition of fraternity in the dictionary, and in one of the dictionaries at our home it said “One of the writer’s favorite themes is the fraternity of mankind”. The word fraternal came from the Latin word for brother, frater. Brotherhood, kinship, blood connections, councils, leagues, clubs, religions, alliances, and there are so many more that I had to stop. All of these fraternities give us close and wonderful feelings. We can benefit from them.

For instance, while I was growing up, most of my connections were related to our Saint Augustine Church and school in Jeffersonville, Indiana. I learned how to be an altarboy, learned the Latin prayers and their pronunciation and then was assigned a Mass. I started when I was in elementary school and continued through High School.

Most of my brothers and sisters sang in the children’s choir. All the children in the choir learned that we were able to pray with song. We had a very good children’s choir and being a part of that choir let us know that we were giving prayers to God and also wonderful feelings to the members of the church.

As I grew up, I was able to use what I learned as a child to help me make friends, connections and brotherhood to others. The learning about brotherhood helped when I was in the Air Force. Things were rather tense during the Cuban Missile Crisis in Louisiana.

Throughout our lives there can be difficult and painful times, but the love of God will get you through.