Carmela Mulroe

Text version of Carmela Mulroe's keynote remarks

My name is Carmela Mulroe.  I am the Director of Activities and Volunteers at St. Mary’s Care Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
First, I’d like to share a story with you about Jimmy Durante, one of the greatest performers of the past century.

On one occasion, Mr. Durante regretfully informed a director that he would only be able to perform for 10 minutes.  Grateful to have some of his time, the director agreed.  On the night of the performance, Jimmy Durante stayed on stage longer than expected…15 , 20, 30 minutes passed.  As he exited, the director stopped him.  “I thought you only had 10 minutes?  You gave us half an hour?” 

To which Mr. Durante replied, “You can see for yourself if you look in the front row.” Seated there, were two veterans, each of whom had lost an arm in the war.  One had lost his right arm and the other his left.  Together they were able to clap, and that is exactly what they were doing—loudly and cheerfully.

So much of the work we do at St. Mary’s Care Center involves team work- much like the clapping hands. Now, I’d like to share a story about Sarah.

Sarah was leaving us. Sarah who loved chocolate, lollipops, cigarettes and good music was going home
-- not to her earthly home, but her heavenly home.

God knows every hair on our heads.  He knows those on Sarah’s—every crisp, beautiful shiny white one on her pink scalp.  He also knows one of her favorite songs.

Like any good father he wants to give good gifts.

This past summer, Sarah attended a concert at the Care Center. She clapped; she tapped her feet and sang along.  Best of all she smiled the bright smile she always smiled when there was good music.  Her blue eyes sparkled like stardust.

She had but one request—that they play ‘Sunrise Sunset’ from Fiddler on the Roof.  She asked again and again, but they kept insisting –“sorry, we don’t know that one.”  Although Sarah enjoyed her time, she went back to her room a little empty. 

On a day last December, as I sat by Sarah’s bedside, I knew that somehow, she should hear that song. I thought of Mary, our in-house songster.  I knew Mary was in all-day orientation, but it was worth a try. I dialed her number and as the phone rang, providence took over. Mary appeared in the hall outside Sarah’s room.  

Did she know the song, Sunrise Sunset?  Mary hesitated. “From Fiddler on the Roof?” . . . I nodded. With the resolve that she so often exhibits, Mary knelt at Sarah’s side and lovingly sang the song that Sarah had longed to hear.

Sarah will leave many things behind in this world, but she will go home with a song in her heart and the knowledge that God loved her enough to give her a gift.

So it is…I reveal,You reveal,We reveal the healing presence of God—heart to heart and hand to hand.