I was watching a program today featuring the late Fr. Thomas Dubay in which he related a story about a woman who won $11.8 million in the lottery. The woman was retired, drove a thirty year old car, was never married, and lived alone. She gave every single penny away. Half was given to her local parish, a large chunk to the local volunteer fire department, and the rest to other charities. This woman would rise every morning at 5:30 a.m. to do morning prayers. Then she would get ready to go to daily mass where she would arrive one hour early to spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
What a wonderful example of a woman living a life of prayer and sacrifice. This fits right along with my theory that it is the prayers of those saintly old ladies sitting in the pews praying before Mass that keeps the Church alive and the world held together.
Excellent book by Father Thomas Dubay, S.M. Fire Within
