{"id":89,"date":"2024-09-30T19:22:42","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T19:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/?page_id=89"},"modified":"2024-10-08T18:50:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T18:50:52","slug":"lefty","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/lefty\/","title":{"rendered":"Lefty"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Maria\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Story of Maria
as told by her \n SHOE
\"LEFTY\"!
\nReported by
Sr. Vivian Miller, ASC
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Hello,
My name is Lefty.\u00a0
I may look like trash but
I have a precious story to tell.
Sit back and listen as I tell you about my friend, Maria.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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First off, I want you to know that I wasn\u2019t always tattered and torn.\u00a0
Back in 1821, I was quite beautiful.\u00a0
As a matter of fact on Feb. 4th I was a birthday present for Maria DeMattias,<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\u00a0<\/h4>

\u00a0<\/h5>

a young girl of Vallecorsa,
who just turned sweet 16.\u00a0\u00a0
She hugged me and I knew she was very happy.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\u00a0<\/h4>

Believe me, she looked right smart,
as she dressed up for her Sunday afternoon walks.\u00a0\u00a0
Maria took really good care of me and wore me only on special days.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I\u2019m afraid that in the beginning I pinched her toes a bit\u2026
but she never complained.\u00a0
It seems beauty and looking good means more to young people
than a pinched toe.\u00a0\u00a0
A bucket of hot water always eased her feet after we took our long walks.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Then one day I was left sitting in the closet for a long time.\u00a0
Let me tell you, it was dark in there.\u00a0
I sat and tried to remember what happened.\u00a0
Then I remembered,\u00a0
The last time I was worn, was to Church.\u00a0
I think something happened that day.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I know Maria sat very still for a long time listening to some missionary.
\u00a0 Then she made me run all the way home.\u00a0
I was kicked off and landed in a corner,
and stayed there for days.\u00a0
Next thing I knew, I was here in the closet, under a stack of woollies.\u00a0
I missed my Maria.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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After, what seemed like a long time,
the doors opened and light streamed into the dark closet.\u00a0
Well, bless my \u2018sole’,
someone grabbed me and soon I was falling.\u00a0
A lot of other stuff was falling too!\u00a0
It looked like we were all heading for a sack.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Soon the sack was strapped to the side of a surefooted donkey.\u00a0
I felt a little squashed but it wasn\u2019t too bad.\u00a0
There was so much added all around me it felt like a feather bed.\u00a0
The moving up and down made me sleepy.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I woke up and found myself in a mountain town called ACUTO
and back on Maria\u2019s feet.\u00a0
I was being used again, but something was different.\u00a0
I was not just going for short walks on Sunday or to a dance.\u00a0
I was being used for hours, everyday.\u00a0
I liked it, because I was close to Maria.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0 She seemed to be always on the go:\u00a0
sometimes with a broom in her hand,
sometimes standing still while she talked to groups of children or ladies.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Now sometimes Maria would put me at a different angle.
\u00a0 At first I felt a bit dizzy, but after long hours upside down on my toes,
I got used to it and didn\u2019t mind it one bit.
\u00a0 I could feel how relaxed Maria was when she was kneeling
and when Maria is happy I was happy too.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I often wondered about the PERSON she was looking at as she prayed.\u00a0
She called Him, \u201cMy Crucified Jesus\u201d.
Now if there is one thing we shoes understand it\u2019s feet.
\u00a0 But the feet of this PERSON are nailed.
Pinched toes are bad\u2026corns are worse…
but feet with NAILS in them\u2026Big nails\u2026that I can\u2019t understand.
It bothered Maria too, I could tell.\u00a0
She kissed these feet and cried a lot.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Often I wanted to tell Maria that I was tired and she had to be too.\u00a0
I wanted to say, \u201cMaria, you\u2019ve been on your feet all day today.\u00a0
This morning you were with the young girls
and women teaching them to sew and telling them about Jesus.\u00a0
This afternoon it was with the novices
and tonight you will talk to the shepherd children.\u00a0
Why don\u2019t you ever stretch out and rest like other people do?\u00a0
Are you still thinking about the Person with the nails in His feet?\u201d\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Shoes are made for walking, but Maria walked on some pretty rough paths.\u00a0 Sometimes she would leave the path
and go looking for big rocks to build a home for her sisters.\u00a0
One day, I had to help her jump to one side
to keep from being hit by a big stone.\u00a0
Now, these stones, every once in a while would give us a scare.\u00a0
Like the time the little boy almost had his finger cut off.\u00a0
I don\u2019t know if you all know how Maria prayed
as she took the little one\u2019s hand in hers and then, all of a sudden\u2014
the lad\u2019s screams turned to laughter, for his finger was healed!
As I said before, these stones were necessary for building.\u00a0
Maria and I loved the procession
with the people as they walked and sang songs praising God.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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It may surprise you to know that shoes have temptations.\u00a0
Many times I wanted to give a swift kick to those who weren\u2019t nice to Maria.\u00a0
But she would pinch me to the floor with her toes
and I never had the satisfaction.\u00a0
Imagine that, she even loves those people
who are mean to her and is extra nice to them!!!<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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It seems there were a lot of sick sisters at Acuto at times.\u00a0\u00a0
Maria would be up day and night, sitting by their beds,
calling for help as they got sicker,
carrying trays up and down the stairs,
standing close by the sisters to cool their fevered heads
and kneeling to pray for them.\u00a0
I was sleepy\u2026and Maria had to be tired too.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Maria liked music and so did I.\u00a0
Her toes always begin to wiggle
and soon her whole foot was tapping in rhythms
when the children and sisters sang.\u00a0
\u00a0 She often put me to work pumping a big box called an \u201corgan\u201d.
\u00a0 When we worked together music came out.\u00a0
What wonderful sounds filled the air.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I have to tell you about my friend: Rosie.
We traveled so many miles together, that we became quite good friends.\u00a0\u00a0
Maria needed both of us to do her work with the children,
young folks and married ladies.
\u00a0 It is hard to count the trips she made
to encourage the sisters and show them
how much she loved and cared for them.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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We shoes like to stay on the ground as much as we can\u2026
that\u2019s where we work best.\u00a0
But one day I found myself and Maria floating on air.\u00a0
She had been talking to the women in church about God\u2019s
love and how much He loved us by shedding His blood.\u00a0
Then I began to feel very light and in mid-air.\u00a0
Don\u2019t worry, we had a happy landing.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Sometimes Maria wore heavy woolen socks to keep her feet warm
during the cold winter months.\u00a0
Now socks are nice but they made my seams bulge.\u00a0
It was a good thing that over the years my leather stretched.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The cobble stones and rocky paths had been hard on me,
first there were scuffs, then the tears,
but Maria kept on working with the sisters.
\u00a0 She often went down to the vineyard to help pick grapes.\u00a0
One day Maria Tullio decided that I needed a little repair.\u00a0
She was very gentle with the needle and it didn\u2019t hurt a bit.\u00a0
\u00a0 I was as good as new, almost,
and Maria could continue to teach the children about Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The weather in Italy is sometimes rainy.\u00a0
Maria kept on going and making those trips out of love for others
and I often got wet.
That rain sure didn\u2019t help the way I looked.\u00a0
My leather was cracking.\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I was getting pretty run down
so I decided to try a little squeak to express my protest.\u00a0
It didn\u2019t do any good, really.\u00a0
All I got for the effort were laughs from the children
and frowns from the Sisters.
Maria just went right on with her classes and all the other work.\u00a0\u00a0
Nothing could stop her in her service of others for the love of God. \u00a0
\u00a0Maria did grease me up so I would’n squeak so much.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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One day the worst thing happened to me.
\u00a0 I was thrown out of the window.\u00a0
I had seen the new shoes the Sisters gave Maria
and I knew that Maria would not wear them
as long as I was around.
I was very comfortable.\u00a0 The sisters knew this too!\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Before too long, Maria came looking for me.\u00a0
I wondered what happened to the new shoes
until I saw a poor person with a bundle.\u00a0
Maria gave her new shoes to someone else.\u00a0
I\u2019m not sure what the sisters said about this,
but I think they knew that Maria had a special love for the poor.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I never knew where Maria would take me.\u00a0
One day we were walking on beautiful carpets.\u00a0
There seemed to be a tingle of joy in Maria\u2019s toes.\u00a0
We walked slowly toward someone wearing a pair of fancy slippers.\u00a0
Maria genuflected and bowed as she greeted him, \u201cYour Holiness\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0
We were in the Vatican and met Pope Pius IX.\u00a0\u00a0
What an honor!<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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I\u2019ve neglected to tell you about my twin.\u00a0
As you know all shoes are born twins.\u00a0
One of us alone wouldn\u2019t be very useful!
\u201cRighty\u201d wore out before I did.
\u00a0 She blamed her cracks and wrinkles on all the genuflections.
I guess she was right since while she bends out of shape,
I get to stay straight.\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lefty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Maria loved to visit her Eucharistic Friend
and every time there were genuflections.\u00a0
I don\u2019t know were \u201cRighty\u201d ended up.\u00a0
It would have been nice to spend our retired years together.\u00a0
So you can see that I have had a pretty good life
and my friend Maria just kept on working for the honor of God.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The End!<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Story of Maria as told by her SHOE “LEFTY”! Reported by Sr. Vivian Miller, ASC Hello,My name is Lefty.\u00a0I may look like trash butI have a precious story to tell.Sit back and listen as I tell you about my friend, Maria. First off, I want you to know that I wasn\u2019t always tattered and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-89","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":979,"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions\/979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saintjosephsvilla.org\/website_f669cee5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}