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By the middle of June it seemed as though the work on the new cemetery was proceeding according to schedule. Seamus was excited to watch his plan for Saint Dominic's Cemetery unfold before his very eyes. As he had promised to the clerk at the lumber store, he wanted to do everything possible to make sure the land above ground was perfect. Finally that day came, the day when as he approached the gates of the cemetery, the foreman called out to him,

"Seamus, come here."

As he walked down the path he realized that only the foreman was inside the cemetery. The foreman spread his arms and said,

"We're done! What do you think?"

Seamus just looked around, pleased with what he saw. His face lit up and when he spoke he said,

"There is only one thing missing! Only one thing!"

The foreman looked at him with disbelief and asked,

"Missing? Nothing is missing. The lawns are in, the Cypresses are planted, and the lawn edges have been installed. What more do you want? The roses can't bloom yet. You just have to wait for that."

Seamus smiled and said,

"No, your work is done and it is magnificent, but now I have to go up to Napa Marble and Granite Works and see when the central Cross and Altar will be delivered. No, this is grand, for sure! But can you wait here for a few minutes? I need to go and get Father Murphy. He will want to see this. Can you wait?

With a sigh of relief, the foreman said that he would certainly wait. With that assurance, Seamus ran back to Saint Dominic's and brought Father Murphy back to the new cemetery. When they arrived at the cemetery, Seamus almost danced around the center of the circle where the priests were to be buried. Father Murphy was not too sure what to think, either about Seamus' dancing or the cemetery. Finally, he said,

"Seamus, boy, calm down! You're making me nervous. Let me have a good look at this work."

Like Seamus had done just a short time before, Father Murphy walked around the circle and gave it a most careful inspection. After looking over the area where the nuns were to be buried, he too told the foreman of his pleasure with the work that had been done.

"This is very good work and I am quite sure that the rest of the community will be pleased. I think that I will ask them to come here this evening and out first act in the new Saint Dominic's Cemetery will be to pray the Rosary and ask the Good Lord's blessing on this blessed part of His creation. You are most welcome to join us, both of you."

The foreman politely declined, but Seamus said that he would sure be there and that he hoped that everyone liked what they saw. Father Murphy just smiled and said,

"We'll be here at about 5:30 this evening."

With that he headed down the hill while Seamus remained in the cemetery to prepare for the arrival of the priests and brothers from Saint Dominic's. He knew that he would be too excited to do anything else. As he walked around the circle where the priests would soon be buried, he thought and prayed,

"Da, this isn't Old Dromid, but do you like it? Do you think it is suitable for the priests and nuns? I know that the guy at the lumber store will not understand, but I've done what I could to make this a beautiful place. I just wish that you could see what I have done, but if you can, will you just take a peek from up there and tell the Good Lord I hope He likes it too! Thanks, Da! God rest your soul, Da!"

Finally, not knowing what time it was, Seamus walked to the top of Fifth Street and looked down the hill towards the church. After a short wait he could see a procession of priests coming up the hill towards the new cemetery. When they reached Hillcrest, he proudly led them into the new Saint Dominic's Cemetery. Forty-five priests and brothers looked over the cemetery and to a man, they told Seamus and Father Murphy that what they saw was magnificent. Seamus went to the middle of the circle and told them,

"Here, right here, there will be a large granite cross. That way when someone comes into the cemetery the first thing that they will see is the Cross, like a sign of hope. And then, over here, between these roses, there will be an outdoor Altar for the Holy Mass and just to remind everyone that this is a holy place, a place where you come and say prayers and things like that. Next week I will go see about those and when they can be installed. I hope that it will be soon, but really I don't know when they will come."

Father Murphy called for silence and said,

"Fathers and brothers, this is a historic moment for us Dominican Friars here in California. Our beloved dead have been buried in a small and temporary space down by the Church. Soon they will come to this beautiful place where some day too you will lie buried."

At this one of the young brothers snickered. Father Murphy shot a reproachful glance at the brother and continued,

"Some day you will, if God permits, be buried here too. We're going to pray the Rosary now and ask Our Blessed Lady's prayers and those of Our Holy Father Dominic for all those who will be moved here shortly and for those who will be buried here in the years to come.

In the name of the Father..."

As Father Murphy began the Rosary the priests and brothers moved as if by unseen command into two groups, on either side of the area where Seamus had indicated the altar would be installed. The cadence of prayers was especially comforting to Seamus at this moment as he relished the beauty of his completed work.

When they were finished the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, The Crucifixion, One of the priests began to sing,

Seamus thought that he had never heard any singing so beautiful. Seamus wanted to join in, but his all of the Latin he knew Father Kennedy had taught him back in Mastergeehy Church man years ago. As much as he wanted to join in, he just did not know the words. Oh well, he thought, Dear God you know what I am thinking and so I guess that's ok.

With that the priests wordlessly turned towards the gate and began to process out the gate and back to Saint Dominic's. Father Murphy remained behind. When the last priest was out the gate he turned to Seamus and said,

"You can be very proud of the work you've done here."

Seamus looked at the ground and said,

"Thanks, Father. It was nothing. But I am wondering when we can move the graves. I have the coffins all ready."

Father Murphy told him that he would not have to go to the court over in Martinez and obtain permission to exhume the dead priests and move them from the Church to the new cemetery. He had been assured by the undertakers in Martinez, Connolley's, that the court would give permission without any trouble."

"So, I hope that we begin next week. We'll see what the court says"

The following Friday Seamus was called into Father Murphy's office and given the good news that that court had given its permission to move the graves from the cemetery at the church to the new cemetery up on Hillcrest. After discussing how they could accomplish what seemed like a monumental task, it was agreed that beginning Monday eight of the brothers would go up to the new cemetery and begin to dig the new graves needed to transfer the remains of the dead priests to their grave. Then on Thursday morning, Seamus thought that if twenty-four brothers could begin to dig up the graves they should have all of the dirt removed by Noon. Then they would be able to carefully take the remains out of the graves and place them in the new coffins. When they were all removed, they could then be taken up the ill and buried for the second time.

Father Murphy added that as the new coffins were sealed, they would be brought into the Church and placed between the choir stalls where they would remain until all twelve graves had been dug up. Then they would pray the Office for the Dead and finally they could be taken to the new Saint Dominic's Cemetery.

"So, Seamus, get some rest this weekend because we are going to be very busy next week."

Seamus smiled and told Father Murphy that he was not worried. Everything would be done the way it should be done and that he was not worried. As he took the ferry back to Port Costa that evening Seamus, however, began to worry. There were so many things that might go wrong, but finally he thought that if he let this bother him he would never get anything done. It'll be done and that' it!

Sunday morning as he was heading to Mass at Saint Patrick's, he was pleased to see the O'Shaunessey family coming down the road. He hadn't seen Kathleen for almost a week but to his mind she looked even prettier. He sat next to her in the pew and walked out with her after Mass. He greeted Father Ryan who told him that he had heard about the new cemetery and how it was going to be a vast improvement over the tiny, old one.

"You can see that I am not a small man and so I need some room, don't you think?"

Seamus laughed and said,

"Father, you don't have to worry. There's plenty of room up there for skinny people like me and ... "

"Fat people like me? Is that what you were going to say?"

Seamus looked in horror at Father Ryan. He had not meant to say anything to offend anyone, especially not the priest. When he started to apologize Father Ryan laughed and said,

"Son, I'm the one who is fat, not you. No, no, no you've said nothing to make me angry. You've done a great job over there, but I just do not care to join that community for a few years yet!"

"Ok, Father, you had me worried for a moment there. I just ..."

"Enough said, my boy, enough said. Now it looks like you two are going to have a wonderful day. Say a prayer for me, will you?"

"Sure, Father, we'll do that won't we Kathleen?"

Kathleen nodded and they headed off to join her parents to return to her home in Crockett. Along the way Seamus told them about the new cemetery and how at the end of the week he hoped to move the dead priests to their new graves. In response to Kathleen's question, he said that he hoped that he would be able to move the nuns graves by the end of the summer, but that he would have to wait until Mother Goemere had gotten the necessary permissions from the court in Martinez. But he did have the coffins ready!

After eating a good meal with her family, Jack O'Shaunessey told Seamus and Kathleen,

"Why don't you two go for a walk. It is a beautiful day. Get going!"

Seamus thought it odd that her father said this, but he was certainly not going to complain. They walked to the beach and they talked about his work in the cemetery and she talked about seeing if she could go to Holy Names College in Oakland to study to become a teacher. As they continued to walk along Seamus decided that if he didn't speak up right now, he might never speak up.

"Kathleen, I've been thinking..."

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking that ever since I first met you over at Saint Catherine's I had never met someone like you before."

Kathleen smiled and said,

"And I've never met someone like you either."

"So, I've been thinking that maybe, I mean perhaps, I mean ...would you marry me?"

Kathleen looked at Seamus in mock surprise. Seamus wasn't sure what to make of her reaction but finally she said,

"I've been wondering when you would ask me!"

"What?"

"I've been wondering when you would ask me. I have been waiting for you to ask me to marry you for a long time now and I was getting worried that I was going to become an old maid!"

"So, will you marry me then?"

"Of course I'll marry you. Seamus, I love you. I have loved you from that first moment and I will always love you! But I will have to ask my Daddy if it is all right with him."

Seamus was happier than happy. He yelled out "Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's going to marry me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"But my Daddy has to give his permission first."

"Actually, Kathleen, he has already given his permission. A long time ago, I don't remember when, I asked him if I had his permission to ask you to marry me. He just said that I had to wait until you finished school at Saint Catherine's and that I had to respect you or else he would kick my butt all the way back to Ireland."

The thought of Seamus having his butt kicked all the way back to Ireland was very amusing to Kathleen and so she laughed.

"Well, you'd be very sore if that were to happen, I think!"

"You'll really marry me?"

"Yes, Seamus, I am going to be the happiest girl around these parts when I marry you."

With that Seamus started to hold out his hand to shake hers, but then he thought that maybe it would be all right, maybe Mr. O'Shaunessey would not mind, if he kissed his daughter. This is not something that will cause me to get my butt kicked all the way home to Ireland. And so he gently pulled Kathleen towards him and he hugged and kissed her. He was surely the happiest man around. He only wished that his family were here with him.

This news that Seamus and Kathleen was embraced with real joy in the O'Shaunessey home that day, but as Mr. O'Shaunessey took Seamus back to Port Costa he reminded Seamus that if he didn't respect his daughter his butt would be kicked all the way to Ireland.

"Sir, I promise you that on my honor I will always respect Kathleen and you and your entire family as though you were my own."

"Son, in a few months you will be my own. You have made me very happy today!"

Seamus could not think of anything to say so he just shook Jack's hand and headed to his home in Port Costa. In the grand scheme of things he had the best possible life that anyone could imagine.

The next day Seamus was up bright and early. He caught the first ferry over to Benicia and hurried up to Saint Dominic's. He went to the store room where the coffins had been put and made sure everything was ready. Immediately after breakfast the brothers came to the store room without their white robes on. He had never seen them dressed like normal people before, but there was no time to think about that right now. They carried the coffins out to the small cemetery and set them in order. Shovels had been borrowed from some of the parishioners of Saint Dominic's. Together they began the task of digging up the graves. There was very little talking done as the work progressed. When the first brother touched the wood of the old coffin, Seamus hurried over to watch what was happening. The dirt was cleared away and they began the delicate task of opening the old coffin. Because the coffin had been buried for so long, the wood actually began to crumble as they tried to dig it away. They found it easier to lie on the side of the grave and lift out the pieces of wood and to scoop out the dirt with their own hands. When the remains of the first dead priest were finally in view, all of the brothers came over to watch. What was happening. They saw small pieces of the black cape that Dominicans wore mixed in with pieces of the white robes. They could still see the rosary looped around the bones of his hands and what remained of his priestly stole that had been draped around his neck. With the greatest respect they lifted the bones and habit fragments out of the old coffin and transferred them to a new coffin. Seamus had them remove all of the dirt that seemed to be inside of the old coffin so that it could be put in the new coffin. When that first grave was emptied Seamus wrote the name of the priest on a piece of paper and put it inside of the coffin. On the outside of the coffin he simply write: Vinyes. Four of the brothers then carried the coffin into the Church and set it in the middle of the choir.

This process was repeat eight more times. Brother Matthew and Father Clement's coffins were still intact since they had not been buried for very long. Their coffins were simply dug out of the old grave and carried into the Church. This process took longer than Seamus had thought it might. He had hoped it would be finished by lunch time, but it was almost six in the evening before all of the graves had been emptied and the coffins brought to the middle of the choir.

They were to remain in the choir at Saint Dominic's all day Tuesday while the new graves were dug up at Saint Dominic's Cemetery on Hillcrest. Several parishioners came up to the new cemetery and offered to help, but the brothers politely declined their offers. This was something that was important for them to do themselves. They were, however, extremely grateful for the parishioner who brought some sandwiches and cool water to them for a snack.

"You deserve it for the holy work that you are doing."

By Wednesday afternoon the new graves were ready. Boards had been placed across them and straps prepared to assist in lowering the coffins. All was in readiness. Thursday morning after breakfast, Seamus was kneeling in the Church when the community processed in and took their places in the choir. Father Murphy said some prayers and then sprinkled each coffin with some holy water. Since most of the coffin were small, two brothers were able to carry them out of the church where they headed for the new cemetery. This was a sight that Benicia had never seen before. People living along Fifth Avenue came out of their houses and watched the silent procession bearing twelve coffins make its way up the street to Hillcrest. Some made the Sign of the Cross and others just stared. A few joined the procession behind Father Murphy who for this occasion had on the flowing black cape that the Fathers sometimes wore. When they arrived at the new cemetery, Seamus directed the brothers to the proper graves and the coffins were carefully set on the boards. After several prayers in Latin Father Murphy went to Father Vinyes' coffin and sprinkled some holy water in the grave and nodded to the brothers to lower the coffin. With great care they lifted the coffin and another two brothers pulled the boards away. The coffin was then lowered and Father Murphy moved on to the next coffin.

This was repeated eleven more times. Only one time was there any trouble. One of the coffins slipped just as it was almost to the bottom of the grave. It fell off the straps and hit the bottom of the grave with a sickening "thunk." Seamus inspected the coffin and told the distressed brother not to worry. The coffin had not been damaged.. When all twelve coffins had been lowered into the graves, the dirt was brought over and the graves were filled in. Father Murphy said a few more prayers in Latin and one of the brothers began to sing

The job finished the priests and brothers formed a procession and returned to the priory. Seamus went with them and, having been given a rare permission, he joined the community in their refectory for lunch. After the prayers before the meal Father Murphy said,

"Gaudeamus!"

To which everyone replied,

"Deo Gratias!
This, Seamus discovered, meant that they were able to talk during the meal. Seamus didn't understand why this was such an important thing until one of the brothers explained that normally they ate in silence while someone read a book.

After lunch was over, Seamus asked Father Murphy if he could please speak with him. He had something important to tell him. Going into his office, Father Murphy was a little worried that Seamus was going to quit working for Saint Dominic's. But when he was told why Seamus had requested this private conference he shook his hand and said,

"Congratulations then! I wish you would have told me earlier and I would have told the community about this. When do you and Kathleen want to get married?"

"Father, we were thinking that maybe around Christmas time might be good and we want you to perform the ceremony at Saint Patrick's, if you can."

Father Murphy told Seamus that he would not miss this for the world. E assured him that he would get permission from Saint Rose's in Crockett to say the Nuptial Mass, but he also told Seamus,

"And you have to go speak to Father Ryan immediately, this Sunday, so that plans can be made and that everything can be made ready. Anyway, congratulations young man. You'll make your family very happy."

That evening Seamus again wrote to his family:

Several weeks later the nuns from Saint Catherine's Convent were moved to the new Saint Dominic's Cemetery. Instead of the sisters doing the work or asking the priests and brothers come move the graves, the Sisters asked for help from the parents of their students. Because they were so far away from the cemetery, as each coffin was opened in the grave and the remains of the dead nun moved to a new coffin, it was immediately sent to the cemetery were it was buried. Seamus was glad that the job only took three days. He had expected that it would take much longer. When the final grave was filled in, Mother Goemere called Seamus over and thanked him for building such beautiful coffins and for helping design a magnificent cemetery. She told him that it was a real credit to his talent and faith. At this Seamus blushed and was barely able to say,

"Thank you, Mother."

"And I hear something else! You and Kathleen O'Shaunessey are going to get married! Is that so, young man?"

With great excitement Seamus told Mother Goemere that they would be married this coming December at Saint Patrick's in Port Costa and that he hoped that she might come to the Mass.

"I don't know if I can yet, but I knew when I watched how you two looked at each other that first time at Saint Catherine's that there was something there. Then when you came over the second time and walked with her to our cemetery I was positive that you were going to ask her to marry you. Seamus Gilchrist, you remember that you met Kathleen on holy ground and that God brought you two together. Remember that and I will pray for you. I am sure that this is a blessed union of two souls."

Seamus smiled and thanked Mother Goemere and tried to assure her that he would only do the right thing for his new bride. With that he hurried to the docks and caught the ferry across the Strait to Port Costa. He climbed his favorite hill and did nothing more than thank God for his good fortune in coming to America and meeting the best girl in the entire world.

As the months went by Seamus worked more and more, both at the church and up at the cemetery. None of the Sisters from Saint Catherine's were buried, but Brother Louis was buried up there after he had a very sad accident while out on the Carquinez Strait in a row boat. Nobody knew exactly what had happened; they only knew that he had died and would be the first Dominican to be buried only in the new cemetery. When Father Murphy told him about the death Seamus asked if he could please be excused from attending the Mass and Burial. He told Father Murphy how he had lost his father in the same way and that this was just too hard for him right now. He assured Father Murphy that he would build a fine coffin for Brother Louis and would pray for him, but he did not think that he could go to the Funeral. In the most understanding voice possible, Father Murphy told Seamus to build the coffin and then return to Post Costa and relax. He was going to be married in just two month's time and he had to get ready.

After he built a coffin for Brother Louis, Seamus was grateful that Father Murphy sent him home. He headed into Crockett and found Father Ryan at Saint Rose's. He and Kathleen had already been to see him several times as they planned their wedding. Today Seamus wanted to know if it would be possible for Father Murphy to perform the ceremony at Saint Patrick's two days after Christmas, on the Feast of Saint John the Apostle. He assured Seamus that this was not a problem. He also told Seamus that the banns would be published the next three weeks both at Saint Rose's and at Saint Patrick's.

"The what?"

"The Banns of Marriage. You have to announce your wedding to everyone and if someone thinks they know some reason why you and Kathleen shouldn't get married they are supposed to tell me. But I can tell you that nobody ever says anything. It's just a formality. Don't worry about it."

Seamus wondered why if it was just a formality they bothered to do it. Publishing the Banns seemed silly to him, but if this is what it takes to marry the best girl in town, then just do it! With that thought in mind Seamus walked over to the O'Shaunessey's home and spent the night with them.

That weekend he spent quietly at home. He cleaned and raked leaves and tried to make sure that his little home looked good. He bought some new blue paint for the outside and inside he finally cleaned out the bedroom that Paul had used. Out of respect for his friend, Seamus has continued to use the small room at the back of the house. Now, however, he was sure that Paul would not mind if Seamus took over his room. He painted the walls a bright, clean white and bought some new sheets for the bed from Hilson's in Martinez.

When December rolled around, Seamus and Kathleen tried to spend as much time as possible together. Sometimes they would walk along the railroad tracks and at other times they would hike on the hills around Port Costa. One day they took the train into Oakland and She showed him where Holy Names College was. He then realized that he had seen the school when he was looking for Saint Mary's Cemetery and Mountain View Cemetery as he was planning how Saint Dominic's Cemetery would be laid out.

"But then I did not know what I was looking at."

Another day they came into Oakland on the train and then took the ferry across the Bay to San Francisco. He had heard that the stores over there were decorated for Christmas and he wanted to see what they looked like. Seamus and Kathleen spent hours wandering from store to store and dreaming about the things that they would like to buy for their little home in Port Costa. He also thought that it would be wonderful to be able to share some of these things with his family back home. He was worried that he had written to them but had not heard back from them in so long. He hoped that they were going to have a good Christmas and that they would still pray for him.

Three days before Christmas Seamus went to the downtown area of Port Costa where the clerk in the Post Office called to him,

"Seamus, you have a letter here from Ireland."

Seamus yanked the letter out of the clerk's hands and ran to a bench across the street where he tore open the envelope and read:

Seamus read the letter several times before he folded it and put it in his pocket. He had so wanted his mother to marry Constable Ryan and now he was dead and buried. God rest his soul and bring peace to his mother. Maybe, ho hoped and prayed, his mother would find someone else to love. Well, dear God, this is in your hands. Please take care of my mother.

After Christmas Midnight Mass Seamus went with Kathleen's family back into Crockett. After a snack he slept on the couch in the front room while the rest of the family went to their own beds. He wondered what it would be like in two days time when he would be married. He made himself nervous thinking about all these things until he finally prayed,

"Dear God in heaven, it's only the day after tomorrow and I am going to get married. Thank you God for giving me Kathleen, but please give someone to my Ma back home. She's a good woman and needs some help. Don't forget her, God."

Soon enough Seamus fell fast asleep and was able to enjoy Christmas Day.

After returning to Port Costa Seamus finished getting ready for his wedding which would take place on Dec, 27^th at 10 O'clock in the morning. Some of the ladies that he had helped when he first came to America were preparing a small lunch to serve in the parish hall after the Wedding Mass. When he tried to help them, they sent him away and told him to get himself ready for everything.

The next morning, his wedding day, Seamus got up early and after dressing in his best clothes, headed for the dock to meet Father Murphy. As soon as Father Murphy came off the ferry, Seamus took him to a secluded area across the tracks and made his Confession before going to the Church for the Wedding Mass. Father Murphy tried to calm him down, but Seamus was much to nervous to listen to him. Once he got to the church, he knelt down and said his penance of three Hail Marys, a better penance than Canon Moriarity had given him in O'Connell Memorial Church before he left Ireland.

When it was time for the Wedding to begin, Seamus went to the front of the Church to wait for his bridge to arrive. Finally the moment came and Kathleen looked as if she had come down from heaven itself. On the arm of her father, she walked up the aisle smiling radiantly to everyone. One she arrived at Seamus' side, she kissed her father and then her father gave her into Seamus' hand. They stepped to the altar rail where Father Murphy began,

"Dearly beloved..."

Seamus was grateful that he was able to kneel. He worried that if he had to stand he would faint and make a fool of himself. He was also grateful that the wedding was in English, not Latin. He thought to himself that he didn't mind talking to God, but he did think that it was better if he could talk to God in a language he understood. He thought that he had heard the most beautiful words possible when Father Murphy declared them truly and lawfully married. This time Seamus did faint, but Father Murphy was not worried. He told the folks that this was not the first time that this had happened and that Seamus would be fine in just a moment. He asked the altar boy to go get some water from the sacristy. When Seamus was able to drink some water he returned to the altar rail and knelt next to Kathleen and whispered to her,

"Sorry!"

"It's ok!"

Assured that Seamus was ok, Father Murphy turned to the altar and began the Mass. After the Our Father he surprised Seamus and Kathleen by coming down to them and sprinkling with holy water while saying a prayer in Latin. After Communion Father Murphy introduced them as husband and wife and sent them down the aisle. As they left the church some of their friends outside started to throw rice at them. Seamus would have been annoyed at being hit with grains of rice, but this day he did not even realize what was happening. He was so happy to be married to Kathleen.

He headed to the parish hall where he was finally able to have something to eat. This day it had been especially hard to keep the Communion Fast, but it meant a lot to him to be able to receive Holy Communion on this blessed day. Some people brought them brightly wrapped gifts and many others wished them well. After almost two hours of celebration, Seamus stood up and thanked their guests and told them that they would be praying for all of them. He told them that his missed his family back in Ireland, but now they were his family and there was nobody in the world happier than he was.

"Oh, there is one person happier than you" Kathleen said in all seriousness.

"And who would that be?"

"Me you fool! Your wife!"

At this guests roared with laughter. With that he took Kathleen by the hand and led her to the door. After being told that someone would get the wedding gifts to their home the next day, Seamus took Kathleen out the door and down the hill. They walked to his little home that had been freshly painted blue. He took her inside and closed the door behind him.