Can I just add a story regarding Mary to this - it's relevant because it concerns Mary's father Terry (nicknamed 'Sue' - a reference to the song, 'A Boy Named Sue')
Mary says, was her inspiration as a singer (she always referred to her traditional songs as "my daddies songs" (though, I believe, she was talking about the type of song, rather than the actual songs she knew)
We met him on several occasions; he was a knd, friendly man but an extremely heavy drinker - he could only remember around half a dozen fragments) - we eventually found why he took to the drink
Mary had a sister who was also blind - a family thing obviously
The family managed to raise enough support and money to have one of the two sisters tested and treated - Mary's sister was chosen
It was found that her condition was possibly treatable and a doctor carried out a corrective operation
Mary's father was at the hospital when the bandages were removed, a 'friendly' priest accompanied her
The bandages were removed and her sister had regained some of her sight - which shortly faded again, never to return
Terry, extremely, upset, told the priest what had transpired and was asked "did you thank God for her recovery ?"
When he replied that he had been too excited, he was told, "That's why God's gift was taken from her again"
From then on, Terry's life disintegrated - he blamed himself for his daughter's blindness and was never the same again
It is cruelty and inhumanity such as this that have helped form my own somewhat jaundiced view of the Church and authority, I confess
Jim Carroll