Lola, I strongly think that your mom, even in death, continues to be part of God's creation. Wow, what a wonderful testimony after this great loss: that you can celebrate how special it was to have shared the earth with her. It's no secret that there is a shortage of priests, thus making way for converts from other religions to enter the priesthood. Also, in this global society, it is more likely that we have priests from other cultures mingle with another culture. Interesting....

I will never, ever get over the loss of my Mother, and then my Father. I try to rationalize, and tell myself that I was SO lucky to have such wonderful, loving, supportive parents - both 'til in their eighties (although my Mom had Alzheimer's for many years, so it was really a long goodbye). But many people lose their parents early on, and some don't even remember them. So I feel I was blessed...
But when you love someone so much, you never feel that you have had enough time with them.

What I've done is to keep in touch with Mom's friends - I call them to check on them, and visit when I can (which isn't as often as I'd like), and send them cards for every little holiday (and sometimes when there is none!)

It helps me to feel a little closer to my Mother, and sometimes they'll tell me stories about her, which lighten my heart for a little while.