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Celebrating 300 Blog Posts with My Top Ten Favorites

  October 1st marks my 300th Leaves on the Tree blog post. Hooray!! Writing my blog posts is one of my very favorite things to do. I am excited to share my discoveries, family stories, photos, heirlooms, and more. It's always a kick when a cousin, subscriber, or even casual reader comments on a post or finds their own link to my extended family. What could be better than to find connection ?   To celebrate this milestone, I've picked my Top Ten Leaves on the Tree Blog Posts .  And wow, it's hard to pick just ten favorites. But here they are, in no particular order: What Would You Tell Me, Catherine? My imagined conversation with my second great-grandmother, Catherine Ryan Gilbride. In Periculo Mortis A reflection on my strange baptism. Mom's Chocolate Covered Cherry Caper A favorite holiday story! Family Fun Stories: The Rabbit Another fun anecdote involving my mother and brother. What is a Pickslate? Defining the role my great-great uncle took as an eleven-yea...
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Devotion: Three Generations Serve Catholic Ontario

N. Gilbride Casey

"I have always felt a special fondness for my ancestors who became Catholic religious. Perhaps it is because they had no descendants and occupy a solitary place in their family tree or because their individual stories have been overshadowed by siblings who married and raised families. I have wondered why they chose their path. Was it simply religious devotion? A chance to be educated or to relieve some family burden? An opportunity to serve? All the above?"

This quote is from my essay "Devotion: Three Generations Serve Catholic Ontario," which featured the stories of three Baker and Cassidy ancestors who became Catholic religious. I entered the essay in the Ontario Genealogical Society's Keffer Writing Contest in 2024 and was honored to be awarded fourth place. The essay was published in the August 2025 issue of Families, OGS's quarterly journal. I'm grateful to the society for allowing me to publish my essay here on Leaves on the Tree. 

If you have a special story to tell about your Ontario ancestors and wish to enter the Keffer Writing Contest, click here for the details. Deadline is December 31st. 

  


Until next time...

© Nancy Gilbride Casey, 2025. All rights reserved. 

 

 

 

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  1. Marian B. WoodSeptember 17, 2025 at 11:48 AM

    Congratulations on your award!

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    1. Nancy Gilbride CaseySeptember 17, 2025 at 1:48 PM

      Thank you. I am glad I was able to memorialize these three ancestors.

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  2. Lisa S. GorrellSeptember 18, 2025 at 4:39 PM

    Great job on your entry! I have a few religious members among my family, too!

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    1. Nancy Gilbride CaseySeptember 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM

      Well that's super cool. It was fun to track down their information. Religious archives are a real boon! Thanks for reading.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2025 at 4:02 AM

    Bonjour Nancy. Merci d’avoir mis en évidence ces prêtres et religieuse. Dans la grande histoire de ta famille, ils ne doivent en effet pas être éclipsés par leurs frères et sœurs qui se sont mariés et ont eu des enfants. Dans mon livre, je compte aussi inclure un chapitre consacrés aux ‘religieux’ de ma famille et ton texte ainsi que les recherches que tu as faites pour moi à propos des descendants des Trauscht m’inspireront sûrement.

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    1. Nancy Gilbride CaseySeptember 25, 2025 at 8:29 AM

      Merci beaucoup, Daniel ! C'est vraiment un privilège de faire des recherches et d'écrire sur ces ancêtres, qui ont mené une vie de dévouement discret à leur vocation. J'attends avec impatience vos prochains chapitres. À bientôt.

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