Mr. Carson and Lady Mary of Downton Abbey. Photo Courtesy Carnival Film & Television Limited/Masterpiece.
The Petaluma chapter of the Sir Julian Fellows’ fan club meets every Tuesday at COTS Mary Isaak Center. There, behind the serving line, Downton Abbey’s Carson the Butler serves milk and juice, while Lady Mary, in a wonderful display of noblesse oblige, serves up salad.
Carson is Father Michael Culligan, and Lady Mary is Linda McGaw.
“She’ll tell me what I’m doing wrong, and I’ll tell her, ‘Tea will be served in the library, my lady,’” Father Michael says. “We can go on for quite a while like that.”
Father Michael, recently retired from St James Catholic Church, has 60 years of experience leading a flock. Still, Linda/Lady Mary says he still has a long way to go until he can move up to salad duty.
But he has potential, Linda admits. “He’s ambidextrous, I’ll give him that.” she says. “When I’ve told him, ‘Carson, get things moving, speed it up,’ he can dish cottage cheese with one hand and pour juice with the other. All the years I attended his masses and I never knew that.”
Father Michael started volunteering right after he retired in July. “And we are so happy to have him,” says Diana Morales, our Community Engagement Coordinator. “His sunniness and his kindness shine through. And he knows people. He remembers what they like.”
While pastor at St. James, Father Michael encouraged all his parishioners to support COTS and also championed a parish outreach fund, half of which went to COTS to provide rental assistance to help people avoid becoming homeless.
Originally from Killarney, Father Michael returns to Ireland each year to visit his six brothers and two sisters.
Why does he volunteer at COTS? “Oh, gosh,” he says. “It’s necessary. It’s a good way to serve the community.”
Thank you, Father Michael!
[Editor’s note: in true Crawley family tradition, Lady Mary (Linda McGaw) declined to be profiled. But nothing can stop us from saying that we’re grateful for her help, too!]
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