The importance of a mother

At least five very influential men in the 20th century loss their mothers at an early age, having a profound effect on them.

• J.R.R. Tolkien's mother died when he was 12. He was subsequently raised by Fr. Francis Xavier Morgan of the Birmingham Oratory, in the shadow, so to speak, of the great Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman.
• C.S. Lewis's mother died when he was 10. His unusual relationship with Mrs. Moore, the mother of a friend lost in WWI, perhaps can be partially attributed to his need for a mother.
• Karol Wojtyla's mother died when he was eight. There is no doubt that this experience helped form Wojtyla's understanding of the importance of mothers not only in the natural life of men, but in our supernatural life, which, of course, is built upon our nature.
• John Lennon's mother, Julia, died when he was 17.
• Paul McCartney's mom, Mary, died when he was 14.

Paul and John's friendship owed something to the fact that they both had recently lost their mothers when they met. Both wrote songs about their mothers. John's "Julia" is said to be both about his mother and about Yoko Ono, whom he called "mother." McCartney wrote the very famous "Let It Be" about his mother, Mary. Whether there was an intentional reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I have know idea. McCartney said it is about his mom.