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Fr. Bill Fitzgerald’s prayer for using the internet seems entirely apropos for all our many, many Zoom meetings:

As we enter cyberspace
may we hold each other
in our heart space.

Mary O’Connor
San Diego

 

A Special Gift

On March 14th, I received a call from the three Sisters of Mercy I once lived with in Pawtucket, RI. They called me to say that they were coming over to see me–outside the house, of course!  I really was thrilled and the thought of them coming over gave my system a great boost, I felt so special.  They arrived bearing gifts for St. Patrick’s Day.  We talked and laughed, and the time together did each of us a world of good.

Human communication is a special gift during these times of COVID-19.

Eileen Fitzpatrick
Rhode Island

God of Hope

In these COVID times I continue ministry remotely with the Women Religious of our Diocese of San Bernardino.  The question came up in our Zoom Meetings of the Council for Religious, how we could reach out to those on the margins and assist those in frontline ministry.  A “Wants of The Age” fund, initiated by the Council for Religious, had already been established, and several Religious Congregations have contributed generously to it.  One current need is great, as an alarming number of unaccompanied migrant children, some as young as seven and eight years, cross the US-Mexico border.  Hundreds arrive daily at an intake center in the southern part of our Diocese. The Operation Bienvenido committee, including two Sisters, headed by our Bishop Rojas, tries to assess and find ways to provide help. An appeal was again made to the Religious Congregations to donate toward replenishing the Wants of the Age Fund.  What a ray of hope it was to receive a generous donation three days after!  Indeed, how our God of Hope continually comes “disguised as our lives.” (P. D’Arcy)

Mary Frances Coleman
San Bernardino, CA

 

In the Bubble

We have so much to be grateful and thankful for this Easter. Life appears differently; we have survived a deadly virus, even as some family members haven’t survived. We have come out of darkness and uncertainty confident again that God, our Mercy Sisters, and families are with us on the journey.   Recently two grandnieces of mine went for a walk in Belfast and visited with their Aunt Sarah and her husband. The six-year-old was telling grandmother that evening that they were allowed to visit Aunt Sarah because she is in their bubble. Very plaintively the four year old sister said that she enjoyed seeing Aunt Sarah, and she tried very hard, but she couldn’t see the bubble!

May we all experience the joy of God’s love and fidelity as we celebrate living in the bubble with all we love, our Mercy Sisters, family, friends, and the whole world.

Anastasia Maguire
Florida

 

A  Light in the Darkness

As I reflect on the Pandemic Year I look for a light during these dark days of quarantine.  There were a few glimmers of light, but the one which brightened my days most was the daily Bible Study on WebX from Mercy Life Center, where I had volunteered prior to the Pandemic. It was conducted by the chaplain, Patrick Bolton, a Mercy Associate, who read a piece from Scripture and followed it with a short reflection.  Then he invited further reflection from the 8 – 9 Mercy Life Participants.

The wisdom of these women of different denominations, as they brought the Scriptures to bear on their lives and on world issues, was amazing.  I was so touched by their sincerity and ability to enter into the Gospel stories.  It enabled me to make sense of what was happening in my life and it reflected the Light of Christ in the midst of global darkness.  The Word of God is powerful.  May it continue to be a source of strength to all of us.

Mary Riordan
Alabama

 

 Graced Times: Saturday Mornings

Having taught writing, led writing retreats, and had a spiritual practice of writing for many decades now, I knew that, especially in this time of separation and fear, writing would be a help to me and probably to others. I contemplated my little patio which has outside space enough for six people to sit a good distance apart, then phoned a few likely folks (three of them had taken poetry and prayer workshops from me in the Sacred Heart Retreat Center) and was able to interest five men and women to come together to write here.

Incredibly, the six of us have met every Saturday morning since the beginning of October.  I call us “Fair Weather Friends,” since we don’t meet when it is wet, obviously!  But this is Southern California, so we’ve missed only three or four times.  Each of us finds it a relief just to be living bodies together, supporting and engaging with each other.  The group has bonded; we write for an hour, with some prompts, then share as much of the work as we wish.  Several of our pieces have appeared in the Sunday paper Arts section.

One of our members said recently in a poem, “Hope keeps my eyes facing forward.”

Mary O’Connor
San Diego, CA

 

In Memoriam

This is a lovely little poem, though not by a member of our Congregation, but when I lived in South Dakota I knew Leo Dangel, a brave man who spent most of his life in a wheelchair.  It reminds me of how we can allow our beloved dead to still influence us and be with us in these difficult times.  May they continue to “move us to a softer place” in our hearts.

In the early afternoon my mother
was doing the dishes. I climbed
onto the kitchen table, I suppose
to play, and fell asleep there.
I was drowsy and awake, though,
as she lifted me up, carried me
on her arms into the living room,
and placed me on the davenport,
but I pretended to be asleep
the whole time, enjoying the luxury—
I was too big for such a privilege
and just old enough to form
my only memory of her carrying me.
She’s still moving me to a softer place. 

Leo Dangel

Mary O’Connor
San Diego

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graced Times: Saturday Mornings

 

 

Having taught writing, led writing retreats, and had a spiritual practice of writing for many decades now, I knew that, especially in this time of separation and fear, writing would be a help to me and probably to others. I contemplated my little patio which has outside space enough for six people to sit a good distance apart, then phoned a few likely folks (three of them had taken poetry and prayer workshops from me in the Sacred Heart Retreat Center) and was able to interest five men and women to come together to write here.

 

Incredibly, the six of us have met every Saturday morning since the beginning of October.  I call us “Fair Weather Friends,” since we don’t meet when it is wet, obviously!  But this is Southern California, so we’ve missed only three or four times.  Each of us finds it a relief just to be living bodies together, supporting and engaging with each other.  The group has bonded; we write for an hour, with some prompts, then share as much of the work as we wish.  Several of our pieces have appeared in the Sunday paper Arts section.

 

One of our members said recently in a poem, “Hope keeps my eyes facing forward.”

 

Mary O’Connor

San Diego, CA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Memoriam

 

 

This is a lovely little poem, though not by a member of our Congregation, but when I lived in South Dakota I knew Leo Dangel, a brave man who spent most of his life in a wheelchair.  It reminds me of how we can allow our beloved dead to still influence us and be with us in these difficult times.  May they continue to “move us to a softer place” in our hearts.

 

In the early afternoon my mother

was doing the dishes. I climbed

onto the kitchen table, I suppose

to play, and fell asleep there.

I was drowsy and awake, though,

as she lifted me up, carried me

on her arms into the living room,

and placed me on the davenport,

but I pretended to be asleep

the whole time, enjoying the luxury—

I was too big for such a privilege

and just old enough to form

my only memory of her carrying me.

She’s still moving me to a softer place. 

Leo Dangel

 

 

Mary O’Connor
San Diego