May 8, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
God are creator, we pray:
For new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
For expectant mothers, wondering and waiting;
For those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
For those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
For those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
For those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;
For those who have children they do not want;
For those who raise children on their own;
For those who have lost a child;
For those who care for the children of others;
For those whose children have left home;
And for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender, and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good, living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others. Amen
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers! A very special happy Mother’s Day to my mom in heaven.?

May 7, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera

M

y reflection:
Thank you to the Mercy High students and faculty for the wonderful play about the Sisters of Mercy arriving in Middletown.
In 1871 the Sisters in Ennis Ireland received a letter from Reverend Thomas Walsh who was the pastor of Saint Rose Church. 30 sisters volunteered 11 were chosen. Seven went to Middletown and four came to Meriden.
It took them 11 days, three days were so stormy they thought that the steamer would be lost.
The following article appeared in the Meriden daily Republican on Wednesday, May 8, 1872.
With Malice Toward None With Charity For All
The Sisters of Mercy from Ireland who are to have charge of the Roman Catholic Convent in this city arrived Tuesday evening. They were met at the depot on the arrival of the 6:23 PM train from which place they were conveyed in a hack to their future residence. Preceded by the Meriden Coronet Band, which discoursed some of its best music, they rode down colony Street to Main, from Main to Pratt, up Pratt to Center, Center to Liberty and down Liberty to the house formally occupied by F. H. Williams which has been fitted up for their reception.
Thank you to those brave women who traveled across the sea to come to Meriden. Today let us keep them in our prayers.❤️

May 6, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
Today I am excited to go to Mercy High School. The students will be honoring the Sisters of Mercy who arrived in Middletown 150 years ago. Tomorrow, I will be sharing how the sisters arrived in Meriden from Ennis, Ireland.
“To connect the rich to the poor
The healthy to the sick
The educated and skilled to the uninstructed
The influential to those of no consequence
The powerful to the week
To do the work of God on earth.”
Tender Courage by Sr. Joanna Regan

May5, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
“Sometimes it is out of our greatest fears that come our most beneficial experiences.
Don’t let your fears prevent you from pursuing your dreams.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.( Eleanor Roosevelt)
Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. (Swedish proverb)
Worry never solves anything

May 3, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
“‘Remember: Easter is a whole season!’ That’s the refrain of a priest in my community who works with welcoming new Catholics into the church. My friend is a stickler for celebrating the entire Easter season, which doesn’t end on Easter Sunday-but begins there and extends until Pentecost.
Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene immediately after his resurrection, and she was than missioned to proclaim the Good News to the rest of the disciples.
But in the days and weeks leading up to his Ascension the risen Christ revealed himself in different ways to the disciples-by appearing suddenly in a locked room, while cooking a simple breakfast by the Sea of Galilee, and over a dinner at an inn. Each of these events, once the disciples recognized Jesus, was a cause for joy- for alleluias.
As we move through the Easter season, perhaps we can meditate on the different ways God is present in our lives. Can you remember how the Risen One has been revealed to you – in some time surprising ways.
And what would your own ‘alleluia’ sound like?
Remember: Easter is a whole season!” Fr. James Martin

May 2, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
When things get too much and it seems like there are no alternatives or solutions, believe you can overcome the adversities facing you and know that things will eventually improve.
Life carries doubts and uncertainties. There are no guarantees and certainly no crystal balls. Yet there is always hope. There is kindness and caring from others. There is the assurance of love, which will always be a safeguard and security. Believe in the power of positive energy in your life.
Believe in the power of You.” Debbie Burton-Peddle
God always gives us that power to believe in ourselves.?

April 30, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
We need to feel more to understand others
We need to love more to be loved back
We need to cry more to cleanse ourselves
We need to laugh more to enjoy ourselves
We need to be honest and fair when interacting with people
We need to establish a strong ethical basis as a way of life
We need to see more than our own fantasies
We need to hear more and listen to the needs of others
We need to give more and take less
We need to share more and own less
We need to realize the importance of the family as a backbone to stability
We need to look more and realize that we are not so different from one another
We need to create a world where we can trust one another
We need to create a world where we can all peacefully live the life we choose” Susan Polis Schutz
God gives us the graces each day. Let us stop and thank God for all of our gifts.

April 29, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
When you’re full of joy, give it away and it will be returned to you when you need it. Share your smiles and hugs and words of encouragement, and feel the reflection of these sunny thoughts and feelings shining back on you. Remember that when you sow seeds of optimism in someone else’s life they will bloom for you too, someday.
If you keep recalling painful or hurtful memories realize that you’re only punishing yourself. Don’t get stuck on a treadmill in your mind that takes you round and round but get you nowhere. Let that hurt go, just as you would untie a knot.
God is always present with us, let us take the time to notice and thank God for all the gifts given us.?

April 28, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection is from the Mercy Prayer Book:
Jesus, we believe that you have gone before us to prepare a place for us. We believe that one day we will be united with you and enjoy a new heaven and new earth. During our earthly passage, keep us safe from harm, especially from anything which could separate us from your love. We make this prayer in the certain hope of one day being united with you for all eternity. Amen