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May 7, 2020Mother’s Day May 10
Mother’s Day during the month of Mary honors and celebrates all moms and those who provide motherly love and devotion. Here are a few stories from moms in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Cathy Roring - Ardmore
Many mothers are experiencing a great deal of stress trying to find a balance between work and parenting during the stay at home orders due to Coronavirus. Cathy Roring, a parishioner at Saint Mary in Ardmore, is a professor at East Central University and a licensed psychologist. She thought she had the ideal set up for working while raising her young family. As the mother of six kids, age 7 and under (including a set of 3-year-old twin boys and newborn twin girls), she had set her schedule to be on campus two days a week, spend one day doing her private practice and the rest of the time with her babies.
Her schedule allowed her to do school pick up, take off for class parties and go on field trips. However, in March, while still on maternity leave, she received notice that her 7-year-old and 6-year-old would no longer be going to school. She would now be responsible for their homeschooling while tending to her newborns. A week later, the toddler’s preschool closed, leaving her home with all six, while teaching online and keeping up with online meetings for her university position.
“Balancing the obligations of caring for these little ones while also dealing with the stress and worry over the spreading virus has left me feeling very depleted. It’s made worse by the church being closed, loss of the Holy Eucharist, and feeling as though I am very isolated spiritually as well as generally exhausted.”
Her husband was still working away from home full-time. Roring relies on the Communion of Saints both living and deceased to help her through these tough times. As Mother’s Day approached, she said she appreciates how invaluable her own mother has been with her love, support, example, hard work and prayers.
She also remembers on this upcoming Mother’s Day, “My grandmother and my great aunt who were such a great influence on my faith and their devotion to Christ and his Blessed Mother, I try to honor them in my mothering.”
She said she is grateful for fellowship she has with other moms, relying on Jesus and coffee.
Raquel Sanchez - Ada
Ten years ago, Raquel Sanchez, a parishioner at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Ada, was walking down the street, getting exercise during her seventh month of pregnancy, when tragedy almost struck. A dog attacked her, causing a serious fall backwards. As she fell, she instantly knew there was going to be a severe injury, she screamed, "Blessed Mother, save my child."
She did have severe injuries to her back and spinal column, but no injuries to the child. Today, her daughter, Sulma Sanchez, is a healthy 10-year-old with a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially Our Lady of Guadalupe.
When little Sulma was 4 weeks old, she seemed to recognize a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe. When she was 2 years old, Sulma reported she had seen the "Lady" many times before.
On this Mother's Day, the family is thankful for the special blessings from Jesus and his Mother, Mary. Sulma's goal is become a nun after her graduation from high school.
Mary Aglialoro - Sulphur
A parishioner of Saint Francis Catholic Church in Sulphur, Mary Aglialoro is a shy lady of 92 years. She is in good health, lives independently, lives alone and was married for 64 years. Her husband passed away in 2017.
Aglialoro follows Archbishop Coakley’s “Go Make Disciples” by being an evangelizer. Although she is very reserved, she loves to speak about Jesus, the Blessed Mother, the angels and the saints.
On a daily basis, she reads the Bible, prays the Rosary and watches daily Mass on EWTN. According to her daughter, Rosalina, “her devotion to Christ and the Blessed Mother always has been a perfect example of a mother for me and the parish of Saint Francis.”
Charles Albert is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
