Margaret's Musings

Margaret has something she'd like to tell you.....

About Margaret

Margaret Riley

Margaret Pilkington Riley is the mother of seven children, grandmother of thirteen, and great-grandmother of eighteen.

Margaret graduated from Classical High School in Providence, and attended Providence College.
She is a member of Christ The King Church in Kingston Rhode Island where she is a member of the liturgy committee, serves an a Eucharistic Minister,
and is a Bible Study facilitator. She is an Associate of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion.
Margaret is a facilitator at Friends Way, a bereavement group for children who have lost a loved one.

She enjoys knitting, golf, swimming and spending time with the family.
She is retired from AT&T where she was employed for twenty five years.

With great-grandchildren

 

Dedications

Liz

Ed Brassard

Ed Brassard always knew a good story when he heard one. That is why when he heard his longtime
friend Margaret Riley’s stories he wanted to put them on videotape. He thought these
stories would be important to Margaret’s family and also as a historical record of what it was
like to grow up in Rhode Island in her time.
He asked his friend, Gloria D'Alessandro, who had been a sound editor in film and TV to help. Ed
and Gloria, both Rhode Islanders, met in San Francisco in the late 1970’s and became instant
friends. They started working together in theater at that time.
More recently, Ed owned and operated Access Tours Newport and thought of Rhode Island as a
place filled with history, so in 2011 Ed and Gloria started filming stories of local interest. Their
films have aired on PEG (RI Public Access) and Rhode Island PBS. Their films can still be seen on
their You Tube channel.

Ed and Gloria

Video History

These videos and the website would never have happened were it not for Eddie Brassard, a lifelong friend of my son-in-law and daughter Billy and Edna DeCesare.
Eddie put in many hours videotaping my stories and enlisted the assistance of his old and dear friend, Gloria D’Alessandro to help in the editing and producing.
It was a labor of love from Eddie and Gloria, for which I am eternally grateful. Eddie has loved the film industry and has won awards for his efforts in Rhode Island filming.
Just as the website was being released Eddie died. We will never forget you and your friendship Eddie. Rest in Peace, dear friend.
Heartfelt thanks also to my dear friend and "cousin", Bill Gannon, who very kindly created the Margaret’s Musings website. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.


Musings

December 2019 - “How did you develop such a deep faith, Grandma?” This question posed by a grandchild caused me to spend time analyzing my spiritual life.
My faith journey began in my home and was fostered by my parents who lived a faith-filled life, teaching my brothers and me the Christian values of love, kindness, generosity and forgiveness.
In the 1920s and '30s when I was a child, a family’s life often centered around church activities. We attended Sunday Masses, missions, novenas, Holy Hours, church bazaars, bridge and card parties and minstrel shows.
Youngsters were involved in parish youth groups. Church and religion were of such importance in my life that I began to romanticize them.
I loved the stained glass windows, organ music, rituals, incense, vestments, priests and collecting holy cards.
I did not realize that, during those years through the amazing grace of God and the example of my parents, my faith was being deepened. When I was about 10 years of age, I had a childlike experience of God.
I had no vision nor did I hear God’s voice, but like a flash of lightning I KNEW that God loved me, that I was special and that my name was engraved in Jesus’ heart.
I confided my special secret to no one, fearing laughs and ridicule and keeping it in my heart for many years.
Although I never attended parochial school during my high school years, I was a daily communicant, so frequent reception of the Eucharist further deepened my faith.
The amazing grace of God was evidenced over and over in my lifetime, such as during World War II when both my brother and my fiancé returned home safely
and during my marriage when my husband and I were blessed with seven children. Until this point in time I was devoted to God and to Jesus as well as Mary,
and then the Holy Ghost became the one to whom I prayed for wisdom, patience and understanding in raising the children.
Part of the clan.
God listened and heard my prayers. In a seven-year period in my late forties my mom, dad and husband died.
Losing my parents, while difficult, was the natural progression of life and my gratitude for having them in my life outweighed the grief.
Tom’s death, however, was a shattering experience and, although I was wracked with sadness, deep inside I had a feeling of a gentle peace, as though God was holding me close.
Once again the amazing grace was with me through this terrible time. Fifteen years ago death visited once again when my youngest child, Liz, died at the age of forty-three.
This without exception was the most difficult period of my life. Only the deep faith in a loving God, my previous experiences with death and the love and support of family and friends enabled me,
as it does today, to go through life having lost my child. Rather, I live in gratitude today for the years we had together.
In my early sixties I enrolled in a spiritual program at Our Lady of Peace Retreat House, part of which included the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola which once again deepened my faith.
I learned not only that God loves others as much as God loves me but also “how to discern God’s presence in my life” and how to “find God in all things.”
So, I finally have an answer to my grandchild’s question. We are made of mind, body and spirit. To nurture my mind I read, attend lectures and classes in a variety of subjects, play bridge and do crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
To nurture my body I exercise, eat a well balanced diet and try to get adequate rest. To nurture my spirit I like to surround myself with others who are on this spiritual journey,
read spiritual books and magazines, attend Mass and receive Eucharist regularly, pray (alone and in community) and avail myself of weekend retreats.
I also participate in the life of my parish, Christ the King, where the community, music ministry, priests and staff have been inspirational and comforting in many stages of my life.
I consider myself truly blessed many times over with God’s amazing grace. And so, the journey continues...

Published Work

 

Evening Gowns and Dancng Slippers

In the front bedroom of their "three-decker" apartment in Providence Rhode Island in 1924, a child was born to Bill and Edna O'Connor.
When asked if the baby was a boy or a girl, the doctor replied "Well Bill, it's evening gowns and dancing slippers for this baby." This was the start of Margaret's life of amazing grace.

In her memoir, "Evening Gowns and Dancing Slippers", Margaret shares her childhood hopes and dreams through an animated telling of her "coming of age" story.
She also shares a wisdom gained from applying her deep faith and experiences of love and loss.

The first chapters describe her life in Providence with her friends, schools and family.
In the appendix, Margaret shares her poetry "Margaret's Musings" on a number of life's events and observations.