Presentation of the Books:
“Se puede”
(It’s possible) and “Amo la Vida”(I love life)
Last Monday,
September 26th, the re-edition of Margarita Lalor Cavanagh’s
book “Se puede” (It is possible) was presented at
“Norberto Quirno” foundation (CEMIC). “Amo la vida” (I
love Life) another little book, that consists of pictures
and some fragments written by Margarita was presented as well.
The presentation
took place on a familiar atmosphere. Her sisters, Patricia Lalor
Ybarra and Marcella Lalor Leloir, and her brothers Luis and
Alberto Lalor assisted; So did her nephews and nieces,
Margarita’s life “salt and pepper”- as she used to say.
“Virgen de Lujan” her praying group,
assisted as well. This group consisted of Margarita’s cousins
and childhood friends. They did not only faithfully accompany
Margarita through-out her whole life, but had also the privilege
of sharing their prayers and love for Virgin Mary…they’ve shared
their prayers with a heart that was fondly in love with God.
Friends,
relatives and people who knew or heard about her, by different
means, assisted that afternoon too.
Marcella Lalor Leloir, her sister was the
moderatress of the presentation. Her books were presented by: Dr
Oscar Mandó, Margarita’s Doctor, Dr. Bernardo Neustad, a great
friend of Margarita, and Margarita’s loyal friend young
seminarist from Buenos Aires Archdiocese, Lisandro Boyle.
Marcella Lalor described her sister a
POSITIVE person that was never stopped by anything. She also
pointed out Margarita’s distinctive “smile”, smile that is
present in every single one of her pictures as a lovely feature.
Dr. Oscar Mandó
spoke on first place, he started his speech expressing that it
has been a great privilege for him to be Margarita’s Doctor… “On
this meeting we can truly see that “It is possible”, as
Margarita would say. Only the person that “made it possible” can
gather so many wills to remember her and make her message
extensive… I can say that an ill person is an ill family as
well; a handicap person is a handicap family… Under those
circumstances one can really see the courage of a family. And we
can truly see the courage of Lalor’s family and the courage of
the people who accompanied Margarita as well. I would like to
make a special mention to her siblings, because I lived with a
handicapped person, and I know of the responsibility that a
mother assumes when her son or daughter is handicapped. I know
of the sufferings of a mother when it is someone else who has to
take care of her child on her absence. However her siblings
continued their mother extraordinary legacy”. The doctor pointed
out Margarita’s “warrior spirit” and he also said: “Margarita on
her book didn’t show us the tools to fight her incapacity, but
showed us the greatness of her life”
Seminarist,
Lisandro Boyle, Father José Maria (Pepe) Boyle’s great nephew,
(a Benedictine dead monk) spoke
on second place. Margarita was and is for Lisandro a great
friend and the heir of his beloved uncle. Lisandro started his
speech with an Irish Blessing, “…words that not only bring to
our memories Margarita’s Irish roots, but also welcomed people
to her house, and were expression of her deepest desire”. On his
speech, Lisandro said: “Margarita lived a true human life, with
everything that life involves itself, but she lived her life
with a special “spice”, an essential “spice” I may say, which is
God…Through out her book she describes her relationship with
God, and she describes how Our Good Father “stole” her heart and
whole being. “One can be really happy, because everything’s
possible with God” that is how she starts her book”
Lisandro
pointed out Margarita’s spiritual experiences, emphasizing on
the importance of a relationship with God and the importance of
spiritual life. He concluded his speech with a very illuminating
paragraph about Margarita’s life and mission among us: “I
believe her life and especially her writings are like an echo of
Our Father God’s words, echo that even today still resounds in
the heart of every person that met her. Echo that do not belong
us; Not sharing her life to other people would be not
understanding why she lived so many years among us. Today, more
than ever, we argentine people need to recover hope, we need to
recover the will to love and the need of God and shout: It is
possible! ; I love life!”
Dr. Bernardo
Neustad, Margarita’s great friend, spoke in last place. He
pointed out Margarita’s virtues, virtues of a “Faithful Friend”.
He told us that he used to ask her to write some words whenever
he had a social event and had to speak. And he remembered jokily
a letter she once wrote him, on which she said: “Bernardo, if
people really need a place to recover energies and hope I am
sending you the link of a web site (for them), it is:
www.heavean.prayers.com” Bernardo both showed the great
sense of humor and spirit of this Irish woman.
All three
speeches tried to embrace three essential aspects of a person’s
life: the human, the spiritual and intellectual aspects, and
all three aspects were perfectly reflected that afternoon.
After the speeches and corresponding
thanks to: “Norberto Quirno” Foundation and after thanking all
the people in charged of the presentation and thanking and the
audience; a kindly luncheon was served and prepared by Miss
Stephie Lalor Seré enterprise, Margarita’s niece. |
