Doreen Hoekstra is the executive assistant to the Sisters of Providence Leadership Team. Here she is (right) with Chapter facilitator Sister Yvette Bellerose, SSA
Chapter 2015 was the second Chapter I attended as secretary and a part of me sat through the process with a keen interest to see who I would be working for over the next four years!
Being the secretary to the Chapter’s planning committee for the last year was an effective segue into Chapter, providing me with a unique view of how the whole process unfolds right from the beginning. It also gave me a new-found respect for the Sisters as they prepared for Chapter. That respect continued throughout each report, process and discussion during Chapter in which Sisters worked through challenges and embraced their future.
Now, I am not as young as I was four years ago and there were a couple of days I went home mentally exhausted, but was rejuvenated by the thought of the positive spirit the Sisters brought each and every day to the proceedings.
One of the unintentional things I walked away with was how much wisdom, graciousness and compassion I witnessed from the Sisters…their collective wisdom in writing their vision, mission and directional statements, their graciousness in embracing the guidance of Providence and compassion for each and every Sister participant.
All in all, I was honoured to be the Chapter secretary for the second time. I would like to acknowledge the kindness I received from each Sister over the course of the 10 days while I watched them build a future to be proud of, rising from the foundation created in 1861 by their founding Sisters.
Doreen Hoekstra