The business of rest
BY CATE HENDERSON The idea of rest is somewhat deceiving. We know as human beings that when we sleep we appear to others to be resting, to be immobile and still. But we also know that, in fact, our minds can be quite busy as we sleep – sometimes living a whole other life in a dreaming world of our own imagination and doing much of our best neurological processing of information. Similarly, our winter gardens appear very peaceful and still,...
Women Do Peace
Keynote speaker Erna Paris. Her address is available at ernaparis.comBY LOUISE SLOBODIAN You know about best-laid plans? After 10 years of holding great conferences, the Congregation's Healing Violence Committee had sworn off them. But then, a great synergy happened. The committee held a meeting with the International Women's Day reps in Kingston, and invited PeaceQuest to join in, and lo and behold … Women Do Peace emerged. And it was good....
3rd World Canada youth drum up support for change
Youth drum group from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (K.I.)BY BRIDGET DOHERTY Last fall, the Sisters of Providence, the Rotary Club of Cataraqui, Kingston, along with a host of organizations and caring citizens, welcomed the 3rd World Canada Tour. The tour comprised of a youth drum group from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (K.I.) and Andrée Cazabon, a young filmmaker from Montreal. During their stay in Kingston, I had the...
‘I just can’t figure out why our boys had to go through that’
BY JAMIE SWIFT Those 13 words speak volumes about the why of war. Particularly since they were uttered at a 1936 Vimy Ridge Pilgrimage by Canada’s first Silver Cross Mother. Charlotte Susan Wood was speaking to King Edward VIII as they gazed across the former killing fields subsequently planted with uncountable white crosses row on row. Mrs. Wood was a Winnipeg laundry worker whose son Percy had perished at Vimy Ridge before he turned...
Renewal and Celebration: Learning From St. Vincent de Paul
Providence Associates began a two-year formation process in September with the theme of renewal and celebration. BY SISTER IRENE WILSONThe process uses the method of Ignatian contemplation, praying to know Jesus better in order to love him more and follow him more closely. We are moving through four topics, exploring each as it is reflected in the lives of key people in the history of our congregation: St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de...
Keeping Contact
As part of the two-year formation process, Associate program co-directors Barbara Baker and Sister Irene Wilson have been traveling to the Associates across Canada. In late October they visited Camrose and led a process of Ignatian contemplation. An outcome of the visit was an agreement that, rather than starting from scratch, the Camrose group would use the same materials as were being used in Ontario for reflection, discussion and prayer....
Our Journey to Holyoke
House of Providence, Holyoke, Massachusetts. circa 1874-1880. Photo courtesy of the Sisters of Providence Holyoke ArchivesBY VERONICA STIENBURG In 1873, Sisters Mary Jane de Chantal and Mary Elizabeth went on a collecting tour in Massachusetts, where they visited Holyoke, a large manufacturing town. They got permission from the pastor, Fr. Harkins, to collect in his parish – and discovered that he had studied under Sr. Mary Elizabeth’s brother,...
A living wage for Kingston?
BY TARA KAINER This spring is seeing a resurgence of action to keep attention on a living wage for Kingston. It is a focus of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation office and a whole raft of allies. In the fall, Kingston city councillor Bill Glover had tabled a motion to request a staff report on the feasibility of a living wage for Kingston. The motion also directed city staff to explore the implications of setting the living wage as...
The most celebrated environmental event worldwide
BY SISTER SHIRLEY MORRIS More than six million Canadians join one billion people in over 170 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. Nearly every school child in Canada takes part in an Earth Day activity. Environmental challenges abound as our daily actions pollute and degrade the fragile environment that humans and wildlife depend on to survive. What can we do? Earth Day provides the opportunity for...
San Martin builds a chapel but still needs medical care
BY SISTER GAYLE DESARMIA San Martin is a small town about eight kilometres from El Progreso. About 80 families live there. They are poor and very hardworking. Early every day they go to their fields to cultivate broccoli, onions, potatoes and other vegetables. It is cold when they start out and when they come back home their clothes are wet from working through the heat of the day. In this small town there are three children with different...
Planting peas in April
BY CATE HENDERSON Peas are a lovely cool-weather crop, one of the first seeds to actually be planted in the soil of the gardens, even when it is still too cold for most vegetables. One of the pea varieties is called Champion of England. What a glorious name! According to the non-profit group Heritage Seed Library (which used to be called the Henry Doubleday Research Association): “This English marrowfat pea was bred in 1843 as Fairbeards’...
Associate Digest November 22, 2012
front row l to r: Sr. Anna Moran, Marietta Macial, Sandra Campeau, Joan Murray, Sr. Judy Lee2nd row l to r: Sr. Irene Wilson, Sr. Jean Higgins, Sr. Catherine Cannon, Sr. Frances O’Brien, Betty Haymans, Doris Lomboy, Marie O’Neill, Yeshi Redda, Marta Hernandez 3rd row l to r: Gerry Vieveen, Sr. Alma Sutton, Regina Giebels, Debra Wade, Colleen Evans, Sr. Marie Dundon, Sr. Lucy Kearney, Carol Groten 4th row l to r: Shirley Kindellan, Gillian...
Diamond Jubilee
Sister Pauline Lally received the Diamond Jubilee award from MPP Ted Hsu.BY CHRISTINE ROSS Sister of Providence Pauline Lally’s connection to the Queen of England dates back many years. As a teenager in Belleville, she took time off school to head down to the Belleville train station where she met a young Princess Elizabeth and her new husband Prince Phillip. This summer, Sr. Pauline was nominated to receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal...
Mental Health Awareness
Sister of Providence Margo Shafer, far right, volunteered at the Wheelin’ for Healin’ event luncheon held at the Hunstville Legion.BY SISTER MARGO SHAFER Motorcycle enthusiasts hit the road this summer in the Muskoka region to raise money for treatment of mental health issues. Close to 50 bikers took part in the 5th annual Wheelin’ for Healin’ charity ride that set out from the Gravenhurst Legion on Sunday, August 26.“It’s a great cause, it’s a...
Sisters’ legacy continues
Sister of Providence Sheila Langton, 2nd from left, was among the dignitaries who unveiled a sign at the site of the new Providence Care Hospital. She’s accompanied by MPP John Gerretsen, Wynn Turner, Chair SE LHIN, Glen Wood, Chair, and Dale Kenney, CEO, both from Providence Care.BY CHRISTINE ROSS A century plus legacy of health care built from the ground up by the fledgling congregation Sisters of Providence in the 1800’s, was remembered as...
Walk of Hope
Photos by Sr. Susan PyeSister Peggy Flanagan is joined by her friends l to r: Sister Marilyn Kearns, Monsignor Don Clement, Sister Peggy and MPP John Gerretsen. Sister Peggy calls Sister Marilyn, her “angel” who accompanies her to her appointments at the cancer clinic.BY SISTER PEGGY FLANAGAN The annual Walk of Hope in support of women with ovarian cancer and their families, was held at LeMoine Park on Sunday, September 23rd. Even though it was...
Sister Act
Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul formally welcomed Sisters from two congregations during a welcoming ritual on October 2nd in the Chapel at Providence Motherhouse.BY CHRISTINE ROSS It’s been more than 80 years since siblings Mary and Julia Hamilton lived together on the family farm in Elgin with their parents, brothers and sisters in the 1920’s, unaware that their life journey would reunite them under one roof again, so many years...
Food for thought
MPP John Gerretsen and poverty tour organizer Tara Kainer begin the day with a meal at Lunch by George.BY CHRISTINE ROSS Kingston’s representative at Queen’s Park is elevating the profile of people struggling to survive on social assistance. Kingston and the Islands MPP John Gerretsen has made a promise to help set up a meeting between anti-poverty advocates and politicians at Queen’s Park. He made this commitment at the end of a four hour tour...
Living Wage
left to right: Sr. Peggy Flanagan, Jamie Swift and Tara Kainer from the Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation office.BY JAMIE SWIFT Kingston has a new Living Wage Campaign. We’re joining other Canadian cities where social justice advocates are promoting the simple idea that a job should pay enough to provide a decent standard of living. The JPIC office is assisting with the local Living Wage effort that emerged from Kingston’s...
Anniversary Year in Holyoke
Kingston Sisters attended the anniversary celebration in Holyoke. l to r: Sisters Una Byrne, Gayle Desarmia, Frances O’Brien, Sandra Shannon, Pauline Lally and Irene Wilson.BY PAT ST. AMAND Months after the Canadian Sisters of Providene of St. Vincent de Paul wrapped up their 150th anniversary year, their U.S. counterparts celebrate their remarkable journey. Kingston Sisters made the trip to the U.S. as the Sisters of Providence of Holyoke held...