Sisters open home to African visitors
left to right: Justin Mabouth (Cameroon), Sr. Joe Eke(Nigeria), Rev. Simeon Muhunga (Congo), and Rev. John Ngabo(Rwanda)BY CHRISTINE ROSS Calling their Kingston experience memorable, four African Prison Chaplains have returned home to share new insights into prison justice. Kingston is a long way from home for the chaplains, who lived among the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul while they studied restorative justice at Queen’s...
Stay-at-home Mom turns to activism
Bridget Doherty and former Canadian Liberal leader Stéphane Dion.BY BRIDGET DOHERTY Bridget Doherty was hired in February to work in the office of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation. She deals with energy conservation and poverty issues. To better understand the US intended invasion of Iraq, the Globe & Mail (2001) suggested reading: A Green History of the World: the Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations by Clive...
Faith exchange with students
Grade 11 students Tanor Bonin (foreground) and Josh London.The Sisters of Providence made a return visit to Belleville high school St. Theresa Secondary as part of the annual conference hosted by the school’s Renaissance Society. Archivist Danielle Hughes and Tara Kainer of the Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation office were among the participants in the one-day conference in late April, designed to give students insight into their...
Icon displayed at Motherhouse Chapel
The icon of St. Paul displayed in the Chapel of Mary Mother of Compassion at Providence Motherhouse.Providence Pages & Monique Marchand Providence Motherhouse became part of history in April when the travelling icon of St. Paul made a brief appearance in the Chapel as part of a special prayer service. Pope Benedict XVI has declared June 2008-June 2009, the Year of St. Paul in celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the saint’s birth....
Window fosters connection with faith
In almost every culture, there has been a close tie between religion and art. Sacred art not only communicates a story, it prompts reflection. Photo courtesy Candice NixonBY CHRISTINE ROSS In almost every culture, there has been a close tie between religion and art. Sacred art not only communicates a story, it prompts reflection. In Pope John Paul II’s 1999 Letter to Artists, the pontiff writes, “ Works of art speak to their authors; they...
Breaking the Poverty Cycle
Sister Una Byrne, Tara Kainer and General Superior Sr. Pauline Lally meet with the media to offer reaction to the Poverty ReportA long-time Kingston social activist describes the Ontario government’s new Poverty Reduction strategy as a shovel in the ground. Alice Gazeley and other members of Kingston’s Roundtable on Poverty, along with Sisters of Providence and our silent vigil keepers met with the media to offer reaction to the long awaited...
Multifaith Prayer Vigil
Father Paul Hansen of ISARC and General Superior at the March 11th vigil in Toronto. Photo: Tara Kainer, Justice & Peace OfficeBY JAMIE SWIFT A band of two dozen Kingston vigil keepers and friends traveled by bus to Toronto on March 11. Our goal was to participate in the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition’s prayer vigil at Queen’s Park. Ontario’s faith communities prayed for the poor at Queen’s Park during a series of pre-budget...
Building a Green Ontario
BY TARA KAINER The Green Communities Canada conference, Time for Action: Tackling energy poverty in Canada through energy efficiency, September 29 – October 1, 2008, brought together 250 delegates from across Canada. They represented energy consultants and utilities companies, social housing providers and private landlords, policy analysts and business consultants, First Nations’ organizations, low-income community advocates, and politicians. ...
Responding to the Call
BY SISTER PEGGY FLANAGAN The original committee, which resulted from the fourth directional statement of Chapter/94, was called Healing Violence Against Women. Our mandate to provide a major conference every two years on some aspect of Healing Violence over a period of ten years has been completed. These conferences, and smaller workshops were well attended. Awareness of the issues was raised as well as attitudes and actions taken to promote...
Special Documents Returned
Providence Care archivist Megan Kerrigan delivers the plans to Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul archivist Danielle HughesBY DANIELLE HUGHES Ninety-two years after preparations for a new hospital to be built and operated by the Sisters of Providence in Kitchener, Ontario were cancelled, the original architectural drawings were returned to the Sisters of Providence Archives. On January 14, 2009, Megan Kerrigan, archivist for...
Vocation News April 2009
Sister Barbara Thiffault spoke about each person’s call from God and shared aspects of her life.BY SR. BARBARA THIFFAULT The Vocation Team, now the Vocation/ Formation Team, continues its work of Vocation Ministry. The members of the Team are Sister Barbara Thiffault (Contact) , Sister Lucy Kearney, Sister Rita Gleason and Sister Nancy Wilson who has recently joined the Team. Sisters Dianne McNamara and Monica Whalen are the Council Liaisons....
Associates Welcome Candidates
Sue MacDonald (left) of Kingston and Liliane Hamilton of Camrose made formal commitments as Providence Associates during the AGEM.BY SISTER CATHERINE CANNON Associates and Sisters met for their Annual General Education Meeting the weekend of September 26 and 27. Friday afternoon and evening consisted of a Happy Hour, evening meal together, a welcome and the presentation of an inspiring and thought provoking DVD, Turtle World. This acted as an...
Associates Commitment Ceremony
We welcome new Associates, from left, Marietta Marcial, Marie McCartney and Cathy BryanBY SISTER CATHERINE CANNON The morning of April 5, 2008 dawned bright and clear with all the freshness and new life of spring. Outside Providence Motherhouse, birds were chirping, buds were opening and Mr. and Mrs. Duck had returned and were spotted over by the barn deliberating (discerning) just when and where to lay their eggs. And inside Providence...
Poverty Vigil Celebrates 13 Years
Scene from the 13th Anniversary Silent Vigil held on November 13th, 2008.“The last thing poverty respects is age. Young, old or in between, being poor erases smiles from our faces.”— quote posted on a sign at the 13th anniversary of the Silent Vigil The Ontario government releases its long awaited poverty reduction strategy within weeks and the Sisters of Providence have played a role in forcing the government to take action. For 13 years, the...
In Silence, Wisdom is born
General Superior Sr. Pauline Lally at the 13th Anniversary of the Silent Vigil.BY GENERAL SUPERIOR SISTER PAULINE LALLY Twelve years ago when I returned to Kingston, after a two year stint out of the country, I soon discovered that I had come back to a very different Ontario. I remember one of my friends telling me at the time, “You won’t recognize the province, Pauline,” and he was right. There had been a deficit and a debt and yes, these...
Meal Providers Face Higher Demand
Bonita McCourt of the Salvation Army Community Services speaks during the October luncheon.In Kingston you can order an $11 poutine with braised veal cheeks. Or lunch on truffled frites with shaved parmesan and aioli. Or you can visit Vinnie’s, the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s north end lunch program that saw demand for its free meals rise 36% in the first six months of 2008 compared to 2007. Martha’s Table served 37% more meals during this...
Living the mission
Sister Irene MacDonell with the soccer team in Peru.A Sister of Providence who has lived in Peru for 40 years, offered insight into a harsh and dangerous country during a visit to Providence Motherhouse in early September. Over 50 people turned out to listen to Sister Irene MacDonell. She was accompanied in her presentation by Sister Dianne McNamara, General Council Liaison for Peru, and a recent visitor to Peru. Sister Irene is a diminutive...
Leadership Award
Sr. Una ByrneThe Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul were selected from among a group of nominees to be honoured with the Davies Award for Philanthropic Leadership. This award is granted annually by University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) on behalf of Kingston’s hospital foundations, to an individual or organization for outstanding philanthropic leadership benefiting Kingston’s health sciences centre and the provision of...
Colleagues Honour Sr. Gayle
Sr. Gayle Desarmia has become the first archivist from a religious order to win an award given to an individual who has made a significant contribution within the Ontario Archival community. Elgin County archivist Brian Masschaele submitted the nomination along with research by Danielle Hughes and Tom McCarthy, both employees of the Archives at Providence Motherhouse. Danielle accepted the Alexander Fraser Award on behalf of Sister Gayle at an...
Congratulations Jubilarians
photo left to right(back row): Sr. Mary Joan FaFleur, Sr. Stella Syzbisty, Sr. Peggy Flanagan, Sr. Margaret Mary, Sr. Marlene Schuster, Sr. Leona Fitzgerald and Sr. Reinalda Kloosterman left to right (front row): Sr. Patricia Kelly, Sr. Rose Bekar and Sr. Mary GeorgeA remarkable 590 years of religious life is being celebrated this year by the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul. Ten Sisters celebrated their Jubilee anniversaries at...