Christmas in 1909 at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Brockville
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST A description of Christmas activities from the Annals of St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Brockville:December 24, 1909 - The donations are pouring in since early morning. Our Christmas tree was a great success. Mr. Shea acting Santa Clause. Nearly all the Sisters went to midnight Mass.
Associates refresh manual and logo
BY BARBARA BAKER, ASSOCIATES DIRECTOR When the Providence Associates gathered in October to ratify their new manual they also went through a simple exercise to determine a new cover page and a new logo. A graphic designer was hired to create four different styles of covers for the manual and four ideas for a new logo. The Providence Associates present were each given two small stickers. They were asked to put one sticker on the cover design...
Election Flyers produced at the Printing Room
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Printing Room Museum closed this fall. The Printing Room operated as a functioning print shop from 1898 to 1989. Over the course of its history the printing room produced two magazines, congregational materials, and commercial work, such as municipal election flyers and posters. Here are a few from our collection – including some with the printer’s notations on them.
Providence Motherhouse Has New Owners
From left: Hume Martin (CHSO Board Chair), Sister Sandra Shannon (General Superior of the Sisters of Providence) and John Ruetz (CHSO President and CEO)Sisters of Providence Transfer Their Home and Property to Catholic Health Sponsors of OntarioFor 89 of their 157 years of service, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Vincent de Paul have lived and worked from their Motherhouse and grounds at 1200 Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario. With...
Longest-serving and longest living Sisters
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Do you know who the longest living Sister in the history of the congregation is? And did you know that in the history of the congregation thirteen Sisters have lived to the age of 100 years or older? And seven Sisters served in the congregation for 80 years or more?!The three longest-serving Sisters in the congregation pictured above, in order from left to right, are: Sr. Anna Moran (84 years) Sr. Nora...
New Associates and new committee
From left: Debbie Muise, Barbara Baker, Regina Lannon, Debra Wade, Eleanor Casey, Carol Groten, Sister Gayle Desarmia, and Valerie Kelly.BY BARBARA BAKER, ASSOCIATES DIRECTOR The Providence Associates gathered on the weekend of April 26 – 28, 2019 to elect their Director and Providence Associate Committee members for a new term. Alice Gazeley, CND Associate, facilitated the elections. It was the final step in a six months discernment process...
After 20 years of saving seeds, award winning ministry culminates in ceremony
BY MICHAEL HAMMOND, COMMUNICATIONS A rematriation ceremony was the culmination of 20 years of the Sisters’ commitment to saving heirloom seed varieties. This is not the end of the story of the seeds, only a new beginning in new homes as it once had been when the seeds moved in with the Sisters. PLANTING THE FIRST SEEDS The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul saw the needs of the time in the early 1990’s and through discernment during a...
Chapter 2019: Leadership for the future
Every four years the Congregation holds a Chapter. Sisters participate in discussion, discernment and decisions for the future including electing members to serve as the Leadership Team. This process was guided by the facilitator Sister Brenda Peddigrew, RSM. During the opening day, April 23, the outgoing Leadership Team members, Sister Sandra Shannon (General Superior), Sister Frances O’Brien (General Assistant), Sister Gayle Desarmia...
Celebrating over 331 years of religious service!
Jubilees are joyous occasions to acknowledge and celebrate the many years of dedication in answering God’s call to religious life. Celebrating 70 years are Sisters Anna Marie Willer, Rita Hanson, and Charlotte Kramps. Celebrating 61 years is Sister Reinalda Kloosterman, and 60 years is Sister Pauline Lally. Although not all Jubilarians could celebrate their milestone at the same time, they have celebrated together. In the words of Sister...
40th anniversary of the Sisters arrival in San Francisco El Alto, Guatemala
Mass celebrating the Sisters arrival in San Francisco el Alto on July 8th, 1979. Left to Right: Sr. Julia Hamilton, Sr. Connie Kaufmann, Sr. Winnifred Callary, Sr. Shirley Morris, Sr. Stella Szybisty and Sr. Mary Bernadette.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST July 8th is the 40th anniversary of the Sisters of Providence arrival in San Francisco el Alto, Guatemala. In 1977 some local Guatemalan women expressed interest in religious life...
Providence Associates AGM/AGEM 2019
The April 2019 AGM/AGEM for the Providence Associates was one of transformation. The weekend went amazingly well. Through the prayerful guidance and facilitation of Alice Gazeley CND Associate, we worked very hard and elected a new Providence Associate Committee who will be working with the Director, Barbara Baker and Council Liaison, Sister Gayle Desarmia for the next three years.The members are (from left) Eleanor Casey, Carol Groten, Valerie...
Barbara Fleet, Providence Associate
BY BARBARA BAKER Barbara Fleet passed away at Providence Manor on May 21, 2019 with her family by her side. Barbara was one of the first people to make commitment as a Providence Associate in 1987. She was a woman of deep faith who served her community as a register nurse and her family as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She attended St. Michael’s Catholic School in Belleville where she began her relationship with the Sisters of...
The Gate House
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST This photograph shows the entrance to Heathfield property in the early 1900s, which is now the home of Providence Motherhouse. The gatehouse (visible on the left) was demolished in October 1968 when the driveway was widened to accommodate the new chapel. Today there are only two of the original gateposts left and they are slightly shorter than they appear in this photograph. Over the years the gatehouse served...
Come, Journey to Transformation
BY ALBERT DUNN, COORDINATOR OF PASTORAL LITURGY Each year, the Seasonal Planning Committee, a sub-committee of the Congregational Liturgy Committee, gathers for an afternoon of reflection and faith sharing on the scripture readings of the Paschal Cycle. This period includes the Lenten Season, Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum and the Easter Season culminating in the celebration of Pentecost. Based on the shared reflection, this year’s focus is...
Visiting Peru – A Gift
BY MARY OLENICK, PROVIDENCE ASSOCIATE The sights, sounds and smells of Carabayllo and other areas were very familiar to me. If I closed my eyes, it was as if I was back in mission in Malawi. There are a lot of similarities but there are also a lot of differences. The congestion with people, cooking on the sidewalks, locals selling their wares everywhere, the very active markets, dogs running loose and the poverty were all very familiar. What...
A Memorable Visit
BY SISTER GAYLE DESARMIA November 21, 2018 Sister Gayle Desarmia and Providence Associate Mary Olenick left Kingston for Peru. They spent two weeks visiting the Sisters of Providence and the Providence Associates in Carabayllo, Peru. This trip was memorable because Mary was the first Canadian Associate to visit the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul mission in Peru. Each day unfolded with its own variety of experiences as recounted...
How to Pass Heirloom Seeds to the Next Generation
BY CATE HENDERSON In 2017 I wrote an article for this publication that quoted Father Thomas Berry and stated: “For this reason, the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary seeds are not a collection of objects that can be packaged up neatly in bubble wrap and put in the corner of the basement to be unpacked again when we get around to it. They are living beings who must be grown out on a regular basis and given the opportunity to realize their potential.” And...
Providence Village launches website
BY PETER PULA, AXIOM NEWS A new logo, website, enewsletter to share the unfolding story of Providence Village A village is more than its buildings and grounds. Much more. People, their relationships, and how they care for one another is what makes for community life. Our stories shape and connect us. Our stories make sense of the life we share. Providence Village is in the early stages of coming to life. As the Sisters of Providence of St....
Profession days
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In the history of the Sisters of Providence there have been many profession days in March when Postulants received the habit, Novices made first profession, and Junior Professed Sisters made final profession. These were often grand occasions. Here is a description from the Congregational Annals of profession day, March 19th, 1963. We are fortunate to have several slides from profession days in the early 1960s in...
Piano / Theory : Private Lessons
Sister Rita Gleason has openings for students looking for private lessons for beginners up to level 8. The lessons are open to all. Please call for more information:Rita Gleason, A.R.C.T.Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul613-544-4525, ext. 331