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...
Construction of the Greenhouse
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Greenhouse was designed and built by Maintenance staff, over the winter of 1998-1999, onto the back of the Garage, on the grounds of Providence Motherhouse in Kingston. The Greenhouse was constructed using old windows from a wing of the Motherhouse that had been recently renovated.
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
50th Anniversary of the blessing of the Providence Motherhouse chapel
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST January 11th was the 50th anniversary of the blessing of the chapel at Providence Motherhouse. The photo below shows how the chapel looked when it opened in 1969.It was renovated in 1992-1993. The photo at the right (bottom) shows what the chapel looks like today.A display was setup in the chapel to mark the occasion.“A day to be remembered! The blessing of the new chapel, the consecration of the altar of...
Providence Care Leadership Missioning Service
Sister Frances O’Brien was one of three Sisters from the Leadership Team that participated in the annual missioning service for Providence Care this past September 25. This is part of Sister Frances’ reflection on the Charism of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul presented during the missioning service. In the late 1970’s, after Vatican Council II, religious orders were asked to identify their founding charism, their special gift...
Remembering for Peace…One more time
Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford. Image still from video by Clarke MackeyJAMIE SWIFT, JPIC DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF PEACEQUEST PeaceQuest wound up its formal events on November 11 with our third sold-out Remembrance Day concert at The Isabel. It was an afternoon of song and celebration. The previous day we assembled 150 people at City Hall’s Memorial Room for a conference called “Imagining Peace.” The...
November 11th, 1918
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST This year November 11th marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. The Congregational annals, which in 1918 cover life at the House of Providence in Kingston, and the annals of St. Mark’s Convent in Prescott record how the Sisters and the towns they were living in reacted to the declaration of peace.Congregational Annals - November 11, 1918 This morning while the Meditation is being read...
Remembering the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
St. Mark’s Convent in PrescottBY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Fall of 1918 was a tumultuous time around the world, in Ontario and for the Sisters of Providence. The First World War wasn’t over yet, but soldiers were starting to arrive home from Europe bringing with them an unwelcome guest – the Spanish Influenza. In Ontario alone, there were 300,000 cases of the flu and approximately 10,000 people died. The majority of those who died were...
Farewell Sister Rita Gleason
In January of 2008, Sister Rita Gleason retired from St. Joseph’s Auxiliary Hospital after almost 7 years as a member of the Spiritual and Religious Team. As part of this team Sister Rita ministered to residents’ spiritual, emotional and physical needs, including directing the staff choir which sang at Memorial Services of deceased residents. After retiring, Sister Rita returned to St. Joseph’s to volunteer her musical talents until recently.BY...
Illuminating the Word of God
BY ALBERT DUNN, COORDINATOR OF PASTORAL LITURGY On Sunday, October 21, 2018, through the generosity of the Diocese of Hamilton, two volumes of the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible were displayed in Providence Motherhouse’s Chapel of Mary, Mother of Compassion. Volumes displayed were the Wisdom Books and Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. In 1998, the Benedictine monks of Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota...
Communities Face ‘Final Eruption’ and beyond
This article excerpt is reprinted with permission by Global Sisters Report. Original story is by Soli Salgado, titled “Sr. Teresa Maya challenges LCWR assembly to go forth amid changing times”.In early August, Sisters Sandra Shannon, Gayle Desarmia and Frances O’Brien attended the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) assembly in St. Louis, Missouri. The guiding theme of the assembly was “Being the Presence of Love: The Power of...
Tomato Tasting Celebration: Connecting food with health, joy, justice & nature
Early tomato tasting days were offered in the garden area.With the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary (HSS) ministry moving towards completion, the HSS committee felt a return of the Heirloom Tomato Celebration would be appropriate to mark the final growing season of the heirloom seeds on the Providence Motherhouse grounds. The Heirloom Tomato Tasting Day was one of the first public events Carol and Robert Mouck co-hosted with the Sisters of Providence of...
The Good Food Stand: A New Project Provides Affordable Healthy Food
Photo by Kathy SturmeyBY TARA KAINER, JPIC, AND KATHY STURMEY, GOOD FOOD STAND ORGANIZER The Good Food Stand, a two-year pilot project initiated by the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Food Access Advisory Committee, “launched under cloudy skies on Monday, August 27, 2018 at Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School. The school was abuzz with students and parents, and many were curious about the tables loaded with fresh,...
A Game of Hide and Seek
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Here is a funny story from the Congregational Annals of the Sisters of Providence: November 5th, 1970 - An amusing incident occurred this afternoon. A lady from an apartment house which borders on our property telephoned that she saw some boys carrying a bag enter one of our out-buildings. Sr. M. Roberta became very excited, picturing marijuana smokers or glue-sniffers, and called Peter, our efficient...