Summer at Marillac Villa
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Every summer the Sisters go to the cottage. Here are few fun images from the 1950s of Sisters of Providence at Marillac Villa on Howe Island:Shining shoes – July 1959Enjoying the shoreline – July 1957Catch of the DayAn afternoon on the water – July 1959The Cottage - July 1957A cat visits the picnic! – July 1959
Movies at the Motherhouse
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Congregational Annals document the major events in the congregation’s history, but they also document smaller happenings in the Sisters’ lives, including what movies the sisters watched. Here are some excerpts from the Annals: September 9, 1952 – Two nice pictures have been shown to the sisters here during the month, namely: “Angels in the Outfield” and “The Song of Bernadette” September 15, 1960 – Another...
Behind the Scenes in the Archives!
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The first week of April is Archives Awareness Week in Ontario! With that in mind, here is a behind the scenes peak into the archives of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul. All the photographs used for the Throwback Thursday posts on Facebook and Twitter and all the photos used in the Providence Flashbacks are housed in the Archives. Here is a behind the scenes look at how and where archival...
A Procession and a Story
BY CARMEN ALOMÍA, PROVIDENCE ASSOCIATE The script for the procession with the gifts at the anniversary Mass gave an overview of the mission in Carabayllo, Peru. It was written and narrated by Providence Associate Carmen Alomía who was the emcee at the Mass. We present our work of the last 50 years to the Lord. It is represented by the different generations who have lived, worked and struggled together with the Sisters during all these years. It...
Visit to Peru for 50th Anniversary of Mission
BY SISTER GAYLE DESARMIA December 6-21, 2017 Sisters Sandra Shannon, Gayle Desarmia and Josephine Doiron experienced a wonderful two weeks in Carabayllo, Peru. The trip was a special one because it included celebrations to mark 50 years of ministry in Peru. Sister Gayle recalls highlights of the trip.The first evening in Peru we accompanied Sister Sara Jiménez to Las Lomas de Torre Blanca for Mass. This Mass was held outdoors on the...
50th Anniversary Celebration in Peru
BY SISTER SANDRA SHANNON Today is December 10, 2017 and the temperature is 24°C, hot and sunny. How can this be? It is possible as I am in Peru. Today has been a long anticipated day by the Sisters, Associates, people of El Progreso, Carabayllo and yes by Sisters Gayle Desarmia, Joey Doiron and myself, Sister Sandra. We are here to celebrate with everyone the 50th Anniversary of our Sisters coming to this area of Peru. Our Associates took...
Mission in Peru: Reflecting on the First Year
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Archives has some wonderful descriptions of the Sisters’ first years in Peru. The Annals of the first year of the mission in El Progreso, letters and reflections written by the Sisters at the time provide a glimpse into their lives and ministries. Here are a few excerpts: December 11, 1967 - A walk around the barriada with Father Duncan. A rather depressing experience. Our inability to converse well – very...
Solving a Small Mystery
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST We came across this photograph from St. John’s School, Gananoque in the Archives. It didn’t have a date, or a good explanation of what is going on in the photograph. Based on the clothes and the cars, it might be the 1920s, and the dignitary is clearly a high ranking church official. Let’s look at a few different sources for clues… According to Sr. Mary Faustina in her history of St. John the Evangelist Parish,...
Holy Family Hospital remembers its roots
Attendees of the November 29th event. Photo courtesy of Holy Family Hospital.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In March 2000, the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul transferred sponsorship of Holy Family Hospital in Vancouver, BC to Providence Health Care. Even though the Sisters haven’t been involved with the governance of Holy Family Hospital for 18 years, and the last Sister to live in British Columbia returned to Kingston five...
Commemorating 20 Years of Healing Violence
BY SISTER FRANCES O'BRIEN Sister Frances O’Brien, a member of the Healing Violence Committee, recalls the great works of the committee. For the past 20 years, a standing committee established by the Sisters of Providence has been working hard to raise awareness about violence and its underlying causes, and to move to concrete actions to eradicate violence especially against women and children. In the first 10 years, we held major conferences...
Alphonse (Al) Meloche, Providence Associate
BY SISTER IRENE WILSON Al Meloche was born in Windsor, Ontario. As a young man he worked for Broughton’s Religious Goods Store in Toronto. He became a married deacon and was very committed to this ministry in the Catholic Church. Al eventually moved to Kingston where he became involved in Prison Ministry. He initiated many workshops both for the deacons of this diocese and those involved in prison ministry. Al and his wife, Rollande became...
PeaceQuest at Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony
From left: Beth Pater, Sister Pauline Lally and Murray Thompson. Photo courtesy of Joe Gunn, Citizens for Public JusticeBY SISTER PAULINE LALLY “It is rare for a Canadian to be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Joe Gunn, Executive Director of Citizens for Public Justice and friend of the Sisters of Providence. “It is also rare for women to be the recipient of such an honour.” Along with my fellow PeaceQuester Beth Pater, I joined Joe...
Sacred, Secular, Indigenous Women Gather to Steward Seed Inheritance
An historic moment is marked by deep connection “It was truly a wonderful experience to hear the energy and heart in each of the people present who have the life of the seed and its future held gently in their heart and hands.” These are the words of Sister Jeannette Filthaut to describe her experience of a gathering to mark the passing along of a valuable and rare inheritance. For 19 growing seasons the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de...
Sister Muriel teaching at St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing
Sr. Muriel Gallagher teaching anatomy at St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing, Montreal.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Sr. Muriel taught at Sr. Mary’s School of Nursing from 1955 to 1965. The School was opened in 1925, and the Sisters of Providence ran it from 1943 until it closed in 1972. Stop by the Archives to see our display on the five Nursing Schools run by the Sisters of Providence!
Community Harvest Kingston celebrates farmers markets 150+ years in Ontario
From left: MPP Sophie Kiwala, Sister Gayle Desarmia and Sister Diane Brennen.Sister Diane Brennen spoke at the Community Harvest Kingston’s second Canada 150+ event on August 30, 2017. Sister Gayle and I are pleased to be part of this celebration commemorating Canada’s 150th anniversary, sponsored by Community Harvest Kingston. The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul were founded in 1861, six years before confederation. Right from...
Catherine McKinley’s Letters and Archival Online Outreach
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In the Archives of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul the majority of our early records are handwritten and are not always easy to read. Since the 1980s numerous Sisters and archives staff have transcribed many of these records by deciphering the handwriting and typing out copies of these documents. These transcriptions are an invaluable research tool and an amazing resource. The “Our Story”...
Daylight Savings!
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Daylight Savings Time (DST) was first instituted in Canada on April 14th 1918, but was canceled at the end of WWI by the federal government. Certain municipalities, including Kingston, continued with DST. The Congregation was unsure about changing the clocks and in certain years it seems as if they only followed the new time during the school year. From the Congregational Annals of the Sisters of Providence of...
A September for Remembering
September 24 in Peru: Feast of St. Vincent de Paul in El ProgresoBY SISTER GAYLE DESARMIA 2017 is a special year in the history of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul. Fifty years ago they opened their mission in Peru – in El Progreso, Carabayllo. While the official celebration takes place December 10 in Peru, Sisters and Associates began to commemorate the event in September. The Peruvian Associates have dedicated their whole year...
Transformative liturgy
Sister Miriam Martin, PBVMBY ALBERT DUNN, COORDINATOR OF PASTORAL LITURGY & MARIOLA GOZDEK, LITURGY COORDINATOR ARCHDIOCESE OF KINGSTON Fellow beggars and pilgrims on the journey… This was one of many provocative descriptions of the liturgical experience used by Sister Miriam Martin, during an afternoon of reflection and renewal hosted by the Congregational Liturgy Committee. Approximately 60 Sisters and members of our Sunday assembly...
Fall Gathering: letting go through contemplation
Marie Larkin (right) talking with Sister Gayle Desarmia.BY SISTER SHEILA LANGTON Thirty-nine Sisters of Providence assembled at Providence Spirituality Centre for their annual Fall Gathering from 9:00 a.m., September 21 until 5:00 p.m. on September 23. This was an intense but significant experience in the Sisters’ journey as they continue future planning for the community and coming to completion. As the planning processes have unfolded, there...