Marble statue of Mary wasn’t always there
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Have you ever noticed the beautiful white marble statue of Mary above the entrance to the Motherhouse? It wasn’t always there. A niche for a sculpture was built when the entrance was constructed in 1932; however, the niche sat empty for 20 years until, according to the congregational annals, “a beautiful new marble statue of our Blessed Lady was erected”…on June 25, 1953. The statue is still there 64 years...
Facilitation ventures that feed the spirit
CWL Parish RetreatBY SISTER JEANNETTE FILTHAUT Facilitation work may entail a great deal of preparation, but the experiences of working with diverse groups on a variety of topics is always a unique adventure that feeds the spirit of both facilitator and groups involved. 2017 began with the Chapter of the Presentation Sisters of Mary in Prince Albert Saskatchewan. February and March involved transitioning and futuring with Soeurs de la Charité...
Gerry Vieveen, Providence Associate
Gerarda "Gerry" Vieveen passed away peacefully on July 4th, 2017 at the age of 75 years. Gerry became a Providence Associate in 1993. She was a committed member of the Brantford Group and a devoted friend of Sister Anna Moran. She was the Associate Contact of the group for many years spending much of her time visiting people from her group and from her parish who were shut-in. Most recently she was living with her brother and sister-in-law in...
Return of heirloom seeds to indigenous communities that originally cultivated them
BY CATE HENDERSON I was recently asked to participate in a working group called the Community Seed Network, which is a collective of seed savers from across North America who are engaged in sharing seeds rather than selling them. All over North America people are getting together at seed libraries, seed swaps (like Seedy Saturday), seed banks and online through virtual initiatives to help each other save heirloom and landrace plant varieties...
Lunch to learn about what a living wage means
Greg deGroot-Maggetti speaks to Sr. Pauline LallySustainable Kingston’s Lunch and Learn hosted Living Wage Kingston on June 14, 2017.Speaking to a capacity crowd, Greg deGroot-Maggetti, Chair of the Ontario Living Wage Network, and Cam Jay, Co-Chair, Living Wage Kingston, explained what a living wage means and how the employer program works in Ontario. Kingston’s living wage rate is $16.58 an hour. With two parents working full-time, that...
Breakthrough for $15 and fairness
As you might have heard, the Ontario government has announced an increase in the minimum wage. JPIC staff have supported this campaign locally for many years. First, when the call was for a $12/hr. minimum wage, then $14/hr. and finally $15 an hour when advocates in the United States and around the world began campaigning for that amount. Read more about the new announcment and updates below: 15andfairness.org May 30, 2017 - Historic...
Exciting new treasure to the Archives
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Archives received an exciting new treasure in April: the first patient register of St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Brockville. The Register documents the patients treated at the hospital from November 28th, 1887 to January 9th, 1893. Why is this document important? St. Vincent de Paul Hospital was the very first hospital that the Sisters of Providence opened and this register documents the first years of...
Baking Bread Together
Baking Bread Together I met him just the other day,As I walked through the wheat-filled fields.His cabin cloistered in the forestSurrounded by lush sycamores. The atmosphere was still, but for a cooing dove.I stopped and focused on his abodeMade of fine olive wood.Each corner held by twisted branches,The roof was expertly thatched. The door and windows firmly held,By long heavy spikes.Nearby an oven chimney with swirls of soft white smoke.From...
Spanish Influenza Epidemic
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Editorial in the Morrisburg Leader from 1918 or 1919 regarding the Spanish Influenza Epidemic: During the past fortnight two Sisters of Charity have been nursing the sick in Morrisburg. Most of our citizens do not know who these Sisters are, or whence they came. We know nothing about them except that they are here, quietly and unassumingly performing a great work of mercy; a task which no one in this vicinity...
Talking Circle reflection
Photo: sideroadsofmuskoka.wordpress.comOjibwe Medicine Wheel. Participants of the Talking Circle all received a tiny brooch made of red, white, black, and yellow beads on a circle of leather illustrating the Four Directions of the Medicine Wheel.BY TARA KAINER I am the granddaughter of settlers. In the 1880s my paternal grandfather arrived from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, settling on land in southeastern Saskatchewan. While he purchased his...
This Lent: Give it up for the Earth
From left, Josef Cihlar, Mike Bossio, Paula Walker, Bruce Walker, Mary Raddon, Don Raddon Bridget DohertyBY BRIDGET DOHERTY The day before this photo was taken with Liberal MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington, Mike Bossio, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to allow construction of Keystone XL oil pipelines which could carry more than 800,000 barrels of Alberta oil a day to refineries in Texas. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...
Encouraged by the passion of seed people
BY ANNIE RICHARD Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Northeast Organic Farmers Association’s first Seed Conference, in Saratoga Springs, New York. I met many new people doing great work in the world of seed, many of them well known and respected for their long-time commitment to seeds. And I had a chance to reconnect with seedy friends whom I had not seen in a while. I attended workshops on practical topics like the economics of seed...
Resting in God at the Motherhouse
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was observed January 18-25, 2017. The Motherhouse Community hosted a celebration of prayer in the style of the Taizé Community on January 24 with invitations extended to St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Crossroads United Church and St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church as well as three neighbouring Catholic Parishes – St. Joseph, Holy Family and St. John.This prayer is the creation of a monastic community in...
A fruitful week facilitating in Prince Albert
BY SISTER JEANNETTE FILTHAUT, SP From January 8 – 13 I was privileged to facilitate the Provincial Chapter of the Presentation Sisters of Mary in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The theme for the General Chapter to be held in Rome Aug. 12 – Sept. 12, 2017 provided us with excellent material for our dialogue process: Gathered by Jesus Christ, Fashioned by the Word of God, Let us move forward in Hope! We began each morning with Eucharist at 7:15...
The Love of Christ Compels Us
A sermon for the week of Christian Unity St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church January 29, 2017 BY SISTER PAULINE LALLY, SP Good Morning. Thank you for your invitation. I am delighted to be with you. As I was walking over his morning I wondered if Jesus came to earth in Kingston some Sunday, where would he worship? With whom? Where would he feel most at home? Would he come to St. Andrew’s? Would he go to St. Mary’s? Would he attend the service at...
Piano recital comes from a good place
Piano students of Sister Rita Gleason (back row, far right) and Genevieve Shih (left)On Saturday, piano students held a concert at St. Joseph's Auxiliary Hospital Auditorium in Edmonton. Sister Rita Gleason reports: It proved to be a very good concert as all the students performed really well. The auditorium was packed with parents and family members as well as some of St. Joseph's residents who were helped down to the concert by generous...
Sharing the Mission Trip
Today members of the three Congregations of Sisters at Providence Motherhouse were treated to an enthusiastic presentation by Holy Cross School students about their mission trip to Jamaica last year. Chaplain Chris Forster introduced the students who had been and are planning to travel together. Many of the Sisters of Providence, Congregation of Notre Dame and Religious Hospitaller of St. Joseph Sisters in attendance worked in the Global...
Memories of my first one hundred years as a Sisters of Providence
Memories of my first one hundred years as a Sisters of Providence Since I am now one hundred years old, and still sturdy and strongYou, my life companions, might like to listen with me to the words of my songAnd discover in them the secret of my weathering times hard and roughAnd of standing now before you still sturdy and tough “Just write it all down” said Sandra to me“Let us all know what real hardship can be”So to work I went, day after day...
Dianne Dutcher, Providence Associate
For 37 and a half years, Dianne Dutcher worked at Providence Manor, the long-term care home founded by the Sisters of Providence in their foundation building in Kingston. For most of that time she was the director of nursing. In her last years there, she became the manager of volunteer services. It was at Providence Manor that she met the Sisters and came to embrace their mission. She became a Providence Associate in 1997. Diane was born June...
Billion or bust! Visit to MPP Sophie Kiwala
MPP Sophie Kiwala (in red) meets with ISARC members, from left Cam Jay, Tara Kainer and Jamie Swift.Updates on basic income campaigns: Toronto Star May 25, 2017 - Basic income hailed as way to give people chance to chase their dreams The Independent May 27, 2017 - Mark Zuckerberg calls for a universal basic income amid rumours of presidential bid by Facebook founder Jamie Swift and Tara Kainer from the JPIC Office of the Sisters of Providence...