In light of the recent federal election, let’s take a look at the Sisters of Providence’s history of voting in federal elections. After obtaining suffrage in 1919, the first Canadian federal election in which women could exercise their right to vote was 1921. The congregation was unsure at first whether to let the Sisters exercise their right, and in the early years the Council considered the issue every election.

In 1967 when the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul were opening missions in Guatemala and Peru, Sister Rose-Marie Bokenfohr, a registered nurse, was among the first group of Sisters to volunteer for mission work.

Sister Mary Raphael is noteworthy on several fronts. She was especially well known for her 42 years of service at Providence Hospital in Moose Jaw and was much beloved by the people of Moose Jaw. She is the only Sister of Providence who almost had a lake named after her!

Those of us who live in cities, take for granted that our water is provided by the city and not by a private corporation. This was not always the case in Kingston. According to the Kingston Pumphouse Museum website, the Kingston Water Works was owned by a private corporation from 1849 to 1887 when it was purchased by the City of Kingston.

The week after the 2021 Providence Event, Sister Jeannette interviewed several participants and correlated their responses.

First time participants who were interviewed included Bridget Doherty and Jeremy Milloy from our JPIC Office and Beverly Koski, Providence Associate. Other participants interviewed were Regina Lannon, Providence Associate and Sister Gayle Desarmia from the Leadership Team.

A good thing – no, a very good thing - happened 40 years ago and we Sisters of Providence and Associates from two nations and thirteen different Providence congregations honoured “that very good thing” on the 3rd Saturday of February, 2021. The beginning of the Women of Providence in Collaboration. And the pandemic didn’t stop us. Thanks to amazing technology and its technicians we did it virtually.

In January of 2020 an Infection, Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) was established to plan for the case of outbreaks, especially of the seasonal flu, at Providence Motherhouse. The role of the IPCT is to identify and reduce the risks of infections and restrict the exposure to the Sisters and staff.