CND Forum – Friday, August 30
Sisters Debbie Warner and Eileen Power from Visitation Province began our day gently in music, word and silence. They invited us to breathe and be with God, to root ourselves in love, to find ourselves in a safe space and to know ourselves as one.
Reinforcing some of the points made during the week, Amel Zaazaa revisited the ideas of privilege and discrimination. She explained that these fluid concepts were created by and reinforced within man-made systems of power and domination and are experienced differently, by different people depending on the context. At their core they are not about the challenges and difficulties that I have had in my life, but rather about the things I have not had to struggle against. Privilege creates a blindness that stops a person from seeing the discrimination faced by others, and so we need to decentre ourselves. Our good intentions are not enough. We need to begin to reflect on the inadvertent consequences of our actions and decisions, and move from talking about inclusion, to speaking about expansion.
Amel went on to presented some of the current discourse among feminists, suggesting that lessons learned during the fight for female equality may be useful. She explored the many ways that oppression is defined within the feminist movement. It is important that they not try to incorporate or collapse these different perspectives rather that they must give each other time and space, respecting their diversity while journeying in solidarity with one another. They must see how their fight is shared even though their methods and objectives may be diverse. Likewise, our efforts will be framed by our particular communities and specific issues, but we must hold fast to the understanding that no one is free until everyone is free. No one can be left behind.
Before we broke for lunch, we had time at our tables to reflect upon and talk about where and how we can put these principles into practices within the Congregation.
After lunch, there were two workshops, one for sisters and one for associates, during which we dared together, dreaming about and imagining the new path that this Forum has invited us to walk.
Expressing our shared gratitude various speakers offered words of appreciation for our translators and technical staff, the presenters and facilitators, our guests from the Holy Cross Sisters, Sisters of Providence and the Grey Nuns of Montreal, for the many Committee members, the hotel staff and most especially for Jeanne-Marie Rugira, Sr. Ercilia and the Forum Team, Sr. Ona and the Leadership Team.
And so we ended as we began now in grateful joy and deep humility, gathered with Fr Kevin Kelly around the table of Christ to celebrate the Eucharist. Within the visit of Mary to Elizabeth we recognized the power of God’s promise fulfilled. Giving voice in words and music we proclaimed – Magnificat!
United in one heart and one spirit, we laughed together over a delicious meal as we celebrated new friendships, enjoying the deep connections we have made this week… And joined by a very talented and entertaining musical group from Quebec City, we danced!
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Dear Reader,
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you this extraordinary experience. It has been wonderful to be here, to meet and talk with so many sisters and associates from across the Congregation, to feel the solidarity of their presence, to hear their stories, and to learn from such gifted speakers. In particular, it has been a blessing for me to have been part of the Communications Committee. What a gracious and generous group of women. Thanks Violaine for holding our centre. …. May our journey bring us together again soon.
Ann Gotfryd