News from Visitation Province
Tuesday, May 10th CND Associate Donna and Novice Christa met up with Sister Joan Lewis to leave for their two-week visitation to the Humanitarian Aid Center in Agua Prieta, Mexico. We pray for safe travels in your ministry experience.
Eleanor McCloskey, CND
Free Food . . .
Last autumn a group of Dawson College students created, built and installed a small free food pantry at the Atwater entry to our Mother House. Their object was to provide an exchange site where those in need could pick up “free food,” no questions asked, placed there by others able to contribute it. In the months since then the pantry has been used daily by both contributors and recipients. Besides the individuals helping fill the pantry some help has come from companies, especially two small bakeries from which students pick-up unsold breads at the end of the day several times a week. The food placed in the pantry disappears very quickly, some to be taken home to help in preparing meals, some to be consumed almost on the spot. The fine quality of the bread from the bakeries was demonstrated for us by the squirrels who found it first and thought they too could benefit from “free food.” Their enthusiasm has resulted in several modifications to the pantry: first an extra hook over the doors then a bolt. Given the intrepidity and determination of Montreal squirrels and their enthusiasm in responding to a challenge, we wait to see how long it will take them to manage the bolt!
On May 9th a special reception was held at Dawson College to honour students and faculty who are making special contributions to the well-being of society, among them the creators of the Dawson Food Pantry and the Mother House Community for giving the pantry a home on our grounds. The other students honoured that evening were the launchers of the IndigeSTEM peer tutoring project as a way to encourage and support other Indigenous students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Those of you whose memories go back far enough might be interested to know that the Reception Hall in which we enjoyed champagne and finger food at this event was once our novitiate.
Pat Simpson, CND
JPIC (Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation) Atlantic Meeting
On Wednesday, May 4, Sabrina Di Matteo, CRC, called a meeting of JPIC Atlantic members to share plans for a Fall Conference. There will be a JPIC Atlantic Conference, October 3-5, at Villa Madonna, Saint John, NB. This will be an in-person event;
virtual attendance will be arranged if that becomes necessary. Areas of interest mentioned included Basic Income, Immigrants, Migrant Workers, Racism, Climate Change, Truth and Reconciliation, Housing, and Food Production. One suggestion was a market place agenda offering information on several topics; some members expressed preference for one topic. Collaboration among groups and persons in the entire region was a mentioned priority. We will have further information from the organizing committee. We may invite interested Associates, if we wish to do so.
Eleanor McCloskey, for JPIC
Movie: Peace by Chocolate opened in theatres last week. This story is well known to many. It tells of a Syrian refugee family, the Hadhads, who set-up a very successful business in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. A book was published in 2020. Their chocolate has been selling in Canada and other countries. As of October 2021, all the family members of Peace by Chocolate are now officially and proudly sworn in as Canadian citizens. The movie, filmed mostly in Montreal, does have some local scenes and shows well the Atlantic flavour of hospitality, welcome, and generous support in being with these newcomers who lost everything and are trying to start over. Peace by Chocolate, the company, is now leading a campaign to support Ukraine.
Eleanor McCloskey, CND
ARCAN 20th Anniversary Celebratory Mass: A celebration of the Eucharist… the first of several events for the Atlantic Religious Congregations Associate Network (ARCAN) took place on May 9th, 2022. Father Francis Allan Jay of St. Mary’s Holy Family Parish of Kensington, PEI was the celebrant. Sister Debbie Peters, CSM, PEI did the welcome & introduction, and the lector was Yvonne Poirier, PEI Martha Associate. Dorena Hall, CND Associate, read the Prayers of the Faithful, and Donna Burke was music leader. This mass was live-streamed on Facebook and Sisters and Associates from various congregations were physically present at this service. Over 1100 Sisters and Associates in Atlantic Canada are connected to ARCAN and will be celebrating this year’s milestone with various events taking place. Details will be shared in the near future. The link to view this recorded mass is https://www.facebook.com/1840661703/videos/407403054565961/.
Dianne MacAskill and Theresa MacNeil, Coordinators Visitation Province East