News from Visitation Province!
KINGSTON UPDATE
In 2012 our CND sisters in Kingston moved to Providence Motherhouse and other residences. The Wright Crescent property was purchased by the City of Kingston from the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame specifically for the development of more affordable housing. At last, 8 years later, an affordable housing project has finally begun! The construction of a new 40-unit apartment building that will host rent-geared-to-income, affordable, and market units began May 25, 2020 and will be complete by Fall 2021. This is welcome news to Congrégation de Notre-Dame Sisters here in Kingston and an answer to prayer.
Marijke Gerretsen, CND
WHAT SHALL WE GROW?
Planting season is here for some of us, and still coming for others. Many of us had plans for “planting” more birthday celebrations for Saint Marguerite in these months of 2020. So, are we planting anyway? Maybe this will be in a virtual garden, not in a real one. What do we wish to plant in the “little square” in the large garden? Marguerite spoke of plants and flowers, “different in color, in savour and in fragrance.”
Daisies symbolize innocence and purity, and a new start. Dandelions are members of the daisy family. Botanists call dandelions herbs; they are full of antioxidants. People use the leaves, stems, flower and root for medicinal purposes. Ferns stand for sincerity. Daffodils are said to symbolize new birth, a new beginning. They are thought to bring healing powers. Tulips are a sign of confidence: white tulips indicate forgiveness, yellow tulips stand for cheerfulness, and red tulips are for remembrance and celebration. Heather speaks of admiration. Gladiolus gives a message of strength and integrity. Sunflowers are all about happiness. They may be one of the first crops to be grown in North America; the seeds were used to make flour for bread.
What’s growing in our beautiful virtual gardens in 2020?
The Wellness and Health Resource Team
CANADIAN ENVIRONMENT WEEK 2020
Friday, June 5th was UN World Environment Day, the beginning of Canadian Environment Week. The week included a number of environmental events like Clean Air Day and World Oceans Day (June 8th). Rivers and Oceans Week is June 8 – 14. This week celebrates Canada’s environmental accomplishments and urges us to continue our efforts to preserve and protect nature and biodiversity.
We all breathe the same air. We all love our Canadian water sources, for leisure, for beauty, for industry and for their call to admire and value nature. What do we know about the state of the world’s oceans, rivers, watersheds? What protections are there to maintain healthy water systems? How can we contribute to the health of our environment?
For World Ocean Day, Sister Sue Kidd took her daily reflective walk on the beach and made a short video of how her home is closely connected to the ocean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwaL4oj59xI&feature=youtu.be
Monica Lambton, JPIC Office
Activity for this week
Spend some time with the ocean – in person, through a picture or video or sound recording – and consider how we are dependent on healthy oceans for the air we breathe, climate regulation, food, transportation, recreation, medicine and other goods and services. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why-care-about-ocean.html
JPIC Core Committee
MARCH FOR BREAD AND ROSES
Denise Brunelle, CND, reminded us of the 25th anniversary of the first "March for Bread and Roses," organized by the Fédération des Femmes du Québec in 1995, to call attention to the need to end the poverty and violence experienced by their women. The world-wide marches for Bread and Roses were organized to remember the 1912 Lawrence, Massachusetts strike involving 20,000 textile workers marching through various areas of Massachusetts demanding better economic conditions (BREAD) and better quality of life (ROSES). This history, in turn, inspired the 2000 World – Wide March for Women. These marches continue today with the rallying cry /song composed at that time:
"As we come marching, marching, we battle for men too…. Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread but give us roses!"
http://unionsong.com/u159.html
I was inspired to look back on all this after reading Sister Denise's message.
Anne T. Gillis CND
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT ANDREWS OF CHARLOTTETOWN
On June 10 our community at Andrews celebrated Sr. Sally’s 99th birthday with a beautiful cake and sweets prepared by the kitchen staff. Her sister Madelyn, also a resident here and our staff also joined us in wishing her a very Happy Birthday.
Mary Gillis, CND with Sisters at Andrews