News from Visitation Province
Joseph Street. On December 12, 2022, the annual Christmas bags were delivered to Joseph Street residents, part of Home Based Housing Kingston. Thank you to sisters and associates for their wonderful contributions and Barb and Eileen for shopping.
Mary Myers, Associate
The Canadian CND Vocation Committee met on Saturday, December 10, using our friend Zoom. We have been busy! The Archdiocese of Toronto Office of Catholic Youth hosted Renew Toronto, a young adult Catholic conference. Six Sisters were present at the Congregation de Notre-Dame booth. Another Sister participated in the NRVC gathering for vocation animators and directors around the theme “Called Beyond Borders.” UPEI and the Diocese of Charlottetown Youth Office offered a WYD 2022 event at UPEI and 3 Sisters attended. The Archdiocese of Montreal had a whole week of events leading up to this year’s WYD/JMJ on November 20. The Sisters at the Motherhouse opened their door for Café Marguerite twice during the week.
Susan Kidd, with the Canadian CND Vocation Committee
For food bank gifting: some shared thoughts from dependents on food banks:
Packages of pasta, mac and cheese, and such, often require milk and butter to prepare.
Cereals need milk. Powdered milk is very welcome.
Instant puddings require milk,
Tea and coffee are very welcome. Instant coffee especially sought.
Packaged (powdered) potatoes are nourishing and easy to prepare. (Need a little milk as well as water).
Ketchup, mustard, and common spices are welcome additions. Salt/pepper.
Packages of soup, broth, etc. needing only water.
Pet food is a need for many.
Socks and mitts are necessities. Not dress socks; acrylics and synthetics are not warm. Wool and cotton materials are better.
Toys that require batteries need batteries supplied.
Eleanor McCloskey, CND
Water is a human right. There are corporations wanting to privatize this precious resource and sell it back to us for profit. Often our elected representatives are willing to hand out permits to let them. It helps to know the Council of Canadians invites concerned citizens to contribute to a fund called Give the Gift of Water Justice. This fund supports regional gatherings of Blue Communities, uniting local activists in defending the human right to water. The fund also promotes boycotting bottled water (except in necessity) and it provides materials for schools to educate young people about water.
Teresa McKerral for JPIC Committee
Visitation JPIC Committee. The JPIC Committee met via ZOOM Tuesday, December 13. We had as our guest, Sister Pat Flattery, from Blessed Sacrament Province. Since September 2019, Sister Pat is our Congregation de Notre-Dame representative at the United Nations. With lively enthusiasm, she shared her involvement with religious communities, various committees and learning opportunities. She encouraged our Province JPIC Committee to continue providing resources and opportunities for conversation and action. Working with and through Justice Committees of each Province is the best way.
We reviewed our planned activities of recent months: Blue Communities webinar (October), Listening to Indigenous Voices (current and ongoing), Laudato Sí, Biodiversity Conference COP15 (current in Montreal), ORCIE (Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (20 religious congregations collaborating to influence policy on social and economic justice, ecological justice and human rights.) We discussed the urgency of reducing what we call carbon footprint: that is, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with activities, personal or group.
Eleanor McCloskey, CND for JPIC Committee
Social Outreach Ministries
At Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Toronto. As we prepare a place for Jesus to come into our hearts so that we can go out and carry the God-child to others, the Saint Vincent de Paul Conference of Our Lady of Lourdes did just that on December 10th by bringing joy to children in our neighbourhood by distributing gifts. Thank you to the volunteers for their time and a special thank you to Sr. Frances Cresswell and her team who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make this day a great success. (Flock notes from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish)
Jo Badali, CND
What is STIR? Since June 2020, Sister Sheila Sullivan, Arleen D’Souza, (a young woman that I met at a young adult gathering) and I have been zoom-hosting a monthly prayer gathering for young adults. It all began in a simple conversation with Arleen about the needs of young adults. She asked, “Why not invite young adults to pray?” And so, STIR was launched. It was and continues to be advertised on Facebook and Eventbrite.
With regard to the title, STIR, Arleen spoke of a homily that she had once heard. The priest said that the Holy Spirit comes into our lives in much the same way as cream acts when stirred into coffee. It permeates all the coffee. Without stirring, the richness of the drink settles to the bottom. At STIR, through prayer in the form of Lectio Divina, we invite the Holy Spirit to stir in us (“like a well-blended beverage,” says Arleen).
STIR is a platform where we invite the Holy Spirit to move in us as we break open the Word of God in Scripture. Mostly, we are enriched with the humble presence of Christ within us. We grow through the sharing of those of us who are gathered. The process is simple, but the presence of the Holy Spirit is rich and deep.
Our next meeting will take place on Thursday, December 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. Please extend an invitation to any young adult whom you consider may be interested.
Jo Badali, CND
‘Toronto & Beyond’ Finally Gathered in person on Dec. 11, 2022 In joy and gratitude, one sister and eight associates gathered face to face for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
We enjoyed the hospitality offered by Fr. Wilson Andrade, C.S.C. at Saint Raphael’s Parish in Burlington Ontario. Others who were not able to be present, including our two Coordinators Jacquie and Mary, had the opportunity to Zoom in. It was our first attempt at offering a hybrid meeting, and we had great success.
We followed the discernment process, provided by Visitation Province, sharing the orientation calls to which we personally felt drawn, and then identified some common threads.
Together, we will focus on deepening a contemplative spirit as we continue to educate ourselves about social justice and the environment, always seeking concrete ways to actively respond to the cries of the poor and marginalized. This commitment will frame the spring plans in Toronto and Beyond.
Before closing the meeting and saying goodbye to Zoom participants, we offered the following prayer:
As we prepare to welcome the God of our Promise
…let us throw off everything that belongs to darkness and equip ourselves for the light…. Romans 13:12 Through our personal and community commitments,
may we become beacons of Hope,
For our Hope rests in God, and it is this hope
that we offer as our gift to the world this Christmas …
Submitted by Ann Gotfryd
Movie Recommendation
Armageddon Time is a coming-of-age drama of loyalty, friendship and family expectations based on the Director's childhood memories. It's set in Queen's NYC in the 80s and follows the friendship of a young Jewish-American boy and his African-American 6th grade classmate. The privilege gap between students attending public and private schools is illustrated. Racial inequality, prejudice and the ups and downs within a multi- generational Jewish family are fleshed out. Good acting featuring
Anthony Hopkins playing the Jewish maternal grandfather whom the young boy is very close to.
Kathy Kelly, Associate