News from Visitation Province
Associates from the West met in Innisfail, Kelowna and Cranbrook . . .
Innisfail, AB
On May 9th, Sister Maggie Beaudette, a visiting speaker from Hay River, NWT, shared her evening with the Innisfail Sisters, Associates and the Parish Priest at Our Lady of Peace church hall in Innisfail, Alberta.
A Mass at the church with celebrant Father Curtis Berube, a catered dinner and a faith – filled presentation by Sister Maggie followed. The topic was Living Compassionately, based on the book Boundless Compassion by Joyce Rupp. Sister Maggie attended a Boundless Compassion Retreat facilitated by Joyce Rupp and was later trained as a facilitator of compassion retreats. She led the gathering through prayer, reflection, and meaningful dialogue. She explored Compassion in our daily lives and experiences, compassion that creates understanding, happiness, optimism and a positive outcome for all.
Thank you, Sister Maggie.
Dolores MacGillivray, Associate
Cranbrook, BC
It seems that COVID will forever be a maker in our time! In the time pre-COVID, the Cranbrook Associates had invited Sister Maggie Beaudette, a Sister of St. Joseph in Canada, to come to Cranbrook to offer a retreat on the subject of Compassion. Sister Maggie, trained by Sr. Joyce Rupp to facilitate this work, was delighted to be invited and the local Associates were looking forward to this
opportunity to learn and reflect on the subject of Compassion – a hallmark of CND spirituality.
Some 3 years later, post-COVID, this opportunity became a reality. After a short stop in Innisfail to share an evening with the Alberta Associates, Sister Maggie arrived in Cranbrook to offer a wonderful time of learning, sharing and reflection on Compassion. We started our time together with a lovely lunch organized by Teresa and Terry, two of our Associates. As Sister Maggie said, our 3- hour session was just a taste of the subject of Compassion. Using Sister Joyce Rupp’s book Boundless Compassion as a resource, we learned about compassion as a way of life, the seeds of compassion, and reflected on Jesus as our model of compassion.
Our time together was short but valuable and we went away, committing not only to learn more about this core way of being, but most importantly, to practice compassion as a way of life.
Gerri Fletcher, Associate
Seton House, Kelowna, BC
After so many years of not being able to meet in person, it was wonderful to get together in person, and with those who joined us on Zoom. We had Associates and Sisters on Zoom from Montreal, Toronto, Innisfail, and Kamloops. Ruva Gwekwerere, Visitation Province Coordinator for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, gave us such a wonderful Zoom session we invited her back for the whole weekend next year. Maureen, with help from the West Kootenay’s gang, provided us with wonderful meals. It was a weekend to remember.
Teresa McKerral, Associate Coordinator
A Visitation weekend in Montreal
“Friendship across the years kindness across the gentle moment nature spans the flowers that bloom from the heart the parks of chosen families that grow into the ages love and gentleness that knows what has been, into what will be because there is care and hope in all things with us.” (Ixc Wylde)
Clara, Lorraine and Nina went in haste and joy last weekend to take in the sights, sounds, tastes and surprises of Old Montreal. On our way, a young gentleman greeted us, with an old typewriter in hand he offered to create a poem for us on the spot…for a donation! He contemplated us for a moment and gifted us with the inspiration above. We want to share his spontaneous creativity with you. The weekend hospitality of the community of de Sève was outstanding and an Oratorio for Marguerite at Bonsecours still echoes
in our hearts. All this and more, we returned home transformed by an enriching visitation. Sisters Lorraine, Nina and Clara
Exhibit at Bon-Secours: On May 24th, Feast of Notre-Dame-de- Bon-Secours, a new temporary exhibition opened at the Site Historique Marguerite Bourgeoys: “L’Arche de Noé selon Claude Lafortune.” The much loved “Paper Artist” has portrayed with imagination and tenderness Noah’s family and their relationship to the animals saved with them on the Ark. Not just Noah but the members of the family and each animal has a distinct personality. This opening coincided exactly with the 25th anniversary of the re- opening of the chapel after its restoration and the opening of the
Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum with its access to the archaeological site revealing the foundation of the first chapel. The theme of the new exhibition, so fitting as we celebrate the month of “Laudato Si’” and our own calling to help save our planet, shows that the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum keeps in touch with the issues of our time.
Patricia Simpson, CND