News from Visitation Province
Parkland Cape Breton Feast or Famine!
The end of October and early November found the sisters moving from one activity to another.
We celebrated three October birthdays! Sisters Elaine Hawrylak, Anne Marie MacKenzie and Dolores Kennedy.
Everyone then was ready for some reflective time with Sr. Evelyn Williams. Evelyn gave us four wonderful reflections with handouts that focused on celebrating our deepening journey with God. We all enjoyed our own Halloween party at the end of the reflective days.
On November 2nd the sisters along with many of the residents at Parkland remembered their loved ones with a mass celebrated by Fr. Damian MacPherson, SA.
The sisters in Sydney had an appreciation luncheon for our associates on November 4th. We gathered at Illahee on a beautiful Autumn Day, enjoyed wonderful conversation and fun followed by a delicious meal catered by Weldon and Paula Bishop.
The following Monday, we welcomed Sr. Karen Kelly who spent the week visiting with sisters in the Sydney area.
What’s Next? Santa of course! Connie MacIsaac, CND
JPIC Core Committee Meeting
The Committee met on ZOOM Monday, November 13 with all members present.
Ruva brought us up to date on her various connections, involvements and visits in the Fall, and Sister Karen shared information from meeting with ORCIE (Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology).
Ruva spoke to us of the urgency of the upcoming COP 28; she offered us short videos about leadership as well as pertinent quotes from Laudate Deum for our discussion. We will circulate a common prayer during the COP 28 session.
Our efforts towards acknowledging ourselves a Blue Community continue. We will invite a renewed personal search into specific watersheds that supply the water where we live in order to revive and complete our project of making a water map.
Ruva’s visits to Sisters and Associates will resume when winter weather is no longer a concern for travel. Eleanor McCloskey, for the JPIC Committee:
Ruva Gwekwerere, Coordinator, Sisters Maura McGrath, Anne T. Gillis, Shelley Grant, Karen Kelly, Liaison, and Associates Carol Douglas, Teresa McKerral, Heather Rousselle.
Remembering Our Commitment to Water
Did you know that despite improvements in household water conservation over the past decade, Canada is still one of the largest per capita users of freshwater in the world. This week make an effort to watch for water waste. For example, you can use leftover drinking water to water plants rather than pouring it down the drain.
Ruva Gwekwerere, JPIC Coordinator
Mystery Book Recommendation
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is the first of this 4-book series. It involves 4 residents of a retirement residence in England who begin solving murders collaborating at times with two police officers and other contacts. Apart from being good mysteries Richard writes with a depth of understanding and empathy of each of the four’s joys, challenges and sorrows. Each book develops this so recommendation is to read them in order.
Kathy Kelly, Associate