News from Visitation Province (Canada)
Belated Celebration
After a winter storm, caused Kamloops CND Associates’ gathering to be postponed in January, our group gathered February 3rd for our belated celebration of St. Marguerite’s Feast Day. It is always so wonderful to greet each other with great hugs and smiles, and catch up on each other’s news.
It was exciting to hear of the appointment of our very own, Teresa McKerral, as the Associate Coordinator for Visitation Province, West/North. We are so proud of her and know she will add a spark to Associates efforts to live in the spirit of St. Marguerite.
We began our gathering in prayerful reflection honouring the Feast Day of St. Marguerite and remembering her 400th anniversary and sharing how the words and songs inspired us. A bowl of water was added to our “inspiration table” and a prayer was included keeping us in focus with Visitations Blue Community Project. After this we all stood and recited our renewal commitment as associates. One by one we signed our names on the list affirming our Associate Relationship.
After all the business was completed, we shared a simple lunch, with homemade soups, similar to what Marguerite and the sisters would have eaten complete with bread pudding for dessert! All too soon it was time for us to go on our way. We are thankful for the Charism of Marguerite Bourgeoys that runs through each of us, and will carry the treasure of friendship until we meet again next month.
Diane Nadeau, associate
In response to the humanitarian refugee crisis at the border between Texas and Mexico, a team of volunteers (Sisters of the Congregation de Notre-Dame, friends and family members) will travel to the border on Friday, February 14th. Sisters Joan Lewis, Donna Kelly, and Libby Osgood, along with Charlottetown resident Cheryl Edmunds will spend time at McAllen, Texas respite center run by Catholic Charities of Brownsville and Sister Norma Pimentel. They will be joined by Sisters Peggy Doyle and Maco Cassetta, North Carolina residents Amy and Gil Nicolson, and Texas residents Maribeth and Lindsey Osgood.
Because the needs at the border are ever-evolving and have changed dramatically since the El Paso trip that sisters and associates made last January, we ask for your prayers as the team enters this liminal space in a new location.
• Pray that we can meet the needs of the people before us, most of whom are living in pop-up tents on the Mexican side of the border, waiting for their asylum hearing.
• Pray for the safety of our team as we travel to the border, and perhaps even as we travel back and forth across the border each day.
• And finally, pray for the people that we will serve, and for the necessary systemic change to allow those people seeking refuge to find a safe, forever home.
You can stay up to date with us through my blog: http://literallylibby.blogspot.com
Libby Osgood, CND
From the JPIC office
#WeHearYou – Campaign About Climate Justice and a Message to Youth from Religious Communities in Canada
In the fall of 2019, the JPIC Atlantic network of the CRC decided upon a common action: to express a message of gratitude and encouragement to Canadian youth for their leadership and action in response to the climate emergency. Sensing despair and grief and frustration on their part in what they see as inaction on this critical issue, we have launched a social media campaign in English and French. Following #WeHearYou and #DeboutAvecVous (we stand with you) various communities of Catholic religious sisters we will be sending out photos of the actions that we have been and are involved in doing for caring for creation – everything from community gardens, to marching in the streets and gathering together for prayer and learning. We hope that this will help assure the young people in the movement that they are not alone and that we have been, and always will be, helping them carry the mission of the Great Work. You are invited to join us! https://www.crc-canada.org/en/wehearyou/
Monica Lambton, JPIC Coordinator
Movie Recommendation
Official Secrets is a well-acted docudrama about the real life story of Katharine Gun who leaked a top secret document during her work as a spy for the British Intelligence Agency. It was a memo from the US Intelligence Agency seeking negative information about the UN Security Council members to try and force them to support the UK and US decision to go to war in Iraq during the Blair and Bush administrations. She stood by her decision publicly with the assistance of human rights lawyers in spite of the great personal sacrifices involved. It provides insight into the complex relations among intelligence agencies, political agendas, the media, justice systems, reasons for war and the ethical dilemmas whistleblowers encounter.
Kathy Kelly, Associate