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West Kootenay Associates celebrate Marguerite Bourgeoys
One big highlight in the life of West Kootenay Associates is our annual celebration of Marguerite Bourgeoys on her Feast Day. When we gather on her feast, you can sense the elevated feelings of joy among us, especially as we enter prayer and song, and then afterwards a delicious pot luck meal. This year, with the restrictions, it was different, and there were a few twists but still how wonderful that Zoom permitted us to be together, we could see one another and speak to each other and it was with great joy that we shared a beautiful prayer service we found on the cnd-m.org website (created for Feast Day 2019).
We, Members of the Leadership Team of the Sisters of the Congregation de Notre Dame of Blessed Sacrament Province invite all in our Circles of Ministry and Friendship: our Sisters, Associates, and Collaborators in Mission to a renewed call of our Congregation’s 17th Century Founder, Marguerite Bourgeoys.
“… the sisters have been on my mind these last few months - I hope this finds you safe and well. What a year this has been! I wanted to share some wonderful news: the original cast album of Marguerite (featuring every word, lyric, and note of music!) will be released digitally. The cast album will soon be made available to stream on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify - and then physically released - on CD - in January 2021 by Broadway Records. …. Thank you so much again for your support, prayers, and championing of this project. It has been so many years in the making! We are looking forward to sharing Marguerite’s story with audiences again - once we are allowed to safely gather and sing! I’m just thrilled with this recording and hope you and the sisters will enjoy listening to Cady’s breathtaking performance. Always, Michael Cooper
Living with COVID-19 at deSève Residence
Towards the end of March 2020, we at deSève Residence, the seven of us then, realized that confinement would be our lot for some time. We also came to see that this could be for us a God-send, in that we would have extra time for reading, prayer and reflection. God had a plan; we would try to make it our own.
It was a “St. Marguerite Visitation Spirituality” at its best. A pre-arranged meeting was held on Dec. 28, 2020 at MacGillivray Health Care Centre with Sisters Catherine MacPhee (age 105) and Sister Mary Cecilia MacDonald (age 98). These Sisters were in excellent health and spirit. Thank you to the staff for the wonderful care of our CND Sisters.
January Article for The RI Catholic by Sr. Patricia McCarthy, CND
It’s easy to hate. Truth can be ignored, facts dismissed, decency overlooked. Of course, the consequences of hate are not easy. It leads to total isolation, endless hurt to others. Life becomes a hell where no one is trusted beyond his or her own self-interests; people become commodities to be used or discarded at will. Everything and everyone has a price. Hatred unleashed takes on a life of its own. It changes our lives and the lives of those around us.
On the other side is love – a very different and far more difficult life choice. Snap judgements and easy answers no longer fit where love is concerned. Truth must be searched for and wrestled with every single day. Other people are valued only for who they are in the eyes of God, not for how much we need them or can use them. Love unleashed also takes on a life of its own. It changes us and all our relationships and choices.
“Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope…It is the beautiful task of advent to awaken in all of us the memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.”
- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which is Above, 1986
Last Sunday we celebrated Mary Meagher and Monica Branchaud’s Birthdays in grand style! This time the “invited guests” were the sisters from Marian 1 and 2. It was wonderful being together sharing stories. Mary recalled with much delight some of her childhood memories on the farm. Monica was happy to be there with everyone. It was one of her first celebrations in Kingston. We kept our distance as we chatted and enjoyed some cheer and cake. When it came time for the photo, we momentarily got a little closer and took off our masks! Yet, in spite of these restrictions, as always “a good time was had by all”!
Marijke Gerretsen, CND
Diamond Jubilee celebrations
This year on November 21 the Silver and Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Sister Atsuko Nakamoto (25 years) and Sisters Kayoko Shibata, Yoko Sato were held at Hanazono cho convent. Mass was celebrated by Bishop Tetsuo Hiraga and Father Charles Bolduc. Congratulations!
The Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame confirm that 64 sisters and 28 employees at Résidence Bon-Secours have tested positive for COVID-19. Located in Montreal, Résidence Bon-Secours is an infirmary for older sisters or those with a more fragile health. All necessary health protocols were implemented to treat the sick and best protect the residents and staff members.
We are fully confident in the ability of the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, members of the Résidence Bon-Secours crisis centre, regular staff working overtime and members of the Red Cross. May all these individuals be kindly thanked for their dedication. Our prayers are with them.
We sent approximately 70 greeting cards to members of the Tsukuba church. They expressed their pleasure at receiving the cards while they were isolated at home.
We posted an English children’s picture book on YouTube. https://youtu.be/b2IfznZituA
The title is Granma, Granma I am dying to see you! It is the story of a little girl who wishes to visit her grandmother at a nursing home during the pandemic. Her mother explains to her that it is not safe to do so at this time and provides her with an explanation of what a virus is and how it spreads. This story was created to help children understand why they needed to stay home when Japan was in lockdown.
Faithful to the grace of our contemplative stance, we choose to live
with deeper understanding and intentionality, responding in hope
to the cry of the periphery in our daily lives.
These words have been our constant companion for the past five years, words which reflect the same message spoken repeatedly in our Advent liturgies reminding us to value “the moment” by being alert, being fully awake to, being conscious of, the power of a moment and our response to it.
COVID or no COVID the Sisters at Providence Motherhouse Kingston don't miss an opportunity to celebrate. Because of restrictions only a small group from Assisted Living joined to celebrate Sr. Maureen Killoran's birthday. As we chatted memories were recalled, updates were shared, laughter and joy were evident. Of course, birthday rituals were observed--the birthday song, gift giving followed by birthday cake, ice cream and beverages. Though we missed the presence of Sisters from the Infirmary they will have their own gathering soon and we will be the "uninvited guests."
It was five years ago, on December 12, 2015, that Canada signed the Paris Agreement on climate change. That year, the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame had written to the Prime Minister. This is what they had to say then; five years later we continue the fight against climate change, and keep urging all government levels to do the same!
CLIMATE CHANGE – Taking a Stand
We are members of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal, a congregation of over 900 women religious committed to education and present on four continents. Approximately the same number of associates also share our mission. Our presence in certain more vulnerable regions of the world, namely Africa and Central America, make us acutely aware of current global risks. The plight of women is one of our biggest concerns.
Isaiah 61:1-2A, 10-11; Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1) Only the spirit of God can help us to teach and to be teachable in this time of global unrest due to COVID-19, chronic illnesses, climate change, natural disasters, racism, injustice, boko harram, ambazonians... Without God’s spirit, our teaching cannot bring life to the wounded world. Without humility we cannot be teachable. To be baptized is a blessing. God’s spirit is not out of me but in me. What a great love to mankind.
Yes, Lord, time passes by
the time, no, but we pass.
Thus, it is with this song
formerly sung so many times
by my parents
and by all my siblings
that I want to pray to you.
But as you see, Lord,
already, I am changing the words
and apologize to the composer.
A while back,
everyone addressed you in formal terms.
But, I will be informal.
This makes me feel closer to you.
Visitation Province Centre visitor on Monday, November 30th
We were all happy to welcome a ‘new face’ at the Province Centre on Monday. Sr. Connie MacIsaac dropped in with treats --- dressed in her native Cape Breton tartan to wish us all a Happy St. Andrew’s Day. Thanks for your visit Connie … and the delicious cookies!
Mona Bradley
Are most of you familiar with the phrase “time flies”? there really are 60 beats to every minute and 60 minutes to very hour but have you ever been amazed at just how fast one hour goes by? This doesn’t wane either as time passes, as my minutes and hours accumulate, I find immediately the word “prepare” comes to mind. I am called to prepare. There was one who came before us a time when a diet of locusts and wild honey would be at the top of the menu and be socially acceptable; however, it’s a new day, eh? There had to have been something very powerful in his diet because of all John the Baptist was able to do as he “prepared the way of the Lord”!!!
St Theresa’s/Holy Angels Sydney Associate Group Meeting
Saint Theresa’s and Holy Angels Associates met at Dianne’s home on Nov. 22. Together we read the opening prayer Internationality-Interculturality followed by the 400 Anniversary song “Let us Hurry on the Way”. The agenda discussed the responses for the General and Provincial Chapter which are to be completed in December 2020. Sister Theresa Sampson, Patrick and Laurett closed the meeting with the novena to Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys. Covid regulations were followed.