While in Toronto, the Congregation Leadership Team visited Notre Dame High School. The students have been offering support to our ministries in Central America and Cameroon for several years by way of communication and financial support. The school and the Congregation Leadership Team were happy to put faces with each others' names. The Congregation Leadership Team made the outreach as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation for all the effort and energy that goes into the fund raising... and a witness to "liberating education". The visit was a great success.
Thanksgiving with the Congregation Leadership Team – Kingston, ON
Thanksgiving weekend was truly a time of deep gratitude for the Sisters of Kingston as we gathered at Providence Mother House with our Congregation Leadership Team. After a heartfelt welcome expressed by Sister Barbara Prior, Sister Ona Bessette invited us to share a pivotal time in our life journey. For some it went back to their original call to the Congregation de Notre-Dame, while for others it involved moments on mission throughout multiple life experiences. It was a very moving experience for us to listen with our hearts as each sister shared with simplicity and depth of how united with God’s journey she arrived where she is today. In the midst of the diversity among us, the common thread of responding to God and Marguerite Bourgeoys’s invitation was woven throughout each story. After refreshments and social time, we spent time in contemplation of a beautiful power point presentation showing God’s journey, Marguerite’s journey and our journey. On Monday morning, the sisters living in apartments received the members of the Leadership Team in their individual places. They returned to Providence Mother House to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings before departing by train for Toronto. We are grateful to our Congregation Leadership Team for their time with us both in the group and as individuals, and we pray for God’s blessing on them as they continue their visitation throughout Visitation Province.
Eleanor Monahan, CND
Visit with Congregation Leadership Team
The Truro, NS associates on October 4th hosted the Congregation Leadership Team: Sisters Agnes (Cape Breton), Ercilia (Central America), Ona (USA), Danielle (Quebec) and Sophie (Cameroon) accompanied by Sister Catherine (Bedford).
Together we all listened and learned about one another as we were invited to share about ourselves. Sister Ona then shared a reflective visual history starting with Jesus, moving to Marguerite Bourgeoys’s journey, and photos of the first convents in areas of the world as the congrgation expanded internationally as well as photos of more recent ministries. This was followed by sharing our reflections, discussion and Q&A’s.
Our visit was a living experience of interculturality and a witness of the Charism of St. Marguerite being lived out today. As a group we felt very blessed and grateful to have Sisters Agnes, Ercilia, Ona, Danielle and Sophie with us enhancing our relationship as associates in the Congregation de Notre-Dame Community.
Alexa Smith, Halifax associate with the group gathered