As Christmas draws near I hear a plea
"BRING CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS."
Plaques read: "JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON"
What is my reaction to these messages?
Where do I find Jesus, Mary, Joseph?
How do I bring them back into my everyday life
and that of others?
Sister Maureen Baldwin and Sister Karen Kelly, members of our new Visitation Province Leadership Team, have been appointed liaisons to the Provincial Council for the Associate Co-coordinators.
Maureen, who made profession in 1988, hails originally from Sydney, Cape Breton. Maureen began her teaching career in Fredericton, NB, before moving to Toronto, ON, to become a professor of pastoral theology at Regis College, the Jesuit graduate school at the University of Toronto. Maureen has also been very active in congregational and diocesan committees while working with the homeless and marginalized. Maureen remains in Toronto while she embarks on her new role on the leadership team.
On December 6, Norma Gallant, CND, together with Tammy Fox and Maureen Wiley, Associates, participated in the Vigil held to commemorate the massacre of 1989. Our annual participation seems to take on a deeper sense and urgency each year. Perhaps it has something to do with our role at the Vigil, which is to very slowly and respectfully announce each of the names of the young women. Perhaps they and their story are becoming more and more deeply known to us. Many people spoke briefly, but one person, the Constable, spoke eloquently from the perspective of his profession, and also shared very deeply from his own painful experience of an abusive situation in his own family. He, however, even in the light of that pain and while still acknowledging that the many forms of abuse still abound all around us, feels that optimism and hope from past years have now brought him in this day and age to a place of faith that we as a people are moving forward in another direction. He gave many examples of advances, while citing the many voices that are daily now raised in support of issues, ie, “me too,” obvious racial and gender discrimination, etc. His sharing was most inspirational.