published regularly by the communications office of the ... 2008.pdf · published regularly by the...

PROVIDENCE PAGES WINTER 2008 1

PPrroovviiddeennccee PPaaggeessVol. 3 No. 9 WINTER 2008

Published regularly by the Communications Office of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul

Belleville artist, Terri Horricks, created this logo for the Healing Violence Against Women Committee of theSisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul. The logo represents freeing women and men from violence. In1998, the Sisters of Providence committed its members to move to concrete actions to eradicate violence,especially against women, in collaboration with both men and women, in awareness of violence and itsunderlying causes. The Sisters made a ten-year commitment to host a series of biannual conferencesfocused on healing violence against women. They plan to culminate the work done over the past ten yearsby offering a two-day conference on March 4th-5th during International Women’s Week. This meeting willinclude an inspirational address by keynote speaker Sally Armstrong, an Amnesty International award win-ner, a member of the Order of Canada, documentary filmmaker, teacher, author, human rights activist andcontributing editor at Maclean's magazine. The event also features workshops addressing specific areas ofgender violence that outline positive steps being made toward prevention, eradication and healing. It isdesigned to call us all, women and men, out of the shadows of powerlessness and denial into the light andpower of love in action.

2 PROVIDENCE PAGES WINTER 2008

AUnited Nations report estimates that, onaverage world wide, 3 million women andgirls are murdered every year, and at least

113 million women are ‘missing’. This is GENDERCIDE!

A few months ago we were shocked to learn that 15-year-old Aqsa Parvez of Mississauga was killed, herfather charged with murder. Apparently, Ms. Parvezand her father disagreed over whether she shouldwear the traditional Muslim hijab.

In Brazil, and in many other countries, we hear of so-called 'honour' killings. What can possibly be hon-ourable about killing a defenceless woman, especiallya woman whom a man has promised to love and pro-tect for better or for worse? In Canada, domesticmurders are sometimes honour killings by anothername, such as a ‘crime of passion’.

In some parts of the world, females can't own prop-erty. In many parts of the world, we are property. Insome places we can't vote or be voted for. In manyplaces, we can't be seen on the streets alone. In mostplaces we aren't educated. In too many places we aretucked away from sight, clearly wedded to the houserather than the man, kept in silence and domesticservitude.

Women and children are still the muted, uncountedand unseen victims of war. In more places than welike to think, our bodies have become the instrumentsof war. In more places than we are willing to admit,we are yet being beaten regularly in our own homes,sold into sexual slavery and left financially destituteafter widowhood or divorce.

But not in Canada, eh! Canadians who think womenare free from violence here have very poor memoriesor perhaps have skipped over the news reports con-cerning this issue in our daily newspapers. Statistics

Canada reports that more than 60 women, sometimesalong with their children, are killed in Canada eachyear by their partners.

In Ontario, police report that 28 is the yearly averageof women killed by their partners. Let us not forgetthat every year in Canada up to 360,000 children areexposed to domestic violence, resulting in psychological and behavioural problems that canextend into adolescence and adulthood. They live in adomestic war zone.

Yes, it is true that men also are victims of violence,but most serious violence against men is perpetratedby other men, not by women. Of the almost 34,000victims of spousal violence reported in the year 2000,women accounted for 85% of the victims. TheDomestic Violence Death Review Committee report-ed in 2004 that women were the main victims in allcases and 91% of the perpetrators were men.

Kingston has its own share of victims of relationshipviolence. This past November in Memorial Hall, twomale police officers facilitated a day entitledRelationship Terrorism to a packed audience.

What does all this mean? I think it means that thesolution to this problem must involve more men.Most men do treat women as equals, and more menare getting involved in confronting other men whodo not. Still, we have a world-wide war againstwomen that is largely being ignored and this must notbe allowed to continue. The second tier position ofwomen in both church and state everywhere aroundthe world is proof that much more must be done.

An outspoken act on the part of any respected manon behalf of women is a sign of hope to us all. Ifthe full human development of both men andwomen alike is ever to finally succeed, the movementwill need the leadership of men of conscience as wellas women of courage.

Gender Violence-OOut of the ShadowsCongregation

BY SISTER PEGGY FLANAGAN


Archbishop Visits Providence MotherhouseThe new Archbishop of Kingston, Brendan O’Brien,visited Providence Motherhouse on November 27th.The Archbishop visited Sister Kay Morrell’s Art Therapy and T’ai Chi Chih rooms and spent a fewmoments bowling! Sr. Gayle Desarmia served as tourguide through the Archives and Heritage Room.Archbishop O’Brien was introduced to the staff atProvidence Spirituality Centre and was given a tour ofthe Centre. On Marian II, His Grace visited Sisters inthe Sunroom and gave private, special blessings toseveral of our sick Sisters. When he arrived at the dining room, Sisters, local associates and departmentheads of the Motherhouse greeted the newArchbishop. Fernando Bulhoes and kitchen staffprepared a lovely roast beef dinner. We learned thatArchbishop O’Brien has a special link with us, as twoof his relatives were members of the congregation –Sister Mary Ildefonsa McCoy and Sister Mary Monica

McCoy. (both deceased)

Archbishop Brendan O’Brien visited with Sisters atProvidence Motherhouse on November 27th.

Edmonton Archbishop encourages womenArchbishop Richard Smith was the first religiousleader in Edmonton to visit and speak with the immigrant women at Changing Together, Centre forImmigrant Women.

Having personally experienced language barriersthrough his own international travels, the archbishopeasily identified with the women in their own struggles to learn English and settle in a new country.

In his presentation, Smith affirmed and urged theimmigrant women who come from countries likeArgentina, Chile, China, Columbia, Egypt, ElSalvador, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Korea, Lebanon, Libya,Mexico, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Somalia, Sudan,Trinidad and Ukraine, to keep up their courage in thisnew country and to trust that they will learn the lan-

guage and discover the opportunities Canada has tooffer to them.

As he responded to some of their questions, hisrespect for people of different beliefs was most evident.

The Centre for Immigrant Women, founded in 1984is a non-profit, charitable organization operated byimmigrant women for immigrant women and theirfamilies.

Sister ofProvidenceJeannetteFilthaut (backrow, standingbesideArchbishopRichard Smith)


Memories from ChulucanasCongregation

ChulucanasFacts

These facts arebased on informationfrom 1975, aroundthe time Sr.Josephine arrived inChulucanas .

Located in northwestern Peru

Consists of threecivil provinces:Morropon,Huancabamba andAyabaca

13,000 square kilometres in area

Located 75 milesfrom the PacificOcean

Very little rain falland hot dry summers

Economy relies onagriculture althoughoften go through difficult times if thefarms are not richenough to drill wellsfor water

1 priest for every 10 000 souls in thearea

Only fifteen parisheshave priests and lessthan half of thesehave religious sistersto collaborate in thepastoral programmeseach parish servicesan average of 20 -25smaller villagesreachable only behorseback.

BY SISTER JOSEPHINE DOIRONThe fall 2007 edition of Providence Pages featuredstories from Peru to commemorate the 40thanniversary of the Sisters mission in the LatinAmerican nation. Sr. Josephine Doiron spent 26years in Peru, and recently returned to Peru for amonth. She has written about those early days inChulucanas. We have also included stories aboutPeru from Sister Jean Higgins and Sr. Rose-Marie Bokenfohr.

Iworked with Fr. Auilino Gonzales,O.S.A. in the Diocese of Chulucanas,Department of Piura, Peru for 10

years. We traveled to all the parishes in theDioceses, the majority of which were in themountains. We were away from Chulucanasthree weeks every month. It was a greatexperience to get to know all the parishesin the Diocese.

On one of our trips to Huancabamba, aparish in the mountains, we had to take anantiquated bus. After traveling approxi-mately 45 minutes, the oil pan sprung aleak and we had to sit on huge boulders onthe side of the road while the oil pan wasmended and then filled again with oil. Weusually stopped in Canchaque for lunch butthe driver did not stop there as the repairof the oil pan had consumed a lot of time.We traveled on to Faique and when wearrived there we had a flat tire. We againhad to wait while the tire was beingrepaired, which included mending the tubeas well as the tire which had a hole about10 inches in length and 3 inches in width.

For washroom breaks on our way up the

mountains, the bus would come to a stopand the women automatically went to oneside of the bus and the men to the other.

Further up on the mountain about 12,000feet, the radiator sprung a leak and themechanic walked up and down the aisle ofthe bus looking for something. He spiedsome bananas and asked the owner forone. She did not want to part with any ofher bananas and everyone in the bus start-ed yelling at her. She finally gave themechanic one and he proceeded to plug thehole in the radiator with it.

I experienced El Nino in Chulucanas.Trying to sleep at night, we frequentlyheard walls collapsing. The town lost 48percent of their adobe homes and we hadseveral families camped in this huge roomin the Bishop’s residence. Every day we hadto clean up after the rains (the water camein one end of the building and everyonetook a broom to sweep it out the otherend). As all the wells had been washedaway, we had to collect water in barrels for consumption and bathing. However, thedesert came alive with all kinds of flowers,plants and trees that the people had neverseen before as it had been 50 years sincethey had much rain. The bridge toChulucanas connecting the highway toPiura was ready to collapse and could onlybe crossed on foot. Fortunately, one of thecars belonging to the Diocese, was strandedon the other side of the bridge and we hada way of getting into the city even if it wasa dangerous route. Many detours had to bemade on the highway as there were 12 foot

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deep holes. It looked as though the highway hadbeen bombed in several areas. There were severallakes in the desert after the rains stopped. We werequite isolated during the rainy season and there wasvery little to eat. Finally, an Augustinian priest flew asmall plane down to Peru and was able to fly suppliesfrom Caritas into the town. The people were over-joyed to receive some food, especially rice.

These are just some of the incidents that happenedwhen I worked in Chulucanas but they will always befondly remembered by me. How I enjoyed the work!After terminating 10 years of service and beforereturning to Lima to do pastoral work, I was presented with “Chasqui Award” by Bishop JohnMcNabb, O.S.A., at Mass in Holy Family Cathedral.

Sr. Josephine Doironworked in Peru for 26years. Sr. Josephine isstanding beside the parents of Novice MariaMercedes Chinchay Luca.

Sowing a Seed in PeruBY SISTER JEAN HIGGINS

.. unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remainsonly a single grain but if it dies it yields a rich harvest-St.John 12:24

Iwent to Peru in 1986 and started working withseveral Youth Groups. I had also worked withthe youth in Guatemala. Each country is

different. Even the Spanish had variations that I hadto learn.

After many months of enjoying the enthusiasm ofthese young people, both male and female, I wasthrown off guard after one of our meetings whenseveral young women approached me and said, “Wewant to be a Sister like you, Sister Jean.” Well I wasquite taken aback and responded, “You must be joking.” But they were serious. This got me thinkingand praying and I wondered if God really was calling

these people to be Religious and to our Sisters ofProvidence congregation. As well at this time, manycongregations were receiving young men and women,so I thought we needed to look at this calling thesepeople were experiencing.

My next big step was to present this idea to the othertwo Sisters with whom I was living.

This was difficult because they had tried this in thepast and didn’t have the energy to do this again. Iwasn’t giving up, because I was convinced God wascalling these young people. They liked somethingabout our congregation and I felt they were entitledto be informed. I felt that our Sisters were gettingolder and I wanted the Spirit and Mission of theSisters of Providence to stay alive in Peru after theyare gone. So, the idea was dropped but I knew of abrand new Movement for lay people in Canada calledthe ASSOCIATE PROGRAM of the Sisters of


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Providence. It was being formed for allkinds of people, from all walks of life andso I suggested we SP’s introduce this to ourPeruvian people — especially those whoworked in our groups. There were a lot ofquestions. I wrote to Sister Pauline Lallyand received the information as this was Sr.Pauline’s dream!

Later that year, Sisters Irene Forrester andFrancis O’Brien came for a yearly visit andI suggested we have an information nightand present this program to our people.One presentation looked at the original history in France, another the CanadianFoundation and I introduced the AssociateProgram. We invited people from thegroups we worked with, the pastor, andPadre Gustavo Gutierrez, Padre JorgeCalderon and the many friends and otherCommunities we knew.

The stage was set and about 40 peoplecame. Everything went well and many questions were asked. I remember one

gentleman asking Sister Irene Forrester“Do you think we will ever be able to go toone of your Chapters?” Sister replied withmaybe — she was ahead of her time. Iremember asking Clementina (our Cook)the next day what she thought of the meet-ing. She said she gained insight into whatthe Sisters do. This was a great success andall the glory goes to our Provident God.Four years later Carmen Alominia came toCanada and studied the Associate program,and the rest is history. We now have ASSOCIATES and PERUVIAN SISTERS.Wow! Our Provident God works inMysterious ways. If we look with God’slens into the future all will be well. And sothe seed was sown and will continue togrow with God’s grace.

CongregationCCaarraabbaayylllloo,,

PPeerruucontinued from previous page

Carabayllo is themost extensive andancient district in thenorthern area ofLima. It has an areaof approximately40,000 hectares.

10% - agriculture

3% -urban areas

87% - uncultivatedland

Mountains make upmost of the uncultivated land.After 1960 youngtowns were formed inthe district. One ofthese new towns wasEl Progresso, wherethe Sisters ofProvidence of St.Vincent de Paul camein 1967. It was at theend of the world. Thebasic services forwater, sanitation,electricity and pavedroads did not exist.Cistern trucks deliv-ered water but thecost was very high.Because of poor san-itation and waterstorage there wasmuch illness. By 1970urbanization was tak-ing over more of theagricultural land andby the 1980’s an agri-cultural crisis led tothe trafficking ofland. Since 1967 theSisters of Providenceof St. Vincent de Paulhave worked with thepeople to improve theconditions inCarabayllo.

Sisters of Providence attend the first information night ofthe Associate Program in Peru in 1987.left to right: Sr. Irene Forrester, Sr. Irene MacDonell, Sr. JeanHiggins, Sr. Rose-Marie Bokenfohr and Sr. Frances O’Brien.


Serving most in needBY SISTER ROSE-MARIE BOKENFOHR

How can a nurse best give service that willhelp to bring life and meaning to the goodnews of Jesus in an area of poverty on the

outskirts of Lima? In 1969 there were two doctors inprivate practice to serve a vast population with anypublic service 22 kilometers away. Apart from attending emergencies in the house and home visitsthe first efforts were to work with a health committeeto organize a service that would be permanent andnot dependent on one person. Our hope was publichealth. In the parish office we started with three clinics. In 1975, we finally had public health supplyingprofessionals and I was free to leave the clinic knowing there was permanent service. Prevention wasa priority and the possibility was to work with peopleelected by their neighbours, training them as healthdelegates to teach basic prevention and to attendemergencies. We also set up a community pharmacywith basic medicines. A similar training was given fordelegates from the farming areas of the parish.

When the glass of milk per child per day started inthe municipalities, the health delegates were elected inthe committees of those who received the milk. Theteaching was assumed by NGO's leaving me free. In1988 popular kitchens were forming and for fouryears, I helped them teach nutrition, etc. The pharmacy had continued to function but by 1994 onlyone delegate was giving service and, because the needfor lower cost medicine was still great, we opened theparish pharmacy.

The first psychiatric patient was presented to us byone of the priests for help with his medications.Since, we have helped over 200 rehabilitation orrelearning social skills. For this group, two psycholo-gists donated time.

Throughout the years, the emphasis is on service tothose most in need, respecting their dignity as children of a loving God.

left to right: Sr. Rose-Marie Bokenfohr, Sr.Pauline Lally and Sr. Sara Jiminez Angulo


The El Salvador2009 Committee ofKingston is sponsoring theseupcoming events.

Wed. Feb. 20 - TheTestimony of MariaGuardado - a filmbeing shown at theScreening Room,120 Princess St. at7pm. Tickets ($10)can be reserved bycalling 613 353-6650, 547-4237 [email protected]

Sat. March 15 - Ourannual RomeroDinner, celebratingthe life of assassinatedArchbishop OscarRomero of ElSalvador, takesplace at St. Paul'sAnglican Church at6pm. Tickets ($25)can be reserved bycalling 613 353-6650, 613 547-4237or [email protected]

The El Salvador2009 Committee is alocal Kingstongroup formed totake part in theinternational monitoring of the2009 presidentialelections in ElSalvador.

Agent for changeCentral America

KingstonCommittee

PROVIDENCE PAGES

Providence Motherhouse employeeIgnacio Melgar has witnessed manyatrocities in his life. One of 17

children born in the war torn CentralAmerican country of El Salvador, Ignaciostill carries the physical and emotional scarsof his time spent there.

An outspoken critic of the government,Ignacio was forced into hiding for fiveyears. Aching to see his parents again, hesnuck home. But while trekking throughthe woods, and almost home, shots rangout. Ignacio was ambushed, and shot fourtimes in the leg and upper body. The datewas February 28, 1978. He eventuallyrecovered and moved to Canada eight yearslater.

During one visit home last year, Ignaciowas reunited with the female doctor who treated him after he was shot 29 years ago.

Ignacio continues to work tirelessly tochange the lives of the people who still livethere. Between 1979 and 1992, over four million people fled El Salvador to escapepoverty, government rule and death squads.Ignacio returns to his homeland every yearas a member of the Kingston CentralAmerican Solidarity Committee.

Members of the Kingston CentralAmerican Solidarity Committee is preparing for the 2009 elections in ElSalvador. For years, the Kingston group hasbeen urging the Canadian government tointervene to push the current governmentin El Salvador to respect the peace agree-

ment of 1992, address poverty and pre-serve human rights. Ignacio plans to returnto El Salvador in two years to witness theelections.

In the 1970’s, discontent with a poor economy and the repressive measures ofdictatorship, lead to civil war between the right-wing National Conciliation Party andleftist antigovernment guerrilla units.Between 1979 and mid 1980’s, thousandswere killed by right-wing death squadsbacked by the military. On December 2nd,1980, four North American women,including three Sisters, were killed by U.Strained and funded death squads in ElSalvador. Their bodies were found in ashallow, unmarked grave in a barren countryside not far from the San Salvadorairport.

In 2004, Antonio Saca of ARENA waselected president.

Ignacio standing outside the site of a massacre in El Salvador where 500 childrenwere killed.

Food Facts: Over 71,000 meals are served per year to the

Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul living at the

Motherhouse. (about 195 meals per day) The Sisters also

distribute about 35 meals per day to Meals on Wheels.


Welcome & Goodbye

Fernando Bulhoes, Sodexho Chef Manager atProvidence Motherhouse for the last 30 years,retired at the end of December. He graciouslyagreed to stay on past the original retirementdate in October to get through the busyChristmas season. Fernando says he hasn’ttaken a break or holiday this year, so hisretirement plans are simple - relax!

Chef Robert Sousa replacesFernando. Formerly an executive chef at the HolidayInn, Robert also worked at boththe Helen Henderson CareCentre and the Donald GordonCentre at Queen’s University.His wife Adriana is a teacherwith the local Catholic SchoolBoard. They have two children,Isabelle and Isaac.

Haroldine Neil-Burchert left her position ofBooking Coordinator at ProvidenceSpirituality Centre at the end of January, 2008.Haroldine says retiring from the Centre after 9years will not be easy. “ I am going to miss myteammates – their laughter, support,compassion and their hugs. I will also missthe regular encounters with the Sisters andstaff of the Motherhouse.”

Welcome to Ingrid Lacis, the new BookingCoordinator at Providence Spirituality Centre. Shebegan her new position on October 9, 2007. Ingridis a former Computer Programmer and previouslyworked at a Crisis Centre. Ingrid has a teenagedson, Erik.


The following is the Foundation Day Address given by SisterCatherine Cannon at Providence Manor on December 13,2007.

Today is December 13th and for us, Sisters ofProvidence of St. Vincent de Paul, it is ourFoundation Day and this building, Providence

Manor, is the site of our Foundation. This is wherewe began in 1861 in an old Officers’ mess building onthe corner of Montreal and Ordnance Streets - abuilding which still stands and where three of uspresently live.

In the 1800’s there was no Government assistanceavailable for the poor, the elderly, the sick or fororphans, children given up by their parents often toopoor to care for them.

Bishop Horan, the bishop of Kingston at that time,was a compassionate man with a desire to help reme-dy this situation. He knew of Sisters in Montrealwho cared for the needy and he asked them to begina community in Kingston to carry out works similarto theirs. And so they came - four Sisters ofProvidence on December 13, 1861 to the old Armybuilding. Their records tell us that they did not wasteany time beginning their work. During that first weekthey made 40 visits to the sick in their homes and bythe end of two weeks had brought ten orphan children into the building where they lived. They alsomade visits to the penitentiary in order to cheer andconsole the women convicts.

Soon young women from Kingston and the areajoined the Sisters in their work and the MontrealSisters were able to return home.

Although there were generous benefactors who oftenassisted financially, the Sisters had no ready source offunds, and therefore, little choice but to turn to theparishes and beg for help, a most painful task.

Sometimes they were welcomed and sometimes theywere not. Most people were very poor but they gavewhat they could. During one four week period ofbegging they relate that they returned home with$263.00, 3000 lbs of meat, 100 bushels of wheat anda supply of flour and yarn. Before long the buildingwhere the Sisters lived could no longer accommodateall those who came looking for help. Somehow, byscrimping and saving and begging and holdingbazaars, the Sisters were able to purchase the housenext door and then another house and then anotheruntil the, then, House of Providence, encompassedthe entire city block from Montreal Street to BayStreet to Sydenham, to Ordnance.

The grand structure we have today had humble begin-nings but the same love and compassion and trust inProvidence that inspired Bishop Horan and thosefirst Sisters lives on and is so evident in the wonderfulmen and women of Providence Manor staff, volun-teers and all those who continue to care for, pray forand console everyone who enters our doors.

May our Providence God bless you today as you carryon the work and fulfill the dream begun so long agoin 1861.

Foundation Day AddressFoundation Day

Sr. Catherine Cannon


... “From theMontreal documents,I learned that —Bishop Horan beggedMother Philomene,new Mother Superiorto lend him 3 or 4Sisters, to form piouspersons to the practices of the religious life and theworks of charity....

Four young sisterswere chosen: 2Canadian and 2Irish, Sr. Mary ofthe BlessedSacrament, Superior- eldest, 31years of age who hadbeen a novice underdirection of EmilyGamelin, wellgrounded in theVincentian spirit andin Providence. Sister Mary Anslem,28Sr. Mary of theCross and Sr. Mary Andrew,22 ..”

-Sr. Pauline Lally

Foundation Day

The following is a reflection from Sister PaulineLally, General Superior, from Foundation DayEvening Prayer December 13th.

One day this week, we got a call atthe House from an employee atProvidence Manor - a Partner in

Mission,who is also a Providence Associate.She said, “Sister, it’s Foundation Week andI was wondering …”

Foundation Week?

Now that was a new one for me. Why, wedon’t even call it that, but one of ourPartners in Mission and an Associate does.

The heritage grows, I thought, throughothers whose lives we have touched.

Ever since I moved into the Sisters’Residence at Providence Manor, ourFoundation House, about a year and a halfago, I have felt an affinity with our earlysisters, especially our own, CatherineMcKinley.

What was it like then? How did it really getstarted?

How were the wheels put in motion; howexactly did it happen?

How does a new congregation come intobeing?

I recalled how one Bishop in UpperCanada spoke to another Bishop in LowerCanada about his need - his need for acommunity of sisters to work specificallyfor the poor.

He already had two wonderful communitiesin the city: the RHSJ’s ministering in the

Hospital and the CNDs teaching in theschools.

But no one specifically for the poor, theaged, the orphaned, the prisoner, of hisarchdiocese.

Well, I have this grand little group, E.J. wholive out their Gospel calling according tothe adapted rule of St. Vincent de Paul.

They have a great concern for the poor, the disadvantaged - the REAL underdogs ofsociety.

Do you think they’d come to Kingston?

Now, how did Bishop Bourget respond?

Of course, I’m their Bishop

OR

Let’s go ask them.

OR

Why don’t you ask them yourself ?

How actually did it go?

To find the answers to my questions,

I went to the archives and this is what Ifound:

From the Montreal documents I learnedthat Bishop Horan begged MotherPhilomene, the new Mother Superior tolend him 3 or 4 sisters, “to form pious persons to the practices of the religious lifeand the works of charity.”

The zealous bishop wanted, in this way, tofound a new Institute of Providence inhis own archdiocese.

And the answer from Mother Philomene

Foundation Day



Foundation Day

was “I do not think I can find amongst us a singlereligious who would wish to (be borrowed) and separate herself from our Institute even for a fewyears. However, I shall take the matter up with ourBishop and Founder.”

She did not know that Bishop Horan had already spo-ken to their Bishop.

However, the objection of the Sisters to leaving theirown community formed a very real obstacle to theplan, not withstanding Msgr. Bourget’s desire to helpa fellow prelate. There was much disquietude and agreat deal of discussion, pro and con, of the project.Bishop Horan, seeming to take an affirmative answerfor granted, began preparations for the new work.(Sounds like Mary at the Wedding Feast of Cana,don't you think?)

The saintly Msgr. Bourget was a real advocate for hisbrother bishop for he urged the Sisters to make thesacrifice of themselves with generosity, relying on thematernal solicitude of Providence.

Interesting!

Although the SPs of Montreal were opening the westin Oregon - even Chile, they were reluctant and afraidto volunteer for a mission which could be reachedconveniently, by railway, in less than a day’s travel.

Perhaps they knew of the CNDs plight in 1841,when they arrived in Kingston.The documents read:

“when they arrived on the scene (they) did not find ahouse waiting for them and had to take up theirabode in part of a noisy occupied wretched saloon house…”

It must be admitted that the Daughters of EmilyGamlin showed little eagerness to respond to the callto sacrifice themselves outside the diocese ofMontreal.

How could they? The needs were great in Montreal.Their Sisters were few in number. They were young.The community had only been in existence for 15years. But, there were more English-speaking Sistersand they were already beginning to expand theirWestern horizons.

Bishop Bourget also challenged them about the poor,the sick old women, the prisoners and abandonedchildren of Kingston with words he would put intoVincent's mouth for them: “Now, since you knowthese things, My Daughters, their fate is in yourhands.”

The Council had to say yes. And so did the first fourSisters that were chosen for the new mission. Howbig was their “YES” at the time?

Kingston was really a form of “King’s Town.”This sounded awful English! Where was it anyway?In Upper Canada - Full of United Empire Loyalists Full of Protestants

Why, it was like going to the foreign MissionsAND RIGHT AT CHRISTMAS TIME, TOO! What timing!

Four young Sisters were chosen: 2 Canadian and 2Irish, Sr. Mary of the Blessed Sacrament,Superior- eldest, 31 years of age who had been anovice under direction of Emily Gamelin, wellgrounded in the Vincentian spirit and in Providence.Sister Mary Anslem, 28, Sr. Mary of the Cross and Sr. Mary Andrew, 22

Their own Superior General called them feeblyinstructed and little prepared. How’s that for a recommendation!

It reminded me when I was almost the same age asthese Sisters and our General Superior had submittedmy name for the position of Religious EducationConsultant. She said to me, “Don’t worry, dear, youhave nothing to be concerned about. You won’t be




Foundation Dayconsidered. You have not the qualifications - onlyyour enthusiasm.” And Mother Lenore was right.Nevertheless, I, too, unqualified, was chosen.

It almost seemed as if the new little community wasdoomed to failure. Nevertheless, they must haveheard it as the Voice of God and responded.

For..… come they did, along with Miss Foisy, MotherMary Philomene and Sister Angel Guardian, in thewee hours of the morning - 2 a.m., to be exact, onDecember 13, 1867 (6 years before Confederation)They were met by Bishop Horan and his sister,of whom the Sisters record in the annals as one we“..must ever regard as the first (and kindest) benefactor of the Providence in Kingston.”As we all knowtheir home was to be the drafty stonestructure on Ordnance Street that had served as anofficers’ mess. In the morning Holy Mass was offeredby the Bishop, during which the Veni Creator and theStabat Mater were sung.

And because it was Friday, seven candles were burnedbefore a picture of our Mother of Sorrows, as wastheir custom, which we still keep today.

In their correspondence to Bishop Bourget onDecember 29, 1861 they wrote: “The very day -Friday, December 13 - of our arrival in Kingston,we began visiting the poor and the sick. In the courseof the first week only, we made more than 40 visits.We had the happiness of seeing the edifying death ofone of our sick people - a young man, James Hanlon,19 years of age who died a very Christian death.”

“There are many poor people here, many of whomare in a great state of indigenous…They are for themost part good poor people - there are nevertheless acertain number who are negligent in performing theirreligious duties. In order to get to know them welland in order to distribute our small alms wisely, weare obliged to make many visits.”

By the end of December there were ten orphans:

Hugh and Michael Traynor (2 and 4 years of age)whose mother had drowned, and father had abandoned them to the care of a poor widow whoalready had 6 children, Oliver and Michael Burgeron -abandoned by their father, and whose mother wasunable to provide for the two youngsters along withher other children, James Doyle and 5 more. Prettysoon the size of the house prevented them from tak-ing any more. They wrote, “The children are allcharming (and) give us … hope and much consolation in future. We have not yet admitted anypostulants, but we will have to receive some soon inorder to help us, not being able to handle all the tasksalone.”

On March 25, 1862 - two postulants came - Catherine McKinley and Anne O'Reilly. Catherine, aswe know persevered, and the rest they say,IS HISTORY - kept alive and celebrated by ourselves, Associates and our Partners in Mission. Isthe moral of the story to: Speak your needs to another? (One never knows what wheels are put inmotion!) And like Bishop Horan and Mary, beforehim,

Never take NO for an answer!


The first conferenceever hosted by theWomen’s Studiesdepartment atQueen’s Universityhas been sold out.The March 7th eventcalled CommonMagic—The Legacyof Bronwen Wallace,features a host ofguest speakersincluding poet TaraKainer, an employeewith the Justice &Peace Office of theSisters ofProvidence of St.Vincent de Paul.Tara’s poem, When IThink on yourLives, has beenpublished in theconference chapbook. Tara willchair a workshop onSocial JusticeActivism.

Bronwen Wallacespent most of herlife in Kingston. Shewrote five collections of poetry and a bookof short stories. Shealso won manyawards including aNationalMagazine Award.

The conference willbe held March 7 to 9at the DonaldGordon ConferenceCentre.

Hunger striker attends vigil Justice & Peace

Conference

The annual Christmas Silent Vigil was held in front of Kingston Cityhall on a sunny and cold Friday, December 14th.

Donna Dillman (seated) joined the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul at theirweekly Silent Vigil at City Hall December 21, 2007. The Lanark area grandmother endedher ten week hunger strike a week earlier, having traveled to Queen's Park to press theMcGuinty government to declare a moratorium on further mining and exploration inEastern Ontario until a full public inquiry on the health and environmental impacts ofuranium mining can take place. Ms. Dillman, together with other members of theCommunity Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU), has decided to hold hearings oftheir own. They intend to start the hearings in Kingston in April. "We invited Ms. Dillmanand CCAMU to our weekly vigil so that we could stand in solidarity with the activistsconcerned about the hazards of uranium and its by-products,” said Jamie Swift, Directorof the Justice & Peace Office of the Sisters of Providence.


Paschal CyclesLent Holy Week Triduum Easter Pentecost

February 6 4 pm Ash Wednesday - Eucharist & Distribution of Ashes

February 10 10 am 1st Sunday of Lent

February 17 10 am 2nd Sunday of Lent

February 24 10 am 3rd Sunday of Lent

March 2 10 am 4th Sunday of Lent

March 9 10 am 5th Sunday of Lent

Friday, March 14 6:30 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation

March 16 10 am Passion Sunday, beginning with Blessing of Palms in the Auditorium

Easter Triduum

Holy Thursday, March 20 7 pm Mass of the Lord's Supper

Good Friday, March 21 3 pm Celebration of the Lord's Passion

Holy Saturday, March 22 7 pm The Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday, March 23 10 am

March 30 10 am 2nd Sunday of Easter

4 pm Evening Prayer

Saturday, May 10 7 pm Vigil of Pentecost

May 11 10 am Pentecost Sunday

At the Celebration of the Lord's Passion, we celebrate our baptismal call to join in the passion, suf-fering and death of Christ and countless others in our world as our only path to salvation.

Holy Saturday evening we celebrate our baptismal call to wait in joyful hope for the final coming ofour saviour, Jesus Christ. We celebrate the Christian initiation of new persons into the church andrenew promises of our own baptism. All are invited to bring bells to ring at the Gloria.

On Easter Sunday morning we gather around the Tables of Word and Eucharist, basking in the lightof the Easter Candle, to celebrate Jesus Christ risen from the dead, the Lord of life and the Lord ofall. Again all are invited to bring bells to ring at the Gloria.

Bring us living water, Holy Spirit, come!

BY NANCY STEVENS ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR PROVIDENCEMOTHERHOUSE

The hardest thing about going toAfrica is returning home!

In November 2007,I travelled to Ugandato distribute longlasting insecticide-treated nets to thepoor. Malaria iskilling the children of Africaevery 30 seconds,from a simple mosquito bite. Bednets save lives.

Debra Lefebvre isthe founder of BANestablished in 2004.Over the past 2 years, I have been volun-teering with the BAN Project, and Debrahas taught me about malaria and I havelearned from her experiences. Finally I hadthe opportunity to travel to Uganda, and Iam so proud to be a part of this organization.

Village after village, I saw the scourge ofmalaria. I held sick babies, and wondered ifthey would make it through another day. Iwitnessed so much sickness and poverty.But as sad as it was, I also saw hope —hope for the health of the children, hopefor the future, and hope that we will continue to save lives, one village at a time.

The response from communities to the netdistribution was amazing. We travelled toMbarrara and the villagers expressed theirgratitude for the life-saving nets with amusical performance. We had the joy ofdistributing nets to 10 villages that day.

A boarding schoolin Kawuku Village,received 150 nets,and there has beenan increase in stu-dent attendancesince then. Thechildren were veryproud to show ushow careful theywere climbing inand out of theirbeds. They knowthe importance ofthese nets.

Traveling to Africa is one thing, but to seethe results of our donors contribution tothis project is amazing. Not only did themothers tell me there is no incidence ofmalaria because of the nets, they were over-joyed that we were back to help those whowere in need of nets. BUY-A-NET MalariaPrevention Group, with the help of ourdonors, will continue to save lives in Africa.

With a heavy heart I left Uganda, but I alsoleft with hope and more passion to help. Ihave said before, we look at the same sky,and breathe the same air, we just weren’tborn there.


Buy A Net

Nancy Stevens holds a young girl at a free clinic on Bethany Island in Kampala Uganda.

$6 Buy-A-Net savea life

$350.00 Net AVillage

With BUY-A-NETMALARIAPREVENTIONGROUP, the firstvolunteer Canadiancitizen-driven inititative aimed atmalaria preventionin Africa, your giftwill put the netsover the heads ofbabes, one villageat a time.

Make you gift to:BUY-A-NET MalariaPrevention Group

P.O. Box 1865,Stations Main,Kingston, Ontario,K7L 5J7 or online atwww.buyanet.ca

or

www.canadahelps.org

UpcomingEvents


Raising funds and having fun!

The 2007 Sisters/Staff Christmas Dinner and Raffle was a huge success! This year’s theme — AChristmas Carol. Some surprises included a chocolate fountain and the presentation of the new photoboard of the Sisters of Providence.

Employees of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul followed the lead of the mission of compassionate careof the Sisters by opening their hearts and wallets for the needy. Sisters and staff donated items and bought tickets,with the proceeds going to support our own poor and most vulnerable community, In From the Cold homeless shelter.Sincere thank you to everyone who contributed. The total amount raised for In From The Cold — $1152.00


(Siser Mary JohnDowney)

Sept. 19, 1916-

Dec. 2, 2007

Higher Calling InMemoriam

Passings

Alice Ann Downey was born onSeptember 19, 1916 in Bainsville,Ontario, the sixth of 11 children

born to John Joseph Downey and MaryCatherine Cameron. She grew up in a loving family where she experienced, asexpressed in her own words, “God’s unconditional lovefrom her parents.” Inthis small Ontariocommunity she witnessed people helping each otherregardless of race orreligion. She developedan appreciation of thebeauty of nature and allcreation.

Due to circumstances at home Alice wasunable to continue her high school education. Later she went to Ottawa to takea course and then took a position with thegovernment. Although she was happy inher work, she yearned for some challengein her life. Her brother, John, had joinedthe Air Force so she decided to do thesame. She was accepted in the Air Forceafter completing the required tests.However, when she approached her pastorfor a required letter of reference, he askedher to reconsider her decision and to prayfor guidance. Needless to say, she was verydisappointed.

Some time later she made a retreat duringwhich she pondered the thought that Godmay be calling her to religious life. It was atthis time that she decided to join the Sisters

of Providence since she was familiar withthem. On September 30, 1943 Alice AnnDowney began her novitiate with theSisters of Providence of St. Vincent dePaul in Kingston. She was surprised tolearn that the Mistress of Novices, SisterMargaret MacDonald, was a relative ofhers. She recalled that this helped ease thepain of leaving her family. During her novitiate she found peace in spite of someregulations that didn't seem to make senseto her.

Following her First Profession in 1945,Sister Mary John was sent to the FatherDowd Home in Montreal to nurse theelderly. In 1948 she was assigned toMaryvale Abbey in Glen Nevis where shewas Director of Boarders. After two yearsshe went to the House of Providence, nowProvidence Manor, in Kingston for a year.From 1951 to 1958 she worked in theoffices at Rosary Hall in Toronto andProvidence Hospital in Moose Jaw. In 1958she was sent to Winnipeg as sacristan at St.Joseph’s Vocational School. In 1965 shereturned to Rosary Hall in Toronto andthen in 1969 she went to Sacred HeartConvent in King, Ontario, as Superior.From 1970 to 1976 she served as Superiorof the Rosary Halls in Toronto and inEdmonton. In 1976 she went to ProvidenceConvent in Brantford as Superior for oneyear. Then she returned to St. Joseph’sVocational School in Winnipeg as Superiorand to work in the office. In 1979 shereturned to Rosary Hall in Edmonton as

Sr. Mary JohnDowney



Superior. In 1985 she began working in Pastoral Careat St. Anthony’s Home in Moose Jaw. In 1986 shetook the Pastoral Care Course at St. Paul’s Universityin Ottawa. The next year she went to Holy FamilyHospital in Vancouver to minister in Pastoral Care.During her time in Vancouver, Sister Mary John had asabbatical year at Mann House of Prayer inConcordia, Kansas. She remained in Vancouver until2004 when she retired to the Motherhouse.

Sister’s gentle, gracious and loving nature endearedher to all who knew her and made a lasting impression on her many nieces and nephews.

On Sunday, December 2, 2007 Sister Mary John wascalled home to her loving God. The Mass ofChristian Burial, held in the Chapel of Mary Motherof Compassion, Providence Motherhouse onDecember 5, 2007, was presided over by MostReverend Brendan M. O’Brien, Archbishop ofKingston. Rev. Msgr. Don Clement delivered thehomily. Many of Sister’s nieces, nephews, grandniecesand grandnephews were in attendance.

Tribute to a Dear Friend, Sister Mary John

I bid you goodbye my dear dear friend

And thank you for the years we lived so happily together

The memory of your gentleness will be my comfort now,

And that of your kind and generous spirit cheer me on

As I pray for and with you every day, so do you for me

And may God reunite us in eternity

Until we meet again, my friend

I say adieu

Sister Mary John was a gentle soul

Who kept her eyes steadily on the goal

of one day taking her rightful place among

those whose praise she had so constantly sung

to family, friend, or anyone

who would listen.

Those souls now rejoice in a just reward

In the presence of the One toward

whom they had striven so fatihfully

as members of our Providence Community.

In that same path, John walked each day,

Quiet, kind and gracious in her every way

of speaking or acting toward whoever crossed her path

That’s why we can be certain that now she hath

Attained her goal, this gentle soul.

by Sister Giovanni Burrowes of Cloverdale B.C.


Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul


We, the Sisters of Providence ofSt. Vincent de Paul, are anapostolic congregation of vowed

women religious called to be channels ofGod’s Providence in the world throughcompassionate service in response to theneeds of the times. Sharing our individualgiftedness, we carry out diverse ministries in aspirit of humility, simplicity and charity incollaboration with others to bring about thereign of God.

Our heritage is rooted in the creativity andspirituality of Vincent de Paul and Louise deMarillac, in the willingness of Emilie Gamelinto risk and trust in Providence, in theresponsiveness of the Montreal Sisters ofProvidence to the call of Bishop E.J. Horan,as well as in the courage and pioneer spirit ofMother Mary Edward McKinley and the

original members of the Kingston community.

Impelled by the compassionate love of Jesusand Mary, we seek to empower others,especially the poor and oppressed, to achievea quality of life in keeping with their humandignity. We strive to be prophetic leaders inour church and in society through thepromotion of structures and relationships ofequality and mutuality and through attitudesand actions for justice and peace.Strengthened by prayer, we are bonded inunity and love through our corporate mission.

Serving with compassion, trusting inProvidence, we walk in hope.

Mission StatementA regular publica-tion of the Sisters ofProvidence of St. Vincent de Paul

Editor & Director ofCommunications:Christine Tripp

Editorial Assistant:Mike Hammond

CommunicationsAdvisoryCommittee:Sr. Pauline LallySr. Barbara ThiffaultSr. Gayle DesarmiaChristine TrippMike HammondDoreen Hoekstra

For questions,comments oraddress changes,contact:

ProvidencePages

Office of CommunicationsSisters of Providence of St. Vincent de PaulProvidence MotherhouseBox 427, 1200 Princess StreetKingston, ON, CanadaK7L 4W4

E-mail [email protected] site: www.providence.ca

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