Singing, Dancing, Building: Bridges for Peace

Last Saturday, I was delightfully entertained by the students of L’Institut de Formation Humaine Intégrale de Montréal (IFHIM) in an evening of story, song and dance. IFHIM is an international centre which offers an intensive formation program as well as formation sessions in many countries throughout the world. Today, the Institute is headed by a member of my Congregation (Congregation of Notre Dame), Sister Marie- Marcelle Desmarais. Under her leadership, the Institute has continued to evolve and grow over the years. Today, the process of Actualization of Vital Human Strengths, conceptualized by the founder, Dr. Jeannine Guindon has an expanded focus, and formation aims to form persons with a social conscience and to equip them to be bridge builders for peace. Formation contributes not only to a personal transformation, but to a social one as well.
The formation is very concrete and experiential. Students come from all over the world. This year, 23 nationalities are represented. Coming from different ethnic backgrounds and countries which are sometimes at war, students must work and interact with one another daily and, often in a language not their own. One of the students this year is a Sister from Honduras with whom I live. For weeks, Marianna has been practicing a dance and preparing decorations for the evening.
Saturday evening’s presentation was a wonderful, entertaining testimony. Yes, it is possible to live and work in peace with persons having different ethnic backgrounds and coming from different countries. Titled, En Route pour la Paix, we were invited to board a bus and go on a journey for peace. The first stop on the journey, You Are Just Like Me, consisted of a song for peace in Créole, a Madagascan dance, and a mime, The Peace Bus. At the second stop, My Brother [Sister], we were treated to a Haitian dance expressing hope for unity among all the countries of the world. Lively dances from Cameroon, Congo, Senegal and the Ivory Coast, all of which pointed the way to peace among the countries of Africa, followed. The final stop of the journey highlighted the true wealth and riches of the person. It was very moving to see the choir comprised of so many different nationalities, speaking different languages, and dressed in native costumes join their voices to sing two hymns: Here I Am Lord and Ne Crains Pas (Do not fear). This was followed by a Latin American Dance illustrating bridge building and a rousing final Senegalese Song.

It was a fun, hopeful evening rich in talent and creativity. A spirit of collaboration was evident throughout, and certainly such a professional evening of entertainment didn’t happen without a lot of practice and working things out before. Yes, these students showed us that it is possible to overcome differences, to build bridges, to be peace makers, and to do this with joy, vitality and hope. Each of us has this possibility within us. Will we take the time and means to do so?

Sister Sheila

Another hundredth birthday!

It isn’t often that a person gets the chance to celebrate two birthdays for centenarians in the same month, but April provided such an opportunity for me. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Sister Anastasia‘s 101st birthday, and on April 30th, I was in Kingston, Ontario to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sister Kathryn.
About 200 people gathered to celebrate Kathryn, CND Sisters, nurses, and staff of the infirmary where she presently lives with the Sisters Providence and the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, former students and friends. They came from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston and many other little places in between. Sister Rosemary Brosseau, herself a student of Kathryn, acted as emcee. Sister Ann Broderick offered wishes on behalf of the Sisters the Congregation de Notre Dame. As various invited guests spoke, and others read wishes from the Queen, Prime Minister, and Mayor, Kathryn sat regally in her wheelchair, listening attentively to each message. Many of the guests were her former students, some of them dating back to the class of 1953. One gentleman had had Kathryn as his Grade Three teacher. One after another, these former students paid tribute to the love and concern Kathryn had had for her students, a love and interest that she has maintained to this day. The same sentiments were reiterated by the Sisters with whom she now lives in the infirmary and by the nurses and staff who work there. For Kathryn, relationships have always been important; she has been a faithful friend to many and a support and encouragement to those fortunate enough to have known her. There is no doubt that, at the source of this love for others, is Kathryn’s great love for her God, a relationship that she has nurtured and cherished over the years. Kathryn, we are grateful for you, and we give thanks for your life, lived sofully and lovingly over these past 100 years.

Sister Sheila

50 years ago, they set out to answer God’s call…

Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel resounded with joy and song this past Saturday as Sisters Associates, and friends gathered to celebrate the Eucharist in thanksgiving for the Golden Jubilee of CND Sisters (Congrégation-de-Notre-Dame). Nineteen of the twenty-three jubilarians had spent the week together at the motherhouse, and this was the culmination of a week of activities. Together, they would renew their vows in this chapel, so dear to the heart of Marguerite Bourgeoys.

Marguerite’s ocean voyages set the background and the theme for the Eucharist. Prayers and music carried the “voyage” theme. A beautiful display, depicting the ocean crossings decorated the sanctuary, and a creative dialogue in which Marguerite is questioned about each of her ocean voyages introduced the Liturgy. In response to a question about her first trip in 1653, we hear Marguerite respond: Encouraged by Mary’s, ‘Go I will not abandon you,’ I embarked on a long journey which, after many hardship, brought me to New France to create a ministry of education and participate in the establishment of a city and of the Church in this land. Marguerite was to make six more voyages. Motivated by her great desire to find other young women to help teach and her concern to secure the rule and letters patent for her fledging Congregation, Marguerite faced the dangers and endured the hardships and rigours of these journeys. Finally, Marguerite set out on her seventh and last voyage, returning to Ville-Marie to live out until her death a journeying life in the image of Mary.

Drawing a parallel with Marguerite’s voyages, the introduction went on to speak of the Sisters celebrating their jubilee. Fifty years ago, twenty-three Sisters most of whom were present in the assembly, set out, like Marguerite Bourgeoys, to answer God’s call. They undertook a journey during which they would experience joy and sorrow, hope and doubt under the inspiration of the Spirit. When making profession in the Congregation de Notre-Dame, they committed themselves to making sure that “the life led by the Blessed Virgin throughout her time on earth (had) its imitators.” (WMB, p.88)
Following the Liturgy, the journey continued as we boarded buses for the ride to Villa Maria High School. There the jubilarians and guests were warmly welcomed by the planning committee and treated to a lovely reception. Yes, it was a fine celebration, marked by praise, joy, thanksgiving, and friendship – true hallmarks of our Visitation spirituality.

Sister Sheila

Golden Jubilee Week: Celebrating 50 Years of Religious Life!

On Sunday, April 21, Sisters celebrating 50 years of Religious Profession began arriving at our Motherhouse in Montreal from different areas of Canada, the United States and Central America. They arrived for a week of festivities which will culminate Saturday with the celebration of Eucharist at Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Church, during which they will renew their vows. This is a week of “fun and relaxation” for them! Prepared by a dedicated committee, it includes visits to the different departments of our present Generalate where they meet the personnel and learn about activities, a visit to Maison Saint Gabriel, a walking tour of Old Montreal, In the Footsteps of Marguerite Bourgeoys, a visit to Dawson College, site of our former Motherhouse and Novitiate where many of these Sisters received their initial formation, and time to meet with the members of the General Leadership Team. During this time together, the Congregation Leader usually addresses the Sisters, congratulating them and thanking them for their service over their years. It is always a very moving moment in this gathering, when the Congregation Leader, in the name of the Congregation asks pardon of the Sisters for any hurt or suffering they have experienced in the Congregation. This year, the Congregation Leader is celebrating her own Golden Jubilee and has been participating fully in all the activities with the others, so her Associate will do the honours.

Tuesday evening, the group was entertained by a group of French speaking Sisters from Montreal who meet regularly throughout the year to sing. Singing in French, Spanish, and English, the choir performed a medley of classical, popular, and religious songs, delighting both Sister jubilarians and the other Sisters from the Montreal area in attendance. Refreshments followed the concert, and once again it was obvious that we Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame enjoy meeting and chatting with one another and that our “Visitation Spirituality” is not just reserved for those outside the Congregation. Friday, will be a retreat day for the Sisters as they prepare to renew their vows the following day. Yes, the week is a busy one, but in and around and between the activities, there is time to visit, for laughter and sharing of memories from the past, and for enjoying one another’s company. There is much for all of us to be grateful for as we honor these women. Their lives are a testimony of fidelity and generous service. Each, in her own way, has said “Yes” so many times since that first profession day, 50 years ago, and in so doing, they have touched the lives of countless people. Hopefully, the years ahead will be “Golden” for them!

Sister Sheila

They arrived 350 years ago!

But who were “they”, and why does it matter? This year marks the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the “Filles du Roy” (the king’s wards) in New France. When New France was just a young settlement in 1660, there were only about 60 young women, eligible to become the future wives for some 800 men. Now that might be a great situation for the women, but for Louis XIV, the King of France, this needed to be remedied if the colony was to grow and develop. And so, between 1663 and 1673, about 765 young women, most of whom were orphans, crossed the Atlantic for the purpose of finding a husband and beginning a family. It is not surprising, then, that the many North American people, both in Canada and the United States claim a “Fille du Roy” in their family tree. In Quebec alone, more than two million persons are descendants from these “Filles du Roy”. This year, to highlight International women’s Day on March 6, the city of Montreal honored these young women, recognizing the contribution they made to the building up of present day Montreal. These women also have a special place in the history of my religious community, the Congregation de Notre-Dame. In 1653, our foundress, Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys arrived in Ville Marie to teach school. Unfortunately, the harsh conditions made it difficult for the infants to survive and so it was some years before there were children to teach, but this did not deter Marguerite. Responding to the needs of the young colony and its inhabitants, she became a counsellor to the other inhabitants, encouraging, teaching, consoling and befriending the young men and women. At her death, they called her, “mother of the colony”.

“Catherine Crolo and the Filles du Roy (King’s Ward) at the farm”
Illustration: Francis Back. Photography: Bernard Dubois. Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys

 

When the “Filles du Roy” began to arrive, it is not surprising that Marguerite became involved in their lives. One can imagine how challenging life must have been for these young women newly arrived from France. Confronted with the cold, primitive living conditions, and their lack of basic homemaking skills, they must have wondered at times why they had ever left France. We know that Marguerite was present to these women; we know that she taught them some of the basic skills they needed to survive; we know that she became friend and mentor to many of them, and we can find Marguerite’s name in the Archives of the of Montreal as witness to the marriages of some of the couples. It is not hard to see why the Maison Saint-Gabriel would have chosen to highlight the arrival of these women on the 350th anniversary and to make “ Les Filles du Roy ” the theme for their fund raising Gala evening last April 10 as well as the subject for many of the upcoming programs to take place over the next months. Maison Saint-Gabriel dates back to 1668 when Marguerite Bourgeoys bought the house and property from François Le Ber. For over 300 years, this property remained a farm, producing food to feed the boarders in many of the schools directed by the Congregation de Notre-Dame. Maison Saint- Gabriel was also home for several of the “Filles du Roy” who lived there while they waited to marry. This was an important time for these women; it was here that many of them learned about family life and the basic skills needed to be a good wife and mother. Young and inexperienced as they were, Maison Saint-Gabriel must have been a comforting shelter for these women. Today, Maison Saint-Gabriel is beautiful museum portraying life in the 17th century. Beautifully restored, the buildings are surrounded by lovely gardens which offer a peace oasis in the midst a busy city. To learn more about this museum, check out the web site here, or even better, it you live in the vicinity of Montreal, why not visit. You will not be disappointed. As I write this blog and speak about Marguerite, I am reminded that her birthday is April 17. So, let us thank God for Marguerite’s life and for the great legacy she has left us. Happy Birthday, Marguerite, and please continue to watch over us and over Montreal, the city you so loved.

 
Sister Sheila

Celebrating 101 years of life!

On Wednesday, April 3, I gathered with other Sisters from the Montreal area to celebrate the 101st birthday of Sister Anastasia. We had a delightful couple of hours. The infirmary personnel had spared no efforts to decorate the room and to provide homemade goodies. Anastasia received her visitors with great hospitality. What is so remarkable about Anastasia is the quality of life that she still enjoys. Gifted with good health, Anastasia continues to have an avid interest in current affairs, keeps up with the hockey scores, particularly those of the Montreal Canadiens, and reads some of the religious papers and journals. One of the activities she misses is her regular bridge game; how she would like to find some other sisters in the infirmary who enjoy bridge as much as she. Presently, she is eagerly awaiting warmer weather so that she can resume her daily walk outdoors. True, Anastasia has been gifted with good health, but she has also nurtured her interests and maintained healthy practices over the years. Anastasia lives her life as fully as possible for someone of her advanced age. Living life so fully and with such interest, didn’t begin recently. It is the result of so many choices made over the past 101 years “to choose life”. And in this, Anastasia is a great example to all of us!

Sr. Anastasia Murphy, CND posing with Sr. Bernadette Gallant, CND,  sr. Josephine Badali, CND and myself

Sister Sheila

A Reflection for the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord

Hopefully, Easter was for each of you a joyful, faith filled celebration! As we continue the Easter Season, let us ponder the mystery of this great feast, asking our gracious God to gift us evermore with deep faith, joy and hope. This year, because Holy Week and Easter were so early in the liturgical year and take precedence over other Feast Days, the celebration of some Feasts was moved to a later date. This is the case for the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. Normally celebrated on March 25, this year the Church will celebrate the Annunciation on April 8. Sister Karen Kelly, also a Sister of the Congregation de Notre-Dame, has graciously accepted the invitation to share her reflections on the Annunciation with us. Thank you, Karen.

Sister Sheila Sullivan, CND

L’Annunciazione, Beato Angelico (1387-1455)
Firenze – Museo San Marco

Luke 1:26–38

The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee in Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The Angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus, He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the Angel departed from her.

I am amazed by several of Mary’s reactions in this scripture passage. The first is when Mary is troubled by the angel’s opening greeting. The greeting perplexes her and yet all Gabriel had said at that point is that the Lord was with her. How much more perplexed is she going to be when she hears what God is longing for in her! The author of Luke does not tell us Mary’s full reaction to the rest of the Angel’s message so we can only imagine it.

How often are we so shocked by what could be God speaking in our lives through someone else that we react immediately as Mary did when the Angel first arrived? It is such a normal reaction to think that what we are experiencing could not possibly be God. How could God possibly know me? Why would God seek me out? What would God ever want with me? What could I do to help God; to help bring God more fully into the world, to bring God more fully to others? All these are very human reactions and all speak to the longing in our souls; the longing to be so known and loved by God that God would use me to bring God more fully to the world and in so doing, to bring about a more just, compassionate, caring world. Can we dare to name and own this deep longing? Perhaps what is truly amazing part is that Mary is able to recognize so quickly that the Angel’s words are echoing her longing and that she is able to trust in God’s promise equally as quickly.

That leads us to the second piece of Luke’s passage which amazes me. After one simple question of the angel, Mary says those well-known words, “let it be done to me according to your word.” I would want to know more than just “how can this be?” I would want the how and why and where and when’s of it all. I always do. I am sure my many questions make God smile but they do not necessarily lead to more answers. Mary’s simple question was answered and she asked no more. Maybe she was too speechless to ask more. Maybe she asked more questions but like with me, God only smiled… So often the answers that we seek to our many questions are not what we need to know at the time and most probably, more than we can handle. Instead we are called to trust; to trust God’s call even when it seems totally impossible, following what Mary did, pondering about it, praying about it, seeking support and confirmation in those around us as Mary did as she went off to Elizabeth. Can we live with the questions that are not answered and trust in God’s promise?

Mary’s story, Mary’s journey, does not end there… who would have been able to imagine what would follow Mary’s yes. Saying yes to being a pregnant unwed mother is never simple in any age and this was certainly true in the time that Mary lived, yet she said yes. Many of the challenges in this piece of the journey she would have been able to anticipate from the beginning but what about the birth in a foreign land and having to flee shortly after the baby’s birth. And then the works and actions of her son, Jesus; the people he touched, loved, cured, as well as those he angered. And Mary’s journey continued still, all the way to the foot of the cross. When she said yes years before, could she have possibly imagined where it would lead? Could she have imagined the incredible sorrows she would experience and the even more incredible blessings she would live; the faithfulness of her God through it all? As we look at our own lives, can we see these same things? Can we see how our little yeses to God’s call in our lives have led us and can lead us to things we could never ask for or imagine… if we can somehow just be courageous enough to trust, as Mary did, that we do not make our journey alone? More than two thousand years after Mary’s time, God awaits our ‘yes’ to come more fully into the world. Loving God, give us the courage to trust in your call in our lives and the ability to live our ‘yes’.

Sister Karen Kelly, CND

A Celebration of Spring and Life

Imagine my surprise when I arrived to visit my Sisters in the Infirmary last Thursday and found that they were all going to “La Cabane à Sucre” (Sugar Shack) for lunch. Now, for those of you who don’t know what a “Cabane à Sucre” is, let me explain. Going to a sugar shack is a French Canadian Spring ritual. The province of Quebec is blessed with many sugar maple trees. In the spring, when the sap begins to run, special buckets are attached to the trees to collect the sap which is then boiled to produce Maple Syrup, taffy, sugar, and a variety of other Maple products. In Quebec, there are many commercial and semi-commercial sugar shacks, but generally the menu is the same in all of them: pea soup, maple syrup baked ham, eggs, pancakes, pork rinds, beans baked in maple syrup, sweet pickles, bread, sugar pie, or other desserts bathed in maple syrup. Maple syrup covers everything, so it is not really the place to eat for a diabetic!
Well last Thursday, I had my sugar blast for the year! I joined about 120 Sisters who reside in our Infirmary in their dining room for this special meal. The dining room had been transformed into a real sugar shack! Long tables were set; pickles, bread, tins of real maple syrup adorned each table. It took a while to get all the people in wheel chairs or with walkers into the dining room, but everyone was very patient with the wait. Once we were all settled, the staff, who had eaten earlier than usual so as to be free, served us. First came the pea soup which was delicious, this was followed by a lovely salad and a plate with eggs, ham, carrots, and beans. And of course, there was plenty of Maple syrup to pour over everything. In case we still hadn’t had enough sugar, maple syrup desserts followed.
Once most of the Sisters had finished eating, there was a sing song led by the group of Sisters and the Chaplain who work at the Infirmary. One of these women, Sister Francine, is a wonderful pianist. Her accompaniment really added to the ambiance. Truly, it was touching to see all how all the elderly women joined in the singing so heartily. They really did enjoy themselves.
But what made this special meal even more touching for me was that the Sisters who had prepared this event and who led the singing had just buried one of their companions the day before. Very suddenly, earlier in the week, the Leader of the Sisters in the Infirmary had taken ill and died within 24 hours. This was a tremendous shock for the Sisters who worked and lived with her. Grieving and mourning themselves, and still in shock at the recent events, they put themselves into this activity whole heartedly. Once again, the love and care they have for our Senior Sisters who are ill was manifest. And I was grateful for their witness of generosity and love!
I pray that you will have a blessed Holy Week and that Easter will be a time great joy and peace for you! Happy Easter!

Sister Sheila

We shall protect one another

St. Peter’s Basilica

The past week has been one of many emotions! March 12 marked the beginning of the Conclave. Like so many, I prayed earnestly for the Spirit to direct the Cardinals in their election of the new Pope. I must admit that, in the time leading up to the Conclave and during it, I was annoyed with the media and their numerous articles, TV programs, and predictions. This was not just one more election. This was a time of serious discernment, and the Cardinals would need all the enlightenment of the Spirit, if they were to choose the person most able to lead our Church at this difficult time.
March 12 was also the day on which one of our missionary Sisters died. Maria Denise had been a missionary in Chile during the coup d’état and subsequent Pinochet government, and later in Honduras for some 40 years. The presence of many Chileans at the prayer service and funeral of this woman was testimony to the place she had played in their lives. Repeatedly, those who had known her and worked with her in Chile, spoke of her courage, of the risks she had taken, of the people she had protected, and of the many times she had put her own life in danger to protect others. This was time of loss but also a time of gratitude for the life and witness of this woman, so committed to the poor.
Then, on March 13, we saw the white smoke pouring out of the Vatican chimney. Habemus Papam! But who was he? With those gathered in St. Peter’s square, we waited and wondered and hoped. Then, we learned his name, and many of us still wondered who he was. Almost immediately the news reporters began to tell us a little about this man. He was from Argentina; he had lived very simply; he was a Jesuit; he loved the poor, and he would take the name, Francis I. Continuing to wait, we kept our eyes on the curtains of the balcony, watching for the slightest movement. Finally, Francis I, dressed simply in a white cassock, appeared on the balcony to greet the people gathered in the square below and those of us watching on TV from around the world. Immediately, his simplicity, humanity, and humour were evident! He spoke simply, telling us that he had come from afar and, prior to giving us his blessing, he asked us to pray for him. It was remarkable to see how the crowd at St. Peter’s quickly became quiet and prayed, as did many of us watching on TV. And then, he wished us all good night. Since that moment, Francis I has continued to surprise us, by visiting a brother Cardinal in the hospital, or mingling with the crowd outside the Vatican to name but a few ways.
And yesterday, March 19, this humble Cardinal from Argentina was officially installed as Pope Francis I. Though some 150,000 to 200,000 persons were gathered in the square, Pope Francis I’s humanity and simplicity were evident. In his homily, he reached out to all human beings of good will, urging us to be “protectors” much as St. Joseph had been in his life. He invited us to protect the environment, to protect one another, to protect all of humanity, particularly the most vulnerable and poor. He appealed to every woman and man to bring light into the world, to bring hope to the darkness, and he urged us not to fear to show love and tenderness to one another. For, as he said,” to protect is to love”. A concrete way we might embrace the invitation to “protect” our environment would be to participate in Earth Hour, Saturday, March 23 from 8.30pm – 9.30pm. (More info here)
Yes, it has been just a week since this Cardinal was elected Pope, but there is an excitement and hope in my heart that I have not felt for some time. In this one week, there have been numerous changes in the style and ways of doing things, and this can only point to more such changes to come. Francis I’s gestures of simplicity have spoken more loudly than any words this past week.
As Francis I begins his pontificate in these challenging times of our Church, let us pray for this man, asking God to give him the necessary strength to deal with the very real difficulties he will face. But mostly, let pray that he will continue to witness by his own simplicity and great humanity, and that the poor and most vulnerable will always be a priority for him. May his patron, St. Francis of Assisi, who so cared for nature, the poor, and the most disadvantaged, watch over him.

Sister Sheila

Helping Can Be Child’s Play!

For some weeks now I have been going to the YMCA Residence (Tupper Street, Montreal) for refugees on Wednesday afternoons. There, along with Molly, a volunteer, and Laura, the animator for the children and families in the residence, I play with the children. Mostly, they have been quite young; occasionally, a few have been 10 or 11 years old. These children are here in this residence because they are recently arrived refugees who will remain here for 2, 3 or 4 weeks. In spite of the uprooting they are living and the uncertainties about the future that their parents face, the children have generally been delightful to be with. It has been amazing to see how these children have used art, imagination, and creative play to surmount the language barriers among themselves. I only wish that we adults could be as creative.
Two weeks ago, when I arrived on Wednesday, there was only one child, a very precocious 3 year old from the Congo, who was content to entertain herself and just to be in our company. Naively, I thought that meant that we volunteers would be free. That’s when I learned about the upcoming fundraising campaign, Campagne YMCA pour nos Enfants. This is a Canada wide campaign that raises money for the Y’s children’s activities and programs. Each Y organizes its own activities and sets its own goal for raising money for its needs. The Y Residence, where I volunteer, will be raising money to support the programs and activities they provide for the children of refugees living in the residence. The goal, here, is a modest one; the hope is to raise $9,500. The official launching is Thursday, March 12 at 12.30. Prospective donors have been invited to a dinner which will be provided by the Y food services and which will give an opportunity for donors to learn more about the mission of the Y Residence and its programs.
So, now that Molly and I knew about this Campaign, Laura invited us to help prepare the decorations. Organized woman that she is, Laura had all kinds of material ready for us to cut out or color. We sat together for a couple of hours, cutting out ice cream cones and stars and coloring rainbows and flowers. It was a relaxed, pleasant time together which gave us a chance to talk together a little about Canada’s recent Bill C-31 and the ramifications of this bill for Refugee families and children. We laughed at our “art” work, showed off our coloring, and posed for pictures. You can see that we were a very happy group!

Sr. Sheila Sullivan, Molly & Laura

I have not been volunteering at the Y Residence for very long, but what has most impressed me is the quality of the staff and volunteers I have met, many of whom are young women. Genuinely compassionate, they do all they can to create a warm, welcoming space and offer helpful services to these newly arrived refugee