Did you know that…?
24 CNDs who were missionaries in Cameroon or who were responsible for missionaries, have entered the house of the FATHER:
60th Anniversary Celebration
On Monday, June 22nd, the sisters of de Sève residence celebrated Monica Branchaud’s Diamond Jubilee of Religious Life. The festivities began with a Prayer Service and a presentation of our gift. Following this, we had a bit of a “Happy Hour” and an evening meal. The honoree chose the menu which all of us enjoyed. Afterwards, we returned to the community room for some fun which included a PowerPoint presentation illustrating different events in Monica’s life and a melody of hits from the 1950’s and the 1960’s. Most of us are of an age that we could actually remember the lyrics and sing along with the music! We thanked Monica for her dedicated life of service within our Congregation. May she continue to follow the path which God presents to her daily.
Donna Rose, CND with de Sève residence sisters
Photo: Sister Saint-Alfred (Délia Clément) during the Spanish Flu epidemic, [Montreal, Quebec], [1918?]. Archives Congrégation de Notre-Dame – Montreal (200.100.018)
Spanish Influenza: Excerpt from Histoire de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame, Volume XI, book 1: 1900-1950, 1972, p. 35-37.
In 1918, throughout the world, and particularly in Canada, an influenza epidemic known as the Spanish Flu, brought grief to thousands of families and decimated the population. Because hospitals, doctors and nurses could not help all the afflicted, the Archbishop of Montreal asked the religious communities to organize free volunteer services for the poor and all who could not get help. A Circular letter from the Superior General called on the sisters in Montreal:
These months of COVID-19 and racial unrest have invited us to witness a new awakening to the systemic injustices in our society and to act consciously as Christ would want us to. We, CND sisters in White Plains, Cathy Molloy, Peggy Doyle, and Maco Cassetta, have responded to the cries of our neighbourhood by feeding the poor, connecting with parishioners who have been in isolation, and marching with our neighbours for equality because black lives matter. We stand in solidarity with the many who respond to the current call to care for our common home. On this 400thanniversary of the birth of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, we are propelled to go to the peripheries and respond in hope to the cries of our wounded world.
The folks at de Sève residence have weathered these past months of COVID-19 together… here we are! The occasion was the Feast of the Visitation and Pentecost, following the Mass we viewed from St. Monica's Parish in Montreal. We enjoyed lunch prepared by our weekend cook, Jeanne D'Arc. We have truly enjoyed some leisurely communal meals and meaningful prayer times these past weeks. Are we not fortunate? We keep each other in mind and heart as we ponder what our loving God is saying to us through all of this. Are we listening? Be well!
Kay Duffin, CND
To mark World Refugee Day, provide food for thought and inspire our prayers, sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame share their experiences with refugee families.
Starting June 22, the Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site will once again be offering an experience to delight visitors from Montréal and across Quebec.
Every precaution has been taken to ensure employees’ and visitors’ health and safety, and the new permanent exhibition, Meet Marguerite!, is ready in time for summer. Executive Director Jean-François Royal noted that he and his team had a good example to follow. “I have to say that we had an excellent model of perseverance to inspire us. Marguerite Bourgeoy’s life and work are an invaluable and inspiring legacy for Quebeckers.”
Visitation Encounter!
On May 31st, the Feast of Visitation and Feast of Pentecost, Associates and Sisters of Blessed Sacrament and Visitation Provinces came together on Zoom to celebrate this special Feast Day during the 400th Anniversary year of St Marguerite Bourgeoys’s birth.
400th Anniversary Retreat
Woodstock, NB Hosted a “Silent No More” March
Mabou Associate Celebrates Marguerite’s 400th Anniversary
In the wake of the death of George Floyd and the worldwide protest that followed, a CND Sister reached out to her niece, a mother of grown biracial children. She shares the response from her niece – a powerful testimony that will nourish our reflection and prayer. She writes:
So I’ve given your request a lot of thought because I don’t want to come off as a crazy person. But this is a subject that I feel very passionate about and it boils my blood.
I can’t speak on how it feels to be a black person, but I can speak on being the parent of a black man (3 of them, as you know). I’ve experienced racism on a different level, than they have.
I’ve had to witness them be targeted by other people, police, and yes even at their jobs. And it hurts.
FACQs ~ June 12, 2020
KINGSTON UPDATE
In 2012 our CND sisters in Kingston moved to Providence Motherhouse and other residences. At last, 8 years later, an affordable housing project has finally begun!
DID YOU KNOW?
This year, as the Congregation de Notre-Dame celebrates the 400th anniversary of the birth of Marguerite Bourgeoys, the Congregation in Cameroon is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foundation.
On September 1, 1970 the missionary adventure in Cameroon began. Six valiant daughters of Marguerite Bourgeoys arrived in Makak...
Sisters Monica McKenna and Violet Belair were visiting the Mother House when the Covid-19 restrictions around travel came into effect. Consequently, their visit was extended ... for a few months! May 31st was not only the Feast of the Visitation and Pentecost, but it was also Sister Violet's 90th birthday...
This article was first published in the Rhode Island Catholic
The priest was a former business man who had owned and operated a construction company with his brother. During the unrest following the murder of George Floyd last week, work was being done on the large inner city church of which the priest was pastor. His brother had to bring in a crane with a lift for the work. Since the equipment was already on site, both brothers, with hard hats and strapped in for safety, went up ninety feet to the top of the church. From that viewpoint they were immediately in front of the statue of Mary, to whom the church is dedicated. Their view of the city was all-encompassing. They began praying the rosary for the city suffering from the pandemic of the coronavirus in bodies and the pandemic of racism in souls. They filmed it life stream on Facebook. 2400 others joined them. At the end of the Rosary, the priest blessed the city with Holy Water praying for peace and justice for all.
FACQs ~ May 29, 2020
Recently, the Canadian National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors (NAVFD) collaborated with the Toronto Archdiocese Vocation Directors Association (TAVDA) to present a webinar.
In response to the recommendation of our 2019 Assembly to consider using technology to enhance communication, Sr. Becky invited sisters “under 75” to participate in a “zoom” gathering.
In the past few months, through enforced change, we may have personally experienced isolation, social distancing, face covering directives, and a loss of some of the freedoms we took for granted. Change has been all around us, for individuals, groups, families, businesses, etc.
The year 2020, chimed in the 400th anniversary of the birth of the woman known as the “Mother of the Colony”: Marguerite Bourgeoys, born in Troyes in Champagne on April 17, 1620.
From the early years of the colony named Ville-Marie, she set the tone and imprint of education adapted to the needs of the women and settlers who were already there. She welcomed the King’s Wards and passed on her knowledge and skills to them “because it was for the families.” When the children were ready to receive instruction, she opened Ville-Marie’s first school in a vacant stable. All children had unconditional access to the stable-school. History preserves traces of official documents signed by this multi-talented woman who responded to the needs of her time. She surrounded herself with women whom she called Filles séculières, secular women, and then Congréganistes, Congregationists. It is in this place that originated the first uncloistered religious community “without veil or wimple”: the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal. Still today, education in all its forms continues in Canada, the United States, Japan, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Cameroun and France.
Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic is making our social-political crisis even more complex.
Since November 2016, we have been enduring the instability and uncertainty of our very future, especially that of our school-aged children. Indeed, since the first general strike in November 2016, our schools have remained closed. Families who have the means or who have relatives in the French regions of the country have enrolled their children in bilingual schools. For security measures, almost all public servants in our region have also moved – about 60% of our population.
The Month of May at Mary of Peace Community
Carmie Rizzo and Lina Farinaro have been boosting the spirits of the sisters at Mary of Peace Community by preparing displays for the month of May (with emphasis on Mary), and spring scenery on the bulletin boards in the common spaces and in sisters' rooms. Lina was assisted by Srs. Clare O'Neill and Gladys Hayward.
Donna Kelly, CND
From Our Leadership Team
May 15-16 marked our third all-Zoom meeting. (Pat Ells zoomed in from her “office,” formerly the dining room.) Like many of you, we find it challenging at times and never as satisfying as in-person meetings. But we are getting better at it and are very grateful for the gift of being able to come together face-to-face, though virtually.
As we celebrate the 5th anniversary of Laudato Si’, let us reflect on quotes from the Writings of saint Marguerite Bourgeoys in connexion with the encyclical.
p. 59 on remora (fish) – “I consider those person who are detached from everything and attached to God alone as that little fish, remora, which turns aside all that can harm a community... this little remora who obtains from God all she asks for His glory and for the good of her neighbour.”
MB tells us to be as reliant on God as the little remora fish that attached themselves to bigger fish for their survival.