Photo: Some of the Sisters of the Congregation de Notre-Dame who attended Mass at Jewish Senior Services on Christmas Eve
All our Sisters have moved from Lourdes Health Care Center, which is now closed. They made the transition to Jewish Senior Services very gracefully, including Margaret Brennan, who prayed the Hail Mary with Clare Kearney and Maryann Calabrese less than two days before her death and then slipped away quietly and peacefully in her own good time. There are now five Sisters at JSS, served by a new navigator from Connecticut Community Care.
Toronto Celebrating!
Sisters and associates have been visiting schools and parishes to speak about St. Marguerite’s life as we celebrate her 400th birthday. Here are a few of those experiences:
On January 10th Notre Dame High School celebrated St. Marguerite’s Feast Day: As part of the 400th celebration, Sr. Eileen Power spoke at the school Mass of Marguerite’s history and legacy. The Mass and reception which was attended by Congregation de Notre-Dame sisters, associates, staff, students, alumni and donors, celebrated “her spirit, courage, determination, love, light and compassion have been beacons for each of us as we navigate our careers either high school or professional.” (Sandy Soave, school chaplain)
"The St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Mass was an amazing experience that reinforced our school theme for this year "Do something." Sr. Power's speech gave me newfound motivation to keep helping others in 2020.” (Grade 11 student Maria Petersen)
St. Valentine’s Day seems to have been taken over by the greeting card companies, the candy-makers, and the florists. Even when we live with people who know we love them, there is something special about a card or a gift of flowers to express the specialness of a relationship.
In Holland during World War II, there lived a woman who understood the need to speak words of love and to bring flowers to the one loved. A Dutch Jew, she was killed in Auschwitz in 1943 at the age of twenty-nine. Her name was Etty Hillesum.