At the 35th General Chapter of the SNJM, Pat Murray, IBVM, held the attention of sisters, affiliates and partners present. Referring to world events and their impact on global society and contemporary religious life, she saw an invitation to two movements, “firstly to go deeper within and secondly to extend the embrace of our lives to the needs of our world.”

In keeping with the theme of “The Call of Our Lives”, Sister Murray linked four aspects to the process that each person can undertake for transformative leadership:

• Acknowledging wounds
• Fostering interculturality
• Practicing radical hospitality
• Building global brotherhood and sisterhood

Her words resonated with SNJM sisters who were called upon to discuss them. “We are invited to rebuild our relationships with ourselves, with others and with God,” said one participant, who insisted on the need to “dig deeper”. Others emphasized the importance of listening, recalling that we “didn’t know how to listen to ourselves and the world, without judging the world.”

The importance of listening to all people, especially those who are suffering, is also essential. “We need to be more attentive to people who are going through difficult things, who have hidden suffering and who don’t feel understood enough.”

Discovering the culture of others

The question of interculturality brought to light the benefits of being in regular contact with people of different nationalities, especially at Maison Jésus-Marie (MJM). It requires creativity to get to know each other’s culture and discover what is hidden under the tip of the iceberg. Similarly, we must learn to be creative in our hospitality towards strangers to be able to help those in need.

Some sisters are comforted to know that they share the same challenges and realities with each other, and that, through their “small daily actions”, they participate in building this renewal. While each person’s abilities must take into account their own limits and context, their actions are nevertheless still relevant.

Commenting on the words and actions of Pope Francis in her talk, Sister Pat Murray highlighted his attitudes and the movement he has inspired to create a synodal Church. She remarked that the Pope’s ability to acknowledge his mistakes resonated with sisters, as did his promise to show more compassion and kindness, to be more benevolent, and to support and listen to the needy.

The place of women in the Church

The speaker recalled the collaborative work among women religious congregations under the umbrella of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), which includes some 2,000 communities with over 700,000 women religious worldwide. Closer collaboration with male counterparts has also recently begun.

In this journey to build global sisterhood and brotherhood, she also addressed the place of women in the Church and the important role they can, and do, play. Acknowledging that several steps have been taken to increase the place of women in the Church by Pope Francis, Sister Pat Murray recalled that even Pope Francis has said “we haven’t understood how and why women are important in the Church.”

As one participant pointed out, women are not readily accepted in the Church even though they have knowledge, skills and experiences to share. Still, several took the opportunity to express their determination “to share their particular charism.”

While no one present was able to precisely answer the question raised by one participant “What can we do to change things in our current context?” some mentioned the importance, as religious women, of continuing with their commitments wherever they are: whether it be with refugee committees, on boards of directors, or in parishes.

On this point, as with the creation of a synodical Church, the sisters agreed that we must think outside the box. Sister Murray added with a note of optimism that “we will see the presence and leadership of women flourish.” She concluded by saying “we can only answer the call of our lives by walking together, sharing the lights of the Holy Spirit, as we move toward the edge of tomorrow.”

Elena Lasida’s remarks, during her presentation to the 35th General Chapter of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), resonated with her audience on July 19, judging by the comments made afterwards.

The guest speaker presented her vision of the world in relation to the theme and orientations of the 35th General Chapter. After defining the concept of “Kairos” time as an opportune moment, she emphasized that there is a choice to be made, either to cling to the past or to invent the future. She then addressed the theme of “The Call of our Lives” by highlighting two ways of living: by continuity and by renewal.

Finally, she had the “genius”, as one participant put it, to build bridges between the four rules of Pope Francis and the four orientations of the Chapter.

Recalling the history of the Congregation, particularly in associating education with artistic and musical creation, Elena Lasida emphasized that the Congregation was well placed to use its long experience to help us rethink living together on our common home.

She spoke of:

• “To make room for beauty in a world ordered by utility and efficiency”…
• “Making room for the unexpected by developing one’s capacity to welcome in a world obsessed with prediction, anticipation and security”…
• “Making room for letting go in a world marked by mastery and control” by explaining that “letting go” does not mean giving up and resigning, but rather surrendering and letting yourself be transported.

She concluded on an optimistic note by saying “through this world that is disappearing, you have the sensitivity to detect the seeds of the new life that calls.”

Elena Lasida is a professor at the Catholic Institute of Paris (ICP), a doctor in economic and social sciences, and director of the master’s degree “Solidarity Economy and Market Logic” at the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences of the ICP. She has written several books including “Le Goût de l’autre : La Crise, une chance pour réinventer le lien“, she speaks regularly at conferences and participates as a researcher on social utility evaluation processes.

News of the fire at the bakery project in Lesotho — Retiumetse Church Project (RCP) — has provoked spontaneous gestures of solidarity. The association Association for Participatory Development (ADEP), which has been supporting this project since its inception, has donated funds for the replacement of the ovens that were completely destroyed in the fire. It is hoped that this will allow for the quick resumption of bread production, a necessity for the hundred or so families in the surrounding villages, the orphanages, and the center for the elderly.

Two employees were working in the bakery at the time the fire started. Thankfully, they were able to escape unharmed.

The bakery plays an important role in the Retiumetse Church Project, founded by Sister Gisèle Foucreault many years ago. Currently managed by Sister Sylvia Jone, the RCP includes a home for orphaned girls and a shelter for the abandoned and neglected elderly. It has several programs including education for young girls, empowerment training, providing the area with housing and access to water through the digging of wells.

In addition, the bakery is a source of training and employment for many people who work there. It also creates income for the RCP by selling bread to nearby schools, some of which employ SNJMs.

While the cost of reconstruction is being assessed, the project leader, Sister Sylvia Jone, is busy meeting immediate needs on the ground. In Quebec, the news sparked an immediate wave of generosity among the sisters and friends of Sister Gisèle Foucreault, who worked in Lesotho for 50 years and was the architect of many development projects in that country, including the construction of houses, the digging of wells and the establishment of this bakery. The collection of funds is already under way to purchase foodstuffs, such as flour, and equipment and building materials, such as cement blocks.

Any form of financial assistance from Canada can be directed to Fonds d’aide aux missions, 80 Saint-Charles Street East, Longueuil, Quebec, J4H 1A9. Please indicate “For Lesotho Bakery” and include your full contact information to receive a receipt.

Source photos : Sisters Sylvia Jone and Hélène Harvey

Bill C-15 was finally approved by the Senate of Canada by a count of 61-10 with nine abstentions on June 16, just days before the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. An extensive advocacy campaign had been underway since the bill passed through the House of Commons in December 2020. Several faith-based organizations, including the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), had joined in supporting its passage through the Senate.

The purpose of Bill C-15 (An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – UNDRIP) is to harmonize federal legislation with the UNDRIP. “This legislation will require the Government of Canada to examine federal laws, policies and practices and to take all measures, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, to ensure consistency with the Declaration. It provides the foundation for transformational change in Canada’s relationships with Indigenous Peoples”, said David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Aboriginal Relations, in a joint statement following its passage through the Senate.

Aboriginal women face double discrimination

For Viviane Michel, President of Quebec Native Women (QNW), the work is not over yet. She is concerned about the length of time it will take to review and standardize Canadian laws to comply with the UNDRIP. “In the meantime, Canada’s Aboriginal peoples, and more specifically Aboriginal women, are still not being treated on an equal footing with all Canadians. ”

Ms. Michel reminds us that “Aboriginal women are victims of double discrimination compared to Aboriginal men in many aspects of their lives. They must not be forgotten in all aspects of the implementation of the UNDRIP. ”It is in this context that she is calling on governments to undertake a genuine consultation with Aboriginal nations in order to be in tune with their realities.

The group of Francophone Associates of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) has been enriched by the arrival of two young women. Yasmine Matar and Geneviève Noël made their first commitment as Associates during a virtual ceremony on May 22.

After being accompanied by Sr. Thérèse Laplante during their spiritual journey, for over two years, the two young aspirants experienced this moment with emotion and peace. Twenty-six Francophone and Anglophone Associates and Sisters were present during their first commitment ceremony.

A desire to share and to “grow”

When asked about her motivations for undertaking this spiritual journey, Yasmine expressed her desire to pray, discuss, reflect and contemplate. “Sharing with the group of Associates is precious to me. Taking time to clear my mind is a constant challenge.”

Beyond the moments of sharing and internalization (reflection), she stated, “I want to be an active and committed Affiliate of the SNJM family and to participate by means of concrete actions related to the corporate stands of the community. I want to offer a listening presence and an open-mindedness as I enter into communion with the Francophone and Anglophone Sisters and Affiliates.”

For her part, Genevieve speaks of a connection between herself and the SNJM spirit since her first contact with the Congregation, an energy that has continued to grow. “Joining these values, this charism, this action to something bigger than myself, gives me meaning, strength, energy and life. ”

She specifies her reason for becoming an SNJM Associate in these words, “I feel called by the group, by each one of you. Because you nourish me and quench my spiritual thirst, you help me grow. Alone, I do not possess all the necessary tools and some tools are not found in books and lectures, but rather in relationships with others.”

The SNJM Francophone Associate (or Associates’) ceremony also formalized the renewal of commitment of some 37 additional Affiliates for the next three years.

Visit this page to learn more about possible forms of affiliation with the SNJM mission.

Caption – top photo: Yasmine Matar and Geneviève Noël

The management of Collège Durocher-Saint-Lambert (CDSL) continued an SNJM tradition by inserting a medal of Mother Marie-Rose into the freshly-poured first layer of concrete for the foundation of the Lieu des Possibles. (Place of Possibilities)

According to history, along with devotion to the foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), this medal is known to offer protection from fires. Similar medals are found in the foundations of the College’s other buildings.

The ceremony took place on May 19, 2021, at the Lieu des Possibles construction site in Saint Lambert. Invited by Francis Roy, Director of Collège Durocher-Saint-Lambert, Sr. Denise Riel, Provincial Animator, inserted the medal into the concrete. She was accompanied by Sr. Lisette Boulé, Provincial Councillor.

The event took place in the presence of several other people, including Ms. Kathleen Caissy, Chairman of the Board; Mr. Jacques Gravel, Director of Technical Services; Ms. Dominique Genest, Director of Financial Services; and Ms. Josée Amireault, Member of the Board. The Lieu des Possibles is being set up in a new CDSL pavilion. It is intended to be a space which fosters creativity, is open to sharing with the broader community, and offers learning opportunities adapted to the needs of young people today and in the future.

Find out more … Link to page and video – in French only.

Source photo: Collège Durocher-Saint-Lambert

In a recent letter sent to the management of Development and Peace, with copies also sent to the Bishops of Canada (CCCB) and the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC), the signatories expressed their disagreement with the way the organization chose to eliminate 24 Southern partners from its list of organizations to be supported.

Pointing out a lack of transparency and a “preoccupation with sexual morality rather than a focus on the poor and the common good,” the four signatories of the letter refer to Scripture to support their point of view. “… Nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus abandon, disgraced or desperate women. Jesus hears their cries…”

Expressing their indignation, they conclude their letter by posing the following question so relevant to the current context: “Is it too late to look at these situations with a compassionate heart and through the lens of the Gospel?”

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) have long supported the non-governmental organization (NGO) Development and Peace. The recent controversy has upset them, as well as other religious organizations who have likewise denounced the actions of Development and Peace.

Recently, two exciting news items were announced by Saint-Nom-de-Marie Boarding School (PSNM). The first concerns a successful initiative to improve the emergency area at Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre. The second refers to their reception of a Level 2 ÉCORESPONSABLE Certification^MC, a first in the French education sector in Quebec.

An inspiring and comforting project

As evidenced by the TVA report and the article on the PSNM website, the initial idea of a young patient Rose-Marie, who is a student at the school, had a positive effect. Rose-Marie shared her thoughts with the hospital’s administration after an experience in a cold, all-white resuscitation room filled with medical instruments.

Student painting a canvas Photo credit: PSNM

Her idea of making the hospital environment more welcoming, gradually took shape and was eventually presented to Caroline Delcourt, the plastic arts teacher. The students enthusiastically committed themselves to the project of designing and creating 75 frescoes. This project, begun in 2019, has certainly succeeded in counterbalancing the pandemic.

Ceiling at Saint Justine’s – Photo credit: Saint-Justine University Hospital Centre (CHU)

At last, two weeks ago, these frescoes, installed in the rooms and the emergency corridor of Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre, gave rise to many positive reactions from young patients. This project is a beautiful demonstration of the contribution of the arts to daily life. It also confirms the intuition of the pioneers of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) who developed a curriculum in which the teaching of the arts was important in order to promote the full development of students.

A firm commitment to sustainable development

From left to right: Yves Petit, Director General, Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie (PSNM), Nadia Blanchet, student at PSNM and Pierre G. Fillion, President-Director General, Council for Sustainable Industries

Level 2 ECORESPONSABLE^MC Certification – On Earth Day, ÉCOCERT Canada issued and broadcast the awarding of this certificate to Saint-Nom-de-Marie Boarding School, Vincent D’Indy School of Music and Beaubois College. Mr. Benoit Charrette, Quebec’s Minister for the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change highlighted this “first” in Quebec’s education sector.

As the Minister congratulated everyone, he expressed the hope that the approach developed by these three institutions would encourage others in the school system to follow suit. This achievement is the result of the long-term work of the students, faculty and administration of these schools.

In the case of the PSNM, this certification is not an end in itself. Rather, as was pointed out, it is another step in the continuing “process of collective improvement.”

Caption for the photo at the top of the page:  Canvas – created by a student – Photo credit:  PSNM

The embedded links are directed to sources in French only

Eulalie Durocher, known by her religious name Mother Marie-Rose and later Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, is one of 50 remarkable women honored by the Quebec Toponymy Commission. This initial list of 50 women, depicted on an interactive map, features more than 500 official place names paying tribute to them.

The Commission used the following criteria to portray diverse representatives of Quebec society:

1. Pioneers or leading figures in various fields of activity.
2. Historical or popular figures who have left their mark on the collective imagination.
3. A representation of Quebec society as a whole.
4. A desire for women from all eras to be represented.
5. Women born or adopted in Quebec.

This interactive map, launched on International Women’s Rights Day on 8 March, will be enhanced over time to highlight the contribution of as many women as possible. The Commission recalled that there are currently nearly 4,500 official place names associated with a woman.

The interactive map lists ten places designated with the name Eulalie Durocher. We invite you to read the places and names of organizations on the table below.

Please share your knowledge of any other places or organizations named after the founder of the SNJM’s.

Eulalie-Durocher Mausoleum- Côte-des-Neiges Cemetery, Montreal (© Hugues Bouchard, photo courtesy of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery).

The confinement imposed by the pandemic has had at least one positive effect. Several Sisters at Maison Jesus-Marie (MJM) have turned to technology by learning to use a Tablet.

Sr. Suzanne Brault helped to select the tablets to be bought, set them up and trained the Sisters in their basic use. She comes to the rescue when  help is needed.

Sr Suzanne Brault at work.

Sr. Suzanne, who is affectionately nicknamed the “Nun” by her nephew, appreciates sharing her technological skills which counter balance her work as an interpreter. Enjoying discovering new links, she initiated community prayer online. This weekly gathering on “Messenger” brings together a few dozen Sisters, including several new Tablet enthusiasts.

Some of the participants in the virtual community prayer group (nicknamed the PCV).

“I have received a lot in my life and I’m happy to give back to others by helping ‘tame’ the world of Tablets,” says Sr. Suzanne, enthusiastically. During her years in Santa Cruz, California, from 2007-2013, she familiarized herself with technology. Since then, she has continued to learn more about Smartphones and Tablets.

Without considering herself a specialist, she gladly shares her knowledge and discoveries with others. In preparation for the upcoming General Chapter of the Congregation, Sr. Suzanne has made it her mission to introduce her companions to the digital platform Zoom.

Her 30-year experience as a music teacher is serving her well in this world of technology.