Saturday, September 6 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 80 Saint-Charles East Street, Longueuil

Guided tour at 1:30 p.m.

As part of the Religious Heritage Days, the Centre Marie-Rose (CMR) will welcome the public outdoors to a day full of discoveries. Between history, art, and encounters, the program promises to delight both the curious and heritage enthusiasts.

🖼️ Outdoor Mini-Exhibition: Art, Mission, and Memory

Outdoor mini-exhibition of artifacts with activities during the 2024 Religious Heritage Days.

Stroll through an open-air exhibition highlighting unique artifacts, interpretation panels, and slideshows. This presentation explores the influence of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) in the development of the arts and recalls their still vibrant mission, inspired by Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, dedicated to the fulfillment of individuals.

🪑 Sale of Objects and Artifacts
Antique lovers and collectors of unique pieces, rejoice! You will find furniture, chairs, vases, frames, paintings by the Sisters, and other items, some from the SNJM archives collection. This bazaar will be accompanied by a silent auction for certain antiques (bidding from 3 to 4 p.m.). A great opportunity to take home an object steeped in history.

Guided tour of the heritage site during the 2024 Religious Heritage Days.

🏛️ Guided Presentation and Living Testimonies
Accompanied by an SNJM Sister, immerse yourself in the fascinating history of this heritage site and its 18^th and 19th-century buildings. Enjoy the presence of Sisters ready to share anecdotes, memories, and insights into life during days gone by.

📍 Self-Guided Tour with QR Codes
Along Saint-Charles Street, follow an open-air itinerary through posters equipped with QR codes. They will reveal stories and anecdotes about local history for an autonomous and interactive exploration.

An Iconic Site to Rediscover
Although its indoor spaces are no longer accessible, the CMR remains a key player in showcasing heritage. Its three historic buildings, some elements dating back to the 18th century, offer a unique setting to immerse yourself in traditions and rediscover aspects of our collective history.

📅 Don’t miss this exceptional day: an immersion into our past, filled with discoveries, encounters, and cherished objects.
Come alone, with friends, or as a family… and leave with a piece of history!

Aerial view of the SNJM heritage site, including 18th and 19th-century buildings.

As UNANIMA International (UI) prepares to conclude its activities at the end of 2025 (see related article), its most recent newsletter powerfully showcases the richness and diversity of its commitments. Apart from the announcement of its closure, this edition highlights major current issues carried with conviction by the UI team — all within a framework of social justice, human dignity, and equity.

Climate Justice and Gender Justice: Acting Together

The newsletter notably covers UI’s active participation in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) held in New York. On this occasion, Jean Quinn (Executive Director) and Liana Almony (Associate Director) took part in several side events, including a flagship panel entitled “Women of Faith Leading Change: Going Further, Faster, Together for Climate and Gender Justice.” Liana presented UI’s approach to climate displacement, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to integral ecology and ecofeminism. A recording of the event is available in the newsletter.

Inclusive Policies and Ending Homelessness

Another side event focused on how inclusive social policies can serve as a lever to achieve gender equality and end homelessness, with particular attention to the feminization of poverty. Continuing on this theme, Jean Quinn, also spoke as a member of a panel titled “Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Key to Ending Violence Against Women,” highlighting the need for an intersectional approach to create effective public policies and support services.

On the Road to the World Social Summit

UNANIMA International is also preparing for its participation in the second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to take place in Qatar in November 2025.
As an active member of the Working Group to End Homelessness, UI is advocating for the explicit inclusion of homelessness in the final declaration of the Summit — building on the legacy of the Copenhagen Declaration and aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Honoring a Visionary Path

The newsletter also pays tribute to Jean Quinn for her founding role in Sophia Housing, an organization she created in 1997 to provide sustainable housing solutions in Ireland.
In April 2025, she was officially named its patron, a recognition of her pioneering vision: understanding that people experiencing homelessness need not just “a bed for the night, but a home for life.”

A Presence of Solidarity in Haiti

Finally, the newsletter features a powerful testimony from the Sisters of Providence in Port-au-Prince, who share their work with vulnerable populations in the Bicentenaire district — an area marked by instability and insecurity. Their ongoing presence there is described as a sign of hope and active solidarity.

👉 This is a newsletter worth reading in full — available in English, French, and Spanish — to fully appreciate the deep impact of UNANIMA International’s mission.

Source photo : UNANIMA International

More than 20 Years of Commitment to Justice and Human Dignity

With a deep sense of mission accomplished, UNANIMA International (UI) announces the conclusion of its activities at the end of 2025, after nearly 25 years of tireless commitment with the United Nations and around the globe.

This difficult yet thoughtful decision was made collectively, following a process of discernment involving the 23-member Religious Congregations of this non-governmental organization (NGO).

Founded through the initiative of Catherine Ferguson, SNJM, UI emerged in response to a call issued during the 2000 Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the United States. From the very beginning, its mission was clear: to be a voice for women, children, refugees, and the planet within international institutions, especially the United Nations.

The name “UNANIMA” — blending “UN” for United Nations and anima, Latin for the feminine “spirit” or “breath” — perfectly reflects the organization’s vision of collective and united action, in one heart and one spirit.

Sowing Seeds of Transformation

Jean Quinn, UI Executive Director

Since its founding, UNANIMA International has built enduring connections between Religious Congregations and members of civil society, developing a strong international network of collaboration. Its influence has been particularly felt in areas such as anti-human trafficking efforts, water access as a human right, environmental ethics, climate justice, and, in the last decade, the growing recognition of homelessness as a critical global issue.

In the latest newsletter, UI Executive Director Jean Quinn shared that this transition is not a closure, but the fulfillment of a mission rooted in faith, compassion, and service.
“Every initiative, every voice raised, every action taken has sown seeds of transformation,” she wrote, confident that UI’s legacy will continue to live on in the hearts, projects, and communities touched by its mission.

Gillian D’Souza Nazareth, Chair of the NGO Committee on Social Development, also highlighted the organization’s impact:
“UNANIMA International has been a beacon of light in the advocacy for social justice at the United Nations headquarters in New York,” she said. “I want to thank UNANIMA International for providing vision, executing its mission, and guiding the advocacy efforts of the NGO Committees over many years. It has consistently contributed in countless ways — through impartial leadership, human resources, time, effort, and expertise.”

Mission Accomplished

This decision followed a period of discernment that began in January 2025, during a meeting with the leaders of the member Congregations. Faced with declining human and financial resources and evolving institutional realities, the question arose: are we in a time of transition, or are we witnessing the conclusion of a chapter? The answer became clear in February 2025 during a meeting of the Board of Directors: UI has fulfilled its founding mission, and the time has come to close this chapter with gratitude and grace.

Until the end of the year, UI will continue its operations, and a special gathering will be held in September 2025 to celebrate its achievements and honor its partners and collaborators.The Board is also exploring possible pathways to allow members to carry forward certain aspects of UI’s work through new forms of solidarity.

And so, the story of UNANIMA International draws to a close — not in silence, but in the firm belief that actions taken in the name of justice, peace, and human dignity have a lasting impact.

Let us also remember that throughout this journey, many Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), along with lay partners, have benefitted from their involvement with UNANIMA International. Through this affiliation, they had the opportunity to participate in and contribute to various United Nations events and commissions in New York, making meaningful contributions to global advocacy efforts.

Source photo : UNANIMA International

The most recent edition of Brèves de L’autre Parole, the publication of the Christian feminist collective L’autre Parole, stands out for the richness of its content and the diversity of topics it explores. A true crossroads of ideas, references, and current issues, this publication offers a series of reflections that both inform and awaken consciousness.

Among the highlights is a feature on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The report published by UN Women paints a troubling picture: in one out of four countries, women’s rights regressed in 2024. Weakening democratic institutions, new technologies, and climate change are identified as major threats. This global overview, concisely illustrated in just 29 pages with clear graphics and text, also reveals that:

• 59 million adolescent girls still lack access to education
• 2 billion women and girls have no social protection
• Nearly three-quarters of the world’s parliamentarians are men

Read the full report here:
🔗 UN Women – Women’s Rights 30 Years After Beijing

Echoing these findings, the newsletter references the latest UNANIMA International publication, highlighting its involvement in several side events during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). Of particular note is a webinar focused on community-based projects to end gender-based violence, in partnership with various organizations and governments.
🔗 Read the full UI newsletter

Brèves de L’autre Parole also recommends a powerful and freely accessible film:
“The Second Sex: In the Footsteps of Simone de Beauvoir” — a documentary revisiting the enduring relevance of the French philosopher’s thought, through the voices of contemporary feminist figures such as Judith Butler and Silvia Federici.
🔗 Watch the documentary (in French)

Several other articles in this edition are worth noting:

• A spotlight on the work of “Mothers On the Front Line” (Mères au front), a grassroots movement active in Québec and around the world advocating for peace, from Ukraine to Argentina.
• A reflection on the word “autrice” and the linguistic challenges related to the recognition of women in the public domain. (applies to the French language)
• A preview of the upcoming World March of Women, scheduled for October.
• A thought-provoking look at Liberation Theology and its influence in Québec since the 1950s, including a reference to Bulletin d’histoire politique.

The issue concludes with a selection of book recommendations, exhibitions, and video resources.

To add a touch of humor to this summer edition, the cover features a clever cartoon originally published in Le Devoir.

The Comité d’action contre la traite humaine interne et internationale (CATHII – Committee for Action Against Internal and International Human Trafficking) paid tribute to six individuals, including two SNJM members, who have significantly contributed to the organization’s journey since its founding 20 years ago.

Sister IsaBelle Couillard, sgm

The tribute served as an opportunity to highlight key moments in the organization’s history. CATHII President Sr. IsaBelle Couillard, sgm, recalled how an invitation from the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) in 2001 sparked an idea among several Religious Congregations involved in women’s justice networks.

Taking It Further

Already active in grassroots communities in the Saint-Michel neighborhood of Montreal, Lise Gagnon, SNJM, and Céline Dubé, CND, developed a one-day awareness session on human trafficking.

To reach a broader audience, they conceived the idea of creating a play with the evocative title “Lost in trafficking”  (“Perdues dans le trafic”). Both the session and the play were translated into English and presented across Quebec, Ontario, and other parts of Canada, with support from the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC). 

These actions elicited strong responses and sparked reflection: “Do we stop here or keep going? And if we continue, how do we go further?” This questioning led Céline Dubé and Lise Gagnon to found CATHII in September 2004.

“At the time, we envisioned a small action-oriented committee,” said Sr. Lise Gagnon. “We continued raising awareness to combat the misconception that this issue only existed outside our country. We also added advocacy to influence legislation.”

This sustained effort and growing public awareness eventually led to the founding of the Coalition québécoise contre la traite des personnes (Quebec Coalition Against Human Trafficking) in 2016 by CATHII. The coalition promotes collaboration between various groups working with victims—shelters, outreach workers, community groups, police services, and more.

Recognizing Ongoing Commitment

Sisters Lise Gagnon and Claudette Bastien, snjm

Sr. IsaBelle Couillard praised “the intuition, the ability to call forth, unite, and energize Religious Communities and other groups” demonstrated by co-founders Céline and Lise.

The tribute to Sr. Lise Gagnon honored not only her foundational work but also her continued involvement, notably in launching the CATHII–University at the UN program, which marked its fifth anniversary in spring 2025.

A 2014 letter written by Sr. Claudette Bastien revealed the impact of the SNJM Congregation’s corporate stand against human trafficking. “It was then that I was offered a unique opportunity to engage in this cause through the founding of CATHII in late September 2004… Since that day, my involvement with CATHII continues to be nourished by the solidarity that binds us and propels us forward, confident that we have laid strong foundations and that many challenges remain in helping victims of trafficking both here and abroad.”

Sr. Claudette’s early involvement saw her take to the streets, as noted by Sr. Couillard—“holding the CATHII banner during the Freedom Relay, the World March of Women, and events commemorating March 8 and missing Indigenous women.”

Sr. Couillard also highlighted her many representations and years of leadership as president of CATHII, concluding with this tribute: “In recognition of the one who is always present when action is needed—Claudette Bastien, of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.”

Celebrating Other Key Contributors

During the gathering held in Montreal on April 24, four other individuals were also honored: Ms. Francine Cabana, involved since the inception and a board member; Sr. Pierrette Bertrand, another founding member; and Nicole Rivard, the first representative to Talitha Kum.

Special mention was given to the contribution of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Anne during this warm and friendly event.

In closing, it is worth noting that the latest issue of the CATHII bulletin (French only) is now available.

Taken at the meeting on April 24. Photo Renaude Grégoire