For most western cultures, June is the month of graduations at every level, from kindergarten to advanced university students. It is always a time to celebrate. For some the accomplishment is easy and unspectacular. For others, the same graduation from the same school is almost miraculous where obstacles and reality have called forth incredible courage and stamina. Children of professional people stand next to children of immigrants, some of whom are illiterate.
Parents are proud but at the ceremony itself, many are grateful if it is brief. Graduation speeches are rarely remembered, many because they are boring at best and tasteless at worst. Some are political rallies, others diatribes against opposing views from those of the speaker’s.
At one college graduation the speaker spoke of hope for a few minutes and then sang a song of hope. People stood and applauded. Dr. Seuss gave a commencement talk which became his book: “O the Places You’ll Go”. One of my favorite graduation speeches came from Fr. Daniel Berrigan. He got up at a college graduation after a five minute introduction for him and said, “Know where you stand and stand there.” One sentence was his entire address.
On May 28, the sisters and associates from Ottawa, and Sister Eleanor McCloskey, a visitor joining us, gathered at Serenity Renewal for Families. The theme chosen to provide a focus for Marguerite was "Dancing in her Footsteps." We shared prayer, reflections, renewed vows and commitments, and enjoyed a meal and conversation together. It was also an occasion to celebrate Kathy Kelly's 30th and Carmel Horan's 25th anniversary of associate membership as well as Maureen Killoran and Eleanor McCloskey's 60th anniversary as Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. We took time to acknowledge and thank Siter Ann Marie Fortin and Sister Elizabeth Jane Fraser for their many faithful years of service at Howe Island.
As announced some months ago, the newsletter will now be published every two months and each issue will feature a province or region. The February edition headlined Visitation Province; this one highlights Notre-Dame-des-Apôtres Region. It also includes news from the Social Justice Network’s coordinator and an information segment.
Notre-Dame-des-Apôtres Region
Since January, Notre-Dame-des-Apôtres Region has been involved in a variety of areas which are related to social justice and are based upon the needs and situations in the different communities where we are present.