In late November, COVID numbers were pretty stable in Montreal. Plans were underway at Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel to have two feast day celebrations – one in English, the other in French. We seized on this opportunity and were interfacing with the chapel team to include our Associate Relationship 40th anniversary celebrations and the welcoming of our new associates. What venue would be more fitting than Marguerite Bourgeoys’s Chapel, right?
The plan was set (a schola was recruited, readers, intercessions written, etc.). Just before Christmas, Omicron arrived, and daily cases went from about 600 to 16,000 overwhelming testing capacity. The government declared a shutdown, including churches, as of New Year’s Eve. So, we decided to take the whole celebration online. The result that you might have witnessed on January 15 on Zoom exceeded our wildest expectations. Not only was it dignified, prayerful, and intimate, it also allowed us to add many leaves to the eucharistic table, to bring so many of you who would most certainly not have been present had it been in-person. For that we are wonderfully grateful.
Woodstock, NB Associates celebrated the Feast of St. Marguerite on the feast day by gathering at St. Gertrude’s Parish Centre, following COVID protocols. 40th Anniversary activities, CND Orientation for 2021- 2026 and the process for the Future of Associate Relationship were discussed. We prepared a Bulletin insert and created an exhibit to inform parishioners about Marguerite, CND and Associate Relationship.
I am pleased to announce the nomination of Sister Ligia Elizabeth Molina Sevilla as Social Justice Co-Coordinator in her region. Together with Sister Silvia Leticia Corea Sagastume, she will coordinate the social justice activities of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Region. Ligia, we welcome you to the network and are delighted to be able to work with a dispenser of justice of your calibre