Newsletter in honour of the Feast of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys!
Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. We are incredibly fortunate to have eight Sisters of the CND here at St. Jean's. In various and important capacities, our Sisters energetically lead our SJB High School community, steer our students toward great academic achievement, manage building operations and keep us true to our mission of "educating young women of diverse strengths and backgrounds while developing women of faith, service, leadership and empowering our young women to participate actively in the transformation of society for a more just world." I invite you to meet our Sisters and learn how they were called to serve and how they have dedicated their lives to education.
January Article for The RI Catholic
On the second Sunday after Christmas, in a small inner city church, an elderly woman and a young man brought up the end of the Communion line. The young man was having difficulty walking. It was clear he bore much neurological impairment, his facial expressions revealing a differently-abled person. After receiving the Body of Christ, he turned to go back to his seat. This took him directly in front of the Church’s manger scene. As he passed it, he extended his shaky hand toward the statues of Mary, Joseph and Jesus and smiled.
January 2016 Visitation East Associate Newsletter
A Moment for Grace
A Prayer for Refugees
God of our Wandering Ancestors,
Long have we known
That your heart is with the refugee:
That you were born into time
In a family of refugees
Fleeing violence in their homeland,
Who then gathered up their hungry child
And fled into alien country.
Their cry, your cry, resounds through the ages:
“Will you let me in?”
Give us hearts that break open
When our brothers and sisters turn to us
with that same cry.
Then surely all these things will follow:
Ears will no longer turn deaf to their voices.
Eyes will see a moment for grace instead of a threat.
Tongues will not be silenced but will instead advocate.
And hands will reach out—
working for peace in their homeland,
working for justice in the lands where they seek safe haven.
Lord, protect all refugees in their travels.
May they find a friend in me
And so make me worthy
Of the refuge I have found in you.
Amen
