Mass for Shut Ins
On October 19, 2014 the Associates with some of our local CND Sis-ters gathered at the CTV Studio in Sydney to celebrate Mass For Shut-ins with Celebrant Fr. Albert Maroun and choir under the direction of Mr. Pat Moore with friends. This was a time of really living the words of our Mission and Vision Statement “ In a Spirit of openness and mutuality with the Sisters” and also “We recognize with joy and gratitude that the Congregation of Notre Dame Associate Relationship is a gift for the Church and the world today.” This was a time of celebration for Visitation East living mutuality with 7 Associate Groups from as far as Pictou/New Glasgow and easterly to include the Sydney Mines, St. Theresa, Holy Angels, Holy Redeemer and New Victoria Groups. We felt very blessed to have at least one Associate from each of these groups who actively took part in the varying ministries for the Celebration. Angela McKinnon of the New Victoria Group was altar server, Mary McKenzie of the New Victoria Group proclaimed the 1st Reading, Gwen MacKinnon of the Pictou/New Glasgow Group proclaimed the 2nd Reading and Bev Mitchelitis of the Sydney Mines Group read the Prayers of the Faithful. Helen MacLean of Holy Redeemer and Lorrette Andrews of the Holy Angels Groups were the gift bearers and Theresa MacNeil of the St. Theresa Group was the Minister of the Eucharist. In CND fashion, we enjoyed a great meal at a local restaurant after Mass with Sister’s Gwen O’Neil and Theresa Sampson along with our celebrant Fr. Maroun – God is Good!!!
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
A moving memorial service commemorating the deaths of the 14 women tragically killed on December 6, 1989 at École Polytechnique in Montreal, and of the nine women on PEI whose lives came to a violent end since that date, was held in Charlottetown on Friday, December 5.
Close to 200 people encircled a table of roses and candles. As each name was read, a candle was lit in honor of that woman. For the Island women, heart-warming details were told of the lives of each one.
The focus of the service was also on the more than 2,000 Indigenous women and children who have been declared missing or slain. The 2014-2015 Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence calls for a national inquiry into this tragedy. During the service on Friday, we were reminded that "we mourn and we act."
God Gave Us Christmas
Gaudete Sunday. That is Latin for REJOICE! We’re lighting the rose colored candle filled with the spirit of joy this week. How did we get here so fast? One thing makes the time spent waiting seem to go by so much faster. Any ideas? Surely many of you guessed it. Busy-ness. Seems as if I blinked and instantly it was the third week of Advent!
