Feast of the Holy Family: A Different Take on "Family"

 

by Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM

I have a different take on the meaning of "family". Here in South Africa, 60% of the families are single parent households. Children, more and more, find little or no love at home and run away. I think a new way of defining family is "where one is loved and accepted unconditionally, whether it is with fellow run-aways or druggies, under the bridge or around a fire in the field, or in a shared doorway. No questions asked, just, yes, come on in and join us. Here, we can share my blanket."

What do you think? Very few families today have the same experience as many of us have had. We pray for all of them and pray that they grow up learning how to transfer that unconditional love and acceptance to their new relationships as they grow older. And we pray God to bless those who try to bring some love into their lives.   What do you think?

- Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM.

Fr. Cas, born and ordained in the USA, has been a Marianhill missionary in South Africa since the late 1960s. 

Christmas Sounds and Smells

 

Things that have long stuck in my mind about the Christmas manger scene are the sounds and smells. Our mangers are dusted and clean when we put them out, but any place that has animals will have the sounds and, especially, the strong smells that go with God's creatures such as cows, donkeys and chickens: urine and, of course, poop patties and droppings. One chicken produces approximately 8–11 pounds of manure monthly!

An enjoyable Christmas carol that our family has enjoyed since the kids were in kindergarten was each person choosing the sound of an animal and then all of us making our animal noise at the same time. The delightful cacophony would go on for as long as everyone was smiling and laughing. In my opinion, I make a particularly good turkey gobbling sound! Yes, I believe this is a Christmas carol that gives glory to the Saviour whose birth we celebrate each Christmas.

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the

shadow of death.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:

come and save humanity, whom you formed from the dust!

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!

Spiritual Reflection for December Meeting

 

Selection by Deacon Steve

“Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Lk 21: 27 – 28)

As we journey in this season of Advent, a time of preparation for and anticipation of the coming of Christ in the Incarnation, which has taken place and is ongoing, we also remember that it is a time of preparation for the Second Coming, for as our Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent tells us, 

“Then they will see, “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Lk 21: 27 – 28)

Yet as Thomas Merton reminds us, 

“More important than the eschatological sign of renewed life, is the sign par excellence; “The Gospel is preached to the poor.” This means that the prophetic message, the fulfillment of the divine promises is now formally announced to the ‘anawim’, to those who hungered and thirsted for the Kingdom because they had no hope but the Lord…. This fulfillment has begun because now Christ has appeared in the midst of the poor as one of them, and has taken them to Himself so that they are, in a most special way, Christ. What happens to them, in a most special way, happens to Christ (Matt 25:37-45). The Last Days have come not merely because the poor have heard about Christ but because they “are” Christ. The poor themselves now become an eschatological sign of Christ, a sign by which other people are judged, for “if the wicked servant says in his heart: ‘My Lord delays in coming’ and begins to strike his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the Lord of that servant will come on the day he does not expect and in the hour which he does not know, and will cut him off (from Man in Christ) and give him his portion with the hypocrites.” (Matt 24:48-50)”

Thomas Merton, “Seasons of Celebration: Meditations on the Cycle of Liturgical Feasts” p. 79

Hills, Valleys and Rough Roads

 

"Make the rough ways smooth."

A friend sent me a refection on the readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent by Louis J. Luzbetak SVD, of the Catholic Theological Union. In it he does a simple but striking job of creating similes out of the mountains, valleys, rough and crooked roads we hear in these readings. He writes:

"How do these images from Isaiah/Luke... invite us to reflect upon the implications of “preparing the way of the Lord” for us as Christian individuals and families during this time of Advent? What are the hills of self-centeredness and pride that need leveling and the deep valleys of depression, addictive patterns, and poor self-esteem that need to be acknowledged and filled? What are the rough ways of broken relationships, loss, and trauma due to COVID, that need to be smoothed out and healed?

"I suggest that we are invited to move from not only a personal and family level of reflection to include also the broader context of our society and church when we reflect on the implications of “preparing the way of the Lord.” Can we apply the “level ground” of Baruch to “creating a level playing field,” in our common language today? The past twenty months have made us more aware of the “age-old depths and gorges” of racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of prejudice from our “us-them” categories in our institutions, country and Church itself."

When we take the first steps in tackling these challenges, we are not acting alone. "The One who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion..." (Philippians 1:6)

Spiritual Reflection – World Day of the Poor 2021

 

Selection by Deacon Steve

“The poor, always and everywhere, evangelize us, because they enable us to discover in new ways the true face of the Father.

“They have much to teach us. Besides participating in the sensus fidei, they know the suffering Christ through their own sufferings. It is necessary that we all let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to recognize the salvific power of their lives and to place them at the centre of the Church’s journey. We are called to discover Christ in them, to lend them our voice in their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to understand them and to welcome the mysterious wisdom that God wants to communicate to us through them…what the Holy Spirit mobilizes is…above all an attentiveness that considers the other in a certain sense as one with ourselves.

“The poor are not people outside our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, in an effort to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their lost dignity and ensure their necessary inclusion….acts of charity presuppose a giver and a receiver, whereas mutual sharing generates fraternity…mutual sharing is enduring…strengthens solidarity and lays the necessary foundations for achieving justice. In short, believers when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him.”

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Fifth World Day of the Poor, p. 2 & 3

The Desire for Charity

 

Reflection selection from Thomas Merton by Deacon Steve

The first thing we must do when we recognize the presence of God’s grace in our hearts is to desire more charity. The desire for love is itself a beginning of love, and from the moment we desire more we already have more: and our desire is itself the pledge of even more to come. This is because an efficacious desire to love God makes us turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s will.

It is by desiring to grow in love that we receive the Holy Spirit, and the thirst for more charity is the effect of this more abundant reception. 

The desire for charity is more than a blind hunger of the soul (although in certain circumstances it is very blind and very much of a hunger). It is clear sighted in the sense that the intelligence enlightened by the Holy Spirit turns to the Father and asks for an increase of love in the name of the Son. That is to say that the desire for charity in a mature Christian soul is a lucid, deep, peaceful, active, and supremely fruitful knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

Thomas Merton, “No Man is an Island” p. 180

September 27th – St. Vincent de Paul

- Reflection by Deacon Steve for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, September 27th

Fr. Vincent serving the poor

In the “Life of St. Vincent de Paul” by Henry Bedford, there is a chapter called “The Sufferings of Lorraine” and refers to the year of 1639. While the thirty year war was still raging on Lorraine ended up being ravaged by French invaders amongst many. So bad was the devastation that one author wrote, “The country people, livid and gaunt through famine fought for the very grass, the roots of trees and acorns, and devoured ravenously the most putrid carrion. At last famine brought them to such a state that men killed one another for food.”

The author goes onto note that “Vincent heard that cry and at once responded to that appeal.” He gave all of the money they had in the house, and cut the meals in half and substituted some of the food with much poorer alternatives so as to try and offer more for the cause of the people of Lorraine.

Vincent wrote, “These are times of penance…for God is afflicting His people. To so much we are bound by obligation; but ought we not moreover to retrench something of our daily fare for the relief of others.”

After having exhausted his own resources he then looked to others, friends and contacts. Even these resources were soon used up and he had to turn to others. Soon those with more than ample resources were drawn in, such was the great saint’s appeal. Duchesses and other government officials drew on their wealth. Even Queen Anne of Austria would come forward and contribute greatly to the cause of Lorraine’s people.

Such was the influence of Vincent because of his deep prayer life and his amazing faith and trust in God’s providence. As the author says, “Men of less faith might have shrunk from so gigantic a labour; but it was a characteristic of our Saint to rise with the occasion, and to draw courage from what daunted others.”

Let us continue to pray for one another that our faith and trust in God may continue to deepen so that while the challenges that we face may seem overwhelming at times, we too may draw courage and rise to the occasion. Believe me when I say that I know you all have done it many times already.

God bless.

- Steve

Conference Spiritual Reflection - September 13/21 - by Deacon Steve

Image: thevalemagazine huacachina-peru-desert-oasis-south-america

The following reflection is taken from  “The Lessons of St. Francis: How to bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life” by John Michael Talbot.

Francis (of Assisi) found his inspiration in the life of Jesus, whose love for us led him to become one of us by being born into the human race instead of remaining in heaven, aloof from us and all our problems.

Most Christians celebrate the Incarnation of Christ as human, around Christmas time and ignore it for the rest of the year. But for Francis, the Incarnation served as a minute by minute reminder to be deeply involved in the world, loving people at close range instead of from inside the strong, stony walls of a monastery.

Francis understood that the dichotomy between solitude and service is a false one, because everyone needs both. If we don’t spend time alone with God, we become spiritually weak, and our work in the world carries little of lasting value. On the other hand, if we spend all of our time with God and never venture out into the world, we may become spiritually isolated and self-contained. We may be full of wonderful wisdom and divine power, but if we don’t share it with others, who benefits? Certainly not other people, and often, not even ourselves.

Here’s how saints down through the ages have explained it: Contemplation and prayer are like an oasis in a dry desert. Through prayer we store up a huge reservoir of water. Our service is the conduit for delivering the water. But once our reservoir is depleted, we need to return to our oasis so we don’t wind up stranded in the desert without water. This is a picture of the life-giving balance between prayer and service.

Talbot, John Michael, “The Lessons of St. Francis: How to bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life”, p. 188 – 189, New York, Penguin Group, 1997.

Image credit: https://thevalemagazine.com/2019/04/13/huacachina-peru-desert-oasis-south-america/

Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him?

A priest friend sent me this reflection on this Sunday's readings (24th Sunday) by Christina Zaker, Director of Field Education at the Catholic Theological Union. Most homilies that I have heard on these readings over the years focus largely on the Gospel, "Who do you say that I am?" What I like about this particular reflection is how it uses the the first two readings to help us answer the challenging question of Jesus not just with our heads and hearts but with our lives.

Timothy Schmalz: When I was Hungry

Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him?

Reading 1: Isaiah: 50: 5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm: 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading 2: James 2: 14-18
Gospel: Mark: 8:27-35

Today’s readings focus our attention on the very heart of Mark’s Gospel: Who is this man Jesus, and what does it mean to follow him? The question “Who do you say that I am?” that Jesus poses to Peter and his disciples is one we all must answer with our lives. How do we understand this person Jesus and his ministry, and how does this understanding shape the way we live our lives in response?

The first and second readings offer clues to what it means to follow him. In the second reading, the letter of James, we are implored to back up our faith with good works. If our faith only lives on our lips but is not reflected on and lived out in the work that we do or the way we build relationships with others, then our faith “is dead.”

The first reading points to the possibility of persecution for our faith. A living faith makes us have “ears that can hear” our God. When our actions reflect our hearing, we might suffer as a result. To have the courage to act authentically on our faith, means to disrupt the norms and challenge the status quo; to lean into discomfort for the sake of others. It is not always easy to live out our faith. However, Isaiah reminds us to set our “face like flint” and not sway from the path of our God. We will not be shamed if our heart is following God.

With these readings today, we are faced not only with the question Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” but also the reality that to know him and follow his footsteps means being willing to follow him in his suffering on the cross. It is this reality that makes Peter scoff. He believes in Jesus as the Messiah, but he is not yet willing to accept that the path leads through persecution and suffering. In turn, Jesus’ rebuke of Peter is startling, but one we should each note. We may think we know Jesus, but we need to truly reflect on the times in our own lives where our apathy or fear have held us back from the work to be done. When our comfortable lives have led us to hesitate, to think “Do I really want to get that involved in dismantling racism or anti-Semitism when it doesn’t really affect me?” or “Do I want to change my habits to act for climate change when I’d rather just do my thing?…”  When we hesitate to act, thinking we don’t really need to live our faith that way, those are the times we need to hear Jesus’ rebuke and reorient to his way.

Being a people of faith...

Read the rest of Christina Zaker's reflection following this link.
https://learn.ctu.edu/twenty-fourth-sunday-of-ordinary-time-2/

St Ignatius of Loyola - homeless

 

Image credit: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56364339

On seeing that today, July 31st, is the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola, I decided to read a bit about him. Like many people, my first resort is Google which led me to that source of all knowledge, Encyclopaedia Britannica which told me that Ignatius was born in Spain, one of 13 children in a noble, relatively wealthy family. He became a knight until a cannonball took him within a whisker of death, smashed his legs - and his dreams of fame on the battlefield.

After nearly dying... "In February 1522 Ignatius bade farewell to his family and went to Montserrat, a place of pilgrimage in northeastern Spain. He spent three days in confessing the sins of his whole life, hung his sword and dagger near the statue of the Virgin Mary as symbols of his abandoned ambitions, and, clothed in sackcloth, spent the night of March 24 in prayer."

Now here is where it became really interesting for me. Read on with Britannica...

"The next day he went to Manresa, a town 48 km from Barcelona, to pass the decisive months of his career, from March 25, 1522, to mid-February 1523. He lived as a beggar, ate and drank sparingly, scourged himself, and for a time neither combed nor trimmed his hair and did not cut his nails. Daily he attended mass and spent seven hours in prayer, often in a cave outside Manresa."

Think about how Ignatius would be labelled today if he tried being a homeless beggar who neither combed nor trimmed his hair, and did not cut his nails. Mental health and addiction stereotypes spring to my fertile imagination. Anyway, he went on to found the organization we know today as "The Society of Jesus" or simply, "The Jesuits". 

St Ignatius of Loyola was declared patron of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. He is also considered by some a patron of soldiers but, can he be more fittingly considered a patron of homeless people?

Who are the shepherds?

 

When I first heard the readings for mass this Sunday (16th Sunday: Jeremiah on selfish, lazy shepherds, Psalm 23, Jesus the Good Shepherd having compassion on the people in the Gospel,) my thoughts went immediately to judging and condemning the shepherds of today and the era we have inherited - spiritual shepherds such as bishops and priests who have brought scandal upon the Church, and political leaders who refuse to see beyond the next election and the need for economic growth as an end in itself regardless of the human, social and environmental cost.

Two women brought me back to myself: the first woman, my wife, read to me a reflection by Sister Mary McGlone (second woman) published in the National Catholic Reporter. Sr McGlone reminds us that we are all shepherds to the extent that we have a sphere of influence with other people; that being a shepherd is not just about the power and authority of those in charge, but also bringing others - any others -  nourishment (prepare a table, green pastures,) peaceful refreshment (still waters,) solidarity and encouragement in the dark valleys of fear and anxiety.

The Good Shepherd doesn't try to do this out of obligation, like the hired hand who will fail. The key is compassion.  Compassion will even induce us to alter our own plans for ourselves, as Jesus did in today's Gospel reading: Jesus wanted to take the apostles on a quiet retreat, but then "… he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them..."

Who are the people in need within our sphere of influence? Perhaps the Good Shepherd wants to reach them through the hands and voices of the likes of you and me. Meanwhile I thank God for the two lady shepherds who brought me this insight.

Reflection Regarding the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation Residential School Gravesite Near Kamloops, BC

 

(The following reflection by Archbishop Emeritus Sylvain Lavoie OMI is reproduced from SSVP Canada News, Jun 23, 2021)

The  discovery  of  215  children  found  buried  at  the  Kamloops  Indian  Residential  School  in  unmarked graves on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation community is surely impacting all of us. We have probably all felt some or all of the emotions of shock, disbelief, dismay, anger, shame, sorrow and profound grief. And we have all have questions, many unanswered questions that need to be asked in the coming days and weeks: when did this happen, how did this happen, how could this have been allowed to happen, who could have allowed this to happen? This shared history of residential schools profoundly impacts residential school survivors, and indeed all Canadians, and certainly us as a Society.

Probably many of us have received messages or comments from others – family, friends, acquaintances, fellow workers, expressing some of the above reactions. A friend who was a former chief, politician and businessman,  called  me  to  express  his  frustration,  indignation  and  anger.  He  had  international connections, stressed that the impact of this was huge, and that it was placing the church, as well as the Oblates, in a very dark, negative light with especially the media. One person even questioned her involvement  with  a  program  that  is  being  hosted  by  our  Star  of  the  North  retreat  Centre,  precisely because it is an Oblate centre. Another former parishioner wrote to say she was questioning the church now.

What makes something that is already bad perhaps even worse, is the fact that one of our venerable bishops, Vital Grandin, is quoted saying something that is as racist as even the first prime minister seems to have been – that Indigenous children need to be taken away from their families and civilized until there is “nothing Indian left in them except their blood.” And I read in the  Delmas  history  book,  my home parish, how Fr. Delmas worked to convince the Indigenous to trust the government’s offer for basically the forced take-over of their land and wanted a favour to establish a French Catholic colony there.

So,  what  are  we  to make  of  all  this,  and  how  should  we  respond,  as  a  Catholic  society  dedicated  to serving the poor and marginalized, when this ugly reality reveals the poverty, mistakes and weakness of the Church, and threatens to marginalize us?

Psychologists offer us three options when danger or threat is on the horizon, as this development surely is – fight, flight or freeze. We can react by being defensive and fight back, as some are urging us to do (“Why is no one defending Bishop Grandin?” is a question posed to us already). We can try to flee into defensiveness, justifying and rationalizing. Or we can simply sit and do nothing, trying to ignore all the painful revelations and comments, hoping it will all pass.

None of these responses, tempting as they are, will help in any way. Our best response is to be humble, honest, open and transparent, and see this as a moment of purification and humiliation for the Church, and for us all. We need to remember that God turns everything to the good for those who love God, and trust that in all of this darkness and pain, God will draw some good, even if it is a more humble, compassionate and faithful body of believers. 

We  need  to  be  patient,  and  meet  the  challenge  of  doing  three  things  exceptionally  well – face  the reality, accept the reality, and deal with the reality. We need to face the truth of what has happened, and what will continue to surface as surely more such scenarios will be discovered. We need to accept that members of our faith community, and in my case, religious community of the Oblates, somehow, in whatever historical context they were in, allowed this to happen.

Then  we  need  to  move  towards  what  Jesus  teaches  us  in  the  gospel  of  Matthew – forgive  the perpetrators  of  this  awful  reality,  and  apologize  for  the  fact  that  it  was  done  by  whomever  was responsible.  Above  all,  we  need  to  listen  from  the  heart  to  the  pain  that  especially  the  Indigenous peoples  are  feeling,  as  this  will  trigger  past  memories  of  abuse,  racism,  discrimination,  neglect, indignity, and humiliation for many.

One lady who attended a Catholic day school, not a boarding school, sent me an email sharing her anger at the treatment she received from one sister in particular as a Métis student, how the Métis all sat at the back of the class, how she was not allowed to go to the bathroom during class, then was teased for being smelly all day. She vividly shared the impact that abuse had on her, but also how she had managed to work her way through that intense pain to a place where she now experienced some serenity. What she needed to heal that inner wound, newly scraped open, was to be heard and affirmed. And that we can all do.

We  need  to  let  this  development  not  just  play  itself  out,  but  spur  us  on  to  even  greater  levels  of compassion, understanding, and awareness as we continue to serve the poor. Let us resolve to work together with all levels of our church leadership to finally be more open, humble and honest about our mistakes  in  the  past,  and  change  any  attitudes  of  not  really  caring  in  the  present.  May  we  all  work together to heal this dark history, encourage the bishops to unite around the call for a papal apology, and  be  willing  to  provide  funds  to  help  the  process  of  truth-telling,  instead  of giving  it  to  lawyers  to mitigate litigation. 

And above all, let us pray for greater compassion and understanding for all of us – Indigenous and non-Indigenous, that this dark night of the soul will lead us all to a place of greater wellness as a church, a society and a country.

Archbishop Emeritus Sylvain Lavoie OMI
National Spiritual Advisor

Prayer for Truth and Reconciliation

 Prayer for Truth and Reconciliation

Image credit: https://traditionalnativehealing.com/native-healing-circle-and-smudging

(Reproduced from St Elizabeth Seton Facebook page. At this time the author of this prayer is unknown to us. We will be happy to give a full attribution on receiving information about the origins of this prayer.)

God, our Creator,

we pray for all the lives impacted by the Residential Schools program for First Nations, Inuit and Metis children that swept across our country and continues to affect the lives of all Indigenous peoples:

For all the children who did not return home, may they rest in your peace and love.
For all survivors, may they find healing, sanctuary, and peace.
For all intergenerational trauma survivors, may they find hope in their grief, solace in their fear, and compassion in their anger.
We ask that you bless these lives and walk with them in their healing.
Watch over them, love them, guide them.

We pray for the priests and nuns, religious communities, Church leaders, and others who were involved in the genocidal agenda of the Residential Schools and other systems, that they seek truth and justice, no matter how painful.  May they come to recognize their errors, repent of their failure to extend God's love, and seek to make amends to all Indigenous communities and families.

We pray for all non-Indigenous Canadians that they will have the courage and wisdom to find, face, and act upon, the truths of Indigenous peoples' history in our country.
We are sorry for the times we remained silent.  Help us find the strength to correct our harmful actions, and inactions, against Indigenous peoples.  Help us hold space for those grieving and hurting because of Residential Schools and their intergenerational effects.  Help us be humble and kind, not 'flushed with anger', but filled with your deep and divine mercy. 

Holy Spirit, we ask for your guidance, your wisdom, and your courage to love truth, and speak the truth with love.  Teach us, as First Nations, Inuit, Metis and non-Indigenous peoples, who we are as your beloved daughters and sons.  Amen.

Returning to the Father - Spiritual Reflection

 

Spiritual Reflection - Monday June 14, 2021

Thomas Merton writes, 

“One thing above all is important: “the return to the Father.”

The Son came into the world and died for us and rose and ascended to the Father; sent us His Spirit, that in Him and with Him we might return to the Father… to God who loves and knows, to the Silent, to the Merciful, to the Holy, to God Who is All.” (K. Deignan, “Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours” p. 166-167, Sorin Books, Notre Dame)

Each day as we continue our journey encountering and loving our brothers and sisters, inspired by those Vincentians who have gone before us, we are returning to the Father, allowing God to live in us more and more, until one day when our journey is complete, we will hopefully experience in all its fullness that communion with our Lord. 

The mission of St. Vincent de Paul Society members, the feeding of and caring for our brothers and sisters, and more important, listening and being present to them, hopefully restoring some of their dignity as persons who are created in the image of God, is not a mission that the world appreciates or even sees, for it is carried out mostly away from the main stream of life, at night and out of sight and in places where society would rather not go or even care to know about.

This quiet service is done in such a manner so as to not draw attention to our work and, more importantly, so as to not cause any discomfort to those whom we visit by drawing attention to their situation or condition. In this way we offer respect and dignity and so love people as Christ loves them.

In loving people as Christ loves them we in turn grow in our love of Christ, which opens us to the love of the Father, allowing God to live in us and us to live in God.

And all of this is to be carried out in the deepest humility and simplicity.

Blessed Rosalie Rendu was for all of us as Christians and Vincentians a wonderful example of this. 

A story is told of a visitor who came to see Blessed Rosalie Rendu because of her “fame” in the hope of seeing “something very extraordinary.”

“He was received by Sister Rosalie, who spoke to him in her usual politeness and simplicity, and pursued her accustomed occupations in his presence. After some time, he went to another Sister of the house and he asked to be introduced to the superior, Sister Rosalie. 

On being told that he had just seen her, he exclaimed, “What… is Sr. Rosalie nothing more than that?” 

He had in fact seen nothing in her to distinguish her from others; and could not understand the apparent disproportion between the person and her reputation.” (J.M. Rendu, “The Life of Souer Rosalie”, p. 83-84, London)

The world like this visitor, as we know, does not understand because of the way it measures greatness.

Gene Bowles, whom we recently lost, was a wonderful example of the humble, quiet, peaceful and compassionate way that Vincentians carry out their mission and the fruits that result thanks to God’s grace.

May he and all of our Vincentian sisters and brothers, and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen

(Spiritual reflection by Deacon Steve.)

Troubled with depression or mood swings?

 Are you or somebody you know troubled with depression or mood swings? Start here.

Father Paul Bringleson's Apology regarding Residential Schools

The last thing Catholics should be doing at this time is getting defensive.

Here is an example of how not to be defensive.

Let us shut our mouths and listen.

“... and forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us.” Matthew 6:12

Spiritual reflection by Denise Bondy, reproduced from the Spirituality Corner of the Ontario Regional Council.

I was baptized and received the Eucharist for the first time at the age of 18, at an Easter vigil, so long ago that it pre-dated RCIA. Although I missed out on many things by not growing up in the Church, I am blessed to remember vividly the details of my sacraments of initiation and to appreciate them with my whole heart. For me the Church is home, shelter, joy and love. I came to this home during the celebratory days of Vatican II. The windows were thrown open. All were welcome. Anything was possible. We sang and danced joyously.

As the years passed the Church and I have experienced some difficult times. There was push-back to progress. Scandal bruised and tarnished the institution that I had entered wide eyed. I was no longer a carefree young woman as I experienced the realities of marriage, work, children, illness and loss. Through it all, faith sustained me. My Vincentian calling and my Vincentian family have sustained me too.

Vincentians are blessed to be called by the God of do-overs. No matter what happens, no matter what our failings, we can return like the prodigal son. When we express sorrow our ‘do-over God’ welcomes us. All is forgiven and we have a fresh start. Because God allows us as many do-overs as we need in our lifetime we must treat others in the same way. God doesn’t put limits on how many times love is given, nor should we.

Our Society’s motto is Serviens in spe – We serve in hope. Knowing our loving, forgiving, do-over God gives us hope. It’s up to us to share our hope with those we serve. We may not express our faith as teachers or preachers but we show our faith as we maintain hope for every household we visit, every meal we serve, every caring deed we perform. Instead of asking “How many times will we help?” we remember that Jesus said we must forgive and allow do-overs “seventy times seven”. We live our hope as we keep doing Home Visits, keep serving and keep loving in Jesus’ name.

Loving God, we ask your forgiveness; we forgive others freely, as you forgive. Amen

Saint Marguerite d’Youville, PATRON SAINT OF THE SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL IN CANADA

 

Saint Marguerite d’Youville

Saint Marguerite d’Youville, PATRON SAINT OF THE SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL IN CANADA. An ordinary woman who became an extraordinarily strong woman and SUPER-HERO in the crucible of personal tragedy, suffering and service to the poor.

Read an illustrated story of her life here.

The National Spirituality Committee invited members to submit nominations of Canadian Saints to be considered the Patron Saint of the Society in Canada. Four wonderful nominees were put forward and members made the decision by ballot.

The National Spirituality Committee are pleased to announce that the Patron Saint of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Canada is Saint Marguerite d’Youville.

Power made perfect in infirmity - a reflection

Suspended over the abyss

“…Easter is the mystery of our redemption. We who have died and risen with Christ are no longer sinners. Sin is dead in us. The Law has no further hold on us.

And yet this is not as simple as it sounds. Our new life in Christ is not a permanent and guaranteed possession, handed over to our control, a “property” which we now definitively have. We are still suspended over the abyss, and we can still fall back into that awful dread of the alienated person who has lost trust. But the fact remains that if we consent to it, grace and trust are renewed from moment to moment in our lives. They are not a permanent possession but an ever present gift of God’s love. For this liberty to continue, we must really believe in the power of God to sanctify us and keep us saints. 

We must dare to be saints by the power of God. We must dare to have a holy respect and reverence for ourselves, as we are redeemed and sanctified by the blood of Christ. We must have the courage to grasp the great power that has been given to us, at the same time realizing that this power is always made perfect in infirmity, and that it is not a “possession.”

Merton, Thomas, “Seasons of Celebration: Meditations on the Cycle of Liturgical Feasts”, Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana, p 120 – 121

Reading selected by Deacon Steve Pitre

St. Joseph was an ordinary worker

Following spiritual reflection is by Denise Bondy, Chair of the ONRC Spirituality Committee. Read the original reflection on the Spirituality Corner.

Pope Francis has declared that, from December 8, 2020 until December 8, 2021 the church will celebrate a year dedicated to St. Joseph. Vincentians do well to study St. Joseph, to attempt to live in his example and to ask his intercession as we seek to live our vocation to serve Christ in his poor.

St. Joseph was an ordinary worker. Even though his family line traced back to King David’s royal family, Joseph was not wealthy and he wasn’t one of the VIPs in his hometown. He was an ordinary, a just man, who worked with his hands.

Covid 19 has brought those who are ‘ordinary workers’ to our attention and has rightly named them as the heroes who serve in spite of their own danger. Our Vincentian tradition has long encouraged the ordinary work of serving those most in need without any reward and without fear.

St. Joseph was a husband and father, not a high priest or a scholar. His call to serve elevated him above all other husbands and fathers, to become husband to Mary and earthly father to Jesus.

We can look to his example as we try to grow in our vocation as lay Catholics. Maybe we won’t quite reach sainthood, but our baptism is our call to service and our Vincentian vocation is the way we try to become the best we can be – maybe even saints one day.

St. Joseph was obedient to God’s call. It took courage to face the community as he accepted the pregnant Mary, to run away to Egypt and to return and re-establish his business. Joseph did all this because he had the courage of his faith.

Many people are suffering right now because of Covid-19. Some are ill or have experienced the death of a loved one. Others are unemployed and unable to manage their debts. Not all will manage to get through the pandemic without permanent, life altering damage. As members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, we must support everyone we can. We need to use the courage of our faith when we are dropping off groceries on a front porch, or making friendly phone calls, or paying bills, or any of the other things Vincentians do well. We must also be praying for our friends and searching for any way we can bring love, respect, justice and joy in these troubled times.

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To you God entrusted his only Son;

in you Mary placed her trust;

with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too

show yourself a father

and guide us in the path of life.

Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,

and defend us from every evil.

Amen

(Pope Francis December 8, 2020)

Get the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit

 The following post has been extracted from the Ontario Government Ministry of Education link: Get the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit

The Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit provides financial support to families with young learners to help with additional costs during the COVID-19covid 19 pandemic.

If you received a payment through the Support for Learners program, you do not need to apply for this additional payment.

However, if you applied for Support for Learners but did not receive your payment by April 23, you will not automatically receive payment under the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit. In this case, you will need to apply for it.

Applications will open from May 3, 2021 to May 17, 2021.

This new round of payment through the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit is in addition to payments provided by Support for Families and the Support for Learners programs.

If you did not apply for Support for Learners

If you missed applying for the Support for Learners program, you will have the opportunity to apply for the new payment through the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit.
Applications will open from May 3, 2021 to May 17, 2021.

Only one parent or guardian will be able to apply for each child. The parent or guardian should have custody of the child. This could include a parent or guardian with shared custody. It is up to the child's parents or guardians to determine who will apply.

If you are a secondary student over the age of 18, you can apply on your own, or one of your parents or guardians can apply for you.

Eligibility
You can apply if you live in Ontario and are a:

• parent or guardian to a child or youth up to Grade 12
• secondary school student over the age of 18
• parent or guardian to a child or youth that is 21 or younger and has special needs

For more information go to: Get the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit

Shalom - Conference Spiritual Reading

irisphoto2 - Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Conference spiritual reading chosen by Deacon Steve Pitre

“When the Lord greeted his disciples and friends after his Resurrection, he said, “Shalom” or in English “Peace”. He simply used the Jewish greeting, which meant “Good morning”, or “Good day”, or “Good evening.” But what did this greeting mean on the lips of the risen Jesus?

It was the proclamation of the world’s healing. It meant that the whole plan of the Father had been fulfilled, that the mystery of the kingdom lived now in the universe, that the glory of God was being poured into every atom of creation through the transformed mind, body, heart, and soul of Jesus the Messiah, the risen Son of God.

It meant that all of the broken relationships in the universe had been healed at their root: that our separation from God was no more, that our alienation from one another, our enmities and misunderstandings and all our estrangements were over, that our individual fragmentations had been healed, that our separation from the animals and from all material creation had ended in reconciliation.

Jesus greeting meant that the harmony of God’s perfect order, the fullness of his life, was filling all things as it was meant to at the beginning. Easter is light, radiance, and splendor, clarity, luminosity, and brightness because it is the dawn of the new creation. It is a new day, the eternal day, and Jesus says, “Good morning.””

- by Fr. Bob Pelton, “The Asceticism of Joy,” Restoration, April 2021, Vol. 74, No.4, p. 1, Combermere

An Easter Reflection by Deacon Steve

 

“Why was the Easter proclamation “good news”? What did it mean to those who first heard the message?” Does it still pack the same punch today as it did Easter morning? If not why not?

These are questions that we must always bring to our celebration of Easter, for so often it is merely another feast on the liturgical calendar with little practical impact on individual lives. Peter relates the original proclamation with a sense of joyful wonder. The story is about this incredible God-filled man named Jesus… [and how] what could have been a crushing and tragic end was transformed by the hand of God who raised Jesus from the dead. And now Jesus stands astride all human history as its life-giving power and final judge.”

“…humankind is discovering in Jesus that God is impartial. Rather than being the property of any person or group, God offers grace and mercy to all. We need fear nothing-not even death itself. God was showing humanity not a way to escape the miseries and struggles of the human condition, but how to pass through them transformed.”

- Lewis, SJ, Scott, “ God’s Word on Sunday Year B” Catholic Register Books, Toronto, 2011, p51

Each time we are present to the people who request our services we bring our Lord’s grace and mercy to the people and they experience hope. In turn our Lord’s abundant grace and mercy transform’s us.

May you and your families and loved ones be transformed by the grace and mercy of our Lord as you celebrate the Easter mysteries together or apart! May Christ‘s Easter hope, peace and joy fill your hearts.

God bless

Steve

St. Oscar Romero - Martyr for the Poor

 

Following is a homily by Deacon Marian Pawliszko delivered at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, Newmarket, on 5th Sunday of Lent, 2021

On Wednesday, March 24, the Church will remember the anniversary of the assassination of recently canonized St. Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador. Oscar Romero is probably known to many of you. He was murdered by government agents while presiding over mass in the hospital chapel on the 24th of March 1980.

Voice of the voiceless poor
Archbishop Romero had used his position to speak up against all kinds of social injustices. He was the “voice of the voiceless poor.” He was denounced by the government and their allies as a political agitator and received constant death threats. But this never discouraged him from preaching against the social injustices that plagued his nation during the civil unrest.

In his homilies he spoke against violence and repression, and all kinds of discrimination based on the exploitation of the poor.

He said that “preaching that does not denounce evil is not preaching the gospel… Preaching that awakens, preaching that illuminates, it can be compared to a light that comes on when people are asleep, naturally it will bother them. This is the preaching of Christ”. (Preached on January 22nd 1978)

At the mass in which he died, the gospel reading had been from the Gospel of John 12:23-26: “The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified…unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies, it bears much fruit…” In the short preaching that would be his final homily, Archbishop Romero said: ‘You have just heard in the gospel of Christ that one must not love oneself so much as to avoid getting involved in the risks of life that history demands of us, and that those who try to fend off the danger will lose their lives. But whoever out of love for Christ gives himself to the service of others will live, like the grain of wheat that dies…only in undoing itself does it produce the harvest. Seconds after finishing his homily, a single shot rang out, fired from the back of the chapel which hit Romero in the chest. He was rushed to hospital but died in the emergency room shortly afterwards. The year before, he had said prophetically: ‘Christ is saying to each one of us: if you want your life and mission to be fruitful like mine, do as I have: be converted into grain that is buried. Let yourself be killed; do not be afraid. The one who avoids suffering will end up alone. There is no one more alone than selfish people. But if, out of love for others, you give your life for others, like I am going to give mine, you will have an abundant harvest; you will experience the deepest satisfaction.’ (Preached on April 1st, 1979)

Today's Gospel Reading [Jn. 12:20-33] reaffirms what has just been said. In a parable, Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies; it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also."

Preferential option for the poor
To follow Jesus these days is not always easy. Many Christians in the Middle East and in all over the world are still unjustly persecuted today. There are still people who are preoccupying their worldly minds with wealth, violating the dignity of human life, not focusing on the preferential option for the poor, not to mention their ignorance towards the gospel values.

For three years Oscar Romero served as Archbishop, but his legacy is eternal, because it teaches us to build the beautiful structure of God’s Kingdom, that creates conditions of kindness, of trust, of freedom, of peace and of love even if we only accomplish a small fraction of God’s work in our lifetime.

Let us imitate Archbishop Romero’s courageous example as our model and guide to follow - and let us be mindful and stand up for social justice, always protecting and supporting those who are poor and marginalized in our society. As we approach the final two weeks of our Lenten journey let us deeply reflect on seeing God in the poor and being Jesus’ disciples in this world.

Giving in helpless passivity - Conference Reading

 

For almost all of his public life Jesus was actively doing something. 

However, from the moment he walks out of the Last Supper room and begins to pray in Gethsemane, all that activity stops. He is no longer the one who is doing things for others, but the one who is having things done to him. In the garden they arrest him, bind his hands, lead him to the high priest, then take him to Pilate. He is beaten, humiliated, stripped of his clothes and eventually nailed to a cross where he dies. This constitutes his “passion,” that time in his life where he ceases to be the doer and becomes the one who has things done to him.

What is so remarkable about this is that our faith teaches us that we are saved more through Jesus’s passion (his death and suffering) than through all of his activity and preaching and doing miracles.

There is a great lesson in this, not the least of which is how we view the terminally ill, the severely handicapped, and the sick. There’s a lesson too on how we might understand ourselves when we are ill, helpless, and in need of care from others.

The cross teaches us that we, like Jesus, give as much to others in our passivities as in our activities. When we are no longer in charge…humiliated, suffering, and unable even to make ourselves understood by our loved ones-then we are undergoing our own passion and, like Jesus in his passion, have in that opportunity to give our love and ourselves to others in a very deep way.

Rolheiser, Ron OMI, “The Passion and the Cross,” 2015, Franciscan Media, Cincinnati, p. 2 -3

Reading chosen by Deacon Steve

Image credit
Author: Nata Silina
http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/eleventh-station-jesus-is-nailed-to-the-cross

Does Canada need a law to combat environmental racism?

Image: Steve Greenberg

The following is an excerpt from...

Why Canada needs a law to combat environmental racism

Read the full article here

At a time when health and environmental crises dominate the public conversation, Black History Month in February was a stark reminder of the pervasive environmental struggles racialized communities, past and present, disproportionately face.

This month, there may be good news on the horizon. Nova Scotia Liberal MP Lenore Zann has introduced Bill C-230 in the House of Commons, the National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism Act. It’s scheduled for a March vote.

The historical link between the civil rights and environmental justice movements is widely acknowledged, yet these struggles have become increasingly isolated over time. While environmental laws and regulations have grown exponentially since the NIMBY protests of the 1970s, the concerns of racialized communities have rarely, if ever, been at their forefront.

Instead, environmental governance and zoning regulations have often been deployed against the interests of Black, Indigenous and immigrant communities in North America. Well-known Canadian cases include Ontario’s chemical industry cluster that surrounds the Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Nova Scotia’s hazardous waste siting in historical Africville.

Environmental injustice is just one aspect of the systemic racial discrimination that continues to plague Canada from coast to coast to coast.

In December, researchers Amanda Giang and Kaitlin Castellani from the University of British Columbia published research showing that the cumulative air pollution burden in Canada’s three major cities (Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal) disproportionately affects racialized communities. In Montreal, immigrant residents consistently experience higher cumulative air pollution, while in Toronto, this burden falls on low-income residents. In Vancouver, it’s Indigenous residents. These disparities in exposure to air pollution are just one dimension of the generalized pattern of environmental injustice affecting historically marginalized groups: Indigenous Peoples, racialized newcomers and the urban poor.

Read the rest of this article here.

Environmental Racism

 

Environmental racism occurs when racialised communities are targeted for the establishment of environmentally hazardous sites and the subsequent neglect of those communities in relation to the cleanup of those sites, especially where this happens with respect to environmental policy-making by any level of government.

A private member's bill that aims to address environmental racism is headed for debate in the House of Commons this month.

According to a CBC news article: "Introduced by Nova Scotia MP Lenore Zann, Bill C-230 is seeking a national strategy to examine the link between race, socio-economic status and environmental risk, as well as the connection between hazardous sites and negative health outcomes in communities where Black and Indigenous people and people of colour live." Read the full article here: Bill that aims to address environmental racism heads for debate in House of Commons.

The bill was inspired by Ingrid Waldron, associate professor in the faculty of health at Dalhousie University in Halifax and author of "There's Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities", which in turn inspired the 2019 Netflix documentary featuring actors Elliot Page and Ian Daniel.

If you have Netflix, do yourself a favour and watch this documentary, "There's Something In the Water."

Saint Francis and the Gift of Alms

 

Image credit: https://aleteia.org/

The following reflection is taken from the Franciscan Spirit Blog: Lent with St. Francis.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” —Matthew 7:11

With passages such as we find in today’s Gospel, it’s not hard to see how Francis decided that relying on other people to provide for the brothers’ needs was a way of living out their total reliance on God.

Once when St. Francis visited Cardinal Hugolino, and the hour of dinner was at hand, he went out for alms, and returning, placed some of the scraps of black bread on the bishop’s table.…When the dinner was finished, the bishop arose and taking the man of God to an inner room, he raised his arms and embraced him. “My Brother,” he said, “why did you bring shame on me in the house that is yours and your brothers by going out for alms?”

To find out how Saint Francis responded to the bishop, read the rest of the reflection here: Lent with St. Francis: The Gift of Alms

We are warmed by the fire, not by the smoke

 

Conference spiritual reflection

We are warmed by fire, not by the smoke of the fire. We are carried over the sea by a ship not by the wake of a ship. So too, what we are is to be sought in the invisible depths of our own being, not in our outward reflection in our own acts. We must find our real selves not in the froth stirred up by the impact of our being upon beings around us, but in our own soul which is the principle of all our acts.

Merton, Thomas, “No Man is an Island” p 117, 1955, Harcourt Inc., New York

Black History Month - 2021

 

Reproduced from the February, 2021 issue of THE VINCENTIMES

In 1926, African American historian Carter Woodson created Black History Month to heighten awareness of Black history in the United States. Decades later more countries recognized the event by issuing their own proclamations; similarly Canada in the early 1970s observed Black History week. Subsequently in 1995, the Government of Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month following a motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine.

Black History Month is necessary. It is a time for promoting the knowledge, culture and many contributions of Black Canadians. Oftentimes, the role of Black people in Canada has not always been prominently highlighted in Canada’s celebrated history. For example, few Canadians know that black enslavement occurred in Canada, or of how those who fought for their freedom helped to build our diverse and inclusive society.

Likewise, Black Canadians made significant contributions in the First and Second World Wars. The dedicated service of Black servicemen was exemplary and is remembered and celebrated as a cornerstone of the proud tradition of Black military service in our country. Black women also contributed to the war effort by serving in supporting roles so that more men were available for the front lines. Despite a past history that saw Black people bought and sold into slavery and continuing fights against racism, Black Canadians remain strong. Meaningful contributions and accomplishments of Canada’s black community continue to influence every aspect of Canadian life, history and culture.

Black History can and should be celebrated every day through the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore, let’s celebrate this 6th year of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent.

Did you know...

• Mathieu Da Costa: Navigator and Interpreter, First Black person to arrive in Canada 1600
• Anderson Ruffin Abbott: First Black Canadian doctor in Canada 1837
• Elijah McCoy: Canadian-American inventor and engineer 1843
• William Peyton Hubbard: Canadian politician 1894
• Mary Ann Shadd: First Woman Publisher in North America 1853
• Josiah Henson: Established the Dawn Settlement near Dresden 1841
• Lincoln Alexander: Lieutenant Governor of Ontario 1985
• Michaëlle Jean: Governor General of Canada 2005

Worth Reading:

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: In 1951, Henrietta Lacks’s cancer cells, the source of the HeLa cell line, led to major discoveries in medical research.

Systemic Racism Working Group
Valerie Alexander, Member
St. Mary Conference, Tillsonburg

Blessed Rosalie Rendu - February 7, 2021

This Sunday February 7th, is the feast of Blessed Rosalie Rendu, who was a member of the Daughters of Charity, an order co-founded by St. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. 

They were founded in 1633, when Louise de Marillac began systematic training of the women, particularly for the care of the sick. The sisters lived in community in order to better develop the spiritual life so as to more effectively carry out their mission of service. The Daughters of Charity differed from other religious congregations of that time in that they were not cloistered. They maintained the necessary mobility and availability, and lived among those whom they served.

It was this congregation of nuns that Jeanne Marie joined at the age of 16, and a few years later received the habit, taking on the name of Sr. Rosalie. Over the years Sr. Rosalie became known for her creative, relentless and effective work in some of the worst conditions, such as revolutions and epidemics, not to mention the horrible poverty and destitution in which the people whom they served were living.

But it was Bl. Sr. Rosalie’s guidance combined with the dedication of the students of the History Conference formed by Bl. Frederic Ozanam that led to the creation of the Conference of Charity, which eventually became the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

This guidance included her gathering the students together after their visits and discuss with her their immediate experiences, motivations and insights; always open to her advice. She would ask them to think and pray about the following questions:

How did I speak with/listen to this family? 

Did I help with an attitude of respect, without being patronising? 

How did my actions and attitudes reflect those of the Gospel? 

Where was God in this experience? For me? For the persons I visited? 

What were my reasons for becoming involved in the first place? 

What connections or otherwise reflected the life of St. Vincent de Paul?

She counselled patience, attentive listening and politeness as values which the young students should honour. 

These meetings contributed to the formation of a solid foundation for the Conferences in practice and in Faith. Rosalie welcomed these enthusiastic young men, and often would say to her Sisters: “How good these young people are. Oh, how good they are.” (Sullivan L. P. 209) 

(Taken from “Our Story, Our Mission: Blessed Frederic Ozanam and Blessed Rosalie Rendu” Prepared by Sr. Margaret Armstrong, Vincentian Leadership Program, Orientation, June 15th, 2015)

As we celebrate Bl. Sr. Rosalie Rendu’s feast, let us also reflect on these questions each time we are out on calls, or even take one question each day when we are praying to our Lord so as to draw closer to the Source, who is Love and who gives us the grace to do the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. 

 Blessed Rosalie Rendu, pray for us. 

May she say of us, “How good these young people are! Oh, how good they are.” To all you “young people”!!!!

- Deacon Steve Pitre, Conference Spiritual Advisor

Ontario Workers Need Paid Sick Leave

 

PAID SICK LEAVE FOR ONTARIO WORKERS.

Medical experts, labour activists and scientists all agree that the fact most workers do not have easy access to paid sick leave is a major contributor to the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario workplaces.

Sign this petition demanding paid sick leave for workers.

Paid Sick Days Ontario

Reprinted from the Advocacy Newsletter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

 

Universal Basic Income Works

 

UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME WORKS!! 

A recent study highlights how the Canada Child Benefit, as a form of universal basic income has stimulated the economy and lifted people out of poverty. Likewise, the Old Age Supplement has done the same for seniors. 

You can personalize this letter at the link below telling your elected representative that no further evidence is required. A Universal Basic Income for children and seniors has proven its worth and should be implemented for all Canadians now!

Universal Basic Income

This post is reproduced from the Advocacy Newsletter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Now Is the Time to Reset Our Economy - For Everyone

Illustration by Hurca!/Adobe Stock via YES! Magazine. All rights reserved

Reprinted from the Advocacy Newsletter of the Society of St Vincent de Paul

The pandemic has highlighted how poverty, low wage and precarious employment, a reliance on outdated technologies and a lack of investment in our physical and social infrastructure has created huge disparities in our society. We need to take this opportunity to rebuild our economy with a focus on inclusivity and opportunity for all.

Click on the link below and endorse this letter that encourages our politicians to “lay the groundwork for a strong, inclusive and sustainable economic recovery that ensures no one is left behind in this crisis.”

An Economy for Everyone