No News but Bad News

This has been a summer like none other. The world is full of doom, destruction, and agony given to us in living color, compliments of the media.  Most evenings, as I tiptoe to the tv and gingerly tune in to CBC’s The National, I ask myself, “Why am I doing this”?  As much as I want to learn what’s happening in our world, usually, I shield my eyes from the plethora of horrors unfolding on the screen.  By now, we know the routine by heart.  Hundreds of forest fires are blazing across Canada, the United States, and parts of Europe.  Floods rampage through cities and towns. Haiti is torn apart by earthquakes. Tornados blitz the Florida coast.  The fourth wave of the global pandemic is rearing its destructive head.  To add insult to injury, Prime Minister Trudeau has called a federal election for September 20th, seemingly oblivious to the fact that neither disgruntled Canadians nor screaming opposition parties want to go to the polls.

Lately, to save my sanity, I’ve been turning off the nightly litany of a world falling apart at its seams.  I hear myself sighing, “Where are you, God”?  In the silence, the answer appears.  “I’m right here beside you; I am with you always”. Always?  Yes, God always is living in us, beside us, and among us, even amidst the devastation we humans have created.  My faith tells me that this is true, and I believe it, but the road ahead looks ominous.

“God always is living in us, beside us, and among us, even amidst the devastation we humans have created”

We don’t need to spend our time looking back to why the world has arrived at this juncture.  What we need is for the governments of the world and rich countries to lay down their arms and stop the proliferation of weapons. Furthermore, we need people to live simply in harmony with Mother Nature to counteract climate change.  Until then, we’ll muddle along until we learn to subdue our great big egos which urge us to be something, to know something, and to have everything.

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj

Sending a Birthday Card? Kick it up a Notch!

““If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment.  Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”    ”

—    - Thich Nhat Hahn

This quote by Thich Nhat Hahn, reminds me of the story of evolution, especially on a birthday!  I like reflecting on the Big Bang, and enclosing it into a birthday card, a handwritten note, with some of the following content: “13.7 billion years ago our Universe Story began.  Next came the creation of stars, galaxies, and supernovas, our sun, to 4.45 billion years ago with the creation of Earth, planets and the Solar System, etc. right to the creation of modern humans, and the development of language some 40,000 years ago.  These are a few facts that are cited before the creation of “our human ancestors” some 2.5 million years ago.  Imagine the magnitude of this. We humans are not long on this planet, and not very old when looking at the big picture of things.

Take a moment yourself, to do as Nhat Hanh suggests, “Look deeply into the palm of your hand, see your parents and generations of your ancestors. All of them alive in you at this moment.  Each is present in your body, alive in this moment” as you write your birthday card, as you walk and breath, moment by moment, “You are the continuation of each of these people,” generation after generation of ancestors.   More than that, it has been determined that we are evolved from stardust. Put that on your next job application!

““Our ancestry stretches back through the life forms and into the stars, back into the beginnings of the primeval fireball. This universe is a single multiform energetic unfolding of matter, mind, intelligence, and life.” ”

— Brian Swimme.

Yes, a birthday greeting can convey thoughts that open the viewer to an expansive perspective of BIRTH and the story of the Universe, our home.  Judy Cannato author of Radical Amazement writes, “our work is to integrate the new universe story, to take it in and live it out”, to “intertwine it with our own, and nurturing the most significant relationship we have, relationship with life itself.”

Taking all that into consideration, I think the occasion of sending a birthday card creates an ideal opportunity to connect with a deeper meaning - of life.  

by Sister Patricia St. Louis, csj

Toomuchery

Does the evening news lately leave you in a state of toomuchery? Someone I know, occasionally expresses her state of mind as neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed but just plainly whelmed. We no doubt all have had our own moments of being whelmed during these seemingly endless days of COVID. Here we are in the summer and finally our state of being whelmed is lessening.  With fewer new COVID cases being reported, we are cautiously beginning to feel that the pandemic is backing off. Still, it’s not over ‘til it is over.

Just as we are beginning to catch our breath, sensing we are finally coming out of the tunnel, the wind is knocked out of us again. Dawning upon us is the unnerving realization that we are entering yet another tunnel. It is all toomuchery!  While offering words of gratitude for the blessing of vaccines, we hear medical experts warning us of more contagious variants. While mask mandates are gradually being lifted, there are recommendations for their reinstatement.  Media sources inundate us with daily reminders that the pandemic is ongoing.  It is overwhelming to hear that this newer Delta variant is now rapidly spreading! On top of that, we hear of multiple other variants raising their ugly heads in some parts of our ailing world.

As if all of this pandemic drama were not enough to keep us off balance, there are the recent wildfires, the heatwaves and droughts endangering people’s lives and their property in parts of Canada and the USA.  Unheard of flooding has caused havoc in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and India. Deeply disturbing turmoil in Cuba, Haiti and South Africa bombarded our hearts, no matter their distance from us. How much more can we absorb?

““Toomuchery” – When everything starts to feel like too much”

We struggle. A way to cope is to follow the wise adage, “Where your focus goes, your energy flows.” When overwhelmed, we seek ways to calm ourselves so the energy can flow. Recently, we found a helpful tool to cope during these challenging days.  On Google, you can find “The Brief Guide for Navigating Toomuchery” by Brad Montague, a writer, and the creator of the popular Kid President web series. During these depressing times, Montague wrote a poem about how to handle things when it all becomes too much. With the help of his children, he hopes to bring some much-needed joy and relief to people around the world. (goodthingsguy.com/fun/toomuchery-guide)

In his guide, Montague, recommends the following beneficial antidotes to counter feeling overwhelmed.

• Pause and take a deep, deep breath. Listen to how it sounds.

• Reach out to your friends.

• Absurd times call for absurd amounts of love. So, give lots of it.

When you experience a case of toomuchery, why not try these antidotes which can be self-administered as often as needed.

-Sr. Nancy Wales, csj and Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps

Summertime

“Summertime and the livin’ is easy,”, croons Ella Fitzgerald from the 1934 opera, “Porgy and Bess”.  As July fades into August, this easy living is on my mind as holidays and the open road beckons me from the routine and tedium of everyday living.  As part of my personal summer renewal, I availed myself of the freedom and opportunity to visit family and friends after the long COVID siege.  Soon, I found myself packed and making my way north down the highways and byways to visit my sister and brother-in-law as well as planning a side trip to spend a little time with a dear friend.

My sister and brother-in-law’s home is always a haven of peace and serenity. We enjoyed tasty meals, relaxing days, and leisurely walks along the Saugeen River with its lush flora and fauna.  On our Saturday morning outing, we spied a magnificent blue heron with its long legs planted firmly in the shallow water, searching to surprise an unsuspecting fish.

On Saturday evening, stretched yoga-style on the living room floor, I felt on my back the silent, warm paws of gorgeous Sparky, the resident feline.  After a few steps, she stretched her purring self along the entire length of my back where she rested, and finally rolled to a waiting mat where she curled up and drifted off to sleep.  There, is a cat that knows how to relax.

Too soon, on Sunday afternoon I headed home after a wonderful summer visit. En route, I stopped to reconnect with a special friend from my teenage years. Linda and her husband Joe were waiting to greet me with open arms and a warm welcome.  What could be more refreshing than sitting under the shade of gracious maple trees sipping iced tea and eating oatmeal cookies? 

Soon their daughters arrived with children in tow to enjoy a swim in their beautiful backyard pool.  As we greeted each other and chatted, the young women were awed to realize that their mother and I had been friends for almost 60 years.  Even I was taken aback that six decades of caring and sharing had passed so quickly.

Driving home, I hummed a little ditty I had learned in elementary school: “Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold.”  As the sun set on my weekend excursion, I thanked God for peaceful summer spaces, the gift of family, and the treasure of faithful friends.

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj | Sister Jean has been a Sister of St. Joseph for 54 years.

““Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold.””

— old folk song

A Canada Day Like None Other

A Canada Day Like None Other; A Liturgy Like None Other

Canada Day, July 1, 2021, was like none other I had experienced. Canada Day, July 1, 2021, I experienced liturgy like none other, but one for which I have dreamed, hoped, and prayed.

Sister Linda and Sister Diane had come to Hay River from Yellowknife to visit for a few days. On July 1st, Canada Day, we joined the community of Katlodeeche First Nation Reserve to honour and remember the children who did not return home from Residential School. Approximately 220 people, many wearing orange, had gathered for the memorial. Although the last days of June had been extremely hot, mixed with rain and thunderstorms, that morning the weather cleared, the sun came out, (as well as the bugs!).

The memorial was to begin at 13:23 hours, signifying the number of graves (at the point of planning) that had been discovered, 1,323. Those planning to attend were invited to gather at 13:00 hours in order that the memorial could begin on time.

As we arrived, the table had been set - a small fire with a few logs. The drummers were present, warming their drums over the fire, ready to sing a prayer song.

Chief April Martel welcomed everyone; community members, many people from the town of Hay River including the mayor and counsellors, RCMP, Rangers, men, women and children, Dene, Metis and Inuit, as well as non-indigenous. All had come to stand in solidarity.

Roy Fabian, former chief and elder, began to speak. Roy began explaining the word “Dene”. He explained that it consisted of two words, De and Ne. De means the water, the rivers and Ne of the land, the plants, animals, and people. All is gift from the Creator.

We had gathered on the site of the former residential school. Roy shared with us some history of the residential days and he spoke the truth, in the fact that not all was good.  

“A Canada Day like none other ...but one for which I have dreamed, hoped and prayed.”

Following Roy’s words, the feeding of the fire began. Roy explained that traditionally the hunter would take the fat/muscle from behind the eye of the animal and offer it in thanksgiving for its life and thanksgiving to the Creator. Today, tobacco is used. Everyone present, who wished, was invited to make an offering.

Taking some tobacco in his hands, Pat Martel, a former chief and elder, began the fire feeding ceremony with a prayer in his Dene language. He then sprinkled the tobacco in the fire. This was followed by Chief April Martel, elder Roy Fabian and the drummers. The drummers then began to sing the prayer song while those present came forward to make their offering.

It was a vey sacred moment. As individuals and families came to the fire, taking some tobacco in their fingers, each one took a few moments to reflect and remember. Among the crowd gathered, there was an atmosphere of profound quietness as we stood in solidarity. The drummers continued to drum and sing throughout the fire-feeding ceremony.

Up to this point, the memorial was in honour of the children who did not come home, within an atmosphere of quietness and grief. And then the mood changed. The drumming took on an air of celebration as everyone joined in a tea dance. Roy explained that the dance was in honour of the children now, in the present.

 As the drummers led the dance with a celebratory drum beat and joyful song, a large circle formed around the monument on the Residential School site as we danced to the beat of the drum.

As Sister Linda had just moved to Yellowknife in September, we ended our day going to Alexandra Falls. As we walked through the trees to get to the lookout, I was aware that we had come full circle from Roy’s words explaining the word Dene.

I was profoundly moved at the memorial for the children who did not come home from Residential School. Being in solidarity, praying, listening, offering, and dancing, experiencing community… I did not receive the Eucharist, the Real Presence, as we believe, however, I was nourished by the real presence of each person. It occurred to me that perhaps this is what Jesus envisioned for “church”. These past few days I feel much like the disciples on the road to Emmaus… “were not our hearts burning…”

Was not my heart deeply moved!

I dream and pray and hope for a new way of “church” everywhere, but especially in the north; one in which spiritualities of many cultures can be woven together in a deep spiritual experience of community.

Sister Maggie Beaudette, CSJ