Holding Different Perspectives - A Bright Hope for our Future

A story about my granddaughter Meredith.

Mer and I were in the car together coming home from her school day. She noticed a long stationary train with different box cars, most with some form of noticeable graffiti on the side of the cars. Mer shared the following:

“You know the people who take care of the train cars must be disappointed and frustrated because there is SO much graffiti. I can understand how people have a need to express themselves creatively and hope to have their work seen by others, but it makes a lot of work for someone else.”

Image: Debby Hudson@hudsoncrafted/ Unsplash

I was momentarily speechless as she went on to wonder out loud how you would remove graffiti. Mer had just turned 9 years old. In a world often divided and polarized, Mer seems to have an appreciation of and a willingness to hold, the different perspectives and needs within the same situation.

My first response to Mer was, “You know, not many adults today could hold and express both of those viewpoints.”

Mer and many of the youth today give me hope for a brighter future for everyone and everything.

-Sandy Bell-Cameron, CSJ Associate

Reflecting on Murray Sinclair

At the airport in Toronto I had just finished reading Murray Sinclair’s recently published book, Who We Are about his life and his work. Ten minutes after closing the book, I received an email saying that he had died.

My name is Mizanay Gheezhik, which literally means, “one who speaks of pictures in the sky.” It’s about philosophizing. It’s about reading, not paper, not words, but reading what’s going on around me and understanding that and then explaining it to the people.

That’s why I’ve done the work that I’ve done over the years, because that’s my name.

That was the role that I was given when I was created and when I was born.” (Pg. 229)

And there it is. In his own words. Whether it was as the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or as Senator in the government, Murray was true to his calling. This role he was given when he was created allowed him to listen deeply to the many individual voices during the Truth and Reconciliation process. It enabled those who shared their stories to reclaim parts of who they really were before the systemic violence of residential schools extinguished a light of their identity.

His life was not easy. His “speaking of pictures in the sky” called all of us Canadians to uncover and face the tragic story of our own history. And yet, he did more than that. His “pictures in the sky” took form in the 94 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Report which continues to point us in the direction of whole-making relationships in our country.

What stays with me most, however, is his love of family and the dialogues he shares in the book with his children and grandchildren. As he says, his real desire for his children and grandchildren - and all children, is that they make the world a better place.

We are grateful to you, Murray Sinclair, for making our world a better place.

-Sister Margo Ritchie, Congregational Leader, CSJ

Image: Unsplash/Troy Olson @city2forest

A New Canadian Saint for All Saints Day

Have you heard that on Oct. 20th, 2024, another Canadian was declared a saint? She is Mother Marie-Léonie Paradis from Quebec and is among the 14 new saints the Vatican recently canonized. Marie-Léonie was born in 1840 in L’ Acadia, a small town across the river from Saint John-sur-Richelieu. Throughout her life, she developed a deep spirituality, performed a mountain of good works, and exuded interior peace of heart. St. Paradis felt called to establish the order of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family with the intention of supporting the material needs of priests. In 1895, the motherhouse was transferred to Sherbrooke, Quebec, where their work continues to the present time.

Recently, in a homily to our Sisters, Bishop Greco referred to the virtues of saints. While he was in Rome with Bishop Sherlock they visited their friend Cardinal Shoka, who had been Archbishop of Detroit and now was living in Rome and working at the Dicastery for the Cause of Canonization of Saints. From his work studying the lives of saints, he realized that all of those who were deemed saints, regardless of their other virtues and good works, every one of them in their lives possessed interior peace of heart. In that moment, it was clear to me that the bedrock of good works itself does not lead to people becoming saintly. Indeed, the interior peace of heart for which we strive all our lives, saints have achieved.

Blessed Mother Marie-Léonie Paradis is the third Canadian-born saint. Sister Marguerite d’Youville was canonized by Pope John Paul II on Dec. 9, 1990, and St. Brother André Bessette was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2010. All three are Quebecers. In addition, Mother Marie-Rose Durocher of Montreal was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II on May 23. 1982. We hope the day of her canonization is soon.

On November 1st let us hail the many people we call saints and emulate their lives of deep faith and feats of valor throughout many centuries. We can pray and strive to develop their interior peace of heart, a value so needed in our desperate world today.

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj

Image: Unsplash/Jon Tyson @jontyson

Nature’s Artistry

“How beautiful the leaves grow old.

How beautiful their light and colour are in their last days.”

John Burroughs

I must confess, I miss the seasonal, northern beauty I witnessed firsthand during my twenty-two years of ministry in northern Canada. Although, I readily admit that Ontario’s autumns are spectacular, the fall of 2024, seems to be outdoing itself.

Everywhere I look, I see trees dressed in eye-catching finery. Nature, using her expansive colour palette, has gifted our orbs with a manifold array of varicoloured leaves.

As my eyes delight in this stunning  view, I am cognizant of its fragility. I am well aware that impending frost, forthcoming breezes, and chilly rains will all too soon strip the trees of their festive garments once again.

However, my northern experience, makes me confident that if we look closely, we will begin noticing Mother Nature weaving her winter wonders. Let us keep our eyes open to seeing each season’s beauty.

-Nancy Wales, csj

Images: UNSPLASH Claude Laprise | Emmanuel Phaeton

Celebrating the Anniversary of Jean-Pierre Médaille’s Birth

Today the global Joseph family pauses to celebrate with gratitude the life and legacy of our founder and spiritual father, Father Jean-Pierre Médaille. Birthdays are gift times to highlight and honour the nobility and grandeur of one human life.

“Have only one desire throughout your life:
to be, and to become,
what God wants you to be
in nature, in grace, and in glory,
for time and eternity.”

— Maxim of Love 10:6 | Jean-Pierre Medaille, SJ

IN NATURE:  Jean-Pierre was born on October 6, 1610, the eldest son of Jean and Phélippe Médaille in Carcassonne, France. While we have no photographs or biography of this time, we can presume from parish records, that his home life was very stable, economically secure, and spiritually alive. He and his two brothers, Jean-Paul and Jean attended the local Jesuit College which combined classical learning with cultural and religious experience. This strong and balanced Jesuit educational milieu marked Jean-Pierre’s childhood and early adolescence providing a discipline that grounded him for significant spiritual and social influence in the world. 

IN GRACE: Jean-Pierre Médaille was born with a destiny and unique purpose that he grew into and embraced wholeheartedly. Not yet 16 years of age, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Toulouse, France. All throughout his formative years and up to his ordination of priesthood in 1637 (age 27), Jean-Pierre was described by his superiors as “having extraordinary talent”; “excellent, remarkable, penetrating, even sublime intelligence.” He was considered “wise, above average in everything, superior in philosophy and especially in theology.” Most of his four decades of apostolic ministry were spent travelling from diocese to diocese around south-western France preaching Parish Missions and promoting a spirituality that inspired the laity and engaged them on a path of holiness so much so that his obituary (Dec. 30, 1669) reported that “so great his reputation for holiness that here and there he was called the saint, the apostle.”

Under the inspiration of grace, with receptivity and astute psychology, he wrote the timeless wisdom of 128 Maxims of Perfection, 12 intimate Contemplations on the Life of Christ, and a profound Chapter on Transforming Union.  As a gifted spiritual director to some widows and young women in Le Puy, he nurtured their desire to dedicate their lives in consecration to God and service to the dear neighbour – witnessing the birthing of the Sisters of St. Joseph in October 1650. Then ten years later comes another moment of graced inspiration - a Divine revelation he wrote down - The Eucharistic Letter. Coming into rebirth these two past decades, its message speaks prophetically to those women and men today who are seeking small faith-share communities to embrace Gospel living in simplicity and joy.

IN GLORY:  During his lifetime he manifested in numerous personal relationships a pattern of self-emptying detachment and ever-deepening contemplation. The mantra, “Empty me. Fill me with your Great Love,” helped tame his egoic reactions. His receptivity to the flow of this transforming action of grace moved him so much that in his final contemplation on the mysteries of Christ’s life he concludes with: “This is the only desire of my soul. This is the most cherished expectation of my poor heart…” Having come to this heightened consciousness of the simplicity and unity of ALL at the centre, Jean-Pierre is already living in eternity. The One Thing necessary is Love. Jean-Pierre, the mystic, had found his heaven here on earth!  

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT TO FATHER MÉDAILLE ON THIS HIS BIRTHDAY?

“It is time to bring the ‘gifts of our lives” in celebration of our spiritual father and in thanksgiving for the spirituality he imparted to us.

What gift do you bring?
(e.g. I live by this maxim;
I aspire to grow in this virtue;
I love the ‘little way’….) ”

— Quote Source

If we were having a spiritual birthday gathering for our founder and spiritual father, what gift would each of us consider bringing? What would be our heart-sharing? What is the lasting memory of Father Médaille that lives on in you? The gift of our lives in the family of Joseph is what gives glory to God.

This year, I give thanks for the manner in which Father Médaille’s spirituality regards the dignity and destiny of every human person. He respects that there is “a particular way God calls each person.” He invites us to discern and discover that way. What serves me well these days, is his loving invitation and focused intention: “Rosemary, do what is yours to do.”

Happy Birthday Jean-Pierre, in the communion of saints!  

-Sister Rosemary O’Toole, CSJ

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Historical quotes taken from Words For Life, A Spirituality Study Inspired by Jesuit Priest, Jean-Pierre Medaille, S.J., His Writings and Experiences, Book One.

Vespers for the Birth Anniversary of Father Medaille posted on The Upper Room Home of Prayer website