To change the world we must be good to those who cannot repay us.
Pope Francis.
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
Weekly Pause and Ponder
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
