October - November - December 2010 Issue

Summary

stop! then... walk

Columns

Spiritual Life

The God of Long Journeys - André Gadbois

It is said that Buddha, Socrates and Jesus were indefatigable walkers; they walked kilometers to meet people, to listen to their stories, to ask them questions, to sympathize with them and help them move forward. These three were convinced of the same truth... [READ MORE]

Cultures and Mission

A Missionary Excursion - Madeleine Grenier, m.i.c.

At the MIC International Scholasticate, twelve Sisters of seven different nationalities were wondering how to wrap up their seven months of final training here in Canada. Sister Patsy Morency launched an idea: I would love to show you my birthplace! A spark appeared in everyone’s eyes! Why not? Yes, it would be interesting to visit your native province and to take that opportunity to sow the missionary seed as well as the vocational one. We would take up the challenge in gratitude for all that we received while here in Canada... [READ MORE]

Women

The Joy of a Celebration - Carole Guévin

Sunday, May 16, 2010 – We highlighted the 90th Anniversary of our publication: Le Précurseur/MIC Mission News. Two hundred guests came and participated in the event. The program offered a variety of presentations, to mention a couple:Representing “La Sagouine”, Sr. Marie-Hélène Roy speaking in Acadian French described with humor the many adventures the Sisters encountered as they went from door to door (1920-1950) to offer the mission magazine in the Province of Quebec... [READ MORE]

Youth

A Definitive, Audacious "YES" - Monette Ouellette, m.i.c.

Among the memories of her childhood years, Sr. Patsy Morency remembers with awe and wonder the joyful and festive welcome that her family always displayed for her father’s closest friend, Father Guy, a priest of the Society of Foreign Missions who was a missionary in the Philippines... [READ MORE]

In Focus: Stop! Then... Walk [READ MORE]

About the MICs

Christmas in Malawi, Africa - Yvonne Ayotte, m.i.c.

A missionary in Malawi and Zambia for more than thirty years, Sr. Yvonne briefly speaks to us about Christmas in Africa... [READ MORE]

Stop: Be Still! - Aida Sabandal, m.i.c.

No matter the country where the MIC Sisters work, if they are involved in education they always provide the students with some “time-out” for their spiritual life and reflection. At Good Hope School in Hong Kong this is a tradition that is cherished. Notwithstanding the few Catholics, Sr. Jacintha Henry, M.I.C. goes with a group of students to a place where nature and silence are conducive to reflection… [READ MORE]

Overloaded Suitcases - Marie-Paule Sanfaçon, m.i.c.

At the age of six, Yolaine Lavoie dreamed of Africa. Her dream has finally come true. On December 8, 2009, Sr. Yolaine officially receives her assignment for the Cameroon. She already had been forty years in Madagascar but she takes up the challenge and says yes to the call… [READ MORE]

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Editorial

Stop! Look and Listen, then... 

The pulse of our large cities drives us at a crazy pace. It is good to say: Stop, quiet down, look over the film of your life. Be aware of the present moment, stop racing from one place to another, stop being a victim of your own agenda. Seasons and years flow by as quickly as water over a waterfall. Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete, who ignored his own pain and ran cross-country with one goal in mind—raise funds for cancer research, was an inspiration and model for many. To set a goal for ourselves gives meaning to life. To live fully is more than being swept up in a furious non-stop whirlwind. Following the example of outstanding walkers who have a goal for humanity, it is important to Stop... then walk as the writer André Gadbois suggests in his article. Stop! Keep away from the whirlwind, from the rat race, keep only what is needed in your backpack, this will lighten-up your walk and life will become less stressful. Why are there so many suicides among our youth? It is troubling to think that more than 20% of young Canadians live with such intense emotional stress that they want to die or take means to harm themselves. In Canada, suicide is the second highest cause of death for youth aged 13-18; it counts more victims than that of the total deaths caused by cancer, aids, and other natural causes. When I saw the movie I Killed My Mother by Xavier Dolan, I was troubled by the lack of dialogue between the mother and the son.

They loved each other and wanted the best for each other, but an insurmountable barrier existed between them. A stop in the course of our lives can change everything. Sister Jacintha understood that point and now she takes time to listen to the youth in Hong-Kong. Sister Patsy stopped to listen to the Voice of the Lord; she heard and committed herself to follow Him on a missionary journey that will lead her to listen to others. Thus the importance to Stop at a certain juncture of our life; look closely at our own film and then walk in the right direction. Our life is more than a motion picture. It is a conquest, day after day, like those millions of women who walk to obtain their rights and who take their place in society. With all those walkers who have a goal for a better world, let us stop, look, listen and then walk!

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The Team

MIC MISSION NEWS TEAM

Editorial Board 

                               

Marie-Paule Sanfaçon, Directress of publication

Originally from Quebec, Sr. Marie-Paule was a missionary in Haiti; she worked with high-school students in the field of catechesis and also in youth ministry.  She is now directress of the MIC Missionary Press and Provincial Superior of the MIC Canadian Province.

André Gadbois, Journalist 

Married and father of two children, André Gadbois, after several years in pastoral work, taught children with serious learning disabilities for 20 years and was school director for ten years. He has been very involved with catechumens of the church in Montreal, and is the editor of their journal, le Sénevé. 

 

  Léonie Therrien, Journalist

Occupation:  She is a member of the editorial team for the missionary magazine Le Précurseur/MIC Mission News.  She is also responsible for a group of MIC Associates (ASMIC).

Experiences:  Educator; youth group animator as well as animating groups of Associates; member of an intercommunity mission animation team.

 

  Claudette Bouchard, Translation and Journalist

Sr. Claudette is a former missionary in Malawi, C. Africa.  She also worked in the Archdioceses of San Francisco, Ca.; Toronto, Ont.; and Vancouver, B.C. as Archdiocesan coordinator and promoter of mission awareness activities. Within parish contexts, she coordinated religious education programs and accompanied youngsters on their faith journey.

 

Carole Guévin, Direction's assistant

Assistant Director of the MIC Missionary Press, Carole lived in Nicaragua and Lebanon as a lay missionary.

 

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