April-May-June Issue

Summary

contents

(VOL. 44, No. 2 /April-May-June 2017)

Columns

Spiritual Life

The Humdrum of Everyday Life — André Gadbois

Jesus was a troublemaker; He loosened the ties that tightly bound His people.

For many centuries, grandiose and majestic temples were erected in towns and cities at great cost, thanks to the strenuous efforts of manual
labourers. The lives of those men were negligible in the minds of royalty. The temples were – and still are – meant to inspire our faith in a Supreme Being, and the acknowledgement, adoration, and proclamation of a Force higher than man in the world. Sometimes, members of the lower class were given permission to enter the temples – quietly on tiptoe – to admire the wealth and visit certain holy areas. Today, these temples of power continue to lord over cities thanks to their affluent proprietors who are overly concerned with making a profit. Sometimes known as the ‘upper crust’ of society, these individuals are the ones that influence the ruling government, lead the people, have all the answers, and pave the way. They are rich and determine the economic classes of the world to establish ‘order’ and ensure that everything ‘works smoothly’, because they possess the key to happiness.

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Cultures and Mission

We – the Sum of I — Audrey Charland

Doubt and questioning seem to be part of human nature, and often emerge when we experience trials and tribulations. Even our most deep-seated, unshakeable certainties can sometimes be called into question. When I was writing my memoir, I spoke with many Sisters who freely admitted that they had, at least once in their lifetime, been forced to re-evaluate the whys and wherefores of their faith. Living and evolving in an environment where acts of war are more likely than peace, I was compelled to reflect on my values and beliefs in this sociocultural limbo.

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Youth

Us – the World — Émilien Roscanu

The beginning of a new year is a good time to review our accomplishments and reflect on our choices and their consequences. There are nearly seven and a half billion people here on Earth, and the obstacles we face for a peaceful coexistence are sometimes overwhelming. Working towards a more peaceful world does not mean making empty promises, but wanting to open up and take action. Lasting peace, the kind that will allow human beings to live and grow in respectable conditions, is not a simple thing to achieve. By making certain choices, we can make a difference and help fight the evils of our time: racism, sexism, and inequality.

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A Finger Is Worth Two Teeth — Suzanne Labelle, m.i.c.

This true story happened several years ago. Sister Suzanne was living in a high-mountain area of Bolivia, more than 2,500 meters above sea level. She was living with other Sisters in Huancarani, a village at the time without electricity or running water, in one of the poorest regions of the country. As not only the sole doctor in the area, but also the only health professional in a hundred-kilometre radius, Sister Suzanne had plenty of work.

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IN FOCUS

YES – I WANT US ALL! 

Crying With the Poor of Malawi — Huguette Ostiguy, m.i.c.

MALAWI: PAST AND PRESENT
Malawi was once upon a time a beautiful prosperous land, with its large blue lake, mountains covered with trees, many small rivers of running water, large green gardens, children enjoying plenty of fruits falling from trees, and smiling people with welcoming hearts.

Nowadays, when travelling throughout Malawi, one can feel so sad to see the naked mountains. There are now few fruit trees along the way, the streams are dry, and year after year the rain is scarce. People labor on their farm without having much to harvest. Thus 80% of the 17,500,000 people living in rural areas who rely on farming desperately struggle to survive. It is estimated that 6 million people will suffer from hunger before the next harvest.

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No – to Hatred — Suzanne Boivin

Is this a chant we might hear echoing through the streets of Montreal? No – it is a global movement, one that is supported by several European parliaments, as well as Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, among others. The international No Hate Speech Movement, a youth
campaign that aims to promote respectful speech on the Internet, is slowly becoming known in Quebec. Their aim is to prevent the painful and often disastrous consequences of online hate speech by educating the public and adopting a firm “no hate speech” policy.

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A Recycled Missionary – ad gentes — Librada Bantilan, m.i.c.

Even though they are ageing and decreasing in number, nothing can stop the MIC Sisters in the Philippines from proclaiming the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ to the non-Christians.

In 1979, a mandated MIC Initial Evangelization Program was formulated. The implementation of the Program started with the opening of two initial evangelization missions: one in Miarayon, Bukidnon and another in Malita, Davao del Sur. The trail blazers of those missions were well prepared: they attended a 5-week seminar on Approaches to Human Development; they took a crash course on Applied Missionary Anthropology; they had a 4-month exposure to their prospective mission area and learned the respective languages of the tribes they were assigned to evangelize.

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ABOUT THE MICs

Living With My Difference — Gabrielle Drouin, m.i.c.

With joy and gratitude, Sister Gabrielle Drouin accepted the challenge of recounting her long life story. For 52 years, she lived in Taiwan, experiencing life as an outsider and fighting off  loneliness. Here is her story.

DEPARTURE FROM INVERNESS
When I was 19 years old, I left my hometown of Inverness, Quebec, to begin my life as a missionary. I first heard the call in elementary school, when a missionary from Africa passed through our town. He told us that he could not complete his mission without help. As he spoke, I began to imagine a different world, one filled with excitement, unlike my own calm and peaceful home. I was overcome with sadness,
and later that night I asked my parents’ permission to think awhile before going to bed. Stunned, they agreed. I was only eight years old. But this was the moment when I first heard the call to become a missionary. I was already different from other children. For years, I lived with this great dream in my heart, until the day I was welcomed to the MIC noviciate in Laval in 1951.

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In My Heart — Suzanne Morneau, m.i.c.

Learning about a new culture requires a lot of time and love. After forty years in Japan, Sister Suzanne speaks with us about the country’s language of flowers.

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My Marriage Announcement

Yes, I want us all! Here is my marriage announcement, and everyone is invited to the joyful occasion.
A marriage with humanity, no less!

In a time when the world is being ravaged by wars, when walls are being built between nations and dictators are being applauded, we must draw up a marriage contract between politicians and the people, and bring them together in a spirit of fair justice and genuine love. Yes, I want us all means saying no to violence and hate, and saying yes to the respect of others and their differences.

The world has seen many Apostles of Peace: Gandhi, Jean Vanier, Mandela, Pope Francis, and certainly someone near you, in your entourage.
They chose to walk in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus banned prejudice when He defended the adulterous woman, when He called Mathew the tax collector, and when He welcomed the thief on the cross. Jesus saw people clearly, right into their hearts.

Today, many young people are not afraid to show their faith. They don’t worry about what others might say and live according to their deepest convictions; they walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Some militate against hate in our societies, while others, more radical individuals dedicate their lives to Jesus’ mission, becoming ‘all things to all’, for the good of everyone.

You won’t need to bring gifts to this marriage. Instead, I ask you to banish every scornful word from your vocabulary, anything that might
evoke hate or aversion, so that we might create a society of peace, respect, and love.

Christ came to establish a new land, His Kingdom. We are all invited, and it is up to us to respond to His invitation and take part in the ceremony.
My marriage announcement is on the table. Yes, I want us all!

I await your response.

The Team

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.

Carole Guévin, Direction's assistant

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

Translator : French to English - MIC Mission News

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

André Gadbois, Editorial Board

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.

Audrey Charland, Editorial Board

Audrey Charland, a 25-year-old graduate student with a master’s degree in Religious Studies, is trying her hand at something new: first the thesis, now the news article! After studying the history of Catholic missionary nuns in India, she has joined the MIC Missionary News team as the new Communications and Development Officer. This position will allow her to take on new and exciting challenges, and put her knowledge and skills into practice.


Léonie Therrien, M.I.C., Editorial Board

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.

Emilien Roscanu, Editorial Board                                                                            

Emilien Roscanu History and politics are his passion as well as the arts scene and dramatic art.  Dedicated to his community, he is a young man who also loves debating ideas.

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