By Fr. David Purcell, C.Ss.R.
From Tuesday the 25th of April through Thursday the 27th, Redemptorists and Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer from the Edmonton-Toronto Province met at Queen of Apostles Retreat Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. During our Chapter Sitting we asked the Provincial Council to appoint a committee to investigate how best to handle our internal and external communications. We gave our recommendations about a model for joining our three Canadian units. We approved a policy for sabbaticals, and discussed how to manage our apostolic commitments with our current resources. With the help of Marwan Al-Turk, we reviewed our finances; and also heard from Fr. Mark Miller about his overall views concerning our Province, and how we are being affected and will be affected by decisions that were made at our General Chapter and at the Conference level. (As you may notice in this picture, we were joined on our closing day by all those in the novitiate).
Those who attended, will recall that Fr. Jack Kingsbury had offered to help facilitate part of our meeting, and to address us about issues related to our North American Conference and about the General Chapter. He had to leave our meeting very early in the week. Once he returned to the United States, he had his eye treated and is healing up very well. He is very grateful that he has progressed so well that he was able to attend a meeting of all the Redemptorist students in North America during the last week of May. Fr. Jack thanks everyone for their support through this emergency during our Chapter, and also thanks you for your support through the prayers and letters that he has received since then.
During our Chapter, we celebrated the re-commitment of Bob and Joan Williston as Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer.
During the evenings we also enjoyed each others’ company at social gatherings. During the banquet on Thursday evening we celebrated our jubilarians, and were pleased to welcome Fr. Remi’s cousin Carla Hindman (seen in the picture to Fr. Remi’s left in the picture at the right). Luis Fuentes, M.C. Havey, Kathy McMerty, and Fr. Ralph McQuaid also joined us for the banquet.
Through the inspiration of Fr. Mark Miller, and the technical help of Anne Walsh and Fr. Graham Hill, we also welcomed Archbishop Gerry Pettipas who was celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination and 10th anniversary of Episcopal ordination. He “Zoom-ed” in from his office in Grande Prairie, Alberta. He was able to hear our stories of appreciation about him and also to speak to us all!
In addition to Archbishop Gerry’s anniversaries, we also celebrated Fr. Stan Liska’s 60th anniversary of profession, Fr. Bill Steacy’s 50th anniversary of ordination, Fr. David Furlonger’s 40th anniversary of ordination, Fr. Remi’s 25th anniversary of ordination and Fr. Steve Morrisey’s 25th anniversary of profession.
Deo Gratias!
