During the Bicentenary we featured contributors’ memories of an RJM who had touched or inspired them in some way. This year’s jubilarians were asked if they had memories to share. Sr. Jackie Picard is the first to reply. Note that all readers of Bridges are warmly invited to contribute. Keep them coming!
February 3rd celebration in Fon Ibo, Haiti for the Feast Day of St. Claudine and the 30th anniversary of the Jesus-Mary School.
In 1989 Sr Pierrette, SNJM, Mr. Jean Desnor and Mr. Claude Etienne began the Jesus-Mary school under a Kanip tree (seen on far right) and Pierrette then built a one-room schoolhouse which closed when illness forced her return to Canada.
Again, we are faced with an 'address to our nation' presenting the migrants without any dignity, respect or compassion and depicting them close to being a 'national threat' even while many political figures and people along the border have presented a starkly different picture.
On January 19, 2019, Sr. Rose Kelly, RJM and Sr. Nazareth Ybarra, RJM were presented with the prestigious Willian Jefferson Clinton Goodwill for Haiti Award which honors outstanding individuals who have undertaken extraordinary work and dedicated their lives to the people of Haiti.
On January 12th (the anniversary of the big 2010 Haiti earthquake), the Montfortain Fathers celebrated the ordination of two young priests who were ordained in our parish church.
Sr. Vivian Patenaude, has been in Argentina for two weeks assisting RJMs with their spoken English. Just before her return to the USA on January 9th, she sent the following update...
Sr. Rose Kelly, RJM and Sr. Nazareth Ybarra, RJM received the following letter from Mr. Leslie Buckley, founder and Chairman of HAVEN, announcing that they will receive the William Jefferson Clinton Goodwill for Haiti Award for their extraordinary work and dedication to the people of Haiti.
On Saturday December 8th Sr. Natalia Mejia, RJM and I participated in the 'Caravan of Love' with Enrique Morrones (founder and leader of the Border Angels) and his Border Angels.
On the evening of December 4, S.O.M.E. (So Others May Eat) celebrated an early Christmas Party for the seniors at Kuehner House and the surrounding area senior citizens.
On the evening of November 28th at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, Sr. Annie Demerjian, RJM was one of three witnesses at Vespers for today’s Christian martyrs.
On Friday October 24th, the St. Mark’s School successor, St. Francis International School, honored the RJM as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary.
On Friday November 2nd, Sr. Mary Bourdon, RJM was honored with the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award, by SOAR! (Support Our Aging Religious).
Last Halloween, I was handing out candy when I recognized one of our students among the goblins and ghouls parading through my neighborhood...
One thing Americans agree on: our country has veered drastically off-course. Failures of national systems have led to frustration, bewilderment, and distrust among the commonwealth. Beyond that we are a deeply divided country…. We are turning on one another.
On Saturday, October 6, at about 8:11 PM a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck northwest Haiti, its epicenter about 11 miles outside the city of Port-de-Paix. It was followed by strong aftershocks that were felt as far away as Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. So far, seventeen people have died; 353 houses were destroyed; and 7430, damaged. However, with time these figures will probably rise.
Ten USA-Haiti province participants had the great fortune of attending the Symposium, JM: Jesus and Mary, 200 Years of Faith and Hope, held from October 4 - 6 in Lyon, France.
RJM BICENTENARY CLOSING - Lyon, France: The ten participants from the USA-Haiti Province arrived safely in Lyon on October 3rd at the Symposium, “Jesus and Mary, 200 Years of Faith and Hope.”
Catholic Sisters have long been at the forefront of the death penalty abolition movement in the United States. Last month, Pope Francis made a historic revision to the Catechism calling the practice of capital punishment "inadmissible" in all cases and an attack on the "inviolability and dignity of the person."