Quebec SNJM Blog

Thanks for the great blog for earth day. We had a...

2010-04-22T19:51:51.653-04:00

Thanks for the great blog for earth day. We had a special prayer this morning and there is a special prayer event in Lima,Peru tonight.

I enjoyed hearing the author speak about her book. We have used her video here with the associates.

That was a wonderful thought provoking article and...

2010-04-22T19:50:08.935-04:00

That was a wonderful thought provoking article and it really made me think of the number of products I buy that yes they do end up adding to the pollution of our earth. I loved the part about the $4.99 radio and how and why it got made so cheaply….It will fall apart and than the consumer will be out and purchasing another and the old just adding to the pollution..so true. Imagine only six months after buying something only one percent having the article.

What are we doing and what are we going to do about it? For myself it will be stop and think….Do I really need this?.....Thanks …It was great.

everyday should be children's day

2010-04-13T20:35:51.940-04:00

everyday should be children's day

Thanks Pat for the reflection you share with us. I...

2009-11-25T21:08:25.924-05:00

Thanks Pat for the reflection you share with us. It is worth reading it and the poem is so true!

Dear Pat, here is an article I came across that I ...

2009-10-04T17:53:27.399-04:00

Dear Pat, here is an article I came across that I thought would be of interest: you can find it at
http://www.nwac-hq.org/en/index.html

To be read nationwide on October 4th 2009
as part of the movement of
Sisters In Spirit vigils.
The violence experienced by Aboriginal women and girls in Canada is a national tragedy. The disappearance and murder of our Aboriginal sisters is felt nationwide, with countless First Nations, Inuit and Métis families and communities grappling with the loss of a loved one and struggling to find answers. We are speaking out, as individuals and organizations, because we believe this violence should be of urgent concern to everyone in Canada. More than that, this concern must lead to action—action to ensure that the rights and safety of Aboriginal sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers are respected and protected.
October 4th is a day where we honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. The Sisters In Spirit movement began with the courage, strength and love of families. We must take the time to give thanks to these families who are our inspiration and the reason we all continue to demand action. Many of them are here with us today and we thank them for sharing their stories. There are more than 520 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in this country. Each one of these women is loved and missed terribly by their family, friends and community. Their loss is our loss. Their grief is our grief. Together we demand action.
Across Canada, there are countless individuals who dedicate their professional and personal lives to the betterment of Aboriginal women and girls. Some of us are community workers, service providers or teachers. Others are policymakers, leaders and funders. Each of us plays a role in ensuring that Aboriginal women and girls receive the support and protection they need to live in safety. The positive initiatives that have been
Head Office, Six Nations of the Grand River, P.O. Box 331, 1721 Chiefswood Road, 1st Floor, Ohsweken, ON N0A 1MO
Telephone 519-445-0990, Facsimile 519-445-0924
Satellite Office, 1292 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 3A9,
Telephone 613.722.3033, Facsimile 613.722.7687 Toll Free 1.800.461.4043
taken at the community and local level tell us that the public has the will to stop this violence and that solutions can be found.
However, much more needs to be done. Aboriginal women face disproportionate levels and severe forms of violence no matter where they live in Canada. There can be no piecemeal solution to a problem of this scale. Therefore, we are calling on all levels of government to work with Aboriginal women, including the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and other key stakeholders, collaboratively on issues of justice, safety, economic security and the well-being of Aboriginal women and girls. We call for a national plan of action that:
Recognizes the violence faced by Aboriginal women because they are Aboriginal and because they are women,
Ensures effective and unbiased police response through appropriate training, resources and coordination,
Improves public awareness and accountability through the consistent collection and publication of comprehensive national statistics on rates of violent crime against Aboriginal women,.
Reduces the risk to Aboriginal women by closing the economic and social gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada; and,
Improves the child welfare system.
We are ready to start this very important work.
This Joint Statement is supported by:
Amnesty International Canada
Assembly of First Nations
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
Canadian Federation of Students
The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Métis National Council
National Association of Friendship Centres
New Democratic Party of Canada Federal Caucus

The Dalai Lama's words,"Peace must be dev...

2009-09-28T17:17:49.200-04:00

The Dalai Lama's words,"Peace must be developed first within an individual. And I believe that love, compassion, and altruism are the fundamental basis for peace" certainly challenges us to look within and through self-reflection discover where we are not in right relationship with ourselves,with others, with God and to do something about it.

I am now encouraged to read: "Peace Is Every Step" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

I believe a day dedicated to peace can make a diff...

2009-09-28T13:39:55.870-04:00

I believe a day dedicated to peace can make a difference in the world if it moves us as individuals to take even one small step towards our own personal transformation. Thich Nhat Hanh develops this conviction about internal transformation in his book
Peace Is Every Step. I quote from the Dalai Lama’s Foreword to this book.

"Although attempting to bring about world peace trough the internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way. Wherever I go, I express this, and I am encouraged that people from many different walks of life receive it well. Peace must be developed first within an individual. And I believe that love, compassion, and altruism are the fundamental basis for peace. Once these qualities are developed within an individual, he or she is then able to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. This atmosphere can be expanded and extended from the individual to his/her family, from the family to the community and eventually to the whole world.

Peace Is Every Step is a guidebook for a journey in exactly this direction. … This is a very worthwhile book. It can change individual lives and the life of our society.”

“Peace is not something you wish for; It's som...

2009-09-22T14:52:13.203-04:00

“Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.” R. Fulghum.

This is what each of us is called to each moment of our lives.

Thank your for reminding us.

Mary Moss

I remember when we went to the UN we saw that rifl...

2009-09-22T10:13:16.725-04:00

I remember when we went to the UN we saw that rifle that had been turned into a guitar? Then yesterday I saw a dove pendant that was made from bomb casings. Reminds me of the scripture about turning our weapons into plough shares.

In Montreal, our Mayer, at 11:45, to day, asked fo...

2009-09-21T20:08:30.317-04:00

In Montreal, our Mayer, at 11:45, to day, asked for one minute of silence to join all those who want peace on earth.
Thanks for joining your effort and your prayers!

I always cut up used photocopy or print-out paper ...

2009-04-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

I always cut up used photocopy or print-out paper and use it to take down phe messages. Also,thank you for helping me be aware of a few other things I can do to help the environment: drinking tap, not bottled water, remembering to take the "green shopping bags" with me,carrying a folded plastic bag in my purse or pocket for on-the-spur purchases.

I try to do small stuff on a regular basis. Conser...

2009-04-22T20:50:00.000-04:00

I try to do small stuff on a regular basis. Conserve the use of water,use cloth bags for groceries and carry a folded plastic bag in my purse for on the spur purchases.Try to never idle the engine in the car-turn off the engine if I am talking with a passenger, use the same paper at work for my patient assignments instead of using a new sheet every time. Try not to buy fruit and veg in plastic-or shipped from across the ocean(if possible) -I re-use the little clear plastic bags and I buy soap from the eco store beside the ice cream parlour.The soap is for hands,body and shampoo and doesn't have chemical additives that harm the water.That is all I can think of for now.

Your reflection is a reminder that we are, indeed,...

2009-04-22T14:01:00.000-04:00

Your reflection is a reminder that we are, indeed, stewards of this amazing planet and we are called to do our share to protect the earth in myriad ways, What am I doing? Preserving water by shortened showers and fewer laundry days; brushing my teeth without keeping the tap running; and always drinking tap water. Could I do more? The answer is 'yes'. I'll be more careful about recycling and I'll use "green shopping bags" instead of plastic bags. Thanks for sharing y9ur thoughts, Pat. It's so easy to forget the importance of little things.

Thank you Pat for this wonderful reflection. Yes,...

2009-04-21T19:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you Pat for this wonderful reflection. Yes, the earth is our mother and how awesome is the privilege of being one with the earth, and one another! Let us take care of our earth in all the ways we know how, and continue to learn new ways of doing that too!

How can all Christians work together to make the w...

2009-01-28T21:32:00.000-05:00

How can all Christians work together to make the world a viable place? How do we corporately address the issues and let our voices be heard and our actions be seen? We can pray for peace, we can say that we are “united in His Hand” ((Ez 37:15-24a) but what about after the prayer?