49 Years of Teaching
When Sister Mary Francis of Assisi retired after 49 years of teaching, William Davis, then Minister of Education, wrote to her.
Heathfield Villa
In the late 1840s the property we know as Heathfield was compiled when three smaller parcels of land, were purchased by Alex Forbes to create a 30 acre lot.
The Motherhouse and its grounds
The Motherhouse and its grounds have changed a lot since 1932, but are still very recognizable! These four photographs show how the landscaping in front of the Motherhouse and the Motherhouse itself have changed over the years.
Missioning ceremony held for President & CEO Laurie French
A special missioning ceremony of Laurie French, Providence Village Inc. (PVI) President & Chief Executive Officer and Motherhouse Administrator was held May 9 in the Chapel of Mary, Mother of Compassion at the Providence Motherhouse.
Sisters!
Sr. M. Henry, Sr. M. Juliana, and Sr. Mary Seven Dolors McMahon.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Numerous siblings have entered the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul over the years. Religious life was not the right fit for some of these women, but many sets of siblings did live out their lives together as Sisters of Providence, including 7 sets of three siblings: the Byrne sisters, the Mangan sisters, the Corrigan sisters, the...
The Pope’s appeal
BY SISTER PAULINE LALLY When a crisis would arise, our General Superior would tell us young teaching Sisters, “Pray, and have the children pray.” And we would, and things would actually work themselves out somehow. As the poet Tennyson says, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” I sincerely hope so, as the invasion of Russia on Ukraine seems like a David and Goliath story. This war has caused great pain in all our...
How the trees have grown!
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Motherhouse grounds have changed a lot over the years, and yet stayed the same in other ways. These two photographs show how the Motherhouse grounds, from the Main Entrance to Princess Street, have changed over a span of 62 years. The trees have grown A LOT, and the birdbath has been replaced by the Peace Pole, but the basic design remains the same!The photograph above was taken in 1955 and the photograph...
My Opinion
BY SISTER PAULINE LALLY As my sister would say, when she heard ridiculous over-the-top honking, “So you got a horn! What else did Santa Claus give you for Christmas?” For the past few weeks Liz’s remarks have echoed repeatedly in my brain. With the potential for violence, these protests have been far more frightening of late than annoying, in my opinion. What seems to have been an excuse for these protests was the governments’ ordering of...
Living the Charism and Mission for 160 years
The Sisters held a small celebration that encompassed storytelling at Providence Motherhouse…
Jubilee Celebration of 2020 and 2021
2020 Jubilarians from left: Sister Yvette Girard (60 years), Sister Judith Ann Murphy (60 years) and Sister Rita Gleason (60 years). Not photographed but celebrating:Sister Nöella Séguin (2020, 70 years), and Sister Sara Jiménez Angulo (2020, 25 years).BY SISTER JEANNETTE FILTHAUT “This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.” On Saturday Sept. 18th the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul came together at...
Christmas Crib
Every year at Christmas, we all enjoy the large outdoor Crib that is on display in front of Providence Motherhouse in Kingston. The Statues were purchased by Sr. Mary Roberta, General Treasurer, in 1961 and she requested that a stable be built to display the statues.
Chapter is a Verb
Sister Mary Jo Radey, CSJBY SISTER PAULINE LALLY In the midst of this never-ending pandemic, we held a pre-chapter retreat in October. The highlight for me was that we were able to get together. To see each other, to talk to each other, to share meals and laughter once again. After how many months? It seemed like a hundred. However, it was a serious affair as well. This Chapter will be about transforming ourselves into a new reality in a...
Providence Associates Retreat 2021
Brenda Peddigrew, RSM facilitating the 2019 Chapter of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul.BY REGINA LANNON, PROVIDENCE ASSOCIATE In a cosmic moment in early October, 30 Providence Associates and 3 Sisters of Providence gathered via Zoom from our own homes to spend Friday evening and Saturday with Sr. Brenda Peddigrew, RSM, as retreat director once again. We were in the season of Creation, on the cusp of the feast day of Francis of...
St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Time Capsules
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Brockville was opened in 1887 and five years later, in 1892, the hospital had outgrown its Schofield Hill location and the hospital moved to a former convent at 42 Garden Street. Over time several additions were built in 1896, 1912, 1924, and 1948. In 1958 a new four storey wing was added and in 1968, the old wings were demolished and replaced with a four-storey addition, which...
Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul Community Impact Fund
It was with both gratitude and excitement, shared by everyone present, that Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (CFKA) board members Rob Wood (Chair) and Gayle Barr (Past Chair) met with several Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul at Providence Motherhouse to receive their change-making $5 million gift to the community.
Celebrating the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
On September 30, the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we chose to bring into our liturgical celebration elements of the culture and ritual of our indigenous brothers and sisters as a way of honouring their traditions. It was also a way of showing our sorrow and acknowledgment of the denigration of these traditions by our ancestors and members of our church.
Maria Konopeskas, Providence Associate
We received some very sad news recently. As you know, the Providence Associate Committee established a Life Time Membership for those people who have lived the charism and the spirituality of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul for many years and who are not able to renew their commitment because of physical or cognitive limits. Maria Konopeskas made her commitment in 1991. She has been a faithful Associate for 30 years. Maria had...
Sisters Vote!
Kingston and the Islands riding election debate for 2005 Canadian Federal Election.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In light of the recent federal election, let’s take a look at the Sisters of Providence’s history of voting in federal elections. After obtaining suffrage in 1919, the first Canadian federal election in which women could exercise their right to vote was 1921. The congregation was unsure at first whether to let the Sisters exercise...
Missionary Returns to Canada
54 years of service in Latin AmericaBY SISTER GAYLE DESARMIA In 1967 when the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul were opening missions in Guatemala and Peru, Sister Rose-Marie Bokenfohr (photo at right), a registered nurse, was among the first group of Sisters to volunteer for mission work. After attending language school in Puerto Rico, she spent her first two years in Guatemala. In 1969, she moved to Peru where she was engaged in...
Raphael Lake…The Lake That Wasn’t
Sister Mary Raphael is noteworthy on several fronts. She was especially well known for her 42 years of service at Providence Hospital in Moose Jaw and was much beloved by the people of Moose Jaw. She was also the first Sister of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul to reach the age of 100. Sister Mary Raphael was born in 1877 and died at the ripe old age of 102 in 1979. And she is the only Sister of Providence who almost had a lake named after her!