A NEW ADVENT RITUAL

SISTERS CREATE AND CELEBRATE COSMIC ADVENT RITUAL

Image: Laura Nyhuis/Unsplash

In Christian tradition, the four weeks before Christmas is called Advent, a season of anticipation celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmas.  In a larger sense, Advent celebrates the coming of the fullness of God when all of creation including humans has reached its mature completion and God is all in all. This larger view implies that all things evolve and reach a unified Oneness. It is this evolutionary awareness that has led to a more current expression of the traditional Advent ritual.

In 2019 the School Sisters of Notre Dame created an adaptation to the traditional Christmas wreath ritual that includes evolutionary science, biblical hope and brings to life Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si.

The Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland led by Sister Elizabeth Davis implemented this new Advent ritual in their Advent celebrations called Cosmic Advent Wreath.  Briefly, the first candle of the display represents The Birth of the Universe. The second candle represents The Birth of the Solar System. The third candle represents The Birth of Jesus the Christ and the fourth My Birth into the Whole Body of the Universe.

The following two resources, shared below, give the background to the Sisters’ creation and implementation of the Cosmic Advent Ritual.

https://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/theology/arts-and-media/news/theology-shifts-sisters-are-making-christmas-more-cosmic

https://ecospiritualityresources.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/adventinthenewuniversestory.2020.pdf

Image: Aaron Burden/Unsplash

It seems to me that this ritual adaptation is a good example of how to go beyond the traditional ritual and also include it into a larger and more expansive celebration for our time.

-Sister Mary Vandersteen, csj

AUTUMN

One by one

the leaves let go

Image: Joey Genovese/Unsplash

falling

to the waiting earth below.

The tree stands

naked

in its bereavement

tall and strong

it weather winter snows

knowing that when spring arrives

her beauty will return

clad in leaves of glorious green

a sheltering for the birds

a shade for summer’s sun.

Until October’s brush

paints her anew

with fiery reds and shimmering golds

and once again she stands

in full magnificence

yet knowing that

as the seasons change

she must again let go

and wait upon the spring.

-Sister Kathleen Lyons, csj

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT

From the UN rapporteur statement on Housing as a Human Right we read:

Housing is a human right.  It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in many international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  Under international law everyone has the right to adequate housing.

Image: Michael Jasmund/ Unsplash

On Friday, October 14th the Mayor of Peterborough declared a state of emergency due of the lack of suitable housing and/or shelter beds available for the homeless as the winter months set in.  With an interest in homelessness, a couple of us decided to attend the gathering at All Saints Anglican Church that evening to hear what is being proposed and to get involved in some way.  Approximately 100+ citizens gathered to listen to ‘the folks’ who were affected by this crisis along with their support workers from various Agencies advocating on their behalf for a reasonable and viable solution.  In the audience were also the candidates who are seeking to be elected Mayor or Council Member in the upcoming Municipal election. Other citizens wanting to understand the current situation in our City  were present and are willing to offer support in wherever ways might emerge from meetings such as this one.    

The Agenda for the evening was set by the group as each person in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and state the issue(s) they wanted heard and addressed that evening.    

Key statements from the meeting were statements about feeling discouraged at the response of current city leaders who have not addressed homelessness sufficiently;

• shelters need more caring staff;

• rules in shelters need to be explained in a caring manner;

• Federal and Provincial governments need to come forward with funding;

• frustrated because NO changes will happen until new city council comes into power;

• income support programs need to be enhanced;

• family shelters are needed;

• places for youth need to be set up rather than having to couch surf;

• tents in parks or at City hall are taken from the folks and thrown in garbage;

• ODSP and OW is not adequate to live a healthy life;

• POLICE PRESENCE IS NOT A RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS. 

No matter who they are, people want to be respected and “looked in the eye” when they are spoken to.

On the other hand some positive comments were shared which gave HOPE to the audience:  to learn and become educated about the role of the Municipal Mayor and Council and keep them on task to resolve the issue; look at Tiny Homes /Sleeping Cabins as a possibility to house people this winter until a more permanent solution can be found and funded; listening and sharing ideas with each other as this meeting has done will engage creativity among the group; a few people with ideas can make something happen (Ex.  Kawartha Food Share began at a round table meeting and now serves hundreds of people in our community); once a human connection is made with a homeless person, I will be changed; use our power and our voice to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice; name this issue of homelessness as a violation of human rights when we get a chance in a public setting; take away one idea from this gathering and put it into action on behalf of the homeless.

Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering (Dalai Lama).

Know Your Local Waters

KNOW YOUR LOCAL WATERS

Last Friday afternoon a presentation by Paul Baines, our Blue Communities Program Manager, and Glen Caradus, was held at Mount St. Joseph in Peterborough for Sisters, Associates and Staff. We gathered to participate in an interactive game to learn more about the ‘waters’ surrounding our City of Peterborough and its local area. 

A large map with various symbols decorated the floor of the gathering space –with our waterways as the focus.  The game was created by Glen (Caradus) in collaboration with First Peoples of Curve Lake to explain how the land and water are essential to all of life and that we need to give reverence to it and respect and learn what the water is wanting to teach us. 

Sisters Ann and Kitty | Photos: Sr Ann Karges

Teams were set and dice thrown to determine what square on the map the team would move to.  On the spot where the dice landed various questions were asked - about Ecology, Indigenous life, Nature, and if you drew a Chance card then the Team was asked to sing a song that was sung at a campfire.

The afternoon passed quickly and there was appreciation for the creative way of getting people involved and of course some of our competitive nature came to the fore when it came to winning!

Below we share a video, An Adventure in Understanding, a beautiful reflection and understanding about our local water sources.

Sister Ann MacDonald, csj

Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada Proud to be a Blue Community.