Advocacy

An Inspiring Affordable Housing Initiative

AN INSPIRING Affordable Housing Initiative

On October 26, 2023, over 65 supporters of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, gathered at the Goodwill Centre in London, Ontario for the announcement of the Society’s affordable housing Initiative.  Their presence in London for over 160 years serving people in need makes this society an ideal agency to respond to London’s high numbers of people searching for affordable housing.  Their colorful brochure states: “In response to the affordable housing crisis in London, the SSVP has obtained a portion of land from the Roman Catholic Diocese of London adjacent to the St. Andrew the Apostle Church located in northeast London. The location is ideal with easy access to shopping, schools, transit, and a community center”.

During the evening’s agenda, London’s CTV personality and MC, Nick Paparella called upon several speakers to make presentations.  Shelley Baker and Mary Michniewicz as co-chairs of this project, explained the background of the endeavor and commented on the many meetings held in the early stages of preparation for entering the affordable housing scene.  Alison Hanney, chief architect of Cornerstone presented a design of the new building. She also answered questions about the 72-unit apartment containing one-and-two-bedroom units – with 17 accessible and all designated affordable.

Rev. Jim Mockler, former rector at St. Peter’s Basilica, was guest speaker and congratulated SSVP on their track record of always walking with the needy.  He added, “Their quiet, tireless work shines as a beacon of hope in our society”.

Among the group gathered to support the SSVP affordable housing initiative were members of City Council, a local MPP, London Diocesan representatives of SSVP, and others from various parishes, as well as the Sisters of St. Joseph. The atmosphere in the room was upbeat. Speakers were received with enthusiasm and an eagerness to partner with SSVP’s Affordable Housing Initiative.    

Now is the time to reach out to Londoners to join in the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul’s “Build Hope for Housing” campaign. Are you inspired by this story? You can become a Partner in the Building Hope for Housing Campaign - donate through their website.

 -Sister Jean Moylan, CSJ

T + R = ?

SEPTEMBER 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Truth plus Reconciliation equals hard work, openness, forgiveness and a change in behaviour.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation commission provided the Canadian people with specific guidelines in the 94 Recommendations that were drawn up. The 3 minute video “Reconciliation Thunder” outlines a systematic update of where each of the 94 Calls to Action is at this point in the life of the inception of the TRC Recommendatations. https://mailchi.mp/dfd338566063/call-to-action-65?e=40d3797d18

These recommendations came as a result of the legacy of the Residential School system and the very traumatic harm done to some 6,000 Indigenous, Metis and Inuit children and their families.

If we colonizers, and victims, as well as the surviving families of the Residential School system can look at truth together, there can be an honest opening of the mind, which can lead to a softening of the heart, and then constructive action can follow. See below the 20 minute video “They Came for the children” from the series. ( http://www.kmproductions.ca/id.html)

If, after watching this, your heart is moved, please acknowledge that first to yourself, then possibly to others and perhaps constructive action may be able to follow.

If you are non-Indigenous, there may be guilt, shame for what some of our ancestors and our government and Church did in the past.  If there is a genuine resolve to never let this happen again, a new harmony is possible.

If you are Indigenous, Metis or Inuit, as victims of this horrendous history, much healing is necessary in order for you to initiate the process of forgiveness.

Robert Schreiter in his book The Ministry of Reconciliation: Spirituality and Strategies, writes “It is through the victim that the wrongdoer is called to repentance and forgiveness. Seen from this perspective, repentance and forgiveness are not the pre-conditions for reconciliation, but are rather the consequences of it.” (p. 15)  (Emphasis mine)

Orange Shirt Day is inspired by Phyllis Webstad’s story of how her new orange shirt was taken away from her when she arrived at the residential  school near Williams Lake, BC in 1974 when she was only 6 years old. https://orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story/

Eddy Charlie and Kirsten Spray, two Indigenous Studies students at Camosun College made this public and initiated Victoria Orange Shirt Day in 2015.

When we wear an orange shirt or ribbon for Sept. 30th, we are saying loud and clear that this day acknowledges that residential schools are a part of our history. Wearing an orange shirt is a national movement to recognize the experience of those who went to Indian residential schools, to honour them, and show a collective commitment to ensure that Every Child Matters.

 -Sister Kathleen Lichti, csj

Labour Day: Imagining a New Kind of Economy

As Labour Day rolls around once again, there’s a different feeling in the air. For many workers, wages haven’t kept up with inflation. There’s a growing sense that workers have been pushed to the brink and they’re ready to stand together for a fair deal. For some that has meant strikes; for others, tough negotiating. Slowly, progress is being made.   

But a recent article, by a former grocery-store worker, puts this progress in context. The article makes the point that there was a time when a person could build a solid career out of a full-time job at a grocery store. There were benefits, a pension, and a wage that would be about $46/hr in today’s dollars. Cashiers and clerks started at a wage that was triple the minimum wage. 

Today, we can’t imagine such a thing. That’s how far removed from decent work our economy has become.  It’s not that grocery stores are making less profit. In the quarter  that ended July 1, Metro announced that net earnings increased 26 per cent to $346.7 million from $275 million during the same quarter a year earlier. That’s profit.  Yes, their costs went up, but their revenues increased at the same time, ensuring these huge profits.

And, of course, it’s not just Metro. And it’s not just grocery stores. Profits don’t trickle down to workers; they flow to shareholders through increased dividends and buybacks.  It’s how the system works.

“Profits don’t trickle down to workers; they flow to shareholders through increased dividends and buybacks.  It’s how the system works.”

As we celebrate Labour Day, let’s also begin to imagine a new kind of economy. What about an Economy of Solidarity?  An economy grounded in human rights and care for the earth and all earth’s inhabitants. 

If we learn to stand together, we could make it happen.

-Sister Sue Wilson, CSJ

Sustainable Development Goals

In July this summer the United Nations held what they call their High-Level Political Forum in which governments report on their efforts to implement within their countries what they are doing to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).  There are 17 different goals and those countries whose turn it is to report, reports on a few that the UN has chosen for this Forum.  It was Canada’s turn to report on certain goals.

Sisters Sue Wilson and Joan Atkinson at the UN in New York, as part of a delegation from Canada representing NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) from Religious Communities. Pictured left to right: Brentella Williams, Sarah Rudolph' IBVM, Sue Wilson, Joan Atkinson, Varka Kalydzhieva.   

A small delegation representing some Canadian Religious Congregations attended. 

In preparation for this meeting, some of the religious Congregations that have NGO offices at the UN agreed to submit a report alongside the official Canadian Governments report.  The bottom-line conclusion of all the countries that reported was that none of us are doing as well as we had hoped.  Part of this slow progress was due to the impact of the Covid pandemic, and the world economy to recover.  However, what is uplifting about the sessions we attended was the very positive aspiration of countries to do better.  I always come away from the meetings at the UN feeling we remain very hopeful with a commitment to keep trying to do better.

The below video link from the UN website is worth the time to watch and despite all the problems we see and hear about around the globe there is also a very dedicated group of people who are committed to keep working to improve our world.  

-Sister Joan Atkinson, CSJ  

I Have a Dream

“So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” - MLK

Today, August 28th, we join our neighbours to the south in celebrating the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s celebrated speech, "I Have a Dream”. This speech was delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Watching the nightly news, 60 years after delivery of this inspiring speech are we not puzzled by the diverse dreams Americans envision for their country?

Do we experience that the local, global, and personal realities we ourselves face in the present and perceived future challenge us? Must we avoid what is happening around us and within us to dampen our spirits. Must we band together to bolster our own ability to utter with confidence a positive dream of better times to come. Must we not follow our common dreams  and allow them to urge us to work interdependently to take steps to turning once only dreams into concrete realities which better the common good?

How might we finish the phrase, “I have a dream”… for ourselves, our locale, the world?

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ


Header Image, Unsplash: Stephen Walker