Remembrance Day

It is a privilege to acknowledge and honour the bravery, commitment and life-giving sacrifices of Canadian Veterans each year but this year I would like to highlight two intertwined celebrations.

Starting in 1994 in Winnipeg, National Indigenous Veterans Day has been celebrated on Nov 8th. This day acknowledges the significant contribution of Metis, First nations and Inuit veterans in various conflicts who faced systemic inequality and denial of the same post war benefits as their non-indigenous counterparts. Always resilient, they worked diligently, especially in the light of reconciliation efforts, to develop this day of special recognition. The local celebrations include such cultural features as drumming, smudging, singing, dancing and a sacred fire. It is a time to spend with family and community in a less formal setting.

November 11th, the traditional Remembrance day continues in all municipalities in Canada, noted by the singing of our national anthem, prayers speeches in honour of our veterans and their sacrifices, children singing “In Flanders Fields” and more often now welcome and significant involvement of our First Nation, Metis and Inuit brother and sisters. May we continue to move toward oneness of celebration and reconciliation on all fronts.            

Thanks Dad and ALL VETERANS !        

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Image: Annie Spratt @anniespratt/ Glib Albovsky @albovsky | Unsplash

All Saints Day

I’ve always loved Halloween and now enjoy seeing the excited children trick-or-treating for their candies.

Driving around these days I see so many houses decorated for All Hallow’s Eve and have to say there has been a significant shift in the choice of displays. I grew up with playful paper decorations of pumpkins, black cats, spiders and bats, if any decorations were present. Today most decorations, intended to scare the children, are inflatable devils, huge skeletons, flashing lights, smoke, ghosts, ghoulish clown, loud noises and tombstones. It’s making me think.

In Christianity, All Hallow’s Eve was originally the vigil of All Saint’s Day, a day to honour ALL saints, known & unknown. Traditionally, as Catholics, we honour them by attending Mass, reflecting on their lives and visiting the graves of our loved ones for All Souls Day.

Is the move to demonic decoration something I should attend to? Have I a responsibility to reconsider my own vigil preparation and witness to its original purpose? I think so.

Maybe in addition to giving out treats I will send each child/family away with a smile, a Happy All Saints Day greeting and a God Bless you. I look forward to the reactions!

And to you, Happy All Saints Day!

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Image: Neven Krcmarek/K. Mitch Hodge/Unsplash

St. Jean Baptiste Day

The Fête nationale du Québec, the official holiday of Quebec, is celebrated on June 24th. It honours both the summer solstice and the patron saint of French Canadians, St. John the Baptist. Over the years it has evolved into a vibrant celebration of Quebec’s language, traditions and community spirit.

Saint John the Baptist, a 1540 painting by Titian

St John the Baptist is a major figure and recognized as the last Old Testament prophet and the precursor to Jesus. The French however are far from the only ones who venerate St. John the Baptist. He is honoured as a prophet in Islam, a significant figure in various Christian traditions, including Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches. Bahai, Druze and Mandaeism also venerate him and remember his messages of repentance, preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven and baptism. It is widely held that he baptized his cousin, Jesus.

The church has set aside two feast days regarding his legacy, June 24th,to celebrate his birth and August 29th to honour his martyrdom at the hands of Herod Antipas at the request of his daughter Salome.

Pray for us great St John the Baptist that we may lead other’s to oneness with Jesus.

-Maureen Condon, Associate

National Indigenous People’s Day

National Indigenous People’s Day in Canada takes place on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It is a time to celebrate the cultures, languages, traditions and spirituality of First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities. Below is one experience of the beautiful spirituality.

Almost a year ago a friend of mine lost her husband. He was an Indigenous elder, sweat lodge keeper, pipe carrier and very generous with his cultural knowledge. A sacred fire was lit and people were invited to come and spend some time there to honour his spirit. I accepted that invitation.

Image: Toa Heftiba/Unsplash

Never having been to a sacred fire I had no idea what a lasting gift it would turn out to be for me. As I approached the property a woman dressed in a ribbon skirt welcomed me and assisted me to the location of the fire. Then a young man approached me with a bowl of smoldering sage and assisted me in a smudging ritual intended to purify, heal, and connect one with the spirit world. Another young man invited me to the opening of a large circle, gifted me with cedar and tobacco, invited me to have a moment of reflection then enter the circle and offer those gifts into the sacred fire. Following that I proceeded around the circle to greet my friend and her family. We visited for a while then I moved on as more people entered this very sacred space. I sat in the circle for some time noticing with great admiration the community spirit demonstrated in action. Several young men volunteered to tend the sacred fire, 24/7 for the 4 days. All the wood for the fire was donated. Food was available outside the circle, again donated by the community. There was storytelling, laughter, and peace within the circle.

If you have the opportunity to gain experience from your Indigenous neighbours, I encourage you to do so where peace and wisdom await you.

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Palm Sunday Memories

I have wonderful memories of Palm Sundays past. My friend and I for many years went to visit her Dad on Palm Sunday weekend in a rural village in eastern Ontario. The village was small; the parish smaller but the spirit was alive and well. I could see Jesus being very comfortable here riding through town on his wee donkey, a sign of peace rather than dominance in His day.

Sadly, short days later his celebration of welcome turned to one of scorn, the suffering servant was about to be revealed. (Isaiah 50:4-7) He accepted this treatment with faith in His loving Father. With humility, putting others before Himself, (Phil 2:6-11) Jesus submitted to the torture of the cross. Luke’s passion narrative (Luke 22: 14-23, 56) reminds us of Judas’s betrayal, Peter’s denial and repentance, the women’s faithfulness  and centurion’s acknowledgement that Jesus was “this was a great & good Man”.                  

As we move into this most Holy of weeks, let us remind ourselves, daily, of our own faithfulness, our own weaknesses and our belief that Jesus was and is truly our God who loves us especially in our admitted weakness. May you have a blessed Holy Week my friends.

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Images from Unsplash: Brooke Lark/Alessandro Bellone