Full Stories - April 2010
Hear the Annual SFM Lecture by Prof. Vincent Miller of March 6th
Scarboro Missions Lecture by Prof. Vincent Miller.
You can hear his 1-hour talk "Where are We? Responsibility, Spirituality and Place in a Global Age". It starts with a short introduction by Fr. Mike Traher. But it may take some time to download this large audio file. Click here to download.
Exploring Jewish Ethics - Spring Interfaith Eduction Program - April 14 - May 5 (Wed's)
Milestones in Recent Catholic-Jewish Relations
This document chronicles, on a year-by-year basis, the dramatic advances in Catholic-Jewish dialogue since the Second Vatican Council. This detailed profile of significant changes and developments in Catholic-Jewish relations will be very useful to teachers, students, researchers, historians, interfaith practicioners and others. This document can be downloaded free of charge and is available in English and French. Connection is also available to a Hebrew Version.
LAY MISSION OFFICE NEWS
A Special Moment on Good Friday
by Mark Driediger
Scarboro Lay Missioner in Malawi
Mark Driediger works at the Capuchin Mission Center in Mzuzu teaching Physical Science and hopes to get involved in projects related to farming, fair trade, fertilizer, and improving education and access to information. Fr. John Kolencheri is the founder of the Padre Pio Capuchin Mission Center.
Fr. John (L) with Fr. Jim (Scarboro priest) in front of St Pio Parish Church, in Mzuzu
My first Easter in Malawi has been tiring. Some of the services from Thursday to Sunday lasted 5 and 6 hours.
On Good Friday there was a procession from a community three kilometers away. It was the 'Way of the Cross' with Jesus, the soldiers, Mary and Veronica. Solely from what they had heard in church, the actors knew their roles and lines and what they didn't know they improvised. The soldiers all found something red to wear. One had a hard hat, another wore a ski mask and sunglasses. They all had whips and would whip Jesus. The one with the ski mask occasionally would get bored with Jesus and go after the kids instead. They would scatter barefoot into the fields shrieking and laughing. Fr. John tried to get Jesus to be a little less theatrical when falling. He would twirl around with the cross three or four times before doing his fall and at one point the cross hit Veronica. Then, to Father John’s delight Jesus actually did fall – naturally.
The procession ended at the front steps of the church with the soldiers nailing Jesus to the cross. It was simple but poignant. Mary, Jesus mother was crying and her crying seemed real. Fr. John asked why they chose Christina to be Mary and they said, 'Because she can cry.' But there were real tears too. One lady left sobbing with a neighbor to escort her home. For her that day Jesus was real, his cross was real – as real as the red road and the hot sun. Some chuckled, others were smiling as she left and I smiled too but it was an empty smile.
The cross for me that day, for the most part was putting up with delays, irrelevance, silliness and not knowing what was going on or when it would end. But there was a moment when kneeling on the red dirt of an African road and listening to the murmur of a woman's prayer, the baby fast asleep on her back, a cloud passing over the sun… in that moment came the thought: this is the closest I've been to the Holy Land.
Mark Driediger in Malawi
Fr John at Padre Pio Capuchian Mission, in Mzuzu
Celebrating with Leis at the Songkran Festival in Thailand
by Glenn and Anne Harty
Scarboro Lay Missioners in Thailand
Thailand has many celebrations that occur throughout the year. Probably the most popular is the Songkran Festival which is an occasion to give thanks for water and the new and continued life that it provides. The official dates for this festival are April 13-15 however it is not uncommon for people to extend it by two days.
Mass of Thanksgiving
Yesterday morning we were asked to attend a Mass in the village at one of the homes. It was followed by a water blessing service and a luncheon. This specific occasion was in recognition of the village seniors and considering I (Glenn) officially turned 60 yesterday, I fit right in.
People were selected to do the washing or blessing. Each of us who were blessed were presented with a lei and a hand towel. Some of us were also blessed with a mixture of water and rice flower as in the case of Anne.
The leis we were presented with were made from jasmine flowers, which happen to be the National flower of some Asian countries. In Thailand the jasmine flower is used as the symbol for Mother.
The flowers are picked early in the morning, stored and then early in the evening when the temperature lowers they begin to open up and display their beauty of sight and fragrance. In Thailand these specific leis are quite frequently used to adorn Religious Images, Buddha’s and other objects.
The village where the party was held is next to our Centre. Many years ago it was a village for lepers, therefore not a prime piece of real-estate. The land costs were low and the Camillian Order purchased the land we are now on. The stigma and cures of the disease have changed greatly in the past few years.
On our way home Sr. Anita introduced us to a family of four generations who currently live together. It was uplifting to witness such joy amidst what I would class as terrible suffering. We never have to look far in order to recognize the blessings we have been given and to be thankful. It was a perfect ending to the Songkran Festival.
Blessing with water
Four generation family
Leis and hand towels being handed out
Blessing with water
Leis are handed out and placed around people's necks
Anne Harty (L) with rice flour on her face
Glenn and Anne Harty in Thailand
Hello Guyana
Girls at St. Ann's doing art with Sylvia
by Sylvia Wilvert
Scarboro Lay Missioner
The first weeks of mission are a time of learning and discovery
Well, it's been five weeks since my arrival in Georgetown, Guyana. God has presented me with new challenges, but I take each day as it comes and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit every step of the way.
I have started working with the girls at St. Ann’s Orphanage, all 50 of them, ages three to 17 years. Many of them have no family; for those who do, the family has insurmountable problems and are unable to care for the children.
My first challenge was to get to know their names. Each of these young people were excited to share their name with me, which may be the only thing they feel is theirs. I am trying to remember, for example, Zelina, Sheneeza, Avella, Makeba, Shemena, Lashonda, Aishonna, and Jamacy. Of course, the list goes on.
Fr. Russ Sampson, who served in Guyana for many years and is now in Canada assisting with the preparation of new mission candidates, confessed to me that he had a difficult time pronouncing the names when it came time to baptize the children.
Sylvia Wilvert with girls from St. Ann's Orphanage
This week I made the biggest faux pas when I was sitting with a table of eight girls at supper. I take turns sitting at different tables as they all clamour for me to sit with them. During the meal, I asked them what would be the consequence if they did not finish all the food on their plate. All eight girls stared at me in disbelief. There is no such thing as not wanting your food, they said. In fact, the staff served me first and heaped my plate. So I took the opportunity to give most of my food to the girls at my table and they readily accepted it. If they are lucky and there is food remaining, they get to have seconds.
Tea is served at 4:00 p.m. each day, a hangover from the time when Guyana was a British colony I suppose. This meal usually consists of a sweet drink, cake, or a small sandwich. The girls’ favorite cake is a sponge cake.
I still have the vision of their sleeping quarters, consisting of one large dormitory for all 50 girls. The cots sit side by side, row after row, with a night stand between each. The teens have their area partitioned off by a curtain. There is a long trough with a tap at both ends of the room where all the girls have a "foot bath" before getting into bed.
On my last visit, six year old Angelique greeted me with "You did come back!" Maybe just being with these young women is all I need to do right now. It certainly is rewarding.
As I get to know them and they teach me about Guyana, I hope in turn to share my life experiences with these beautiful children.
Sylvia Wilvert with girls at St. Ann's
Girls at St. Ann's dancing to music
Welcome new lay missioners!
by Kate O'Donnell & Mary Olenick
Coordinators
Lay Mission Office
We are pleased to introduce our two newest lay missioners, after completing their three-month preparation program for overseas mission. On December 3, 2009, during the Feast of St. Francis Xavier celebration, they made their 3 year commitment to serve as Scarboro lay missioners. We are delighted to acknowledge Sylvia Wilvert who will be serving in Guyana and Mark Driediger who will be serving in Malawi.
We extend a special thanks to Fr. Russ Sampson,sfm who so graciously facilitated the spiritual component of the Formation Program. Special thanks to Scarboro priests and lay missioners along with Sharon Willan who continue to be our great support and facilitated some of the workshops.
Missioner's Commitment Statements
Mark Driediger's commitment statement .....
It is with gratitude to God, to Scarboro Missions and to you my friends and family that I make this commitment. I, Mark Driediger, commit myself to God and to Scarboro to journey with the people of Malawi for the next three years. My hope is, together with you and the people I will work with and encounter to serve our Lord Jesus diligently, to grow in faith in God, to delight in the fellowship of His Holy Spirit, and to allow the Light of the World each day to shine ever more brightly and beautifully in the hearts of people and in His world.
Sylvia Wilvert's commitment statement .....
I, Sylvia Wilvert with the Grace of God, in the presence of my family and friends who are here and away and this community, I commit myself for three years to serve as a lay missioner with Scarboro Missions in Guyana.
May my compass remain steadfast on the needs of the people of Guyana through dialogue, sharing, witness and service.
Lord, as in the prayer of St. Theresa of Avila, may I be your hands, eyes, ears, feet and heart .... May your will be done.
I ask my family, friends and new Scarboro family to pray for me as I journey into mission to follow Christ's call.
Feast of St Francis Xavier
By Fr. Mike Traher sfm
It is always a joy to celebrate the feast of St Francis Xavier who is traditionally one of four missionary patrons for Scarboro. The others are, St. Therese of Lisieux, patroness of missions, St. Theophane Venard, a young missionary martyred in Vietnam 1800's, Mary, Queen of Apostles. Each year we invite other mission societies from the Toronto area to join us and some of them do, like Our Lady's Missionaries, the Jesuits, the Spiritans, and others.
St. Francis Xavier has an amazing record of accomplishments in his ten years of evangelizing (1542-1552) in South Asia, India, and Japan. As a young missionary priest, from the Basque region of Spain, he sent many letters back home to Ignatius, founder of their Jesuit order. They were filled with stories of heroic sacrifice, long hours of ministry, joy among people eager to hear the Good News, as well as the challenges of bringing the Gospel to new cultures and peoples. Francis Xavier was undaunted. He spoke enthusiastically about the need for more missioners to come to Asia, musing that if he were back in Europe he would visit the all the universities and challenge students to come and give their lives to Christ's mission for the salvation of the world. While planning in 1552 to enter China, Francis Xavier became ill seriously and died on the island of Sancian, just off the coast off China.
Francis Xavier has been the inspiration of many missionary societies, and he continues to fulfill that role with us in Scarboro. At our community Eucharist for December 3rd, our Superior General, Fr. Jack Lynch presided, and a very inspiring homily was given by Fr Russ on the theme of our Baptism, and the call to be missionary. The missioning of two new lay missioners really capped our celebration. It is for this reason that Scarboro exists, to give a global witness to the Good News. In past years as seminarians, we used to sing a traditional missionary hymn, "Ad Multos Annos" , ('For many years to come'!) May we see many more ready and willing vocations come to join us in our future missionary endeavours.
God what are you doing to me
By Dave MacDonald
Scarboro Lay Missioner to Guyana
Upon completion of our (my wife Patty and I) first year in Georgetown, Guyana, the decision was made to move to New Amsterdam, leaving the hectic pace of city life to experience sugarcane country, a decision we have yet to regret.
We were welcomed into the parish community whole heartedly as many Scarboro priests and lay missioners before us have earned the respect and admiration of many of the locals through their good works.
In Georgetown, I began assisting the Sisters of Charity in their daily soup kitchen feeding the less fortunate and continued working with the Sisters of Charity in New Amsterdam. Before long, doors to other ministries began to open. When approached with the invitation to prison ministry, initially I wanted to decline; after all, I was not a preacher, teacher, nor a singer; I had never even been inside a prison! What could I possibly contribute to this ministry but something kept tugging at me to give this ministry a whirl.
Dave MacDonald avid MacDonald (right) in front of Prison in Guyana
The prison itself did little to ease my discomfort, and then I came to learn that I would be ministering to women inmates. I cried, "God what are you doing to me". Several months had passed and the answer to why I was involved in a women's prison ministry still eluded me.
Sitting at home one day with the songbook in my lap, I thought I should try to learn a few songs even though I'm not a singer. The cover of the songbook portrayed the crucified Christ. I stared at the cover thinking of the inmates and realized that they like Christ had been stripped of everything when the huge prison doors slammed shut; their freedom was gone, possessions gone, family and friends gone, identity gone. Many were betrayed, many disowned, all experiencing their own crucifixion, the prison itself was their cross.
But in spite of their loss and suffering, when we arrive, out come the homemade drums, shakers, tubs and buckets and a large percentage of the inmates lift their voices in worship and praise. For that brief period I feel they transcend the prison walls and touch what is holy in us all; a time and place when the grace of forgiveness of ourselves and the forgiveness of others is realized.
I still am not a preacher, a teacher, nor a singer but that's ok for I have learned that my female prison ministry is Gods gift to me, not my gift to the ladies. Here I continue to learn that these ladies show that even in the darkest times we all have the choice to make our little lights shine. When we choose positively, we are open to transformation, a new beginning, a new creation, a new way of life! Then God, our higher power can use us (the cracked vessel) and enter into our woundedness so we can offer the gift of ourselves to others. Acceptance is the only requirement.
Are you interested in becoming a Scarboro Missioner?
Lay Mission work in December 2007 Magazine Issue
To read about the current Lay Mission work in the latest magazine issue, click here
INTERFAITH DESK NEWS
The Seven Stages of Interfaith Deep-Dialogue
Interfaith dialogue is a journey involving challenge, change and an awakening to global consciousness. This article outlines seven stages that many people experience in their dialogue with other religions and cultures. Read more…
John Paul II–Interfaith Giant
John Paul II was one of the most influential interfaith figures of the twentieth century. His commitment to dialogue, his extensive global travel and his acute awareness of our interdependent lives in the global village made him a significant force in the international interfaith movement. This article offers a chronological profile of the interfaith journey of Pope John Paul II from his election to the papacy in 1978 until his death in 2005. To read article, click here.
Review of Scarboro Golden Rule Movie
Earlier this year, Scarboro Missions released its Golden Rule video entitled, Animating the Golden Rule. The movie features Grade 11 students embodying Golden Rule values by way of skits, artwork, song, dance, rap and interviews. An exciting review of the DVD has been published in the Toronto Interfaith Unity newsletter. To read the review, click here.
13 Golden Rule Texts Translated into Hebrew
Scarboro Missions is proud to announce that the Golden Rule sacred writings from thirteen religions have been translated into Hebrew. This new addition complements translations in Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese that are already posted on our website.
To view or download the thirteen Golden Rule texts in Hebrew, click here
Learn about Official Church Documents on Dialogue
This listing features official Church documents on interfaith dialogue that have been published during and since the era of the Second Vatican Council. Included here are papal encyclicals as well as documents produced by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, by Bishops' Conferences and by Congregations within the Vatican (e.g. the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). Each listing contains a one or two-sentence description of the document's contents. To read listing, click here.
JUSTICE AND PEACE OFFICE NEWS
April 16-17: Toronto Retreat on Climate Change as a Moral Issue
Canada hosts G8 and G20 Summits in June—Campaigns calling for action on poverty, climate change and peace
Canada will host the G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario on June 25, 2010 as well as the G20 Summit in Toronto from June 26 to 27. Many organizations and faith groups are working together to coordinate events and campaigns calling for action by G8 and G20 political leaders on such concerns as poverty, climate change, economic justice and peace. There are different possibilities for citizen participation during the time leading up to the June summits.
At the Table 2010 is a campaign organized by international NGOs, faith groups, poverty groups, climate change groups, students and others including Development and Peace, KAIROS, and Make Poverty History. This campaign mobilizes citizens around the world to "take their place" at this year's G8 and G20 summit tables. Action possibilities include signing the declaration, organizing community At the Table dinners and events which include inviting elected officials to discuss the issues, participating in urgent action appeals on key issues that arise during the campaign, and others. Find out more by visiting the At the Table 2010 website here…
A World Religions Summit will take place from June 21 – 23, 2010 in Winnipeg. Since 2005 faith leaders have gathered in parallel to the G8 Summits to challenge G8 nations to live up to commitments made to the world’s most poor and vulnerable citizens. A Faith Leaders’ Statement and petition call on G8 and G20 political leaders to demonstrate inspired leadership and action on poverty, peace and the environment. Learn more, sign the petition or find resources for hosting an interfaith dinner with your MP by visiting http://www.faithchallengeg8.com/.