Full Stories - March 2009
Welcome to our new-look overhauled website to celebrate our 90th Anniversary
Your feedback is welcome at webmaster@scarboromissions.ca
Lenten Meditation Series
March 4 - April 8
Wednesdays from 7:30 - 9:00 pm
View the poster.
Two new Posters to celebrate 90th Anniversary
On November 9th this year, Scarboro Missions celebrates its 90th year of service to God's mission. Scarboro is so very grateful to the Church in Canada and the thousands of benefactors who have been so generous in their support of our work over the years - all of whom are remembered in our daily prayer and Eucharist.
To assist in the animation of the Church in Canada in its commitment to global mission, Scarboro is issuing two new posters (attached) that reflect two areas of concern for Scarboro and its outreach.
1. Catholic Milestones in Interfaith Dialogue: this poster is intended to help members of the Church in Canada appreciate the wonderful leadership and initiative of the Popes and the Vatican in the area of interreligious dialogue since the 1960's. Click here to see poster and to order poster
2. Catholic Social Thought: this second poster is based on the rich tradition of the Social Teaching of the Church and highlights the key principles in this area. Click here to see poster and to order poster. For Catholic Social Teaching documents, go to the Justice & Peace Section.
LAY MISSION OFFICE NEWS
Called to Mission - join us for overnight Retreat (March 20-21)
Guyana Revisited
By Barbara White (missioned to Guyana from 2003-2005)
Returned Scarboro Lay Missioner
Kimberley welcoming Barbara with a bowl of 'shebe' – A welcoming drink of the Amerindians
Yes, I felt the call to return to Guyana after almost 3 years of being back on Canadian soil and back into the frenzy of our fast-paced society. I was very surprised and pleased to hear that so many remembered me. Goodness knows that I did not accomplish any great things while I was there but to them, what was important, was to know that someone cared and knew of their struggles for a better life. Especially the people of Aishalton - in the words of Fr Amar - "the visit brought hope and joy to their eyes!' What joy and dancing and laughing and tears as we hugged and greeted each other! It was a very humbling experience for me and I realized, ever more strongly, that those less fortunate crave our companionship more strongly than all the material things we can give.
The smells, sounds and sights of Guyana came back to me quickly. One night in the apartment with the dogs howling, the horns blowing, the car alarms going off, the boom boxes going full tilt, the roosters crowing, the roaring traffic....and I knew I was back! It appeared that some things hadn't changed. The heat and humidity was as high or higher than I remember .....30+ degrees, how did I ever stand it? Out came the 'ole sweat rag' and it saw much use during my time there.
In presbytery kitchen in Aishalton with Fr. Amar, Fr.Britt & Jesuit student, Emma, the cook with her baby.
Memories came flooding back as I re-visited places and people where I had spent my time and energy. I regret that time did not allow a visit to everyone and every place that I would have liked to re-visit but I hold them in my heart.
Our next plan was to visit Aishalton via Lethem, where I had lived for the last 1 1/2 years before returning to Canada. The bus ride to Lethem was a somewhat wild ride with a break down just before Linden with a 1 1/2 hour wait in the wilderness for a replacement! Eventually we arrived in Lethem, dirty and grimy to continue our journey to Aishalton.
From Lethem to Aishalton was a breeze as we rode in the cab of Father's new truck, instead of the back as our former mode of travel. Of course, the roads/trails were as rough as ever and we still had to drive through the rivers and creeks. We arrived late and it appeared that no one was about, but gradually shadowy figures started popping out from under trees and beside buildings! What rejoicing! "Didn't believe you would come back, you're home, you're home"! The typically Guyanese expression "you got fat" (meaning you look well and healthy) dotted many exclamations! I peeked into the old place - my bedroom looked just as I had left it and I was inundated with memories!!!
Fr. Britt and Barbara White
The Women's Centre, which was started by Maxine Bell (also a Scarboro missioner), continues to be a refuge for the women. My friend got the spinning machines up and working again and we sent in a bundle of supplies. This seems to be their biggest hurdle - getting supplies into Aishalton. Our time in Aishalton came to a close with a gathering of fun and song on the Church grounds. Lots of love, hugs and joy spilling over!
We returned to Georgetown with an overnight in Lethem. One of the breaking ground projects, that I was involved in during my stay in Georgetown, was the Children's Home for abandoned children with HIV/Aids. I was impressed with what I saw – a well run home occupied by 16 children who looked happy and well cared for.
I was filled with hope and gratitude for being blessed with the opportunity to return to this, the land of my second home. The spirit of Christmas was made so real in the beautiful tradition of the Christmas Novena. It touched my heart.
Outside St. Ann's Orphanage
Gertrude and Ivy welcoming me to Aishalton
Edgar Cassimero and Barbara White
Barbara White and children outside Bernard John's home
A Good Belly Laugh in Guyana
Patty MacDonald with the children at the Daycare Center in Georgetown
By David and Patty MacDonald
Scarboro Lay Missioners in Guyana
Our morning began, as most morning do, since our arrival in Guyana. We were awakened by the rooster's crowing, followed shortly by the always adventurous minibus ride to the Missionaries of Charity to greet Sister Valentine. On our arrival, there was no time for chit chat, as the homeless have become accustomed to being served at 9AM sharp. The serving was routine with no incidents or disruptions this morning. Clean up went as planned and I had time to spare as I waited for Patty to finish at the Day Care Center upstairs.
Being I was now available, Sister Valentine enlisted my services to peel garlic for the following day. Conversation flowed easily between us until the Sister from India asked me what I had done with the footoo? I asked her to repeat the question. She asked, "What did you do with the footoo?" "Where is it?" My facial expression indicated that I didn't understand. She kept repeating, "You know, the footoo!" It became evident that we had a language barrier.
Patty and David MacDonald with Sr. Valentine
We giggled like school kids as she tried to find an alternative word for footoo. Slowly she said, "You know Mister David, footoo". The totally confused look on my face caused us both to break out in a good belly laugh. "The footoo, you know, of you and me", she tried to explain, as we fought to control our laughter. Finally, I clued into what she was trying to ask. Patty had taken a photo (footoo) of Sister Valentine and me. She was trying to ask if I had gotten the picture developed.
Then Patty arrived from Day Care shortly, so I inquired what she had done with the footoo. She had the same puzzled look on her face that I had earlier. I repeated the question which sent Sister and I giggling again. We explained the confusion over footoo to Patty and then we all had a good laugh. We teased Sister Valentine before leaving for the day.
The following morning, as we presented the footoo to Sister, her smile revealed her approval. Hopefully, she has tucked it away, where she can retrieve it when she's in need of a good laugh.
As we recall this event, we can't help but take note of how a good belly laugh has the power to relieve stress, especially when we are able to laugh at ourselves.
A New Sense of Hope and Joy
Sr. Ann MacDonald with Steve 4, Annie 2 1/2 at HIV Aids Clinic
By Sr. Ann MacDonald, csj
Scarboro Lay Missioner in Malawi, Africa
Since arriving in Mzuzu, one of my ministries has been at the Malazi HIV/Aids Clinic which is sponsored by St. John's Hospital. Wednesday is the clinic day for mothers and young children and this is the day that I look forward to each week. Over the past few months, I have worked with the dedicated and kind staff that assist the mothers to understand this disease and its effects on their children in a non-judgmental way. I have met these same mothers who faithfully bring their children, month after month for a routine check-up so they can receive their anti retro-viral drugs that are helping their children to live a healthier life...but the highlight has been 'meeting the children!'
My assigned job is to record their weight and to measure their height - not a difficult task, you would think! Since I am a stranger, a mzungu (white person), the children are a little afraid of me, especially the younger ones, and will not take my hand to go onto the scales. As the weeks pass and they now recognize me, we have been able to establish a relationship. Playing hide & seek has become a favorite game with the younger ones as they wait for their appointment.
My time at the HIV/Aids Clinic has been a real gift for me personally, as I have seen many of the children put on weight and grow a few inches in just a few short months. It's been a real blessing to share in the joy of their mothers when I show them the change in weight/height since their last visit. The smile on the faces of the mothers, who care for these children each day is a revelation to me of God's care and concern for the little ones. Even if the child's progress lasts only for a short time, I see mothers and children leaving the Clinic with a new sense of hope and joy that will carry them through the times ahead.
Witnessing the dedication of St. Vincent de Paul in Malawi – The poor helping the poor
Joseph 102 yrs old
By Sr. Ann MacDonald, csj
Scarboro Lay Missioner in Malawi, Africa
In late December, I was invited by members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to accompany them on some home visits they were making before Christmas. The gifts they were bringing to members of the community included small bags of sugar and bars of soap which were gratefully accepted and the visit concluded with a prayer before we were on our way.
Our last stop was at the home of Joseph, 102 years old, the oldest living person in the Parish. He was recognized during the visit of the Papal Nuncio in October 2008 and was given a Medal which was blessed by Pope Benedict. When we met and he saw my religious medal around my neck, he told me that he had also received a medal, just like mine from the Pope! Joseph told me that he came to Malawi with his father when he was very young from Mozambique to plant Irish potatoes and has been here ever since. In our conversation, I asked him what has kept him living all these years. He reached into his pocket and took out a very tattered and dirty Bible which was written in Portuguese and said very clearly, "I read it every day and try to follow what the Bible says." Some words of wisdom to think about!
St. Vincent de Paul team, Joseph, his wife top row, and daughter on right and Sr. Ann MacDonald
I was struck by the commitment, dedication and caring attitude of these three men who serve the Parish Community of St. Peter's as members of St Vincent de Paul. They are ready to assist with any request that comes to their attention, whether it be paying of school fees, building a home for a family of orphans so they can stay together, assisting with the purchasing of a new wheelchair or giving some maize to families needing food.
I spoke with the Pastor, Fr. Chunda about my interest in St. Vincent de Paul and then met with their executive who invited me to join them. I look forward to sharing in this very valuable ministry in the coming year. I feel that I will be the one enriched by their presence in my life.
Are you interested in becoming a Scarboro Missioner?
Lay Mission work in October 2006 Magazine Issue
To read about the current Lay Mission work in the latest magazine issue, click here
INTERFAITH DESK NEWS
Interfaith Gathering - "Return of the Monk" - March 6th and 7th at SFM
Passover Educational Workshop - March 31 (Tues), 7:30 pm at Scarboro Missions
UN Decade for Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace (2011-2020)
Around the world, a number of individuals and organizations are lobbying to have this UN decade instituted. To quote from the supporting literature – such a decade would, among other things "identify and deepen the application of sacred texts, teachings – for example, the Golden Rule – and practices that promote mutual respect, cooperation, peace, justice, healing and reconciliation."
Guidelines for Designing a Multifaith Prayer Service
Multifaith prayer is a growing international phenomenon that yields many spiritual, social and cultural benefits for the various faith groups and individuals involved. But there are a number of religious, cultural and practical challenges involved in organizing multifaith prayer services. This set of comprehensive guidelines provides an abundance of information, resources and guidelines for designing and implementing a multifaith spiritual service in your community. Read more ...
Guidelines for group visits to Houses of Worship
Visiting houses of worship of other faith traditions is one of the most effective ways to learn about other religions. This set of comprehensive guidelines provides all the necessary information for making such a group visit a wonderful cultural, religious and educational experience. The guidelines were written by JW Windland, a highly respected multifaith educator with 40 years of experience in visiting houses of worship. Read more ...
Scarboro Missions honoured by the North American Interfaith Network
The Scarboro Missions Interfaith Department has been chosen as one of eight interfaith organizations to be profiled at the 20th anniversary conference of the North American Interfaith Network (NAIN) www.nain.org. It will be held at the University of San Francisco in July of this year, sponsored by the Interfaith Center at the Presidio.
Planners thought that during this retrospective celebration of the past 20 years of grassroots interfaith dialogue, they would do well to hold up good examples of the various new ways interreligious bridge-building is being done. When they asked people to suggest exemplary groups to profile, Scarboro Missions was nominated. Here is the criteria the planning committee worked from:
"Vital, successful organizations developing new approaches to multifaith relationship-building"
In the 20 years since the North America Interfaith Network started, thousands of local grassroots groups have organized across the continent. NAIN 2008 will profile eight from among the thousands, not because they are biggest or best, but because they seem to be doing exemplary work in new ways and we know about them. Had we more time at the conference, the list could have been much longer.
At the conference, Scarboro Missions will be invited to make a presentation of its work to a plenary audience of 200 people.
Building a Global Interfaith Community – Jan-Feb 2007 issue
This special edition of Scarboro magazine reports on the international interfaith activity of the Catholic Church. The reader is taken on a journey from Egypt to Rome, Canada, Guyana, the United States and to Africa and across Asia. With inspiration from the last four Popes, Catholics around the globe are embracing interfaith dialogue and often in leadership roles. Read articles from this Jan-Feb 2007 issue.
Learn more about Interfaith Resources
There is a wealth of information about Interfaith Dialogue (e.g., Golden Rule, Teaching Models, Guidelines for Dialogue) on this web site. Read more...
JUSTICE AND PEACE OFFICE NEWS
Earth Hour: On March 28th 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. join millions around the world turning lights off and demanding action on climate change
Earth Hour is a global effort to raise awareness and take action on climate change including the symbolic action of turning off your lights for an hour starting at 8:30 pm on Saturday March 28th. Last year 50 million people around the world participated by turning off their lights for an hour.
KAIROS is encouraging participation in Earth Hour 2009 "as a symbolic pause to reflect on our use of fossil fuels, to think about the impact of our activity on people and ecosystems around the world, and most importantly, to pledge to make a difference – as individuals, communities, and as a nation". KAIROS is providing resources for churches and groups who are planning an event or prayer service during Earth Hour. They encourage participants to collect signatures on their Re-Energize: Time for a Carbon Sabbath campaign action cards and have a number of other action ideas. Read more and find resources here...
Vote Earth: This year Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in late 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Find out more and how to register at these two websites:
http://www.voteearth2009.org/home/
http://www.earthhour.org/about/
KAIROS News: A Carbon Sabbath for Lent
KAIROS News: Carbon Sabbath Initiative Workshop in Toronto on May 9th
KAIROS News: Federal Budget 2009 falls short
KAIROS has analyzed the 2009 Federal Budget focusing on three key areas: Indigenous Peoples; energy and climate change; and poverty reduction. KAIROS summarizes that "Budget 2009 contains some initiatives that will have a positive impact" but "falls far short of offering the transformative vision that KAIROS is calling for – a vision embodying the principles of solidarity, sustainability, sufficiency and equity."
To read the detailed KAIROS Analysis of the 2009 Federal Budget go here...
KAIROS News: Ecuador Has Every Right to Refuse to Pay Illegitimate Debts
After an extensive audit of its public debt inherited from previous regimes, the government of Ecuador has decided to default on payments on a portion of its external debt. While Ecuador made this decision for solid moral, legal and financial reasons it is being unjustly accused of halting payments "on ideological grounds".
In fact the official audit uncovered numerous irregularities concerning how the debts were originally contracted. Ecuador now faces a prolonged battle both in courts of law and in the court of world opinion. As other countries including Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela prepare to conduct their own audits; creditors fear that many skeletons hidden in closets sealed by past dictatorships will be revealed.
Many church bodies, including KAIROS, have long advocated the cancellation of illegitimate debts. To learn more, check out the January KAIROS Debt E-Bulletin.
KAIROS News: Commentary on failure of the UN climate talks in Poland
Canadian Bishops publish a Statement of Support for Moratorium on Philippine Mining Projects
Sign the Kyoto plus petition
Canadian environmental and public interest organizations are asking individual Canadians to sign the KYOTOplus Petition. The petition calls for Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least 25 per cent (from the 1990 level) by 2020. They are targeting a minimum of one million signatures for this petition. They will deliver these signatures to the United Nations climate conference that will take place in December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. This conference will make the crucial decision about a second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. Canada must be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
The Petition for Concerned Canadians reads as follows:
Whereas global warming is an unequivocal threat to our environment, our economy and to people's lives; and
whereas global warming must be kept as far below 2øsius as possible (relative to the pre-industrial level) in order to prevent catastrophic consequences; requiring developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 to 40 per cent (from 1990 levels) by 2020; and
whereas Canada should join the global community in agreeing to these reductions at the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009; therefore
I call on elected officials to ensure that Canada honours its Kyoto commitment and sets a national target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent (from the 1990 level) by 2020.
Canada must have a credible plan to meet this 2020 target, including:
- a just price on greenhouse gas pollution;
- world-leading regulations and effective investments to cut greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles, buildings and other sectors;
- strong measures in support of energy conservation and renewable energy; and
- urgent measures to minimize climate change impacts on people and ecosystems here and abroad.
Go here to sign the petition online...
Ecuador: Sign the Yasuní Green Gold Online petition
Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorean Amazon is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and home to various Indigenous groups including some still living in voluntary isolation. A plan to drill half a billion barrels of oil in the ITT reserves lying beneath the park threatens devastating environmental and social impacts and would provide the world with just five days' worth of oil consumption. While the President of Ecuador has announced a proposal to conserve Yasuni with financial support from the international community, his proposal still needs support and improvement and time is running out.
The Yasuní Green Gold campaign is promoting an online petition calling on:
"Ecuador's government to commit to unconditionally and permanently conserving the Yasuni, and guaranteeing the rights of its local and indigenous people, through a coherent plan which involves their full participation in the decisions which affect their lives.
World leaders to commit to working with the Ecuadorian government and local people to help create the best possible plan to save the Yasuni and to support the plan financially in a way that ensures that the Yasuni is unconditionally preserved and that the rights of its people are respected now and in the future."
Go here to learn more and sign the petition...
Make Poverty History Campaign calls for More Aid as the Canadian government prepares its next Federal Budget
Make Poverty History Canada continues to call on Canada to Get to the point seven – to keep its promise of giving 0.7% of our national income in development assistance. The United Nations and donor nations agreed that this level of aid was necessary to make serious progress towards alleviating extreme poverty in the world. Canada is not even halfway to this UN target whereas many other countries either are giving at least 0.7% or have a plan to get to 0.7% in the next few years.
The world food crisis and the effects of climate change disproportionately affect poorer nations and yet the global financial crisis puts aid spending at risk. The poor should not pay the price for the excesses of rich bankers and speculators. The Canadian government has started working on its next Federal Budget and how much it budgets for aid will be one of the decisions it has to soon make. The campaign calls on the federal government to announce a commitment in the next Federal Budget to annual 15% increases in aid to achieve the 0.7% target within 10 years.
Visit the Make Poverty History website to learn more and participate in this campaign. Go here...