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a living legacy

Printed in the SSA Newsletter, March 2010

Mar. 10, 2010
 
By Stefan Jonsson
Programs & Marketing Coordinator
Queenswood
 
After a relaxing Christmas break, the Queenswood staff came back to work in January with a full schedule of programs and initiatives that really speak to the living SSA, legacy of Queenswood. This legacy – to embody the mission and spirit of the Sisters who founded Queenswood – is always on our hearts and minds. And so it was fitting that our first retreat of the year was a partnership with Sister Joyce Harris, ssa, and the St. Vincent de Paul women’s outreach program for which she works.
 
This program, which was generously funded by The Esther’s Dream Fund, was designed for marginalized women who are recovering from experiences of homelessness, poverty, prostitution, and various forms of abuse. Edwina Gateley, a theologian and activist, led the retreat, offering them insight, guidance, and support. The women also had the opportunity to learn some artwork and yoga, and were treated to dips in the therapeutic pool, and a Reiki and massage session. The retreat was a beautiful gift and a valuable, empowering tool for their healing journeys.
 
But January was also a very heartbreaking month after the earthquake in Haiti. Our thoughts were constantly with the Sisters of Saint Ann who were injured and left homeless by the disaster. We knew we needed to do something for the Sisters who are our extended family, and Phillip Le Ross, who led the Christmas concert at Queenswood in December, suggested we hold a benefit concert. The idea quickly took off and before we knew it, we had 4 other well-known musical artists eager to take part. UVic, the Times Colonist, Monday Magazine and other media were very helpful in getting the word out, and the Chapel was full for the concert. To date, we’ve received $8,549.47 in donations toward the Sisters’ rebuilding efforts in Haiti, approximately $8,000 of which was matched by the federal government.
 
As a final note, last week Queenswood hosted the annual South Island Training Institute (SITI) Conference for healthcare and social-service providers. The theme for this year was “Mental Health and Wellness”. We were honoured to be involved with every aspect of the conference planning, including hosting delegates, contributing to the workshops, and offering wellness classes. Sister Dorothy Bob, ssa, opened the conference with a First Nations blessing and also led a sold-out workshop on the Medicine Wheel.
 
Queenswood is really developing an impressive reputation for offering stellar service and support for men and women who serve others through healthcare, education, and social services. In fact, we’ve even just agreed to host another similar conference in November. But in a lot of ways, we have to admit that that’s not really all that surprising, considering the inspiring legacy that we strive to live by every day.

 

ready. set. go!

Dear Queenswood staff and volunteers,
 
I look forward to seeing many of you at the birthday celebration next week; I hope you’re able to swing by Queenswood for some tea and cake if you have some free time.
 
I wanted to let you know about a goal I have: to distribute all 10,000 of our 2010 catalogues throughout the city (and beyond) by the end of May.  And believe it or not, we’re already well on our way to achieving this goal; we’ve already given away an estimated 1,500 catalogues in just the last 2 weeks!  I’ll be ordering another print of 10,000 catalogues when our current supply runs low, and that order should take us until November when the 2011 catalogue (yes I’m already thinking about 2011!) will come out.
 
So, given this goal, I was you would help by taking copies of the catalogue to your favourite coffee shops, bookstore, hair salons, doctor’s offices, dentist’s offices, grocery stores, book clubs, friends’ houses, knitting circles, etc.  If we each take 70 catalogues to distribute to 2 or 3 places, we’ll have it all done.
 
And to make this challenge a little more interesting, I have an exciting prize for the staff person or volunteer who distributes the highest number of catalogues.  I’ll email everyone again when we reach our goal, and then you can send me the number of catalogues you distributed.  If you’ve already been distributing catalogues, please make sure you include those numbers as well!  We’ll award the prize at the May or June birthday celebration.
 
Feel free to just come by Queenswood any time and pick up a stack (or a box!) of catalogues.
 
One important final note: before you leave a catalogue anywhere, please ask for permission from the store manager or a clerk first.  Otherwise the catalogues will just be thrown out and we’ll develop a reputation for unimpressive promotional strategies!
 
Ready. Set. Go!
 
Good luck,
 
Stefan Jonsson
Programs and Marketing Coordinator
 
 
Queenswood
2494 Arbutus Rd.
Victoria, BC
V8N 1V8
250.477.3822 ext. 223
1.888.407.3822 ext. 223
 
Logo Phrase Queenswood Final 020808

Our hopes for the future

posted by kate fagan taylor - march 1, 2010

Today's news may not come as a big surprise.  After all, the Sisters of St. Ann have been preparing for years to let go of their properties here in Victoria, and Queenswood has been working for over two years now to become financially independent of the operating grant provided by the Sisters each year.

It does raise some practical questions for Queenswood about the immediate future. Adding the expense of a lease will be a new challenge. But our hope and current plan is that Queenswood will continue beyond 2010 as an ongoing legacy of the Sisters of St. Ann.  

The board has been in conversations with UVic for some time now. Having the University as our landlord instead of the Sisters will be a big change, but we see the potential to benefit each other while serving the needs of the wider community in Victoria.  After all, the university educates people who, like the Sisters of St. Ann, work in education, healthcare, and social services.  Queenswood has found a unique program niche in helping people to be effective and healthy spiritually, physically and emotionally in these demanding careers.  So our hearts are full of hope. 

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue exploring the possibilities with UVic.


We'd like to hear your response to this news. Feel free to contact us at execdirector@queenswoodvictoria.ca

update on sisters of st. ann in haiti




Dear Queenswood Community,
As you know, Haiti has been devastated by Tuesday’s earthquake.  As a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Ann, we will continue to share information with you about the 40 Sisters of St. Ann and their families in Haiti as it becomes available. 
The Sisters of St. Ann have four schools in Port-au-Prince and a clinic as well as the SSA Haitian Province Administration centre, with residence and novitiate.  
At this time, the Sisters of St. Ann are still without communication with their Sisters in Haiti.  They have confirmed through other sources that 2 of their schools and two residences in Port-au-Prince have collapsed; other buildings have considerable damage; still no word about their Provincial House.  We ask for your prayers.
Also, aid is desperately needed.  The Sisters of Saint Ann have sent a substantial donation for emergency relief to Development and Peace.  This donation will be matched by the federal government.
We invite you to contribute to the emergency assistance being organized by Development and Peace at www.devp.org or leave a donation for the Red Cross in the box at the Hospitality Desk.
Thank you, and we will continue to share news as it becomes available.
Kate Fagan Taylor, Executive Director

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edwina gateley&#039;s big god

Posted on Jan. 6, 2010, by Stefan Jonsson, Programs and Marketing Coordinator

Edwina Gateley's Big God

Book review (In God’s Womb, Orbis Books, 2009) by John Dear, sj

I’ve known and admired Edwina Gateley for years, and even had the privilege of speaking at various church events with her, most memorably, a week-long teach-in together in Olympia, Washington, seven years ago. She’s a spell-binding speaker, heroic church woman, devoted mother, great writer, amazing story teller, brilliant organizer and good friend. I cherish her wit and wisdom; most of all, she cheers me up and gives me new energy to carry on our work of peace and justice.

But reading her newly published spiritual memoir, In God’s Womb (Orbis Books, 2009), I realize how far I underestimate her. She’s a mystic, a living saint in our midst. Many church men fear her. Most simply do not understand her. Reading this book helps explain why: Edwina is committed to God. Her mission springs from and leads to a passionate love of God. And because her God is so big, because she speaks with authority, she threatens the powers that be.

Read the rest of this article here.

 

Edwina will be here at Queenswood next week for: