The Fortsaskatchewan Associates

- Date of publication 06-15-2009
The Fort Saskatchewan Associates meet on a monthly basis after the 11:00 mass, usually at Our Lady of Angels Parish church hall if the meeting rooms are not being used. This has provided us the opportunity to have Fathers Francis and John join us on several occasions.

We continue to be blessed with individuals joining our group. This year we have again been blessed with 6 new members for the Fort Saskatchewan group.

The vine continues to bear fruit. A new associates group is in the process of forming in Trochu, Alberta. They have had two meetings thus far with 4-6 members at each meeting.

Our activities

From November 1-9, 2008 we prayed a novena for vocations: Sr. Therese provided us with a novena for vocations inspired by our Canadian Church Saints. Each day of the Novena we prayed and read a short biography of the different Canadians, who led by their faith, lived their lives following the teachings of Jesus in service, love, humility and sacrifice.

In December, 2008 the Associates responded to a special emergency Health Project request from our Peru Mission Sisters: a twelve year old boy required surgery on his head/spine and the cost for the surgery was beyond what the family could even consider. The associates/friends in Canada were able to raise $9000 for the surgery. An update in January from Peru is that the surgery was successful.

In January 2009, as part of each meeting, we began spending time focusing on the spirituality of the Sister's of Charity Notre Dame d'Evron, starting with our Foundress and the history of the work of the Order. We seek to use these sessions to answer how, as associates; we carry out the charism/spirituality of service to the poor and underprivileged in our lives. February, 2009 the meeting was on relationships: how do we dare to be creative in the way we share our charism and our life with associates and friends.  Time was taken for discussion and reflections on how can we dare to be creative, to share our charism and our life with associates and friends. During the month of February, 2009, we prayed for vocations: Each associate was assigned a specific day in the month and for that day, they devoted their prayer intentions  for vocations in the Church.

Death, loss, sickness always calls us to take stock of where we are in our faith journey. What has been done and what still needs to be refined in our lives. How do we respond to death and loss?  This year we lost Alfred Loeffelmann. We will miss his kind face, his humorous wit and big hugs. We thank you, Lord for the gift of his friendship over the years.

The theme for 2009 is Relationships and this is fitting for the Canadian Associates as we prepare to welcome guests from other countries to Alberta to help with the 100^th Anniversary of the Sisters in Canada, in the Province of Alberta. Planning is well under way for the Celebrations Aug 12-23, 2009. We look forward to meeting with those of you traveling to Canada and to sharing in this celebration with you.

Fundraising events

This year's door prize for our Bake and Craft sale was donated by Marie Srdic: it was a framed print called "Patiently Waiting". How appropriate a title for willing workers who wish to be of service in the world.

The fundraising activities provide opportunity for the associates to congregate together and raise funds in our communities for the missions. The events provide an opportunity to share and support one another as we journey through the challenges and changes that are inevitable as we live out our lives. The work of many hands makes for a good time, laughter and reflection. This year each of the groups initiated their own fundraising event in addition to the yearly combined Bake/Craft sale held in Edmonton.

The Fort Saskatchewan Group organized a plant sale which was held, with the permission of our parish priests, using the rectory driveway and garage.  Fathers John and Francis were most helpful in promoting the event at all the masses on the weekend of the sale and announcing that we would give the left over plants after the 1715 mass on Saturday for a donation of any amount.  We are always left in awe at the kindness and generosity of those people that we have in our community and parish. The donations and the desire to support the missions were evident in the amount of money raised after the masses and very few plants left on the table.

Edmonton Garage sale $2026.88

Bonnyville Garage Sale $2158.95

Fort Saskatchewan Plant Sale  $1138.08

Bake and Craft Sale $3054.94

Articles classified by country1- All the congregation2- in France3- in England4- in Canada5- in Africa6- in Peru

	During this year - Date of publication 06-28-2010 The meeting of the Associates that took place in October was, as you can imagine, a time for sharing what happened in Evron and in Canada for the Centenary of the sisters’ arrival.
	Pilgrimages - Date of publication 03-11-2010 The Associates and some Sisters recently made some pilgrimages. One of these was to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Walsingham which is in the east of England.
	A hundred years… That can be understood in various ways - Date of publication 11-09-2009 Perrine has been present in the West of Canada for a hundred years in the person of the Sisters who took up a challenge and accomplished a great acheivement. Each one left her own corner of Mayenne to go to “the other end of the earth” as people said at the time and we can imagine the strong faith that motivated them.
	Sister Marie-Louise Recton whose memory is still alive in Alberta - Date of publication 11-09-2009 Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that a young woman, one of my relatives (Sister Marie-Louise Recton, first provincial of the sisters of Evron in Canada) would have had such a lasting effect on a community.
	The Bonnyville Associates - Date of publication 06-15-2009 Of course it goes without saying that Associates are active in the Church and their local parishes.  One activity that several of the Bonnyville Associates are involved in is that of the LIVE-IN SOCIETY.
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