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. 

Membership in the LIVE-IN SOCIETY involves having made a LIVE-IN, a week-end retreat for adults, both men and women.

This is basically a lay program, put on and run by dedicated lay people, with those having made a LIVE-IN organizing and running the various activities for the week-end.  However, it must be said that such an activity could not function, much less survive and grow, without the support of the Church and local clergy.  Indeed, the key ‘founder' of the program is a priest, but more of that shortly.  Thus, each LIVE-IN center has a local spiritual director, usually a local pastor or bishop.

But now a brief history: The concept of a LIVE-IN grew out of the experiences of Fr. Clair Watrin, CSB.  In the 1960's Fr. Clair was working with university and college students in Lethbridge, AB.  After experiencing a "SEARCH" (a week-end retreats for youth, and somewhat modeled on the idea of the CURSILLO) in Montana, USA, Fr. Clair, with the help of the people from Montana, organized a SEARCH in Lethbridge, with further SEARCHES proving to be very successful.

Later, some of the young people approached Fr. Clair to organize a SEARCH for their parents.  With some adjustments to accommodate an older group, and with a rather weak start, the concept grew.  To distinguish the elder group from the students, Fr. Clair adopted the name ‘LIVE-IN', a name that had been around and suited this situation well, as the event did involve being away from one's home, and staying overnight for the week-end.

Thus, from that first LIVE-IN in Lethbridge in early 1972, and  as it's success and reputation grew, the program began to spread out.  First to Saskatoon, SK in 1983, then to Calgary, AB in 1984, Red Deer, AB in 1986, and on.  Today, there are LIVE-Ins in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and St Lucia, West Indies, as well as in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and especially in Bonnyville, AB.

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	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 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.
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