From Montreal to Ottawa!

-
Soon after breakfast it was time to head on our travels once more. Sr. Christiane and Sr. Christine had very kindly offered to drive me down to Ottawa. The journey was quite pleasant and it gave me a chance to look at the scenery, share some news with the sisters and get some of the country's history. We passed a small municipality in southwestern Quebec called Rigaud. It is famous because it has a very strange potato story attached to it so I thought my Irish readers might find it of interest!
Its main attraction are Mont-Rigaud and a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes). The mountain is also home to an unusual, natural rock garden known as the "champs de patates", so named because of the local legend that it was once a potato field, turned to stone by God because the farmer worked on Sunday!

We arrived in Ottawa just about lunch time after a two hour journey. We found Deschatelets Residence quite easily and we were warmly welcomed when we arrived. I got my keys and unloaded my things and then we headed for some lunch and exploring with the sisters.

Deschatelets is a residence owned and looked after by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It is situated more or less on campus of St. Paul's University where I will be doing my course. In fact, it is three minutes to the University ( I timed it!)...so no excuses for being late to lectures! I met some of the students who are all so friendly and helpful. So far my companions in Canon Law for this new year are from Canada, USA, Australia, Vietnam, Nigeria, China....I'm sure the list will grow when we have our orientation day on Tuesday!

The Residence is home to a community of about 30 Oblate brothers and priests who are French Canadian so it is a good incentive to try and speak French. There is even an Oblate priest here from Cavan so it's good to have an Irish connection. Settling in went well, the house is well-organized! There is a French Mass at 7.15am each morning so that is good to keep the regular schedule going. The grounds are beautiful and are full of squirrels (I thought that they were rats the first day I saw them...was slightly worried!). In a few weeks, the raccoons, chipmunks and skunks appear aswell! We have a river just behind the house so you can go for lovely walks or jogs before the cold sets in. So far, I'm enjoying soaking in the whole experience and preparing for the academic year which will be challenging and intense! As I already shared on FB, this is my motto for the next two years:"Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you! ". 

Ciao for now x  Photo gallery

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Just to say 'thank you' (Sr. Louise's words of thanksgiving for the celebration of her Perpetual Profession)

-
Image
When I look at the mosaic of my life and all the people who compose it. God’s hand gathering lives of colour to form a masterpiece, a body, cell by cell.  Tiny little pieces put together colour by colour and forging something unforgettable, something that fits perfectly into the master plan, God’s handiwork where his grace allowed our paths to meet in life. Reflecting back upon the years of my life, I have found that the pieces fit perfectly, not always by my doing and not always by my understanding. Happiness and pain fitting together because one can’t know one without the other.  The ups and downs, the ins and outs, all mean there is a perfect balance somewhere and we spend our waking hours searching for it, knowing that we are restless until we rest in God. Each one of you here today would merit a personal ‘thank you’ : by your presence, your accompaniment, you remind me that this vocation is not my vocation but a vocation for the Church, for the world, for each of you! Everyon
Read more

Holy Hour of Thanksgiving for our Silver Jubilee of presence in Dublin.

-
Image
The following is a guided holy hour prepared in occasion of our silver jubilee of presence in Dublin, celebrated this year. The Holy Hour follows the method of prayer given to our Pauline Family by Blessed James Alberione- to honour Jesus as Way, Truth and Life. Song: Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You (x2) To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory Pour out Your power and love, as we sing holy, holy, holy Guide: We pray before Jesus as we behold the mystery of the God who became flesh out of love for us. We gather here to pray and spend time wi th the Lord, in silence, in prayer and in song . Each of us have a different story but tonight Jesus has united us in mind and in heart just as He did with the early Christian communities. In   Acts of the Apostles we read: ‘they were all of one mind and one body’. This evening we let our hearts enter into communion with the Lord Jesus and with our brothers and sisters. Let us op
Read more

The Icon of Friendship

-
Image
Icon of Friendship Last week I received a beautiful surprise parcel in the post containing an icon and a book. Those who know me know that this almost equates to being Christmas for me: books and icons, both on my list of 10 favourite things! The icon was one I had actually never seen before and was a gift from Taize, a copy of the Coptic icon which belonged to Brother Roger Schultz, the former prior there. The original icon dates from seventh century Eygpt and is usually referred to as “Christ with the believer” but is just as frequently referred to as “the icon of friendship”. Although simple in its presentation, it is nevertheless a sophisticated image. Jesus is shown putting His arm around the shoulder of a friend; this man is called Menas, but he represents each one of us. Jesus does not face Menas, rather He stands alongside him; He accompanies him, sharing in the burdens of life. In His left arm Jesus holds the Scriptures, God’s word. The word tells the story of the love b
Read more