Symposium "Celebrate the Living Word" - Marie Marguerite d'Youville, Canada's first native-born saint - World Mission Sunday

Yesterday, I flew to St. Peter's Seminary, London to take part in this Festival of Faith.

I have presentations today (3:30-4:30 -"This Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing": Some Challenges to Preaching in the Year of Luke), for priests, deacons, lay ministers, seminarians and lay students) and tomorrow (9:30-10:30 Feeding on God's Word: A Catholic Understanding of Scripture), a public event open to all.

Finally, at the closing Liturgy of the Word presided by Bishop Ronald Fabbro, C.S.B., I will offer a Lectio Divina on Elijah's religious experience in 1 Kings 19.

The Festival is a follow-up to the last October's Synod of Bishops on "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church".

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Today, the Church celebrates MARGUERITE d'YOUVILLE, the first native Canadian to be elevated to sainthood, was born October 15, 1701 at Varennes, Quebec. She was the eldest of six children born to Christophe Dufrost de Lajemmerais and Marie-Renée Gaultier. Her father died when she was seven years old leaving this family of six in great poverty. It was only through the influence of her great grandfather, Pierre Boucher, that she was enabled to study for two years at the Ursulines in Quebec. Upon her return home, she became an invaluable support to her mother and undertook the education of her brothers and sisters.

She married François d'Youville in 1722 and the young couple made their home with his mother who made life miserable for her daughter-in-law. She soon came to realize that her husband had no interest in making a home life. His frequent absences and illegal liquor trading with the Indians caused her great suffering. She was pregnant with her sixth child when François became seriously ill. She faithfully cared for him until his death in 1730. By age 29, she had experienced desperate poverty and suffered the loss of her father and husband. Four of her six children had died in infancy.

In all these suffering Marguerite grew in her belief of God's presence in her life and of his tender love for every human person. She, in turn, wanted to make known his compassionate love to all. She undertook many charitable works with complete trust in God, who she loved as a Father.

She provided for the education of her two sons, who later became priests, and she welcomed a blind woman into her home. Marguerite was soon joined by three young women who shared her love and concern for the poor. On December 31, 1737, they consecrated themselves to God and promised to serve him in the person of the poor. Marguerite, without even realizing it, had become the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, "Grey Nuns".

Marguerite always fought for the rights of the poor and broke with the social conventions of her day. It was a daring move that made her the object of ridicule and taunts by her own relatives and neighbors. She persevered in caring for the poor despite many obstacles. She was in weakened health and mourning the death of one of her companions when a fire destroyed their home. This only served to deepen her commitment to the poor.

On February 2, 1745, she and her two early companions pledged themselves to put everything in common in order to help a greater number of persons in need. Two years later, this "mother of the poor" as she was called, was asked to become director of the Charon Brothers Hospital in Montreal which was falling into ruin. She and her sisters rebuilt the hospital and cared for those in most desperate human misery. With the help of her sisters and their lay collaborators, Marguerite laid the foundation for service to the poor of a thousand faces.

In 1765 a fire destroyed the hospital but nothing could destroy Marguerite's faith and courage. She asked her sisters and the poor who lived at the hospital, to recognize the hand of God in this disaster and to offer him praise. At the age of 64 she undertook the reconstruction of this shelter for those in need. Totally exhausted from a lifetime of self-giving, Marguerite died on December 23, 1771 and will always be remembered as a loving mother who served Jesus Christ in the poor.

Marguerite was one woman, but this daughter of the Church had a vision of caring for the poor that has spread far and wide. Her sisters have served on almost every continent. Today, her mission is courageously carried on in a spirit of hope by the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, "Grey Nuns" and their sister communities: the Sisters of Charity of St. Hyacinthe, the Sisters of Charity at Ottawa, the Sisters of Charity of Quebec, the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart (Philadelphia) and the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (Pembroke).

Pope John XXIII beatified Marguerite on May 3, 1959 and called her "Mother of Universal Charity" - a well-merited title for one who continues to this day to reach out to all with love and compassion. Marguerite d'Youville can sympathize with the unfortunate and painful situation of so many orphans, with adolescents worried about the future, with disillusioned girls who live without hope, with married woman suffering from unrequited love and with single parents. But most especially, Marguerite is a kindred spirit with all who have given their lives to helping others.

The power of Marguerite's intercession before God was clearly evidenced when a young woman stricken with acute myelobastic leukemia in 1978 was miraculously cured. This great favor opened for Marguerite the door to the official proclamation of sainthood.


WORLD MISSION SUNDAY IS OCTOBER 18TH

World Mission Sunday encourages prayer and financial support for the missionary work of the Catholic Church throughout the world. It enables the Gospel, the Good News, to reach millions who have yet to hear it and it supports many who daily experience a significant lack of basic needs. World Mission Sunday unites Catholics all over the world in prayer and mutual support both material and spiritual.

Accordingly every parish and diocese throughout the world from the poorest to the most affluent celebrates this day on October 18th, 2009. Each contributes to the universal solidarity fund which is then shared among countries according to their need. Monies raised in Canada, supported newly formed dioceses in Tanzania, Ecuador, Papua, New Guinea, Indonesia and Albania.


The needs of the missionary Church are great and support is essential for:
•New dioceses
•New seminaries to accommodate the increase in vocations
•The rebuilding of areas that have been devastated by natural disaster and/or war
•The rebuilding of the Church in countries that have not been able to hear the Gospel in the recent past


Seigneur-Amour, par notre prière, notre engagement, notre partage avec nos frères et sœurs de partout, nous acceptons de Te servir jusqu’au bout du monde.

℞. Nous voici pour te servir jusqu’au bout du monde

Prions pour notre Église sœur d’Afrique: réunie en Synode, qu’elle devienne de plus en plus signe et instrument de justice, de paix et de réconciliation. ℞.

Prions pour notre Église sœur d’Asie dont la prière réchauffe l’hu¬manité entière, qu’elle continue d’annoncer l’Évangile de l’amour, de la paix et de la Vie en abondance. ℞.

Prions pour notre Église sœur d’Europe: qu’elle retrouve sa ferveur d’Église-Mère et continue d’ouvrir ses cénacles en disant, « Il est vraiment ressuscité! » ℞.

Prions pour notre Église sœur d’Océanie, chapelet d’îles dont chaque grain célèbre ta beauté et tes largesses, qu’elle continue de prendre la barque pour rencontrer ses enfants. ℞.

Prions pour notre Église sœur d’Amérique dont les peuples te prient sous de multiples noms qu’elle continue de dire que tu es Père tendre et compatissant, qui accueille et qui envoie. ℞.

Prions pour les Jeunes de partout au Canada qui recevront une invi¬tation à se rassembler pour oser la mission et devenir un témoin du Christ pour la transformation du monde! ℞.

Prions :

Seigneur Jésus, tu nous as dit : « Je ne suis pas venu pour être servi mais pour servir » continue d’écrire ton Évangile dans nos vies. Envoie-nous ton Esprit qui ouvrira nos por¬tes et nous invitera à dire: nous voici pour te servir jus¬qu’au bout du monde. Amen.