Family Reunion; Wrapping Up a Weekend in Quebec

The Prendergast siblings LtoR: Terrence, Marion, John, Vincent (missing: Kevin)

The life of a blogger is more difficult when one is on the road and/or without a camera. After the downpour on Canada Day afternoon, my camera started malfunctioning and there were a couple of photos that looked waterlogged. My sister-in-law Renee was kind enough to send along a few photos taken at my brother Vince's anticipated 70th birthday-bash on Friday night.

Naturally when things go wrong there's no end of it. The heavy rain led to a power outage in Hudson just as supper was being prepared, so the barbecue was fired up and the smoke from the barbecue to the right of the photo explains the background haze in the photo.

Rencontre EMMANUEL Encounter
Herewith a sample of the timeline for the weekend meeting with the Risen Lord (Emmanuel), sponsored by the Communaute de l'Emmanuel in Quebec. The schedule for each day kept to a similar pattern on July 3-5, ending at 12:30 on Sunday.

The featured speakers are indicated. There was a range of activities in the afternoons (mainly workshops, with crafts for the children); in the evenings there was a variety of public workship (Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation service, vigil).

Thursday, July 2:
4-6 PM Registration
6:30 Opening Eucharist: Mgr T. Prendergast, SJ

Friday, July 3:
9AM Morning Praise
10AM Fr. T. Rosica, C.S.B. "Espérer contre toute espérance"
11AM Eucharistie, Mgr G. Lemay (Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec)

12:30 Lunch; 1:30-4:00 Workshops; 4:00 Free time, supper
Saturday, July 4:

10AM Pere J. Monbourquette, OMI, "Le Pardon"
11AM Eucharistie, Mgr T. Prendergast

Sunday, July 5: HM & Martine Catta (she is a co-founder of the Emmanuel movement)
10AM "Vous êtes la lumière du monde"
11AM Eucharistie de clôture, Mgr G. Lemay

Neo-cathechumenal Youth
Younger members of the "Way" were in the same building on the Campus Sainte Foy as the Emmanuel Encounter, so I was invited to visit them and speak briefly to the youth about the universal call to holiness and in particular on the Year of the Priest just begun.

Salt and Light Mobile
Father Tom Rosica, with Australian interns James and Joshua, made for easy banter and pleasant companionship on the long drive from Quebec to Ottawa and Toronto, via Hudson where I had left my car at Barbara and Vince's home.