St. Scholastica - An Ottawa Priest Serving in Kenya

Today's liturgy features a memorial of St. Scholastica, who was the twin sister of St. Benedict, the Patriarch of Western monasticism. She was born in Umbria, Italy, about 480.

Under Benedict's direction, Scholastica founded a community of nuns near the great Benedictine monastery Monte Cassino. Inspired by Benedict's teaching, his sister devoted her whole life to seeking and serving God.

Scholastica died in 547 and tradition holds that at her death her soul ascended to heaven in the form of a dove.

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Abbé Gilles Poirier

On Monday, I had a visit from Abbé Gilles Poirier, a priest of the Archdiocese of Ottawa (ordained forty years ago in June 1969) and an associate of Les Prêtres des Missions Étrangères who is in Canada on furlough until the end of August.

After having served for some years in Sudan where he studied Arabic, he is currently serving in Nairobi, Kenya, involved in the formation of younger priests of his fraternity.

Based at PME headquarters in Pont-Viau, Laval (not far from where I grew up in Ahuntsic, Montreal), he is taking courses, visiting with friends, doing some occasional ministry and being renewed to return to his ministry in East Africa. He is available to do mission animation, teaching on the missionary dimension of the whole church.



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