A Eucharistic celebration followed by a fraternal encounter with a light snack took place on March 18, 2017, to mark 50 years of Development and Peace’s presence in the Diocese of Montreal.
Members of the Diocesan Council and the Share Lent Committee organized the event under the leadership of Mr. Jean-Paul Saint-Germain, our diocesan animator.
Right away, the Most Reverend Christian Lépine, Archbishop of the Diocese of Montreal, who presided over the celebration, and members of the DominUM choir of the Centre étudiant Benoît Lacroix invited us to follow Jesus, the source of our commitment.
In both his opening statement and his homily, Archbishop Lépine emphasized the importance of Development and Peace’s mission of sharing and solidarity in partnership with the countries of the Global South.
This solidarity, this sharing and this partnership are well represented on each of the quilt pieces presented respectively by Mr. Boris Polanski, President of the Diocesan Council and Mrs. Alexandra Cadar, of the Youth Group.
About a hundred people responded to the president of the Diocesan Council’s invitation to come socialize around a light snack, all while admiring more than thirty quilt pieces. For several people, the occasion was the scene of joyous reunions; for some, watching the slide show prepared by Jean-Paul brought back happy memories, while for others the get-together was an opportunity to get to know Development and Peace better. And of course, a party would not be a party without sharing a piece of 50th anniversary cake.
Development and Peace members of the Diocese of Montreal are not just partners with countries in the Global South, they also support social enterprises here in Canada. The finger food snacks were prepared by members of the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Collective Kitchen; the cake was provided thanks to the talents of the cook at the Relais communautaire de Laval. The Cercle de Fermières of Laval provided the nimble and talented fingers (“fairy fingers”) that embroidered the Diocesan Council’s quilt.
Our two quilt patches will continue their pilgrimage to the four corners of our diocese, to be displayed at events organized by various local groups as part of the Share Lent campaign. Once this pilgrimage is finished, they will become a beautiful work of art, a symbol of our constant solidarity with our brothers and sisters here and abroad.