The EagleThe Eagle Christmas 2008

1

May God Bless You One and All!

Christian folk, your praises sing,Tell the wondrous story:Jesus Christ is born our King,Light breaks forth in glory;Comes the hour of grace and power,Christus natus hodie.

God incarnate, Mighty Lord,Yet most meek and lowly,Sacred heart and living Word,Wisdom high and holy;Child at rest on Mary’s breast,In excelsis gloria.

Highest Son of Love divine,Born on earth our Brother;Flesh he takes of David’s lineThrough his maiden-mother,Jesse’s rod bears fruit to God,Christus natus hodie.

He the Dayspring, shining bright;Death and realms infernalFlee as shadows of the nightFrom the Sun eternal;And his ray makes glad our way.In excelsis gloria.

Gentiles’ King and Ruler blest,Answer to their yearning;He by all shall be confessed,All to him be turning;Humankind true peace will find,Christus natus hodie.

God-with-us, Emmanuel,Bringer of salvation;Let the joyful tidings swell,Hymns of exultation;Heart and voice in him rejoice,In excelsis gloria.

Sister Rosemary Anne, SSJD

Dear Associates, Oblates and Friends,

As you know, the Sisters are celebrating 125 years ofprayer and service in Canada. In this Eagle we arehighlighting our three major “caring” ministries. Fromthe foundation of our Sisterhood, we have providedleadership in caring forthe sick and we continueto do so through ourministry of pastoral careat St. John’s RehabHospital (see pp. 6 - 7).Our second caring min-istry has been the care for the elderly (see pp 4 - 5).Now our ministry to the elderly is mainly concerned

with our Sisters who live in ourinfirmary. A third ministry has beenin the area of education (see pp 8 -9). Our present involvement in education comes in differentforms: leading quiet days, retreats,missions and workshops at bothour Houses and across Canada.

Several Sisters are also involved in spiritual direction.Other educational opportuni-ties include Education forMinistry, our summer“Women at a Crossroads” program, and Sr. ConstanceJoanna’s courses at Wycliffe.

We also have a long history ofcreativity in our Community. It began with coloured embroidery — chasubles, stoles,copes, altar frontals—whichhave graced many churches inCanada as well as our ownHouses. On the front cover is apiece of embroidery by Sr.Joanna, the Madonna and Child,which has been framed and is

hanging outside the vestry at the convent. Today Sr.Jocelyn continues in this tradition through makingand embroidering white altar linens. Many Sistersover the years have written poetry and hymns; Sr. Rosemary Anne’s Christmas hymn is on the frontcover of this issue. Sr. Thelma-Anne and Sr. Sue have both written a number of hymns and poems.For many years Sr. Thelma-Anne was the organist for the Community and composedmany pieces of music includingseveral that we use regularly. We have had a number of artistsand sculptors among the Sistersincluding Srs. Miriam, Winifred,Rosemary Anne, Nonah, Anitra,and Jean; on the back page is anoil painting by Sr. Miriam.

Most Sisters today have some creative outlet: embroi-dery, knitting, crocheting, painting, photography,singing, making cards, playing an instrument, not tomention writing homilies, retreat talks, handouts forAssociates, and articles in The Eagle. On October 3rd,Sr. Thelma-Anne celebrated her 80th birthday byreading some of her poetry to the Sisters and guests.Later in the month she attended the Fanfare ofCanadian Hymns — featuring two of her hymns —by the Pax Christi Chorale con-ducted by Stephanie Martin. Andthis fall Sr. Anne joinedOrchestra Toronto — a commu-nity volunteer symphony orches-tra — dedicated to providingaffordable family entertainment,music education and full reper-toire in all its programs.

Sadly this issue also includes an obituary for Sr.Philippa who died suddenly on September 1st, twodays after our portrait photograph was taken for our125th Anniversary year.

Our exchange visitor this year fromthe Order of the Holy Paraclete, inWhitby, England, was the Prioress,Sr. Dorothy Stella, OHP. She expe-rienced beautiful fall weather withtrips to Niagara Falls, theMcMichael Gallery, Black CreekPioneer Village, and our summerhouse on Mary Lake. We enjoyedher participation in our daily roundof prayer and worship and other

special Community events and were sad to see her gohome on October 24th.

The Three Cantors gave a tremendous performancefor the Sisters on October 26th as part of our SundayConcert Series. More than 100 people joined us tohear these men fill the chapel with song – bothsacred and secular.

Looking ahead, all our Sisters will be home overChristmas as part of our 125th Anniversary celebra-tions. On December 27th, St. John’s day inChristmastide, there will be a festal Eucharist at 10:30a.m. at St. Thomas’ Huron Street. Come and join usfor a service of celebration and the reception fol-lowing in the church hall. Associates can also lookforward to visiting with all the Sisters at the EpiphanyTea on January 3rd at 2:00 p.m.

Christ Jesus is the Lord of Hope for us all as we waitwith patience through these days of economic tur-moil. The King of Kings, born in poverty, reminds usto remember the poor always. God bless you all witha holy and blessed Christmas.

Sister Elizabeth Ann, SSJD

2

Sister Dora, the Reverend Mother of SSJD(1916-1945) was the niece of Hannah Grier Coome, ourMother Foundress, and of Rose Grier, principal of BishopStrachan School in Toronto. She joined the Sisterhood in1900 and in 1905 was appointed the Sister-in-charge ofBishop Bethune College in Oshawa. In 1909 she becamethe Novice Mistress and soon added the responsibilities ofAssistant Superior. When the Mother Foundress resigned in1916, Sr. Dora was elected as the next Reverend Mother.

Our Sisters who remember Sr. Dora describe her as tall,erect, and very attractive to others. During the twenties andthirties many young women joined the Sisterhood whichenabled Mother Dora to respond to the calls of the church

both in the Diocese of Toronto and in other parts of Canada. These calls included opening Qu’Appelle DiocesanSchool in Regina (1918), taking charge of St. Christina’s School in Cooperstown, N.Y. (1930), Bishop MountainHall, an orphanage in Quebec City (1927), and two schools for the mentally handicapped: Shernfold School inOttawa and Saint-John’s-on-the-Hill in Aurora around the same time. Then she convinced Mr. Vincent Massey tochair a committee to raise funds for a convalescent hospital (now known as St. John’s Rehab Hospital) which wasopened in 1937. He said that as soon as he met her he knew what his answer had to be! “She had all the com-pelling force of a medieval Abbess.” She was a good friend of Charlotte Whitton, the mayor of Ottawa, who fre-quently came to the convent to visit Sr. Dora who was particularly fond of chess. Apparently after she retired shehad an ongoing chess game with Charlotte by mail. After resigning in 1945 at the recommendation of her heartspecialists, she could often be found peeling vegetables in the kitchen.

The Sisters remember her best for her loving interest and advice for everyone. As the Mother she often gave talksto the novices and continued taking an interest in them right up to the end. Sr. Merle remembers being a noviceand visiting her on Sunday afternoons in the infirmary. Sr. Dora was full of fun, loved being at the Sisters’ summer cottage, and was known for her friendliness.

Sister Aquila, the Reverend Mother of SSJD(1945-1970) entered the Community in 1932. Althoughin her younger days she had been quite opposed to thereligious life, she responded generously when she heardGod’s call to the Sisterhood. The Sisters who remember Sr.Aquila say that she was very contemplative but not practi-cal. Smokey, the convent cat, loved to lie either on her lapor on top of the ledgers she was working on. Her prayerlife was extremely important to her and she was keen tofoster prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit in the Sisters.

It was during Mother Aquila’s time, that the decision wasmade to build a new convent. A quiet, peaceful site wasfound outside Toronto’s city limits—12 acres of land on theedge of a ravine. The old property on Major Street became the site of The Doctors’ Hospital. She was responsi-ble for several other changes in the life of the Community such as the modification of the habit and experimentingwith new liturgical forms of worship.

She was much in demand as a leader of quiet days and retreats, but as her responsibilities as the Reverend Motherincreased, she could not continue with this ministry. However, during Advent and Lent she would give weeklytalks which were much appreciated by both Sisters and staff. She travelled a great deal and sent out Sisters tospeak to ACW meetings as a way of encouraging vocations. When Sr. Thelma-Anne was considering a vocationto the Sisterhood, she had an interview with Mother Aquila who told her “not to quench the flame”. When Sr.Helena asked her about the necessary qualifications for a woman desiring to enter the Sisterhood, Mother Aquilareplied: “The one thing necessary is that she be seeking God with her whole heart.” This was exactly the rightanswer for Sr. Helena.

Sister Elizabeth, SSJD3

4

Photos (clockwise from top right): Church Home: Sr. Constance with some of the ladies.

Cana Place: Sr. Margaret Mary with two residents; Srs. Wilma and Doreen in the kitchen; some residents;

Sr. Merle; Sr. Wilma with “Cat-Cat”; Sr. Doreen.

5

“What’s in a name?” To thosewho loved the Church Homefor the Aged and later, CanaPlace, they are significantnames and precious memo-ries. Let me tell you aboutthem. In 1887 the Sisterhood,

in its third year, was asked to manage the Church Home forthe Aged, established a few years earlier. This work wasundertaken by the Sisterhood until 1994, a total of 107 years.

The Church Home was founded in the late Victorian era, asits name reflects. Old financial records tell their own storyabout the needs of its first residents as well as modest finan-cial resources. Later, the Community Chest, forerunner of theUnited Way, helped with grants. As the Ontario governmentbecame financially involved, standards of care developed.

The Church Home was located in an exciting, vibrant neigh-bourhood, at the south end of a block that included theChurch of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields, the Rectory, BellevueDay Care, St. Stephen’s Community House (formerly theNathaniel Institute), and finally the Church Home, withKensington Market close by. In the ’70's we knew the daywas approaching when we would have to leave thisbeloved but outdated building.

After several years of searching, planning then packing, themove was made to Cana Place on October 25th, 1978, amal-gamating the Church Home for the Aged and StrachanHouses (formerly operated by the Toronto DiocesanWomen’s Auxiliary). The name Cana, suggested by FatherBrian Freeland, comes from Cana in Galilee, the place of awedding and family gathering, where Jesus and his motherand disciples were present, and where a miracle occurred.“You have kept the best wine until the last” suggests that thelast years of life are intended to be the best. “Place” is bothcontemporary and biblical, “I go to prepare a place for you,”the suggestion of Miss Myrtle Stevens, a 92 year-old resident.

Cana Place, in Scarborough, brought us into a different cul-ture, neighbourhood and building. We became part of St.Paul’s L’Amoreaux Centre for senior citizens and the Churchof St. Paul L’Amoreaux. Our move emphasized the manychanges among Homes for the Aged that were happeningduring that time. One change was the new OntarioExtended Care program to provide funding for additionalcare that we had not previously been able to give. Also,both men and women lived in a home that had previouslybeen only for women.

But it is the stories of people that live in our memories!

• One resident had been a teacher. The young son ofthe Portuguese couple who worked at the ChurchHome was having difficulty learning to read. This res-ident asked his parents to bring him to her during thesummer, which they did, and by the time he returnedto school in the fall he had proudly learned to read.

• I learned something special from another resident asshe reached her 100th birthday. Her party includedmembers from her former Church, two women fromthe restaurant across the street, and several young girlswho served in the dining room. Their ages rangedfrom about 15 to 90, friends old and new. She hadkept in touch with old friends and made new ones, ofall ages, throughout her long and fruitful life.

• In 1978, when the idea of women priests was still new,we asked Sr. Rosemary Anne to celebrate theEucharist. Several days after being told of this a resi-dent said, “I have been thinking about what you toldme. Jesus did not say, ‘I give you all truth’. He said,‘I will lead you into all truth’, and it seems this may bethe truth he is leading us into today.” She attendedthese Eucharists each week.

• We remember, with appreciation, the loyal, dedicatedstaff and board members, too many to name. Recently,at the Convent, we enjoyed a Sunday evening suppertogether with former Cana Place staff.

I have a vivid remembranceof my last day at the ChurchHome, the day we moved toCana Place! Sr. Doreen hadgone to Cana Place, Sr. Jeanwas commuting between thetwo places and Sr.Madeleine Mary was at theConvent with some of the residents, while other resi-dents were staying with family. Only Sr. Merle and I wereleft with nine residents too frail to leave us. Early in theafternoon a huge ambulance arrived, and Sr. Merle withthe remaining residents was swallowed into it. I watchedas it slowly moved away. They had all gone! My grief atleaving the Church Home instantly disappeared as mydesire now turned toward Cana Place. Truly, it is thepeople who make a home, not the structure!

Sister Wilma, SSJD

OUR LIFE WITH THE ELDERLYOver 100 Years at the Church Home for the Aged, later Cana Place

6

In 1885 Mother Hannah was asked toundertake the work of nursing soldierswounded in the Northwest Rebellion.When the Sisters arrived in Moose Jaw,there was only a large frame building— lined with tar paper — which theytransformed into a hospital. Later, theCommunity received a War ServiceMedal for their work in Moose Jaw.

St. John’s Hospital in Toronto began later in 1885 in a small house next to the first little convent on Robinson Street.It had several private rooms for paying patients and an eight-bed ward for non-paying patients. They soon neededmore space, and money was raised by friends and Associates to buy land and erect a convent and hospital on MajorStreet (see below).

In the 1920's and 1930's there were two other very different buildings used for the care of the sick. Below on the leftis the House of Rest, a small convalescent home on Bayview Avenue with lovely gardens and grounds. On the rightis the Old Garrison Church on Portland Street which housed an out-patient department in the basement!

In 1936 the Sisters answered an appeal from Bp. MacKenley of Nova Scotia to take charge of All Saints’ Hospital inSpringhill, NS, a 50-bed hospital serving the mining community and surrounding farming district. They worked therefor 12 years until the hospital closed because the Diocese lacked sufficient funds for the necessary upgrading. Thephoto below shows Srs. Anna, Dora and Thelma with the graduating class of nurses.

Graduating class of

St. John’sHospital,

1928

7

In the 1930’s the Sisterhood felt God was leading them away from surgical care into the new field of convalescent care or rehabilitation. Dr. Harvey Agnew,the leading authority on hospital organization in Canada,was consulted by the Sisterhood and he gave his enthusiastic support to the proposal, provided that thehospital was equipped to offer all the active therapeutictreatments necessary to restore patients to completehealth. And so St. John’s Convalescent Hospital was born.It would, in fact, set the new standards for rehabilitationmedicine for the North American College of Physicians.

The Sisters arrived at the new propertyon Cummer Avenue — 25 acres of aformer farm and golf course — in 1936to plant the vegetable gardens for thepatients and Sisters. In 1937, LordTweedsmuir officially opened the hos-pital. Sr. Beatrice spoke of patient carebeing based on science and treating thewhole person. She stressed that the

hospital should not be institutional but rather morehome-like so as to promote true healing and be a welcoming place for all.

The first patients, referredby the “downtown” hospi-tals, were from differentnationalities, classes, andreligious traditions. Thepatients’ needs varieddepending on whetherthey’d been injured or hadsurgery or a debilitating disease or were recovering fromTB. Convalescent time could be several weeks. Eachpatient would receive nursing care, physiotherapy and

occupational therapy which hadthree branches. The men wouldbe in the shop making somethingfrom wood or leather and thewomen would be sewing or ironing. What they made was soldat an annual bazaar. If there were

children, a Sister certified in teaching would provideeducation; all would participate in the recreational activities often provided by the local churches, Jewishgroups and clubs.

This was beforeantibiotics, sothe patientscould be seenin the summerbasking in the

sun as part of their treatment or enjoying a sled ride in thewinter sun. To develop the mind, the Bigwood Library wasestablished. The Sisters provided spiritual support as well asnursing care and physical therapies.

Almost immediately, the hospital found itself “bursting atthe seams” and by 1951 it was undergoing major construction to accom-modate more than 100patients. Additional staffwere hired to help pro-vide patient care and thehospital became a popu-lar place for nursing,medical and physiothera-py students. Sr. Vera graduated in the first HealthAdministrators’ Course in the province. Sr. Philippa wasone of the leaders in developing relationships betweenhospitals at a time when hospitals “kept to themselves”. As it was a pioneer in the convalescent field, doctors,priests and health administrators from England and theUSA would tour the hospital and receive whatever information they needed.

Over the years medicine improved and government regulations changed. In the 1960's, the hospital helped SickKids by taking children for rehab. With the introduction ofuniversal health care, the era of private and public patientscame to an end and a new way of reporting to governmentbegan. In the 1980's St. John’s Convalescent Hospitalchanged its name to St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital toalter people’s perception of the work being done.

In 1996, the Sisterhoodrecognized the time hadcome to let go of theadministration of thehospital. However, theSisters still provide spiri-tual care and sit onSenior Management andthe Board.

The founding values and vision of having rehabilitationcare recognized and being leaders in this field have continued to the present. Today the patients’ needs aremore specialized. St. John’s is the Ontario burn-rehabcentre and has an established transplant and oncologyrehab programme. The length of stay in the hospital ismuch less than it used to be, but the patients’ personalneeds are basically the same as those of yesteryear: to beprovided with a welcoming environment to nurturephysical, psychological, social and spiritual healing.

Sister Brenda, SSJD

PIONEERS IN CONVALESCENT CARE AND REHABILITATION

8

Shernfold School in Ottawa (1927-1947), a schoolfor the mentally challenged, provided loving trainingand care for approximately 16 children and youngadults ranging in age from 7 to 20 or 30. On the left,Sr. Paula teaching bed-making, circa 1946. On theright, Sr. Ella giving guidance in prayer.

Sr. Cora with a group of children at St. John’s-on-the-Hill in Aurora, north of Toronto, a dairy farm and ahome for the mentally challenged. It closed in 1955.

In 1930 the Sisterhood was asked to take charge of St. Christina’s School in Cooperstown, New York, which theydid for eight years. It had been founded by the Sisters of the Community of the Holy Child Jesus in 1870 and was co-educational up to grade 8. Both the Sisters and the children appear to have had a very happy eight years.

A line-up of young children at Bishop BethuneCollege in Oshawa (1893-1932) which was housed ina beautiful and rather elegant house surrounded bylovely gardens.

9

Before the days of school bus service in Saskatchewan, onemight have to leave home to continue school. One morning, my mother and I were making up a bed togetherand, as we straightened the sheets, she said, “Would you liketo go away to school in Regina?” I said, “Yes.”

So I went as a boarder toQDS, the Sisters’ School. Itsfull name was theQu’Appelle DiocesanSchool (not the QueerDuck School!). Going toRegina involved a full dayof travelling. I would leavehome early in the morning to catch the train in East Poplar,change at Assiniboia and again in Moose Jaw. Then in the late afternoon, I’d arrive in Regina. This is what I did several times a year for the next five years until I finishedhigh school.

Of course, attending QDS was very important for me, but a little disappointing for my parents because in 1962 I joined the Sisterhood! Several years later, however, theywere happy when I became the headmistress of the schoolfor a while. My own school-days were much easier thanbeing headmistress, however!

QDS was a school which expected its students to make thebest of themselves. My first year was spent doing Grade 8again. My desk was at the back of the class, under a window. There was a big tree outside, and I did a lot of day-dreaming as I looked out the window.

What about classes? We always stood up when the teacherentered before settling down to work. During my time at theSchool, Sr. Constance was often my teacher; history, algebra,scripture, and literature were her subjects. Sr. Francesca wasboth Headmistress and a teacher, and Sr. Audrey also taughtas well as overseeing the kindergarten. Sr. Amelia, Sr. MaryGrace and Sr. Mary Esther influenced us through their presence in the dormitory, the kitchen and the laundry.

Friday was the day that the Black Book was brought to theclassroom. Sr. Francesca read out the account of our academic progress over the past week. Each student, and

then the whole class, had a report.Order marks and Sent-Up-For-Good’s affected the final result. ASUFG recognized an outstandingpiece of work. You took your workto Sr. Francesca’s office, and shelooked at it, praised it, stamped itSUFG and signed it.

Everyone did prep after supper. The prep-hall was supervised by a prefect. At the end of each half hour, therewas shuffling as the young ones went off to bed and otherswent to practise the piano.

We had school prayers in the morning before school and inthe evening before bed. Bedrooms were for two or three,and sometimes for four if there was a bunk-bed. Silenceafter lights-out did not come easily as there was always a lotto talk over. Later on, a bat might be fluttering around thehalls, and one might get a glimpse of a brave Sister in adressing-gown pursuing it with a tennis racquet.

All the boarders went to church together on Sunday morning. The church-line ended with a Sister or two, andit moved rather slowly in order to keep everyone together.We filled a few rows of seats in the transept of St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral. Sunday afternoon and evening were just forbeing, having an afternoon rest and writing a letter home.

There were some sports. We had a playing field at the backof the School and two cinder tennis-courts. We walked tothe YWCA to use their gym and swimming-pool. There wasnever enough time to dry your hair after swimming and, inthe winter the walk back to the School could require a stopat the Broadway Tea-room. Ascension Day, which was aholiday, was Sports Day.

There was music anddrama. Sr. Cecilia taught us singing. Sr. Audrey prepared the ChristmasTableaux which were presented in Chapel on theevening before school-holi-days. It was a great privi-

lege to get a part, or to be the reader. The opening linesreturn to me easily: “Ye gentles, and all who come here towatch this play, Put we beseech you thoughts of us away.No standing here have we, in heart we kneel.” It seems tome that any experience of dramatic acting, even in‘tableaux’, is a great contribution to the whole of one’s life.

Of course, there were rules at the School. Chewing gumwas forbidden. Sr. Lydia was good at teaching table manners, and many of the other courtesies of life. Beingresponsible and on time were very important and alwaysexpected. When Sr. Constance finished announcements in the morning, she often said, “and govern yourselves accordingly.”

The motto of the School was ‘Fais ce que dois’. It was aboutmaking the best of yourself and acting responsibly.

Sister Beryl, SSJD

REMINISCENCES OF SCHOOL DAYS ON THE PRAIRIES IN THE 1940'S

10

I had a dream a few days ago. I was the crucifer in a liturgical procession and, as I lowered the processional crossto go through the door and out of the chapel, I heard myselfproclaiming in a loud voice, “It’s all about the greatness ofGod and the littleness of God!” I awoke thinking, “I canunderstand how it’s about the greatness of God — but howcan God be little?” I knew instantly the answer, even beforeI was fully awake. It’s about the Incarnation.

So much of the longing and the waiting that we experience inAdvent focusses on the greatness of God — the God of Israelwho brought his people out of slavery, the God who inspiredthe prophets with dreams of a Saviour who will come andsave us, the God of the psalmist who is enthroned upon thecherubim. “Stir up your might and come to save us!” the poetcries. And we cry with him to the God who will come again“in power and great glory” as the gospel writers tell us.

But for all this greatness and power of God, we wonder, whydoes our world seem to be getting more violent? Why doesGod not bring an end to war? Why is our beloved churchso fractured? Why do people keep hurting each other? Ourlonging and our waiting seem to have no answers.

Maybe we’re asking the wrong questions, implying that Godhas failed us in not fixing our world and our own lives.Maybe we need to look not only at the greatness of God butthe littleness of God, the God who answers our longing andwaiting by coming among us in the vulnerability of Jesusand who empowers us to help bring about the Reign ofGod. Our God is known in simplicity and ordinariness aswell as in greatness and power.

The Spirit that hovered over the earth at creation is the sameSpirit that caused a young peasant girl to become pregnantwith the Saviour. The greatness of an angel is transformedinto a quiet voice who whispers to Joseph in a dream, reassuring him that it’s OK to take Mary as his wife, that sheis pregnant by the Holy Spirit, not by some man she hasbeen sneaking around with. The power and glory of anangel choir and wealthy magi are contrasted with the vulnerability and simplicity of a young couple expecting achild, an inn-keeper who compassionately finds space in thestable for Mary and Joseph, and a few scruffy shepherdswith their smelly but comforting animals.

The imagery of great and small carries through the life ofJesus, where a very ordinary little Jewish boy is trained byhis father to be a carpenter and then grows up to become aprophet and teacher and healer — but is overcome by a powerful government threatened by expectations of revolution. He is crucified. He is raised from the dead bythe power of God. Then he sits and eats breakfast with hisfisherfolk friends by the lake.

This God that we worship is both great and little. The processional cross I was carrying in my dream reminds methat the baby we worship in the manger is the broken bodyof Jesus in the tomb. And we see the same juxtaposition ofimages in our Chapel during the Christmas season, wherethe crucifix at the east end is balanced by the picture of thevirgin and child above the fireplace at the west end. Andwe see it in the Refectory, with the gentle, lovely quilt of thenativity at one end and the crucifix at the other end.

These images remind us that the Incarnation begins with thebirth of Jesus, but it doesn’t end until the resurrection. Theincarnation is all about the greatness of God and the littleness and vulnerability and humility of God as they areexpressed in Philippians 2:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, whothough he was in the form of God, did not regard equalitywith God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself,taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.And being found in human form, he humbled himself andbecame obedient to the point of death — even death on across. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave himthe name that is above every name, so that at the name ofJesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth andunder the earth, and every tongue should confess that JesusChrist is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That is the summary of the Incarnation. God became little sothat we do not have to cling to our greatness but may acceptour own vulnerability. Joseph accepted his vulnerability ashe listened to the angel’s preposterous claim that Mary waspregnant by the Holy Spirit and took her as his wife, withoutknowing what the consequences might be. Like Joseph, wemay find our true greatness as we accept our littleness, recognize the coming of God among us, receive the powerto confess Jesus as Lord, and help to birth the reign of God.

Accepting both our greatness and littleness, and the greatness and littleness of God, creates in us a perfect balance, what one poet has called “the holy harmony”:

Thou shalt know him when he comesNot by any din of drums,Nor his manners, nor his airs, Nor by anything he wears,Not by his crown or by his gown, But his coming known shall be,By the holy harmonyWhich his coming makes in thee.

It’s all about the greatness of God and the littleness of God.

Sister Constance Joanna, SSJD — Homily, Advent 4, 2007

HOW CAN GOD BE LITTLE?

11

Sr. Philippa was born Dorothy Watson in Winnipeg, Manitoba,eldest daughter to Helen and William Watson, on December21st, 1922. Her parents were both from Aberdeenshire,Scotland. After the birth of her younger sister Lillian, the par-ents took both children to Scotland to be baptised. She wasextremely proud of her Scottish heritage and took everyopportunity to celebrate Scottish events such as Robbie BurnsDay and St. Andrew’s Day.

“Dorothy” came to Toronto toattend Library School after com-pleting a BA at the University ofWinnipeg in 1944. She lived inthe residence run by theSisterhood on BrunswickAvenue. On September 1st,1949, she entered SSJD as aPostulant and was clothed as a Novice on March 7th, 1950. Asthere was already a Sr. Dorothy in the community, she chosethe name “Philippa” because it means “Lover of Horses” whichshe was – along with cats and dogs! During her years inCommunity she had a number of cats all with Scottish names.

As a novice she went to St. John’s Convalescent Hospital for11 months in 1952, and was assigned by Sr. Beatrice, the firstadministrator of the hospital, to work in the AdmittingDepartment and the Accounting Office. She became the librar-ian after her return to the convent and began packing booksfor the move to the new Botham Road site. Four days beforethe move, on June 11th, 1953, the feast of St. Barnabas, sheand Sr. Marilyn were Professed as Sisters of St. John the Divine.

Sr. Philippa returned to the hos-pital in 1954 to be the Assistantto Sr. Vera, the newAdministrator. After obtaining a degree in HospitalAdministration she succeededher mentor as Administrator ofthe Hospital in 1969. Over theyears, the title was changed to

Executive Director and then to President and CEO. Duringher tenure, the name of the hospital was also changed to St.John’s Rehabilitation Hospital. Throughout her 43 years atSJRH, she served on many boards and committees at the hos-pital, the convent and in the healthcare field. She wasinvolved in getting various facilities to communicate with oneanother and was a founding member of HIROC (HospitalInsurance Reciprocal of Canada).

However, she was not simply the CEO of SJRH. She was theenthusiastic organizer of all kinds of social events: a RobbieBurns’ Night in January which always included the address tothe haggis and Scottish Country Dancing, the Garden Party in

June which frequently includeda group of Scottish CountryDancers, and a Lord SimcoeDay in August. On Hallowe’enshe would lead the Sisters (all incostume) through the halls —she herself might be dressed asa pumpkin, the Bishop ofPhilippi or Wee Willie Winkie —and of course, Christmas wasnot complete without a party,dancing, and Santa and Mrs. Claus and all the elves.

Part of this tradition still continues today. The Sisters alsoremember her playing “Amazing Grace” over the PA systemwhenever she had an important announcement to make.

In 1992 she was awarded the Order of Ontario, on behalf ofSSJD, for her work as CEO of SJRH and in the field of healthcare in the community at large. In June of 1996 she retired asPresident and CEO but continued on boards and committeesat the Hospital and began archival work at the Convent.

On June 11th, 2003, she celebrated her 50th Anniversary ofLife Profession in SSJD; a piper was invited to help toast heron that day. She had many loves besides horses, cats andSJRH. These included fish ’n chips (especially in the Scottishstyle), liver & onions, and ice-cream. She also thoroughlyenjoyed our Friday night videos at the convent; even if she hadbeen lying down most of the day in the infirmary, she wouldget up for our movie night.

Latterly, Sr. Philippa was a resident of the Sisters’ infirmary inthe new Convent on Cummer Avenue. She loved people andopportunities for visits, especially to St. John’s Rehab Hospital;she enjoyed sitting in on choirpractice as she had been unableto attend for many years. Shewanted to be a part of every-thing that happened at theConvent. Her declining healthbrought increasing pain whichshe coped with by being inter-ested in other people and beingavailable for conversations inthe lobby with anyone who passed by. Her niece, HeatherMacdonald, only daughter of her late sister Lillian, would stopby for visits when work brought her to Toronto. “Aunt Dodo”,as she was affectionately known by her family, leaves a slewof Macdonald relatives behind. Her wonderful sense ofhumour will be missed but most especially, her loving andprayerful presence among us.

Sister Elizabeth Ann, SSJD

SR. PHILIPPA WATSON, SSJD (1922 - 2008)

12

ALTAR LINEN DEPARTMENTPrices effective May 2006

Fair Linen120 inch length finished with 5 crosses $310($35.50 per foot for longer)

Fair Linen120 inch finished with 5 crosses & borders on ends from $390

Credence ClothTables up to 30 inches, with 1 cross $97(For each inch extra $2.90)

Credence ClothTables up to 30 inches with 1 crossand end borders from $130

Baptismal Towels ea. $25

Purificators10 1/2 inches square, per dozen $204

ea. $17

Lavabo Towels – per dozen $228ea. $19

Fair Veils ea. $51

Palls on Plexiglass ea. from $45

Corporals ea. $45

Sick Communion Setsincludes 1 pall, 1 corporal, 1 fair veil,3 small purificators (6 pcs) from $95

All Fair Linens and Credence Cloths are made toorder. For more details, please contact Sr. Jocelyn at

St. John’s House, 3937 St. Peters Rd.,Victoria, BCV8P 2J9 — 250-920-7787 — jocelyn@ssjd.ca.

The Houses of the Sisterhood

Painting bySr. Miriam(circa early 20thCentury)

PLEASE JOIN USfor a Festal Eucharist on St. John's Day • 10.30 am — Saturday, December 27, 2008

at St. Thomas’ Church, 383 Huron Street, Toronto, to celebrate our 125th anniversary.Celebrant is the Rt. Rev. Patrick Yu. Reception follows in the Church Hall.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON RECITAL SERIES

February 1 4:00 pmJazz Vespers with Tim Elliott and other musicians

March 8Stephanie Martin & Schola Magdalena4:00 pm Recital — 5:00 pm Evensong

A free-will offering will be taken.

Both concerts will be followed by Sunday Supper (reservations required)

Call to reserve for supper ($10.00) at 416-226-2201, x 305All programs are in the Chapel of St. John the Divine

at St. John’s ConventMap and directions at www.ssjd.ca

The Eagle is published several times a year by the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine, St. John’s Convent,Toronto, ON M2M 2E8.An annual donation of $10 to help cover the cost would be greatly appreciated. Please let us know promptly of any changes ofaddress.The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine is a registered charity. Our charitable donation number is BN 11925 4266 RR0001.

Visit our website at www.ssjd.ca

St. John’s Convent, 233 Cummer Avenue,Toronto, ON M2M 2E8

416-226-2201; Fax: 416-226-2131e-mail: convent@ssjd.ca

St. John’s House, B.C., 3937 St. Peters Road,Victoria, BC V8P 2J9

250-920-7787; Fax: 250-920-7709e-mail: bchouse@ssjd.ca