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BY TARA KAINER “I have a fire in my belly,” Elaine Power, Queen’s Professor of Health & Kinesiology, explained during a wrap-up panel of Do the Math Challenge participants on May 26th at St. Vincent de Paul Society in front of an audience of about 30 people. The event was cosponsored by the Food Providers’ Networking Group and the Kingston Community Roundtable for Poverty Reduction. While she has worked in the field of food security and health for the past 15 years, Professor Power said only after eating for three days, of the food Ontario’s most vulnerable typically must rely on to survive, did she truly understand the reality of those she studies. “Now I feel it in my bones and blood and belly,” she said. “And I need to do something to satisfy my rage.” The Challenge is Phase II of Put Food in the Budget (PFIB), a province-wide campaign launched in 2009 by Social Planning Councils of Ontario and Toronto’s The Stop: Community Food Centre to address the chronic inadequacy of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability incomes. It invites participants to live on a food bank diet from three days to a week and comment publicly on their experiences. While the campaign ultimately strives to raise social assistance rates to levels based on the actual cost of living, as an interim measure PFIB proposes that the provincial government implement a healthy food supplement of $100/month for all Ontarians living on social assistance. Phase I of the campaign was Do the Math, an on-line survey asking the public and all MPPs in Ontario to put themselves in the shoes of a single person receiving assistance and to estimate the cost of their rent, food, transportation, toiletries, etc. On average the gap between what Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation left to right: Participants Susan Belyea and Kingston Mayor Mark Gerretsen 18 Ontario Works recipients get, a maximum of $592/month and what participants perceive they need, is $965, for a total of $1557/month. Facilitated by PFIB’s campaign organizer, Mike Balkwill, the panel also included Mayor Mark Gerretsen, United Way Board member Elizabeth Barton, and Susan Belyea from Loving Spoonful. Kingston writer and teacher Susan Olding and Fly-FM radio hosts Jenn-O, Joe unable to attend. Leary and Jeff Scott were Participants present expressed varying degrees of outrage, frustration and dismay about the indignity Ontario’s poor suffer in the face of government inaction and societal complacency. Commenting about the nutritional content of emergency food being clearly inadequate, Mayor Gerretsen said, “We need to adhere to a higher standard for quality and get all three levels of government to take action.” Elizabeth Barton noted that the lack of nutrients in the food left her feeling shaky, exhausted, dull, and ill. “Food, along with clean water, equal access to health care, housing and child care are fundamental rights we need to uphold,” she argued. Susan Belyea spoke about the inability of charity to ever meet the desperate need. “By the time a can of soup gets through the food bank system and into the hands of a recipient, the cost of that can is about $20. We need to stop targeting the poor and provide universal solutions that work for everybody. Public libraries are a good model to follow.” When asked by the moderator what would mitigate her anger, Professor Power offered a universal minimum income such as that proposed by Senator Hugh Segal as a means of eliminating social services and eradicating poverty. “That would satisfy my rage, she concluded.
BY SISTER CATHERINE CANNON As the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul celebrate their 150th Anniversary 1861-2011, Providence Associates celebrate their journey too, 1985-2011. In 1983, Sister Muriel Gallagher went to Guatemala. During her Visitation there, she suggested the formation of a group of Associates to pray with and support the Sisters in serving the poor. Meanwhile back in Canada, in Brantford and in Kingston, Sisters were dreaming the same dream; namely, the desire of many Sisters and lay people to come together to pray and to support one another in spreading the Gospel message of love and compassion among themselves, in their families and out to the world. A proposal regarding the establishment of Associates was submitted and accepted at Chapter 1981. The proposal was ratified at Chapter 1985. It reads “ An Associate Program will be established in the immediate future to evolve regionally in both eastern and western Canada and in our southern missions.” And so the story continued and First Commitment Ceremonies were held in : Guatemala - September 28, 1985 Ontario - September 26, 1987 Peru - January 20, 1992 Moose Jaw - June 26, 1994 Camrose - September 25, 1999 At present our numbers include: Canada Associates 57, Candidates 4, Inquirers 2 Guatemala Associates 24, Candidate 1 Peru Associates 33 WHAT DO ASSOCIATES DO ? Associates minister in parishes, in their families, in prisons, in nursing homes and WHEREVER THE GOSPEL CALLS THEM. To quote Sister Pauline Lally, first Director of Providence Associates, “ This very important movement was neither planned nor imposed from on high. It was and still is very Providence Associates 19 much a Grassroots Movement and it will continue to evolve and persist provided we don’t get in the way of the Spirit” Associates and Sisters sing their motto: “ WE ARE COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY” Associate Carol Groten enjoys quiet reflection at the 150th Anniversary stained glass window. BY SHIRLEY KINDELLAN Margaret Frizell was born Mary Ellen Margaret, the eldest child of James and Mary (nee Doyle) Frizell on October 13, 1914. She was born at home in the Wayside Community near Perth, Ontario. Her younger siblings were Jim and Leslie. Margaret was a very devout person who subscribed to a number of religious publications, prayed the rosary frequently and meditated often on the Word of God. Phrases and sentences especially meaningful to her were underlined in her religious literature. For many years Margaret was a member of the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Women’s league. Sister Mary Publow invited Margaret to consider becoming an Associate of the Sisters of Providence. She made her commitment as an Associate in October 1989 renewing yearly until the Fall of 2010. Margaret Frizell 1914 – 2011 Margaret was so grateful to anyone who showed her any small kindness. She had a very positive attitude and an infectious laugh. She was very interested in world events and local history, delighting in sharing family and community stories. In particular, Perth Associates, Colleen Evans and Shirley Kindellan will miss Margaret and her wonderful Christian example.
Page 1 and 2: PROVIDENCE PAGES Vol. 3 No. 18 SPRI
Page 3 and 4: few days before she died, I asked S
Page 5 and 6: BY CHRISTINE ROSS Planning for this
Page 7 and 8: WRITTEN AND PRESENTED BY SISTER DIA
Page 9 and 10: Celebration of Remembrance Sisters
Page 11 and 12: BY CHRISTINE ROSS The lush grounds
Page 13 and 14: New Leadership Team Sister Sandra S
Page 15 and 16: BY CHRISTINE ROSS Sister Pauline La
Page 17: Stained Glass continued from page 7
Page 21 and 22: In Memoriam BY SISTER BARBARA THIFF
Page 23 and 24: BY SISTER BARBARA THIFFAULT Sister

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