Dear Friend of the Cathedral

You are warmly invited to a number of events happening in and around the cathedral during the next few days. Several of these events reflect our desire to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to action.

Ø  The Diocesan Synod meets on Saturday beginning with a Eucharist at 8:30 which is open to all. The business part of the synod will address the day-to-day concerns of the diocese and will be followed by special guest speakers and a panel discussion to help the diocese to move forward on the Calls to Action. Our synod delegates, Sam Kecheuguerian, Rob Wells and Michèle Rattray will be presenting a motion proposed by the cathedral’s Social justice Action Group asking the bishop to send a letter to the minister of education in support of call 62. (Please see the attached motion). You can attend synod as an observer, but can’t vote.

Ø  And there is a benefit concert at the cathedral this Saturday, 18th June, at 7pm given by the Bella Voce Women’s Chorus of Vermont. All proceeds will go to the Kairos Winds of Change campaign focussing on the TRC Call to Action # 62, which cathedral members voted to support in their social justice work throughout 2016. The concert features vibrant and rhythmic selections for women’s voices and percussion from Argentina, Venezuela, Kenya, Romania, Canada and the US. Suggested donation $10.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1740939326128225/

The services on Sunday will observe National Aboriginal Day, celebrating the gifts of Indigenous people and giving thanks to God who has created the diversities of peoples of the world and gifted Aboriginal peoples of Canada with many treasures of wisdom, spirit and vision.

This Sunday, do stay after church for the annual parish picnic on the lawn. Bring your picnic blanket & finger food to share. This year we will also be blessing the new vegetable garden. The angels will be watching over us as they peer from their picnic bag!

Honouring St Jean Baptiste on June 24. Amy will be celebrating a Eucharist in the Cathedral at 12:15. Please note, however that, this being Montreal, St Catherine will be closed from 7 am to 7 pm, so metro might be a better mode of transport than a car.

Please read the attached documents relating to the Cathedral Forum meeting on Tuesday, June 21 at 6:30 pm. Light refreshments at 6 pm. This will be the last meeting until the Fall with lots of important issues to discuss, so do come if you can. If you are an elected member of Forum and unable to attend, please send your regrets to the cathedral office.

Sunday school is looking to borrow an acoustic guitar for the summer (July 3-Aug 28). If you have one to lend, please email Jen 

Many congratulations to cathedral choir member and L’Oasis Musicale host (and now manager of the new St George’s series) Catherine St Arnaud who won the vocal category of the Prix d’Europe, a prestigious and historic prize established in 1911 by the Quebec Academy of Music.  Catherine won two rounds of competition at the Chapelle du Bon Pasteur, and then performed in the Gala Finale at the Salle Bourgie last week.

You can hear Catherine in concert on Wednesday June 22 at 6:30, when she will perform in a bewitching concert combining fairy opera arias, and sublime French melodies and German Lieder. Catherine will be accompanied by Romain Pollet on piano.

For information about all the oasis concerts on Saturdays at 4:30, Wednesdays at 6:30 in the cathedral as well as the new series at St George’s on Sundays at 2 pm, please visit http://oasismusicale.blogspot.ca/

We have spent several months anticipating the arrival of the Syrian family being sponsored by the Cathedral. Here is an update. Jan Jorgensen and Janet King report that our sponsorship application for the refugee family is in the paperwork process, with no way of knowing when it will be finished being processed in Canada.  Action Réfugiés has made sure that the papers are all in order, and we have received links to resources on their website such as “Managing our expectations.” For example, “Do we expect them to come to church every Sunday?” No, they are Druze, and do not yet speak English nor French, and have a relative living in Dollard. One of our Core Group members is in regular friendly contact with the Canadian family.

The monies which we have raised, nearly $30,000, are in an interest-bearing account in the care of the Social Service Society. This should cover their living and integration expenses for the first 12 months after their arrival. Then they will be self-supporting through work or eligible for welfare. Upon arrival they are permanent residents, eligible for Medicare, family allowances, French classes, and are allowed to work. The offers of furnishings, integration assistance, tutoring, liaison with schools, help with mental health issues, are invaluable, and will be called upon as soon as we know when they might be arriving.

Please consider sponsoring flowers to beautify the Cathedral in thanksgiving, in memory of a loved one, or for the joy of offering flowers to the glory of God! The cost of the flowers is approximately $60.00. Sponsors are needed for Sundays from August 14 onwards.

Vivian and Natasha are still looking for Summer weekday greeters . Talk to one of them or sign up in the baptistry if you can offer to greet visitors to the Cathedral for one session (11am – 2pm  or 2pm – 4:45pm) during the summer.

This past week has been filled with sadness as a result of the horrifying events in Orlando and in England. In case you haven’t seen it, here is the statement issued by the archbishops of Canterbury and York about the shooting rampage in Orlando.

“We must pray, weep with those affected, support the bereaved, and love without qualification.
“The obligation to object to these acts of persecution, and to support those LGBTI people who are wickedly and cruelly killed and wounded, bereaved and traumatised, whether in Orlando or elsewhere, is an absolute call on our Christian discipleship. “It arises from the unshakeable certainty of the gracious love of God for every human being. Now, in this time of heartbreak and grief, is a time for solidarity. May God our Father give grace and comfort to all who mourn, and divine compassion to us all.”

We pray too for the repose of the soul of Jo Cox, the murdered British MP and for her husband and children.

Let us affirm our love for each other, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ann Elbourne