“Family Day” in Canada

If there is one well-established tradition in Canada, it is that of the “Family day” organized, especially during Christmas and the New Year’s Eve celebrations. And when we say “Family day”, we mean “relatives” (parents, children and grandchildren) and often even cousins!… This year, we had to mourn them, because of the confinement, but they have multiplied thanks to Zoom and other digital platforms.

The Marist Family of Canada has not broken tradition! At the initiative of the AMDL (Marist Association of the Laity), brothers and laypeople met on Zoom for a meeting of more than three hours to “celebrate the Holiday Season” as we say here, in unity and fraternity, brothers and laypeople. The meeting was intended to be twofold: “Marist and those from Québec”.

Firstly, a reflection on the mystery of this time of the Nativity was offered to us by Monsignor Alain Faubert, Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, always a Marist : former student of Laval College, instructor for several years at Camp Marist of Rawdon, a young volunteer for a year at the Marist mission of Haiti and spiritual animator of the Marist Family. Based on  different accounts of childhood events taken from the Gospels , he offered us a stimulating re-reading of the Gospel in the context in which we are currently living. Then, it was “time to celebrate” with news of different activities in Marist circles, presentation of voluntary work and the sharing of experiences, songs – despite the “doubtful quality” of the broadcast on Zoom and the cacophony of improvised choirs – and even magic tricks! All in an atmosphere of joy and fraternity.

All it took was a few sparks to light a fire that illuminated the dreariness of confinement and solitude. Thank you to the organisers: Jacques Boudrias, President of the AMDL, Claude Prégent, member of the Board and Mgr Alain Faubert, always available for the Marist Family