Ethics & Doin' a Jig
At the end of June through to Canada Day I was on Ile St. Bernard, in Chateauguay, Quebec participating in a medical ethics conference. Catholic bioethics people from Canada, the U.S., Britain, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Australia, Italy, Brazil all gathered to examine mental health issues, first in light of the emergence of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide and later with respect to young people and family life.
Given the seriousness of the matters, the lengths to which people went to prepare and present papers and even to travel to the place, it might or might not be surprising to know that at the end we had to celebrate!
Ile St. Bernard was used by the Grey Sisters of Montreal, Les Sœurs Grises, from their very origins. St. Marguerite D'Youville obtained the property. For generations sisters lived there and supported an active farm on the island. Since vacating it, the convent has been taken over by the City of Chateauguay and operates as a conference centre and getaway place for families.
The local bishop, His Excellency, Bishop Noël Simard played host. He is, himself, a medical ethicist and is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life that advises the Holy See.
This is all a lead-up to say that as dinner was ending on Canada Day, we were visited by a fine young man who not only regaled us with traditional Quebec music of the place but also got us singing. For the last session we shared in what I would take to be a kitchen party song. And the bishop showed his stripes by playing the spoons!
This was really an important part of the proceedings! It cemented us in an important way. It sang of our work together and our joys and sorrows. Would that we lived in a world where we felt assured of care and love. It performed much the same function as the ancient work song. This sort of music puts us in touch with a very human dialogue between the practicalities of what we do and their impact on us. The music brings us back to our spiritual centre. Un gros merci à tous ceux et celles qui sont impliqués dans le projet.
Given the seriousness of the matters, the lengths to which people went to prepare and present papers and even to travel to the place, it might or might not be surprising to know that at the end we had to celebrate!
Ile St. Bernard was used by the Grey Sisters of Montreal, Les Sœurs Grises, from their very origins. St. Marguerite D'Youville obtained the property. For generations sisters lived there and supported an active farm on the island. Since vacating it, the convent has been taken over by the City of Chateauguay and operates as a conference centre and getaway place for families.
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| Old windmill structure overlooking the St. Lawrence where the Chateauguay River empties into it. |
This is all a lead-up to say that as dinner was ending on Canada Day, we were visited by a fine young man who not only regaled us with traditional Quebec music of the place but also got us singing. For the last session we shared in what I would take to be a kitchen party song. And the bishop showed his stripes by playing the spoons!
This was really an important part of the proceedings! It cemented us in an important way. It sang of our work together and our joys and sorrows. Would that we lived in a world where we felt assured of care and love. It performed much the same function as the ancient work song. This sort of music puts us in touch with a very human dialogue between the practicalities of what we do and their impact on us. The music brings us back to our spiritual centre. Un gros merci à tous ceux et celles qui sont impliqués dans le projet.
