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I was born in Timmins, Ont. in 1944 to Helene (Landers) and John Pelletier. I was the eldest of 7 children, the yougest born in 1963. Our Catholic tradition comes from my mother's Irish heritage and my father's French-Canadian Gaspé roots. I attended Catholic elementary school and grew up immersed in the pre-Vatican II church. My first introduction to life in community was through the Grey Nuns of the Immaculate Conception who administered our schools and hospitals. I remember the days when Sisters were not allowed alone in public; many times I was asked to wait at school to walk home with one of the Sisters delayed by her work-load. In retrospect, I may have been the only senior student living in a neighbourhood beyond the convent but I was proud to be chosen and always enjoyed my private time with these women. I also attended piano lessons and music theory classes at the convent. A few Sisters were very strict and perhaps frightening at times but most were fun to be with and seemed to recognize a special need within me for a touch of the spiritual beyond weekly mass and daily prayer. In 1957, our family moved to Sault Ste. Marie. Since I was now entering high school and the Catholic high school opened a few years later, I had little connection with Sisters in education or church. However it was important to my mother that music lessons continue and once a week, I was welcomed in to the beautiful convent on the hill. (the present site of Mount St. Joseph). I chose to enter nursing at the General Hospital and once again was met by the Grey Sisters. I was dating a young Protestant man and interrupted my 'training' as a nurse in 1964 to marry Billy Davidson and we became the parents of a beautiful baby son, John. Kristy was born 3 years later and we bought our first home. My life as a wife and as a Catholic woman were two separate entities; I attended mass regularly with my children. They were enrolled in a Catholic school where once again I was brought in to close contact with Sisters, now the Sisters of St. Joseph as teachers and principals. I played an active role in my children's school life and was very involved in Catholic Parents and Teachers Association. During this time, I nursed on the pediatric floor in the General Hospital and one of my colleagues was also a neighbourhood acquaintance; she made the decision to enter the novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph and I was invited to her commitment ceremony. Within 10 years of our wedding day, Billy and I were separated. I now became more strongly connected to my parish as a single mother and a separated Catholic but this was a role not welcomed by all parishioners. I thank my Lord for those friends, priests, Sisters and lay people, who encouraged me to speak my truth within a changing church. Many of my friends who suffered broken marriages, left our church, hurt and disillusioned but I always felt a strong call to remain present and work for inclusion. Today many of those friends who supported and encouraged my struggle are in my community of Sisters of St. Joseph and Associates. I made Cursillo, played an active role in our parish in music ministry, on parish council and in our preparation programme for engaged couples. I was a founding member of our city's support group for separated and divorced Catholics and helped to bring Youth Rally to Sault Ste. Marie. Throughout these years, I was encouraged (?badgered) by one persistent worker of the Lord to set aside time for myself in a retreat or workshop setting. I was too busy addressing the spiritual needs of several different groups and reached out to the Sisters of St. Joseph to provide workshops and prayer services. Addressing my own needs was an issue I avoided with finesse. Finally she wore me over and I agreed to follow the exercises of St. Ignatius directed by Lea Joanisse. When Lea explained the evolution of the 'co-members' and suggested I attend a meeting, for once I did not balk. I said 'Yes, Lord.' I was welcomed by many friends from years past, Sisters and lay-people, men and women, who continue to reveal to me the gifts that God has given me. My parents attended my commitment ceremony and I will always remember my mother's words- 'You are loved here.' Since I have been an associate, we have shared in the joys and sorrows that life and loving bring. We have welcomed new members, grieved the loss of associates and Sisters and journeyed together in love and unity. I met a very special man named Doug who has now met many in my CSJ community and our wedding was blessed with active involvement of associates and Sisters together in song. I have resisted naming, for fear of forgetting one important person, the friends from my past who are now such an active presence in my prayer life and my daily journey. The connecting thread of community throughout my 60 years is so clear to me and I live secure in the knowledge that I will always be supported and loved by Sisters of St. Joseph and associates everywhere. I need this mirror to know who God has called me to be as we come together to journey towards the more, the greater and the deeper inclusive love of God and neighbour. My professional life over the past 15 years has developed in to a commitment to palliative care support. I could not do this work as effectively without the prayer support and faith-filled perspective of my associates and sisters. During the past 5 months, I have been healing from an accident that caused a badly broken leg. The prayers, cards, phonecalls and physical presence of associates and Sisters have been overwhelming to both Doug and myself; I continue to be supported by the prayers and encouraging smiles from these special men and women. We are companions on the journey and I am blessed.
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