OBIT: GUINDON, Michel (1941-2006)

Died in Ville-Sainte-Catherine, Montérégie region, QC on August 14, 2006. He leaves behind his wife, Monique GIRARD, his son Daniel (Donna), his daughter, Sophie (Christian). and his 2 grancdhchildren, Séréna & Rose. He also leaves behind his wife,'s daughters, Monique (Alain) and Sylvie (Carl). A mass of Christian burial was held at the parish church of Saint-Constant, QC Further information may be obtained from the Funeral Home in Saint-Constant, QC at the following URL: www.poissantetfils.ca

Sr. Louise MADORE

Sr. Louise MADORE, originally from Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA, was elected the Superior General of the Roman Catholic Religious Community of the Daughters of Wisdom (Filles de la Sagesse). A teacher by profession, Sr. Madore is the only girl in a family of 5 brothers. Georges MADORE, her brother, is a Roman Catholic priest, member of the Montfort Fathers of Québec..
For more information about the Daughters of Wisdom, you may visit their website by clicking on the ORANGE title above.

OBIT: HENRI SAEY, Roman Catholic Priest

Fr. Henri SAEY , well-known priest in the St-Henri/Pointe-St-Charles district of, Montréal, QC, died July 28, 2006. He was Assistant Pastor of St-Irénée parish from 1934-1967. The parish was founded in 1908, and the church is located at 3044 Delisle St., Montréal, QC. The parish doesn't have a website at the moment.
For more information about the parish, click on the orange title above.

Connie LEMONDE's latest novel

THE FAMILY SECRET

Distorted Images and the Long Road to Truth

1947 - Vermont - A Canadian-American father’s “nice/bad surprise” for six-year-old Michelle never happens but becomes the family secret that leaves her with distorted images of both her parents and sweeps her away from home to a boarding school in Canada and then to New Hampshire. In Canada she meets eight-year-old JP and together they go out looking for God. Instead, they find Ivan, an ex-convict whose life is changed radically by this meeting.

In the meantime, Michelle is sent to live with her ambitious, independent Aunt Lena and is introduced to a lifestyle that she could only dream of. But she continues to long for home and for the very doubtful love of her parents. Then, at sixteen, the “family secret” is revealed to her, and she is devastated not only by what her father had been planning but also because the incident had caused her to have such twisted thoughts about her mother and father. The truth was the opposite of what she had come to believe since she was six years old.

Then, the year of her graduation from high-school, her father is imprisoned and she has to choose between living with her aunt or going back to her small home town help her mother. Her decision brings JP and Ivan back into her life and changes everyone’s course for the better.
______________________________________________________________________

BIOGRAPHY of the AUTHOR

Born in Woonsocket, RI of Franco-American parents, since her retirement Connie has written 2 children’s books and has authored and produced 4 family-oriented plays for stage and one for radio. This is the 3^rd book published by Infinity Publishing. The other two are a novel, BEST FRIENDS and a book of poems, UPHILL AND DOWNHILL.

Click on the ORANGE title above
to find out more about
CONNIE LEMONDE's
books

RICARD Ancestry

In the June 2006 issue (Vol. 134, NO. 6) of the

REVUE SAINTE-ANNE. published by the

Redemptorist Fathers of the Shrine in Beaupré, QC,

you will find an article about the descendants of

Jean RIQUART (RICARD)

The article contains a drawing of Jean RIQUART and 3 pictures of his descendants:

1) Four generations of female RICARD's

2) Mr. & Mrs. Henri RICARD of Trois-Rivières, QC

3) Gr.grandfather, Armand RICARD with 3 generations.

This article is printed in the French publication of the REVUE SAINTE-ANNE. I don't know if it is published in their English version, The ANNALS of SAINT ANNE.

For more information ,

click on the ORANGE title above

and you will be brought to brought to the official site

of Saint Anne's shrine in Beaupré, QC

NOVEL with Franco-American & Québec backdrop

Here's a portion of the first chapter to give you an idea of the book's flavor. It is at the publisher's and will be available later this year.

FAMILY SECRET

by

Connie LEMONDE

CHAPTER 1
“It’s a surprise. You’ll like it. Come on.”

August, 1947 “happened” and little Michelle’s life would never be the same again.
On that day she was humming as she grabbed a handful of grain from her blue bucket and scattered them around the chickens that were scampering all over their fenced yard. One of the hens stopped, looked straight up at the girl, and then returned to her dining. Michelle smiled back at the daring feathery creature and stooped to give her some extra food.
The girl’s father, Elphège Bellerose, had been gathering eggs in the coop when he noticed his daughter through the back exit that was still open. He quit his chore and walked to the door. For a while he stood observing his child, the only female out of five children. She was a beautiful six-year old: fair- skinned, a little tall for her age, with big, curious brown eyes framed by amazing eyelashes. The yellow pinafore dress that she was wearing over a short-sleeved white blouse was a strong complement to her long, dark brown hair that was tied in back and swished around a bit with every motion that she made.
After a few minutes, he called loudly, “Michelle, come in here!”
She jerked around and stopped short at the sight of her father, dressed only in overalls and mud boots, standing stiffly in the entrance.
The day was hot and sticky, and he drew a large handkerchief from a pocket and wiped his forehead. “Why do you look so scared?” he asked. “Did you do something wrong again?”
Michelle’s blue pail swung back and forth. “No.”
“Well, then, don’t worry. I won’t hit you. I just want to show you something.”
“What is it?”
He beckoned with his finger. “It’s a surprise. You’ll really like it. Come on.”
“A nice surprise?” the girl exclaimed excitedly, as she dropped her pail and started skipping ahead. Her father had never, ever given her anything special and she couldn’t wait to see what it was.
In the doorway, Elphège turned around and faced the front entrance as he waited.
Just as the child ran over the threshold, a loud, angry cry came from the front door that had just opened.
“What in the world are you doing?” roared throughout the whole room and the walls almost shook. Michelle braked short as her grandmother ran in waving her arms helter-skelter in the air. The woman was so incensed that her face seemed to be on fire.

Click on the ORANGE title above

to see pictures of the author,

Connie LEMONDE,

and of her Québec and Franco-American ancestors.

GENETIC Disease study in QUÉBEC

RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (RP)

The October 2005 issue of the JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS had an article about the discovery of a new gene responsible for Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative disease. The Québec population is often used for such genetic studies since only about 250 forefathers provide an ideal gene pool.

The study is under the auspices of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC) in Montréal, QC. More information is available by clicking on the ORANGE title above.

PETER USTINOV married a French-Canadian from QUEBEC

Born in Ottawa, Ontario,

educated in Québec,

SUZANNE CLOUTIER

(1927-2003)

married

Sir PETER Alexander USTINOV

(1921-2004)

in 1954

Educated in Montréal and in Trois-Rivières, QC, in 1945 Suzanne left for New York City, NY. where she became a model. Noticed by GEORGE STEVENS, the producer, she made several screen tests in Hollywood, CA. She was cast in TEMPTATION with Merle OBERON & George BRENT. Then, Charles LAUGHTON accepted her as part of his theatrical group to act in Shakespearian plays throughout the U.S. for the next 3 years. In 1949 she became a member of the JEAN DASTÉ French company to act in the great classics. In 1950 she acted in «Juliette ou la clé des songes» & then at the Edward VII theater she played the French version of one of Orson WELLS plays, LA LANGOUSTE. In 1951 she played with ORSON WELLES in the filmed version of OTHELLO. From then on, her work was non-stop. She died in 2003.

CLOUTIER Ancestry

(1)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Xainte DUPONT
1616.07.18
Saint-Jean-de-Montagne, Perche, (Orne) FRANCE
(2)
Charles CLOUTIER
Louise MORIN
1659.04.20
Québec
(3)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Jeanne BACON
1708.05.23
Château-Richer, Montmorency County, QC
(4)
Zacharie CLOUTIER
Agnès BÉLANGER
1737.11.13
Château-Richer, Montmorency County, QC
(5)
Jean-Baptiste CLOUTIER
Marie-Louise GAGNON
1774.08.01
Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC
(6_
Louis CLOUTIER
Judith FRIGON
1809.01.23
Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Champlain County, QC
(7)
Urbain CLOUTIER
Henriette COSSETTE
1851.03.03
Saint-Prosper, Champlain County, QC
(8)
Joseph Dauphin CLOUTIER
Joséphine LEDOUX
1889.06.25
Saint-Narcisse, Champlain County, QC
(9)
Edmond CLOUTIER
Hélène ST-DENIS
1922.05.23
St-Jean-Baptiste parish, Québec City, QC
(10)
Suzanne CLOUTIER
Peter USTINOV
1954

Click on the ORANGE title above to read a short biography of

PETER USTINOV

VERMET dit LAFORME

I've just worked on the following VERMETTE ancestors and thought I'd share the information with those of you, who may be interested.

VERMETTE

(1)
Antoine VERMET dit LAFORME
from St-Nicaise, FRANCE
Barbe MÉNARD
1669.08.26
Sainte-Famille, Île-d'Orléans, Montmorency County, QC
(2)
Jacques VERMETTE
Jeanne DUPIL
1706-10-25
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Portneuf County, QC
(3)
Augustin VERMETTE
Marie-Josèphte/Josette JUNEAU
1750-11-16
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Porneuf County, QC
(4)
Joseph VERMETTE
Geneviève AYOTTE
1774-09-26
St-Antoine-de-Padoue, Louiseville, Maskinongé County, QC
(5)
Jean-Baptiste VERMETTE
Marie-Anne PAGÉ
1812-11-23
St-Joseph-de-Maskinongé, Maskinongé County, QC
(6)
Norbert VERMETTE
Julie BELLEMARE
1842-09-13
St-Joseph-de-Maskinongé, Maskinongé County, QC
(7)
Norbert VERMETTE
Marie FRANCOEUR
1871-07-04
Saint-Tite, Champlain County, QC

Apparently, Barbe MÉNARD, who married Antoine VERMET dit LAFORME, was a King's Daughter (Filles du Roi). For more information about these women, click on the ORANGE title above ,

Churches to close in SHERBROOKE, QC

Two churches in the diocese will be permanently closed on Sunday June 11. St-Jean-de-Bréboeuf, on the corner of King St. West & Jacques-Cariter St in Sherbrooke was founded in 1946. According to environmental requirements, the church must be decontaminated of all asbestos. The buyer and the parish will share the cost. Très-Saint-Sacrement, the second church in Sherbrooke to be closed, was founded in 1938. Christ-Roi church, founded in 1940, was closed last April.
Since 1995, 23 churches have been closed in the diocese of Sherbrooke.

For more information about the

diocese of SHERBROOKE,

click on the ORANGE TITLE above.

Marie-Paule GIGUÈRE from housewife to foundress of a religious community

Foundress of the religious community of

Notre-Dame-de-tous-les Peuples

Marie-Paule is at odds with the Catholic Church and has been for years. Her story is interesting and well worth looking into as part of Québec, as well as Church history. Housewife, mother of 5 children whose husband was an alcoholic, religious experiences and circumstances led Marie-Paule to give her life to God. She still lives in the Community infirmary at Lac-Etchemin, QC surrounded by her followers.

Marie-Paule GIGUÈRE's Ancestry

(1)

Jean GIGUÈRE

Michelle JOURNEL

1599.07.26

Tourouvre, Orne, FRANCE

(2)

Robert GIGUÈRE

Aimée MIVILLE

1652.07.02

Québec City, QC

(3)

Joseph GIGUÈRE

Angélique MERCIER

1698.10.18

marriage contract

Notary L. CHAMBERLON

Montmorency County, QC

(4)

Chrétien GIGUÈRE

Dorothée RACINE

1732.11.24

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC

(5)

Claude GIGUÈRE

Judith GUIMOND

1771.01.28

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Montmorency County, QC

(6)

Ignace GIGUÈRE

Marguerite CLICHE

1803.10.03

Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(7)

Narcisse GIGUÈRE

Théotise DOYON

1825.10.25

Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(8)

Richard GIGÈRE

Joséphine DOYON

1861.01.08

aint-Joseph-de-Beauce, QC

(9)

Gédéon GIGUÈRE

Mélande GAGNON

1894.01.22

Sainte-Germaine-du-Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

(10)

Ernest GIGUÈRE

Laura BÉGIN

1920.07.19

Saiante-Germaine-du-Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

(11)

Marie-Paul GIGUÈRE

Georges CLICHE

1944.07.01

Lac-Etchemin, Dorchester County, QC

Simply click on the ORANGE TITLE above to discover more about Marie-Paule's life and the foundation of the Community.

KARMA and GENEALOGY

This afternoon I received an email from

Bill Williams

to which was attached a file containing

MY TRUTH

his philosophical views on life.

After reading the file, I began to equate KARMA with HEREDITY, genetic, social and learned, hence, KARMY is related to GENEALOGY as far as I'm concerned. Read on and think about it. Look back on your life and try to see how your ancestors have influenced it via heredity, thus touching you with their KARMA. You are part of them and they are YOU.

Karma is continuous on all levels of existence. Karma results daily in the material world through our actions & our non-actions as well as our thoughts and emotions. We are continually, minute by minute, second by second, nano second by nano second, creating and paying off karma. It works not only on the physical, mental and emotional level, but on the spiritual level as well. When you pick up something you must eventually put it down. That is Karma

You create karma by the act of picking the thing up and the unavoidable karmic reaction comes when you are forced or choose to put it down. Note, however, that if you do not choose to put it down, you will eventually be forced to do so. Not picking it up at all will result in the karma of the thing staying in place. If it is in the way of something you are attempting to accomplish, by choosing not to move it has created bad karma relative to you. So we do create our own karma.
When you die the excess karma goes with you. You may be required to pay it back on the physical level six lifetimes from now, or in the very next life. Karma is the Law and cannot be denied.

There are many forms of karma. When and where your karmic debt comes due (is balanced) is largely determined by you. Just as when you put down whatever it is you picked up is determined by your choice. But by the same token, if you choose not to balance your karma by choice, your payment will be extracted by force (by operation of the law). You will have lost the right to choose. The law is then enforced by circumstance. Taking responsibility and acting responsibly gives you control of the karmic result and gives you the ability to correct bad choices. The key is to act responsibly in the first place.

So the evil men do does live after them. It will be here for them in the form of karma due and the entity that created it will be held responsible for it when he returns. But what about the good a man does. The law always works and cannot be denied, so the good is rewarded with good and the evil will be rewarded with evil.

Most religions teach that you will be rewarded in heaven. But where is heaven? If the Universe is moving in a more positive direction and everything is getting more positive and if the occult statement of “as above, so below” is correct, the conclusion must be that heaven is in the future.

Is your karmic reward in the future? The answer must be yes & no. Yes if you have not collected it here. No if you have. He who understands this bit of knowledge will be rewarded with great wisdom, purchased with his karma.

The Universe is based on the need to know, the ability to understand and the wisdom to use the knowledge properly. If the great Hermes spoke the truth when he said “As above, So Below,” and if our karmic rewards are in heaven (a more perfect & positive place) then so are our punishments. If karma is the rule of law then reincarnation is its vehicle. With this key the wise man can see the other half of the half-truths.

St-Vincent-de-Paul Orphanage

Dear Murmur, Thank you for giving me info about your blog! I had fun reviewing the stuff that you had on it. Especially meaningful for me was information that you had about the St. Vincent de Paul boarding school. My three older brothers were sent to St. Vincent for a while. My brother Bob spent the most time there. My older brother graduated and went to a regular Catholic High School in Manchester. The middle brother spent the most time there--not with the happiest of memories. But now, at least, we are all understanding the move to the boarding school! Then I was sent to the Mount for my boarding school time! Oh, well, I met the nicest bunch of young ladies there! I really loved having the time away from my family and spending it with great friends.
Thanks again for the info!

View pictures of SAINT-VINCENT-de-PAUL Orphanage and Boarding School in Manchester, NH by clicking on the ORANGE TITLE above. This will bring you to one of my albums on Webshots. There are 13 pictures posted there of the Boarding School building as well as of former students. Of course, should any of you be former students of the School and should you wish to share pictures of those days, please leave a COMMENT on this BLOG or leave a message in the GUESTBOOK of the album on WEBSHOTS.

FAMILY SECRET

CONNIE LEMONDE

has just received the proofs of her latest novel,

FAMILY SECRET

A Franco-American from Rhode Island, Connie has made use of her French-Canadian heritage as background for her two latest novels:

BEST FRIENDS & FAMILY SECRET.

Discover more about Connie's Québec heritage by clicking on the ORANGE TITLE above. This will lead you to a Webshots' site where you'll find pictures of her ancestors in album # 40.

Msgr. François-Xavier CLOUTIER

Born November 11,1842 in

Ste-Geneviève-de-Batiscan,

Champlain County, QC

Son of Jean CLOUTIER

and

Olive RIVARD LACOURSIÈRE

On July 27,1899

was consecrated as the

3rd Bishop of

Trois-Rivières, QC

For more information on this

CLOUTIER lineage, click on the ORANGE title above to get to the Planète Québec website. A daily surname ancestry study may be found there. This site is bi-lingual French/English although the info is more complete in French.

CHARRON dit DUCHARME Info

Charron and Ducharme Dictionary

The fourth edition of the Charron and Ducharme dictionary will be published in the Fall of 2005 and will include information submitted by members as well as that uncovered in France by a professional genealogist, Mr. Jean-François Viel on behalf of the Association.
This edition will be different from the previous ones (1997, 1998, 2000). Indeed, it will contain all the additional information obtained since 2000 resulting in a huge increase in size. For this reason a paper edition is no longer practical and the dictionary will be published as a CD ROM instead.

Click on the ORANGE title above to get to the

CHARRON-DUCHARME

webshite

Monthly FAMILY TREE

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine in Québec

publishes a magazine (unfortunaly, only in FRENCH) that features the genealogical history of a different French-Canadian family every month.

The May 2006 issue of the magazine covers the genealogy of

CLAUDE CHARLAND dit FRANCOEUR

who immigrated to Québec from Châteauroux, l'Indre, FRANCE.. Claude married Jacqueline BORDE or DeSBORDES, the daughter of Dimanche BORDE & Radegonde VALENTIN, on January 8, 1652 in Québec City, QC.

For more information about this publication, just click on the ORANGE title above that will link you to the official site of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine, QC.

OPUS DEI & GENEALOGY

Why include info re: OPUS DEI in this GENEALOGY BLOG?

I've been asked this question by several readers so it's worth explaining the relationship between the two.

Through the years, our French-Canadian & Franco-American ancestors and present-day relatives have, for the most part, been Catholics. As such, families often consisted of a dozen or so children, especially in Québec, and the parents expected one or more of them to enter the RC priesthood or a religious community. As time went on, the practice and influence of religion changed due to the Quiet Revolution in Québec. With this change, Secular Institutes became more popular than religious communities; therefore, hundreds of Québecers joined these Institutes, which, for the most part, required yearly vows of their members rather than Final Vows as were pronounced in religious communities. Secular Institutes allowed its members to live "within the world" without being "part of it." At that time, OPUS DEI was a Secular Institute that attracted members from the French-Canadian and Franco-American Catholic population. Although the status of OPUS DEI within the church has changed from a Secular Institute to a Personal Prelature, it still is part of our Québec heritage. For this reason and because of its presend-day popularity, I found it was important to have a member explain how she lives as a member of OPUS DEI. It's the social aspect of this organization that is of interest to us since our ancestors and living relatives may have had contact with it or even be members.

For more information about

OPUS DEI

click on the ORANGE title above.

More info from OPUS DEI in QC

Brigid Kane, a member of OPUS DEI has courteously been answering my questions. Below are 2 emails I've received from her today. The information she has shared with me may be of interest to you:

Greetings again,
   Thank YOU for explaining the secular institute.  Legal distinctions are
often fuzzy for me.  I'll try to explain how the Prelature works from my
perspective.
   First: who are we?
   Opus Dei comprises a mere handful of persons in the Catholic Church, and
we live fidelity to the Magisterium.  We are loyal subjects to our local
Bishop, active in our local parishes, and also engaged in varying degrees in
the civil life of our city, our country, our world.  In other words we are
Mr. & Mrs. Ordinary Joe Blow.
    I came into contact with the Work through a friend's invitation to an
Opus Dei Day of Recollection, which I found sane, sound,  and helpful.  For
years I attended these monthly Recollections, enjoying yearly spiritual
Retreats.  All that I saw and heard and put into practice in my life had
positive repercussions not only on my own spiritual life but also on my
family -- my husband and children.  After about ten years I decided to heed
God's call (which I had been ignoring for a few years) and become a part of
this Work of God, Opus Dei.   That was thirty-one years ago.
   In Opus Dei seventy percent (70%) of the members (I am called a
supernumerary) are married and live at home with their husband and family,
getting spiritual 'coaching' once a week at a nearby Centre where they go for
Confession and regular spiritual direction. We are encouraged to practice
certain norms of piety (nothing strange or different, just the traditional
practice in the Church), such as our prompt and heartfelt Morning Offering,
attendance at Holy Mass as frequently as possible during the week, devoutly
reciting one set of Mysteries of the Rosary every day (five decades) and
briefly contemplating the other three sets, saying Grace before and after
meals, reciting the Angelus or Regina Caeli at noon, spending quiet time of
your choosing in prayer every day -- half an hour in the morning, and
another half in the afternoon, fifteen minutes of spiritual reading -- Holy
Gospel and some other spiritual work.  We have a particular family prayer we
say in Latin (5 minutes) that includes all our greater family intentions --
our Holy Father, Bishop, Prelate, fellow members living and dead,
benefactors, etc.and asking for the grace to be true to our calling.  We are
also encouraged to practice mortification little things, in the age-old
tradition of the Church.
   As you see, nothing strange.
   The men's and the women's sections are completely separate to respect
freedom and autonomy, for even though married, persons do not necessarily
progress spiritually at the same rate.  However, the activities are similar.
   Two percent of the members are priests  and the rest are comprised of
numeraries who do not marry and therefore are able to go to wherever in the
world they are needed to further the Apostolate. They are always free to go
or stay.  It's by simple request. hese usually exercise their professional
work as any other professional woman in society, but make the Centre their
home, and freely contribute to the Work whatever portion of their salary
they don't need to maintain their professional life.  The numeraries do
practice physical mortification in a very moderate degree, token really,
never even near any physical harm. For example they use a cilice for a
couple of hours a day (except Sunday) and once a week they use, for the
space of a Hail Mary, a knotted cord on their back. No welts, no blood
(grin).
   A percentage of these unmarried women members are called by God to be
stay-at-home 'mothers' (called numerary assistants) taking care of the
houses of the Work as any mother does her home, cooking and housekeeping,
and guaranteeing the warmth of a family home to each Centre.  They treasure
their contribution, and so do all the members of the Work.
     Does this help Muriel, is this what you want to know?  If you need
anything else, let me know.
    Sorry it took so long.
God bless.
Brigid Kane (mail@opusdei.ca)

Hi,
   I did not mention vows because we don't take any.  Opus Dei is secular,
and our link is by simple contract. Opus Dei contracts to provide each
member with all the  spiritual formation he or she needs to fulfill his/her
Baptismal commitment, one year at a time, and the person contracts to make
every effort to receive this formation and to live as a committed Catholic
for that year.  Each side takes this contract seriously, and the contract is
renewed (or not) each year.  It's a long (usually takes several years of
walking the way) and well-informed decision to join Opus Dei.  Leaving is as
simple as a telephone call to inform the person in charge of the local
Centre that one chooses not to renew. Former members most often continue to
frequent the monthly days of Recollection, and the yearly Retreats, thereby
also staying in touch with the support group whose company they have
enjoyed. All are welcome too at any function hosted at our Centres (i.e.
doctrine classes, talks on how to improve the quality of family life,  on
why modesty is important in fashion, inspirational talks by guest academics
(when speakers are 'imported' we leave a basket for voluntary contributions
to cover the charge).  Everything spiritual is always free, naturally.
   We are of course encouraged to live all the same virtues Holy Mother
Church asks of all her members.  Every member of the Church is required to
be chaste, each according to his/her state in life.  Obedience is expressed
by our willingness to receive ongoing  formation, for which formation there
is no charge.  Poverty is lived according to the generosity and
discretionary capability of each person.  A stay-at-home mother of a large
family, a fisherman or a taxi-driver struggling to provide food for the
table do not have the same discretionary funds as a lawyer or a medical
specialist.  Members come from all walks of life.  What is important is
striving for sanctity right where God has placed us, and taking our family,friends, neighbors, etc. etc. etc.  with us to Heaven.
   Opus Dei is unique in another way.  We are the first Church approved
institution that accepts non-Catholics as Cooperators  and also non-Christians. We are ably assisted by many noble souls who
generously give their expertise, financial aid, and loyal support to the
multiple humanitarian enterprises world-wide that promote human dignity, and
they receive spiritual benefit.  These noble souls
cooperate both by their expertise and finances with members of the Work in
multiple humanitarian enterprises world-wide, to promote human dignity,and are granted spiritual benefits.
   If you have any other questions I will be glad to answer you  to
the best of my ability.  If there is something I don't know, I can try to
find it for you.  I must warn you that there may be a delay because of the
many requests for information generated by media attention these days.  You
can put the information on the blogsite if you wish.  I trust your intentions are honorable (smile).
God bless.
Brigid Kane (mail@opusdei.ca)
Click on the ORANGE title above to visit the
OPUS DEI official website

OPUS DEI in QC

OPUS DEI

OPUS DEI has been in the news almost daily. I was curious to know more about their Status within the Roman Catholic Church. In the early 1960's, they were considered a SECULAR INSTITUTE; but, I've not heard that terminology used during the many broadcasts and news articles. For this reason, I wrote to the Montréal center and received the following email from Brigid Kane in response.

     Because Opus Dei was such a novelty in the Church there did not exist at
its inception  a suitable juridical framework. Therefore for a number of
years Opus Dei wore the ill-fitting 'suit' of Secular Institute, while our
Founder and his collaborators sought a juridical framework which would
better reflect the reality of Opus Dei in the Church.  The juridical
solution was the Personal Prelature.
    Opus Dei is (so far) the first and only Personal Prelature, but the
Church is still young and  dynamic, and the Holy Spirit continues to be
actively engaged in Her expansion and protection, so we may expect there
will be more in future.
    Please join us in praying daily for our beloved Pope Benedict, all the
Bishops (particularly your own) and the priests of the whole world, that
they might be shepherds after God's own heart, and please also pray for the
Work that we all may be faithful to our Beloved Lord.

For more information about OPUS DEI,
click on the ORANGE title above
and you will be linked to their official site.