The Grey Nuns - at Fort Providence- 1867
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The arrival of the Grey Nuns in a new region, is certain worthy to tell their whole story. The Grey Nuns were humble religious sisters; they never complained and they did not work for human glory, The religious brothers and priests who were there already were very happy.and one brother even wrote to the Bishop for his permission to sit the nuns at the same table as him the first supper their arriving night.
Fort Providence was the first catholic mission in the North West Territories, and it was certainly the most difficult one for new arrivals to adapt to. The Oblates had been in this mission since 1861-62. The mission had been founded by Bishop Vital Grandin in the autumn of 1861, then the brothers and priests arrived a few months later and they planned on staying. To begin with, they built a rectory and a church, two very humble buildings. The winters here were harsh, and there were few hours of light. From the very beginning, they had few tools and other necessary items and there was no corner store to go to. During the third years, it was decided to build a place a bit more convenient than the one they had already for the nuns, Since the Bishop were in agreement that a mission without nuns, would not last long, however the Grey Nuns had the reputation of never saying "No". The request to build a new convent was made and everyone was hopeful,
In 1867, Father Emile grouard was named to Fort Providence and he was also one of those who never said "No".Not long after his nomination he learned that the Sister of Charity (the Grey Nuns) would also be present in Fort Providence, and he could barely believe that someone had dared to ask the nuns to go there. He was one who barely complained, but this it was more than he could take. "We are at the end of the world here on the Mackenzie... The poor woman leave their convent in Montreal to come to live here in Indian country where the conversion of Native has barely begun. We men can survive by hunting à rabbit or a muskox now and then...but the nuns!!! We have heard of explorers very well stocked by their governments who have been reduced to eating their hired help" (NOTE: The sisters were in the Mackenzie area for 130 years, from 1867-1997). In her book THANKS SISTERS, Agnes Sutherland mentioned that it was always an honor to be named to be a missionary in the Far North, in the North-West Territories. She knew of no nun who had refused the honor. Thanks to Bishop Grouard who was a man of compassion, the nuns were glad to serve
On September 17, 1866, the religious sisters left Montréal for Fort Providence. This was a trip in slow stages. The five nuns were Elizabeth Ward,(Sister St-Michel des Saints), Adèle Lapointe, Rosalie Brunelle, Michelle Michon et Marie Domitilde Letendre, and they arrived over eleven months later.August 28, 1067, Bishop Henri Faraud went to Fort Chip.to meet the sisters; he was not known to be a patient man, and when he met the sisters he said in a rough voice as a greeting and a welcoming: "I've been waiting for you for a long time." The nuns didn't know how to react to this so they started to giggle then to laugh, then they bent in genuflection to kiss his ring!.
On the way there is a portage to get around therefore the Bishop ordered the sisters, each to take a harness in order to pull the boat (this action was very popular in those days.) In 1927, on the 60 th anniversary of the arrival of the sisters, the community celebrated their arrival by re-enacting the portage scene (the nuns did not need special permission to help in the portage... not like they had to have to share amewal with the bishop!)
Winter struck early in 1866, therefore 1887 was a year of famine so that year there was little to eat at the mission, not only for the people, but also for the dogs who depended on the fish. In Fort Providence, the superior of the mission had decided to send the children home to their parents, however the parents came back to beg the nuns to welcome their children again saying that the nuns had perhaps more to give the children than they had to they also nothing. So the nuns took the children back.
The religious brothers hunted and when they could not find any game, they's kill a dog in order to have meat to eat. The nuns responded that they preferred to fast! (and so would I) When the sister from, Montral heard this, they called the nuns back to Montréal but the Fort Ptrovidence nuns preferred to stay. Finally the Fort Providence nuns gave in to their superior and got ready to leave but they missed the boat (literally!) and this opened up another debate and this resulted in their obtaining permission to stay. This they did with great joy!
Sister Agnes Sutherland wrote in her book "THANKS SISTERS",,the sisters said !IOt is an honor to have been asked to go to the Far North" The majority wanted to stay in the Mackenzie areaé
In 1995, Gilbert (ny husgand( and I with Simonne Lappointe went on a lovely trip to the Territories where we saw many missions, including Fort Rae. It is there that Sister Lapointe met the family of Hilaire Fortier, originating from Vimy-Legal area. Hilaire was a teacher in Fort Re for a few years. Sister Simonne had worked for many years as a nurse with Sister Cecile Montpetit (Sister Cécile received the Order to Canada in 1990 and the Order of St-John of Jerusalem award in 1992. Sister Montpetit had us for noon lunch and she told us that she was the last nurse o fthe Far North and she was leaving for Montreal on the following Friday. She said "Here I acted as a doctor, and was in charged of delivering babies; now the government has hired other nurses. I am the last nurse to leave" Then she and sister Simonne started to reminisce and added "When we worked we were a group of 200 priests, brothers and nuns, today (1997) there are only three priests (Oblates) a few nuns to take care of the pastoral activities, and Bishop Croteau. it's about all" (NOTE: I'll write about Bishop Croteau later)
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