Acknowledging Victoria Day

This full-length state portrait of Queen Victoria, executed in 1842 by British artist John Partridge, hangs in the foyer of the Senate Chamber in Parliament Hill’s Centre Block. It was rescued from four fires, including the 1916 inferno that destroyed the original Centre Block.

Victoria Day, the last Monday before May 25, is synonymous with the start of summer.

Because of my maternal roots in having a staunch British grandfather, whose loyalty to the crown was impeccable, I felt drawn to write about Queen Victoria through another lens, probably unknown to my dear grandfather, who may well “turn over in his grave” at what follows.

The lens I propose is through the Indigenous peoples of this land which they occupied long before the British empire was established.

Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901, having ascended the throne at the young age of 18. Her reign was marked by significant industrial, political, scientific and social changes, as well as the expansion of the British empire. In the 63 years and 216 days of her reign, the Victorian Era was born.

With this expansion of the British empire, she enjoyed the support from the previously enacted Doctrine of Discovery of 1534 by Pope Alexander the VI.  Although succeeding popes renounced this doctrine, its sentiments remained strong in the minds and hearts of Europeans, for by it, this meant that European colonizers had the blessing of the Pope to claim and occupy these “empty lands” (Terra Nullius)  

As a result, Victoria’s reign was marred by the establishment of Residential Schools which were established solely to wipe out the Indigenous peoples by separating children from their parents and educating them into the “civilized” way of life, as defined by European standards.

This continues to be the case in our system of childcare:

“Recent statistics paint a troubling picture of the challenges facing Indigenous children in Canada. According to 2021 data from Statistics Canada, despite making up only 8% of the child population in Canada, a staggering 53.8% of children in foster care are Indigenous. There are more than 28,000 Indigenous children in government care today, which is 2.5 times the number that were in residential schools at their peak in the 1930s.”

Queen Victoria is also known as the “Mother of Confederation”:

As the reigning monarch, she granted Royal Assent to the British North America Act, which established the Dominion of Canada in 1867. She also appointed Canada's first senators and proclaimed the act's commencement. Victoria was a strong supporter of Confederation, believing it would benefit the provinces and strengthen relations with the United States. 

A stained-glass window above the Senate entrance to Centre Block depicts Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897, beside her great-great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, who marked her own Diamond Jubilee 115 years later in 2012. Below Victoria appears the original Centre Block and its iconic Victoria Tower, 19 years before they were gutted in the 1916 fire.

Here's a more detailed look at her role:

  • Granting Royal Assent:

    • Queen Victoria's signature on the British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, officially brought Canada into being as a unified nation. 

  • Appointment of Senators:

    • She appointed Canada's first 72 senators, establishing the upper house of parliament. 

  • Proclamation of the Act:

    • Victoria proclaimed that the British North America Act would come into effect on July 1, 1867, effectively marking the beginning of Canadian Confederation. 

  • Support for Confederation:

    • She actively encouraged the idea of Confederation, believing it would strengthen the colonies and reduce defense costs. 

  • Symbol of Unity:

    • Queen Victoria became a symbol of national unity and identity for Canadians, as the country was emerging as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. 

  • Victoria Day:

    • To honor her role as the "Mother of Confederation," Victoria Day, a federal statutory holiday, was established in Canada and is celebrated on the Monday between May 18 and 24. 

We begin summer usually by celebrating the birthday of Queen Victoria as her legacy continues to influence how we govern ourselves as Canadians.

With the current threat to our sovereignty from our southern neighbour, it is with a sense of gratitude to Queen Victoria for “pulling us together” as a sovereign nation.

BUT it is also incumbent on us to right the wrongs from her reign in how we continue to be in a flawed relationship with the Indigenous peoples of this land. Thanks to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2015 in demanding attention to the 94 recommendations, we do have a positive way forward.  Are we ready to take this path?

So, Queen Victoria, we remember you on this holiday weekend, with mixed emotions, that invite us as Canadians to “right the wrongs” as we move forward in our relationship with the First peoples of this land.

And “Gramps” forgive me if I have offended you, but the TRUTH will set us free!  I am just sorry that you were deprived of this in your latter years. ☹

 -Sister Kathleen Lichti, csj

Moving Together

Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Together, this week we have celebrated the election of a new Pope, Leo XIV and we have continued to give thanks for the life of Pope Francis, his predecessor. Both have something to say to us regarding Sunday’s celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations held on Good Shepherd Sunday.

Written just before his death, Pope Francis wrote his Message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations in which he reiterates that each and every one of us is called in a particular way through the God who is Love to live lives of love. He wrote: “A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our heart, a call to leave ourselves behind and embark on a journey of love and service. Every vocation within the Church, whether lay, ordained or consecrated, is a sign of hope that God has given for this world”

““move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us.””
— Pope Leo XIV

In his first public words, Pope Leo speaks of that same universal call, from “the God who loves us all unconditionally.” He reminds us to “move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us.” The Christ who goes before us is the Good Shepherd who gives his life for each one of us. It is precisely from such self-giving love that we are chosen, called and affirmed in life and in our faith and service.  

As we go forward in hope and in the integrity of our vocations we strengthen one another. Each vocation faithfully lived out becomes gift in helping us hear God’s call anew each day, we become witnesses to one another, a revelation of fidelity in the whole mosaic of God’s design – each, a part of the whole. Pope Francis left us a reminder that “a vocation is never a treasure stored away in the heart; rather it grows and is strengthened within a community that believes, loves and hopes. No one can respond to God’s call alone, for all of us need the prayers and support of our brothers and sisters.”

So, today, on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations – first instituted in the Church in 1964, we pray for one another for our fidelity to that way of life to which Love calls us.  We also remember, in a special way, to pray for an increase in vocations to religious life and priesthood. We pray that the Good Shepherd will seek out many who will respond with joy to God’s call in a world hungry for hope.

-Sister Mary Rowell, CSJ

Image: Jaka Škrlep/Anna Church/ Unsplash

A Mother's Day Reflection

My mother was three years old when the ambulance came to her home and wheeled her mother out on a stretcher never to return.  Luigia died at age 36 leaving her husband, Atilio, daughter, Monica (my mom) and son, Orlando.  It was 1934.  Work was hard to find and so was care for two children. An impossible decision needed to be made if they were to have a future together as a family. My Grandfather had to separate his children for care so he could work. My mother lived with relatives in a very unwelcoming, abusive home for two years. How would he reunite his family if he did not have care for his children?  At that time, he was advised to write a letter of proposal to a woman who was familiar to him through family connections and available - she agreed to the arrangement. They were married in 1936. Mom and her brother returned home to their dad’s wedding and a stepmom at the tender age of 7.

“ “if you are going to err, err on the side of Love for you can never love too much.””

The year mom turned 36 she was fearful that she too would die.  My mother had no understanding of why her mother left her, or why she died. As she grew, she would ask neighbors and relatives what happened to her mother... What was she like? Stories were shared but mom went to her grave not knowing the reason for her mother’s death. Mom’s searching opened her heart to God.  I’m not sure when exactly this happened but I witnessed its power.  She thrived on relationships: creating them, building and growing them, resuscitating them when they were being smothered or healing them when they were broken. Mom was a heart-to-heart caregiver, nurturer and worker bee. She was strong minded and fierce in her advocacy for the most life-giving path no matter what the situation. Mom could also be stubborn and make mistakes. It was tough for mom to forgive. The pain was often quite deep but with God’s help she got there. Often, she shared her healing journey with me.  She became very fond of a phrase she lived, “let go and let God…Trust”. She also advised often, “if you are going to err, err on the side of Love for you can never love too much.” As Mom aged, she always did her best to be present at our gatherings as family.  I couldn’t help but notice her stance of quiet gentle awareness. Her peace and joy came from a deep sense of knowing there was something greater at work among us…it was as if she was holding in her heart a constant vigil of Love drawn from the source of Great Love.

There is a richness in my mom’s story that is full of desire to live in God and allow God to live in her. My mother’s story matters greatly to me.  It informs my heart and soul… I need to pray it, listen to it, learn from it, and allow it to grow in me, transform me, open me to the possibilities of the life I have yet to live. Her life was and is God’s precious gift to me.  My cup overflows.

On this Mother’s Day, I celebrate and give thanks for my mother and all the mothers who help us continue to create the landscape of our lives. I celebrate and give thanks to all the “other-mothers” who come in the form of teachers, spiritual guides, mentors, aunts, sisters, grandmothers, for all mothers and other-mothers who carry unbearable suffering due to war, disease, famine, racism, crime, homophobia… To all mothers and “other-mothers” may God bless and keep us forever.

Little did I know that when I became a mother that I would fall deeper into Love and stay in love my whole life. I end with the words attributed to Pedro Arrupe, sj.

-Linda Mooney, Associate

 Image: Markus Winkler/Unsplash