I was surprised to enter 2018 as the newly elected, and second time around, president of our wonderful Basilica Catholic Women's League. It was this very same League which 35 years ago took me—a new immigrant—under their wings and taught me how to better serve God and our parish using the gifts he had graciously bestowed on me.
The League showed me back in 1984 how to love those outside my family and also those whom I did not necessarily relate to as well. It showed me how to really "love thy neighbour", and now here again in 2018 it is still endeavouring to bring a truer, deeper and faith-filled meaning to what it means to be a Catholic Christian woman. The theme "Inspired by the Spirit- Women respond to God's Call", is our current national theme and we have been asked to focus more closely on the tragedy of homeless- ness in our community and our country.
We began this learning journey at our early Spring meetings with speak- ers from our local Drop-in Centre who showed us the picture of the situa- tion right here in Guelph and provided us with a better understanding of just who is on the street. It could be any of us - if life circumstances or mental health, relationship issues or addictions were to shake our core foundation. God always gets us ready for the message he wishes us to learn and in late September 2017, I made the acquaintance of a beautiful young woman who lived on the street. She opened my eyes to the fact that the slightest deviation in life circumstances might be what places a person on the street and the events that tend to keep them there, if they do not get help. In one of her deepest anxieties she shared with me that she was so disgusted with herself for giving her body in exchange for a room, food and even a cigarette. She showed me photos of herself in her late teens and it was hard to see the content and smiling young woman from the photographs in the sad young woman I held in my arms.
I have nothing but praise for the Drop-in Centre which cares for and nur- tures those without homes and the many without hope who cross their doors. Our Basilica CWL is committed to helping in every way that we can to assist the Drop-in Centre in its wonderful ministry to those living on the streets of Guelph. We are committed to "popping in for coffee" on a regu- lar basis at the Drop-in Centre to see if we can make new friends there. We also have a new project - we are stuffing small bags with personal items - please watch the bulletin for a list of items we need.
In May, we listened to Deacon Robert Kinghorn and were amazed at his ministry on the streets of Toronto, mostly to women who were controlled by pimps and worked in prostitution. He told us of the many friends he had made over the years which included drug dealers who watched his back as he strolled down some of the most dangerous of streets to be on, looking for those he might be able to help and praying with anyone that wanted to pray with him and providing hope and a way out or just a way up to many!
In June, we were enthralled by the story that Jessie Thistle told us regard- ing homelessness from an indigenous point of view. Jessie is a Metis- Cree from Saskatchewan and he related a story to us of his youth which involved addiction, drinking and criminal activity. At a very low point in his young life, he actually committed a crime with the intent of getting arrest- ed in order to have a place to lay his head. His grandmother's words came to him that he needed to make something of himself and could if he chose. So began a long, hard journey of learning and courage which re- vealed to him that homelessness is not just a physical state but a home- lessness of the heart and the soul. His parents released him for adoption at a very early age and so Jessie did not maintain his native tongue nor many of his traditions. For all his trials, Jessie remains a man at peace with himself, his experiences and others and spends his time explaining the very specific "homelessness" and sense of isolation that comes from being parted from lands, family and tradition.
He is now a Trudeau scholar and graduat- ed from York University and heads up the office at the Homeless Hub which specifi- cally oversees indigenous homelessness. Jessie single-handedly encouraged the change of the definition of homelessness in Canada to include its Indigenous people.
We were so very glad to have learned so much from all our speakers and will contin- ue to try and assist in whatever way we are called for God and Canada and our beauti- ful Basilica community.