No sooner was Women Without Frontiers out of the press than two launching ceremonies were organized in Montreal and Laval for the 2nd and 3rd of June.

At the Montreal City Hall
What Happened in Laval ?

At the Montreal City Hall

Nearly 150 people gathered at the Montreal City Hall for the launching of Women Without Frontiers. On the 2nd of June, 2008, we welcomed our community History of over 100 years with pride and joy. This long-awaited book brought joy to the heart of every M.I.C.

Invited by Mayor Gérald Tremblay of Montreal, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, several government and city dignitaries, as well as family members, friends, benefactors and around twenty M.I.C. attended this both grandiose and simple launching ceremony. At the front of the hall was a giant poster showing the cover of the book. That is where the guests of honour were introduced by journalist and Radio-Canada animator Pierre Craig, who happens to be a former pupil of the M.I.C. His humorous remarks and obvious attachment to the M.I.C. created a truly fraternal atmosphere for the performance of the other speakers.

The honour befitted the Mayor of Montreal who entered the scene with simplicity and eloquence. After the usual greetings, he engaged in an address spiced with picturesque quotations emphasizing the courage, tenacity and audacity of Délia Tétreault, her sense of organization and administration as well as her determination to overcome every obstacle. The chosen excerpts supported his own vision and his way of exercising his leadership. His simplicity and the way he identified with Mother Délia captured the attention of the guests and gave his address a familiar tone of genuine worth. All of this proved well that he had read the book from cover to cover and, by this very fact, invited the public to read it with the same interest. He also announced that, "to mention the contribution of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, the City, with the valuable collaboration of the Mayoresse of the Outremont district and her team, has found a place that will bear the name of Délia Tétreault. Located on the corner of Springgrove and Maplewood Streets, close to the sisters' residence, it will be a quiet place imbued with serenity. Along with the book Women Without Frontiers, it will also help to make known the works of Délia Tétreault and of the M.I.C." The friendly and fraternal assembly voiced their satisfaction by their applause.

Provincial Government Minister and Outremont Representative Raymond Bachand gave an address for the occasion, in which he expressed his admiration of the M.I.C. Community and its expansion throughout the world.

With his well-know eloquence, Cardinal Turcotte focused his praise more especially on Délia Tétreault. " If the M.I.C. are who they are today, it is thanks to Délia Tétreault, a woman he came to know and appreciate thanks to Sr. Pauline Longtin when he introduced the Cause in Rome. "I signed..." he said. His veneration and admiration of our Foundress go as far as ardently wishing for her beatification and canonization as soon as possible.

Sr. Louise Denis recalled how, since 1902, the humble seed has become an international Institute active in 13 countries and made up of 600 sisters of 18 nationalities, engaged in the realms of education, social development, the welcome of immigrants, health care, the promotion of women, catechesis and other pastoral commitments. The history of our community is part and parcel of that of the men and women who founded New France, whose 400th anniversary we celebrate this year. We are grateful for the religious and cultural heritage we received. The courage and generosity of our ancestors, as well as the values they instilled in us, are an inspiration for us and we feel called, still today, to share this heritage with the peoples to whom we are sent. She paid homage to the M.I.C. sisters who initiated this project, Sr. Évangéline Plamondon and her Council; to those who overcame the obstacles and stayed the course toward the objectives : Sr. Marie-Paule Sanfaçon and her Council. She thanked Mrs. Chantal Gauthier who managed to follow up the project to its completion with competence, rigourous consideration of the facts of history and in a writing style that is simple and accessible to all.

She also thanked Sr. Mireille Morin who coordinated the entire project from start to finish, the various committees that supported her efforts, the persons who support us financially and all those who, in one way or another, cooperated in the realization of Women Without Frontiers. Sr. Louise also mentioned the valuable help of Sr. Georgette Barrette who coordinated the research and organized various mini-projects to which numerous M.I.C. companions contributed in various ways. Special thanks were addressed to the personnel of the General Administration, of the General Archives, of the Provincial Secretariats, of the Office of the Cause of Délia Tétreault for their efficacious support at every stage of the project. She reminded the audience that the following day, June 3rd, the anniversary of our foundation, we would celebrate that day to give thanks for the past, to live the present with audacity and creativity… and to plan our dreams for the future in a spirit of fidelity and hope!

When her turn came, Sr. Mireille Morin, coordinator of the project, first shared her sense of MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. A mission that has mobilized an enormous amount of energy, perseverance and audacity, with the support of the example of Délia Tétreault. "Taking into account the richness that was discovered in the course of realizing Women Without Frontiers, my deepest wish is that our Institute, enriched by many cultures, may now take ownership of its roots in order to draw out of them the peak moments that will enable it to write the future with audacity, ingenuity and always with the originality of the M.I.C. dream ". Heartfelt thanks to all those who contributed to this vast undertaking all along its elaboration.

With gratitude, she warmly thanks the dignitaries as well as those, M.I.C. and laity, who were involved in the project. However, her gratitude especially went to Chantal Gauthier, historian and author, and her associate, France Lord, both of whom brilliantly met the challenge. Then, the master of ceremonies introduced the writer, who gave an overview of the steps she went through, including her difficulties as well as her joys, taking into account the desires of the mission workers as well as the historic rigour required by factual truth.

All these appreciations and expressions of gratitude elicited a healthy curiosity and increased interest in reading this book and finding out more about the M.I.C. and their history. Everyone quickly crowded around the sales table and a long line eventually formed to obtain autographs. This historic event at the Montreal City Hall came to a close in the joy of meetings and reunions lived in friendship and fraternal love, clinking glasses and savouring little snacks offered by the mayor's office.

What Happened in Laval ?

The chapel of our house of Pont-Viau was filled to capacity that afternoon of June 3rd M.I.C. sisters, many members of their families, friends and dignitaries responded to the invitation and assembled to welcome Women Without Frontiers. The atmosphere was one of joy; it was good to be together again.

The event began with a poem inspired by a text from Judaism (Traité Bérakhot, from the magazine Prier no 283) read by Sr. Paulette Gagné.
Sing Praise to the Almighty
God opened the treasure of melodies.
He took out of it the song of the bird,
the rustling noise of the forest,
the quiver of branches lightly blown by a breeze, the whisper of leaves,
the rushing sound of springs and streams,
the song of those touched by His grace,
the hymns of gratitude and thanksgiving.
Out of these He fashioned a soul
which he breathed into a woman, Délia Tétreault,
whom He made into a marvellous being.
That breath she in turn diffuse,
so that it became a breeze, a hurricane
that travelled from one country to another,
to a world without frontiers.
Today, enriched by the past, enlivened by the present and confident in the future,
we draw from our treasure of harmony to sing :

This day made by the Lord is a day of joy.

Following this poem, it was fitting to sing our Centennial hymn, which we did with joy.

This gathering was emceed by Mr. Roger Desautels and Sr. Monette Ouellette. Noted in the assembly were Msgr. Roger Dufresne, Episcopal Vicar of the Laval Region, Fr. Pierre Murray, Pastor of the parish of Blessed François-de-Laval, members of the provincial and municipal governments and P.M.E confreres. Also present were an author and a historian. The event was truly festive. Délia Tétreault was the heroine of the day. Her presence was felt. What would she have said of all this commotion were she still with us? One thing is certain, we were pround of her.

In a brief introduction, Sr. Marie-Thérèse Beaudette, Provincial Superior, greeted everyone. She declared that "we have every reason to be happy on this 3rd of June, the anniversary of foundation of our Institute. One hundred and six years have gone by since the first seed was placed in the ground, a missionary seed that has grown, developed and multiplied; a seed carried by the daring faith of a woman of our country, Délia Tétreault. It is she, indeed, who brings us together today with the launching of the book Women Without Frontiers.

Fascinated by Délia's dream, hundreds of other women have, in various countries, shaped the history of our Institute, this history which Mrs. Chantal Gauthier told in these 500 pages or so. You will undoubtedly be captivated by this history. In it you will discover the fruits of courage, joy, audacity and love of the Church, especially of the missionary Church. In it you will taste the flavour of the Gospel. You will surely have the opportunity to pick many other fruits as the pages you read reveal to you their message… their secret… their mystery.

My wish for you today is that you may enjoy precious moments of fraternal love and friendship, gathered as we are around our Venerable Délia Tétreault. Believing as she did in God's plan for her, she is a model that remains an inspiration for anyone wishing to take up the challenge of believing in the impossible.

Mrs. Jocelyne Guertin, chairperson of the Council of Culture and member of the Executive Council of Laval, dwelt on the 106th anniversary of foundation of our Institute. She briefly recalled a few facts of our history since 1902. "Inspired by your Foundress, Délia Tétreault, you had very close experiences of the two world wars, of government upheavals, of dictatorial regimes, of the restriction of rights and liberties. All these dangers, instead of weakening you, have reinforced your faith, courage and hope... that life may overcome.". She also mentioned the hope-giving pastoral and social commitments of our sisters in the City of Laval. She ended her address saying: "After the verb to love, to help is the most beautiful one."

Sr. Mireille Morin repeated in part her address of the previous day. She also warmly thanks all those who have worked, in the last 18 months, on the support committee of the project Women Without Frontiers to collect funds that greatly facilitated the publication of the book.

All those in attendance were invited to the large hall where the M.I.C. welcomed us to a toast and to the purchase of the book. For all those who so desired, Mrs. Chantal Gauthier was pleased to authograph their book. Our 106th year of M.I.C. life reminds us of a lived experience which we celebrated with joy with the people who have always supported us and with those who keep going along with us. It was a moving event which we lived in thanksgiving.

"To remember is an act of faith that confers permanence and solidity to the present. To remember gives flesh to desire, for it provides it with a solid support, a firm ground, from which it can start out. By going back from the present to the past (human beings) discover the roots of their desire; by bringing the past up to the present, they know that a new step is possible, for God, who at other times has not failed us, is more present than ever right now, at this moment".
(Jean-Jacques Guillemot)