Soujourners: A Summer of Comings and Goings
The Clergy are sojourners. During my time at the seminary, I served as an intern in three different parishes. Each lasted one academic term; just enough time to fall in love with the community and to regret having to move on. It was an excellent preparation for parish ministry. However, these experiences have not made subsequent farewells any easier.
This summer at St. John’s, we have bid adieu to quite a few friends. In late June, Kieran Wilson and Haley Kruse graduated from McGill and returned to Victoria, British Columbia. When I arrive in the sacristy on Sundays, I miss Kieran’s cheerful greeting. He is a graceful and knowledgeable server who is capable of doing 'round-the-worlds' with the thurible, and stepping in as Master of Ceremonies five minutes before Mass, with seemingly unflappable calm. Haley is preparing for baptism and I had the pleasure of getting to know her during the course which I led this spring. I am looking forward to seeing them both during my visit to Victoria in August, and to offering my congratulations on their recent engagement.
Our seminarian Tyson Rösberg will soon be leaving to spend a year at the American Cathedral in Paris. What a magnificent opportunity! We have served together both here and at Christ Church Cathedral. I can assure you that the training which Tyson received at St. John’s has been effective; when he acts as Verger at the Cathedral he lays out a maniple for me. However, neither Tyson nor I have quite mastered the liturgical skill known as 'control the face'. If the Gospel passage which he is holding up for me to sing contains anything we might find amusing, we studiously avoid making eye contact!
Fr. Alain Brosseau’s commissioning service on Saint-Jean-Baptiste was profoundly moving. Many of us responded to our Bishop’s invitation to lay our hands on him as she blessed him for his new ministry as an army chaplain. The presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable. It has been a great joy to be reunited at the altar with my dear friend and former classmate, this time as priests. As he did at Trinity College, Fr. Alain trained me thoroughly in the local Custom, taking care to explain the reason behind each act. As I mentioned during my words of farewell after his last Mass, every time we cense each other I give thanks to God that we said 'yes' to the Church, and that the Church said 'yes' to us. The members of the armed forces in Valcartier, including my stepson, will be blessed to have Fr. Alain as their Padre. A recent article in Le Devoir described the military as an unfriendly place for women and sexual minorities. In such a milieu, his gifts of openness and active listening will be especially welcome.
On June 24 we also celebrated significant milestones on the journey of faith for two other members of our community. Zoë Stonyk was baptised, and then confirmed along with Janet Best. I had the privilege of presenting them. Zoë said her baptismal vows with much confidence and joy. Janet has wished to make her formal commitment to the Anglican Church for many years and we welcome her into our Communion.
During the following month, all kinds of people visited our church for the first time during Martine Fourcand’s art exhibition entitled The Spirit of Jazz in Living Colour. The nave was completely transformed by her exuberantly joyful paintings. It was great fun to help with the installation of the exhibit, and to engage in conversations with the artist and her family.
We were blessed with a full house for our second Jazz Mass. Once again the music was superb and the hospitality was outstanding. It was rather intimidating to sing the Preface after Ranee Lee’s lovely, contemplative interpretation of Beautiful Love. It was also a challenge not to sway along to the setting of the Mass. However the movement of the Holy Spirit cannot be contained for long, and as we left the sanctuary singing Rock My Soul, I had to kick up my feet! As our MC noted with amusement, there is nothing in Ritual Notes about exiting the church while dancing!
Wendy +