Anti-Islamophobic Vigil Commemorated Anniversary of Family's Death In London

It was an incident that shook Muslims and the rest of the province as Stephanie Benn with New Canadians Centre (NCC) held a vigil outside city hall commemorating the lives lost from an attack last year in London, Ont. on Monday afternoon.

Hassan Mohamad, Kawartha Muslim Religious Association president, reflects on the Afzaal family killed on a Sunday walk in London, Ont. one year ago in an act of Islamophobia during a vigil. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Roughly 30 people with signs and flowers gathered to honour the sudden deaths of the Afzaal family (Yunmah Afzaal, Madiha Salman, Talat Afzall and Salman Afzaal).

Their lives were lost by a car that deliberately jumped a curb and struck them. Yunmah’s nine-year-old brother at the time was the only survivor of the incident.

The attack was considered ‘hate-motivated’ according to the London police.

"I was pretty shocked but I wasn't surprised because of the incidents that happened priors to those,” said Hassan Mohamad, Kawartha Muslim Religious Association president. “The Quebec incident and the Mosque here in Peterborough that the community helped us support and bring it back to life."

Members of the NCC detailed the lives of each member that was lost during the ceremony and preached how Islamophobia needed to be curbed.

“I think it's important to recognize the issue and the hate that Muslims have encountered, not only in Peterborough but across the province and across Canada," said Mohamad. "I think education is important and they need to understand what Islam is and how Islam is peace and the clothes you wear are a manifestation of that peace.”

Mohamad says the incident should create more awareness and education for everyone to help bring down any stigma of being Islamic.

“It's not just the clothes that make a Muslim,” he said. “It's the faith, it's the teachings and the practices so I think it's important that people understand those ideas.”

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Peterborough Family Band Spreads Their Faith With New Children's Program 'Yes,Lord'

A local family band, Rhythm and Grace, has partnered with Salt and Light media to create an advent series for children.

Photo courtesy of Rhythm and Grace Music.

The Duketow family lives just outside of Peterborough and consists of Alex, Miriam and their nine children, aged 4 -19 years old.

Their original music draws inspiration from celtic, blues and gospel and includes fiddles, step-dancing, singing, accordion, electric bass, guitar, piano, and the Irish whistle.

When the Duketow’s were approached by Salt and Light Media and asked if they would create a music program to help children learn about and celebrate the Lenten season they jumped at the chance.

“The Easter programs were kindof a pilot program, then Salt and Light said they went over really well and asked us to do another series on Advent and Christmas,” said Duketow.

“It’s a real privilege for us to be able to help other children and families enter into the Advent and Christmas season,” said Alex Duketow. “It’s so special to have the role of reminding other the reason behind Christmas. It’s something that our whole family tries to remember because that brings true peace to our hearts- that God loves us unconditionally - so we share that with anyone that watches.”

Through October and November the Duketow’s were busy writing new music, and filming episodes.

“The kids have really enjoyed being part of the process,” he said. “As you can imagine you can’t just start practicing a couple days before. We’d be at the dinner table every day practicing.”

Now, ‘Yes, Lord’ releases a new episode every Friday morning for a kid-friendly approach to the Sunday Mass readings and homily.

“I’m so proud of the kids, especially the younger kids because they’ve just really shown how responsible they can be. We tell them often ‘The better you’re prepared to share songs with a bright smile, the more you’ll help other children have a bright smile on their face.’.”

Episodes can be watched online, or on Salt + Light TV LIVE

“It’s geared towards children, but a lot of people find that whether you’re a child or a child at heart you tend to appreciate this.”

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A 131-year-old Bible Was Just Reunited With Sisters of St. Joseph In Peterborough

A 131-year-old Bible that had been on display at St. John Catholic Elementary School in Kirkfield has been returned to its rightful home with the Sisters of St. Joseph in Peterborough.

PVNC Director of Education Michael Nasello and Board Chairperson Michelle Griepsma presented the Bible to the Sisters during a Mass at The Mount on Thursday, September 29th.

The Bible was published in 1885. According to a personal, handwritten inscription (see photo below), Msgr. Dominic Casey of Lindsay gifted this impressive Bible to Mother Mary Clotilde, the second Superior General of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough.

“It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to return this Bible to the Sisters of St. Joseph,” Nasello says. “This important piece of history has been on loan to St. John Catholic Elementary School in Kirkfield for many years and today it is returned to its rightful home.”

The date on the Bible’s inscription is June 1905. Much of the Bible’s history is unknown, but former students of St. John CES in Kirkfield have recalled that the Bible came to the school with some other items when the old rectory in Lindsay was closed. St. John CES in Kirkfield closed in June 2016.

Sister Veronica O'Reilly says the Sisters are happy to receive such an important part of their congregation’s history: "It means a very great deal to us because the history of our Sisters is still very much alive among us and to be reminded of that is a source of inspiration for us always going forward."

“It was a touching moment for all of those who have been involved in Catholic education because the very fact that the current Director of Education and Chair of the Board gave this to us, strengthened that link that has always been there," Sister O'Reilly adds. "We are very grateful and very moved by this gift and we will cherish it in our archives.”

Joe Keast, the archivist at The Mount, said the Bible—which is large, heavy and features a beautifully engraved cover and impressive illustrations—would have been a significant gift from the clergy to the Sisters at the time.

Left to Right: Sister Veronica O'Reilly, archivist Joe Keast, PVNC Director of Education Michael Nasello and Board Chairwoman Michelle Griepsma

“It was a very special gift. It shows how much the clergy respected the Sisters. It would have been seen as a thank you to all of the Sisters and all of the work that they were doing,” Keast says. “Because Mother Clothilde was such a major figure in the early years of the congregation, to have something of hers back will be cherished by all the Sisters.”

—post by Galen Eagle

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Trinity United Church Lecture Series Event To Discuss Role Of Church In Modern Era

David Wilson

The role of church in today's world—and how it can last as society changes—will be among the timely topics for discussion at Trinity United Church (360 Reid Street) in its Lecture Series November 1st to 2nd celebrating Trinity's 142nd anniversary in Peterborough.
 
The topic for Nora Sanders, General Secretary, General Council, United Church of Canada on Saturday, November 1st is "Where Two or Three are Gathered...We are Church."  Sanders envisions a future where church may have many faces: "In this time of great societal change, the wisdom of scripture continues to speak in new ways to new generations," she says. Her talk will be followed by a workshop offering participants an opportunity to get to the heart of what church means to them—beyond the buildings.
 
David Wilson, Editor of The United Church Observer, will be service leader on Sunday, November 2nd for a talk called "Communities of Hope".  Wilson says, "The future of churches will depend on their capacity to acknowledge and adapt to changing realities in the church itself and in society as a whole." Churches face some difficult realities "but there are genuine reasons to be hopeful," he adds.  
       

Nora Sanders

With United Church of Canada statistics showing some congregations disbanding and indications some members see a continuing decline, there is a potential for a number of empty churches.

For his part, Wilson believes churches still have a vital role to play in their communities. "How much of a role they will play in future depends on whether congregations can shift their thinking away from the past and instead commit to re-inventing themselves for the future," he says. "I'm convinced that congregations already have the tools they need.  The question is: do they have the will to use them?"

Tickets ($25) are available for the event online. The event includes a light lunch Saturday.

Call 705.743.4498 (Cynthia Guerin) for information about the event.
 
 

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