Madonna House returns Order of Canada
Today was supposed to be quiet. Wash some laundry. Skim read some light books I grabbed at the library last night…
Then mid-morning I find out via a facebook friend that today representatives from Madonna House have *returned* the Order of Canada medal given to Catherine Doherty in 1976 in symbolic protest over the same award being given to abortionist Dr. Henry Morgentaler.
Holy crap! This is HUGE!!!
Madonna House has posted an official press release and a letter to the Governor General on their site.
CTV has a short video clip interview with Susanna Stubbs, the Director General of Women from Madonna House, and CBC featured the story on the news at noon but I’ve yet to see that clip online. Oh, here’s two more worthy reads.
For those of you who may not know – not pointing fingers at Americans, hehe – the Order of Canada is the highest honor given to Canadians. According to wiki, it is awarded for “the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity, an outstanding level of talent and service to Canadians, or an exceptional contribution to Canada or Canadians.” I know of nothing akin to it in the U.S.
Last week on Canada Day, it was awarded to the doctor responsible for making abortion legal in Canada.
The uproar has been great. There are at least 4 Facebook groups asking that the award be revoked and a petition to the same purpose started by Campaign Life Coalition, a notable pro-life advocacy group in Ontario. The same group is planning a public protest in Ottawa tomorrow at noon. One Catholic priest out in British Columbia has supposedly mailed back his award, but the media quickly found the dirt on him which makes his gesture very questionable in the public eye. The Canadian bishops have spoken out too.
But Madonna House seems to be the first to put their money where their mouth is and give the award back. The community took a vote on this measure, and its members were unanimously in favor of the move.
I can’t say that I’m not saddened. I have not been quiet about my love for Madonna House over the years. There is something to be said about Christian work that is so far-reaching as to be noticed and awarded by a secular entity. To me, it is the best Christian work that can be done. Because Jesus didn’t hide among his own, supported and comfortable. He went out, got noticed and we all know how that ended.
Catherine didn’t hide either. Even when she did try to hide and retire in Combermere with her second husband, Eddie Doherty, God had a whole other thing in mind. That thing is the apostolate of Madonna House today. And Catherine deserves her award. I suppose, even after the medal is gone, the honor remains.
What a sacrifice. To willingly hand over the recognition of service and their foundress, earned very literally by the sweat of their brows and work of their hands. I have a strong sense to go do some ironing.
In 1976 Catherine received the Order of Canada for, “a lifetime of devoted services to the underprivileged of many nationalities, both in Canada and abroad.” For her it was her greatest decoration, surpassing the Medal of St. George she once received from the Czar. The Order of Canada was an immeasurable gift to her.
It meant: “Canada accepted me.”
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Robyn
cecilia
Kalanna
It is an appauling thing.
The first person I heard of putting his money where his mouth is was the priest from BC. As you say, the media went fishing. Anything a journalist with an agenda can do to could truth in the name of truth now seems to be a part of eanring their pay cheque.
With a Madonan house just streets away from us and having spent my own time making my poustinia there I find it sad but honourable in no small way that their whole community has made the decision they have.
None of this, petitions included will cause the gov or the gov-gen to reverse their sin but that does not mean we should just shut up about it. We will see more not less of this in the days ahead, no doubt, so we must pray as the early apostles are recorded to have prayed in Acts 4, that God would deal with the enemy and that God would give Christians an even greater boldness to declare His truth in love.
God bless you Kalanna.
P.S. Luminousmiseries is open again.
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it is good an laudable for people to take actions on the things that are important to them (too much of the abortion debate is just flapping of gums, with little done to actually aid pregnant women). But on the other hand, this was an award given to Catherine, and very dear to her heart; an outcast who finally found a home and recognition in Canada… do they have the right to take this action on her behalf posthumously? (Incidentally, Catherine died before abortion was legalized in Canada.) Issuing an advance press release inviting the media to film the return of the medal seems like a radical departure for Madonna House, which normally preaches the virtues of being little, simple, poor, childlike… and hidden. This action was anything but.
Yes, I hear what you are saying.