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Following Jesus and Emilie

Around mid-December, the volunteers throughout Montreal go to the prison to prepare the gift bags with the donations we received or the items bought with the money, so that every prisoner gets the opportunity and joy to experience beautiful moments despite her particular situation.

“I was in prison and you came to me!”

In recent years, towards the end of the month of October, some of us Sisters of Providence (who are volunteers to the Leclerc Detention Facility in Laval and before that the Tanguay Prison), take advantage of the customary generosity of our companion Sisters of Providence of the Motherhouse and of the surrounding area, as well as other religious congregations (about fifteen) who live in our large house.

Yes, we solicit their help to collect donations (goods or money) to prepare a “gift bag” for each of the numerous women (about 240) who are incarcerated at the Leclerc Prison.  In this special living environment, not every donation is allowed, but the volunteers give from their hearts and with the friendships they have formed through the weeks and months of going on Saturday nights for the Sunday Mass.

Around mid-December, the volunteers throughout Montreal go to the prison to prepare the gift bags with the donations we received or the items bought with the money, so that every prisoner gets the opportunity and joy to experience beautiful moments despite her particular situation.

This coming December 24, the volunteers, the Pastoral Committee, and the detainees who want to do so, will meet at the chapel to participate in a special Christmas Eucharist for Jesus’ birthday, the Emmanuel (God with us and within us).

Subsequently, inmates will return to their respective areas for the distribution of gifts by the volunteers.

It is with joy and even a palpable emotion that the friends of Jesus and of ours will receive the fruit of collecting donations. These gifts will then be supplemented by the purchase of several items allowed in this special environment.

Following in Blessed Emilie Tavernier Gamelin’s footsteps, who visited political prisoners in her time, when we spend Christmas with really poor persons and as we get closer to Jesus, we receive much more than we can give.

Claudette Chénier, SP, Volunteer at the Leclerc Detention Centre in Laval