By Richard Rudashama, Animator for Western Quebec and Eastern Ontario
I never cease to admire those who, despite the weight of their daily lives, continue to keep their candles burning in the face of the world’s oppressive and complex political, social, and economic dynamics. For them, “out of sight” is never “out of mind”. We are all neighbors on earth, pilgrims on a shared path.
Whatever the size of their flame or the storms around them, these people light it, rekindle it and keep it burning. They are the keepers of the flame of hope and resilience, a fire that burns brightly in the Davids of the South, against the globalized Goliaths.
From the age of 7 to 77, I’ve encountered these people in the circuits of Development and Peace – Caritas Canada. Often anonymous, they don’t shout from the media rooftops. Yet, from coast to coast, they tirelessly think, creat, network, mobilize, defend and advocate for a better world.
My admiration grew even deeper when I learned that within our organization, there are people aged over 100 years old who continue to stay informed, express their outrage, and act for social justice and development.
I had the privilege of meeting two of these “old and proud” individuals, as one of them describes herself. They are Mrs. Jaqueline Lamarche Dugas and Abbé Pierre Bergevin. Jacqueline was born on March 18, 1921, while Abbé Bergevin was born on August 3rd, 1921. At 103, both possess inexhaustible memories and captivating eloquence. They graciously agreed to share their motivations and hopes with me, andI, in turn, share this interview with you.
What motivates you to remain committed to the missions and values of Development and Peace – Caritas Canada (DPCC), and continue your involvement despite your age?
“DPCC’s work puts the Gospel into practice,” Jaqueline spontaneously replies. “It always goes towards the poor, the needy, the marginalized, and the abandoned. Ever since I was young, the idea of helping those in need has always been a core value of mine. DPCC helps me stay true to myself.
Abbé Pierre adds that we are fortunate to have an administrative and community system that allows us to help people in need here in Canada. “In the countries of the South, our sisters and brothers are not as fortunate, yet the happiness we enjoy here comes from them. Helping them is simply returning the dignity that was taken away from them in one way or another.”
Indeed, at 103 years of age, Jacqueline still has projects for mobilizing resources for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada. Last year, for example, her project to make and sell greeting cards enabled her to send two cheques for $300 and $200 to the organization.
What is your wish for our sisters and brothers in the south?
“Self-determination!” automatically replies Abbé Bergevin, joined by Jacqueline in the same vein. “We need the populations of the South to be able to develop and become autonomous, so that they don’t continue to depend on us in other ways.
What is your wish for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada?
For Jacqueline, “Development and Peace – Caritas Canada needs to grow stronger, with more members and financial resources. We need to expand and increase our capacity to intervenein both the South and the North so that those we help become our equals”.
Abbé Bergevin adds, “We will reach a time when we will no longer need Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, because everyone will have achieved autonomy, and human dignity will be a reality for everyone.”
To conclude, if you were 50 years younger today, what would you be doing?
Both would contiune doing what they’ve always done: working to restore dignity and smiles to the oppressed and marginalized. Recognizing the importance of resources, Jaqueline says she would work even harder to mobilize funds for the organization.
Abbé Bergevin adds that he would continue to “educating Canadians about the root causes of injustice and poverty, and the role they can play in reversing these trends”. Furthermore, he says, “I would give anything in the world for our priests to realize the importance of Development and Peace – Caritas Canada and their role in promoting it. They need to speak about the organization in their communities, during Mass. They don’t have to wait until the end of Mass to read the messages prepared by the organization. Development and Peace’s work is the purest materialization of the Gospel.”
“We should have these messages included in parish bulletins, like Les dits du curé, where priest could relate their own message to the Development and Peace – Caritas Canada campaign.”
The conversation was so captivating and rich, I didn’t want to leave. As I looked at the photo I had just taken of Jacqueline and Pierre together, Pierre said “It may not seem as much, but it’s 206 years of life”. And as he glanced at my clean-shaven head, he smiled and said, “You don’t have any problems with a comb, do you?”. And the laughter continued in Jacqueline’s warm and welcoming living room.
On the way home, I had the feeling that I’d whetted my curiosity rather than quenched it. I couldn’t shake the burning question: what motivates each and every one of the people who work for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, day in and day out, as volunteers? So, to you who are reading this article, what motivates you?
