Lead story
Sisters of St. Ann Donate 4 Million to Development & Peace
Gay Decker; Development & Peace, Montreal
Volume 31 Issue 4, 5 & 6 | Posted: June 12, 2017
May 4, 2017, Victoria, British Colombia—Today, Development and Peace—Caritas Canada was delighted to announce the receipt of a $4 million donation from the Sisters of St. Ann of St. Joseph Province, which will be invested in a Solidarity Fund supporting the organization for many years to come. The donation is the single largest private contribution that Development and Peace has received to date.
“We are extremely grateful to the Sisters of St. Ann for their very generous contribution to the long-term vision and mission of Development and Peace,” said Serge Langlois, Executive Director, “It is especially poignant to receive their support in our jubilee year, as we celebrate 50 years of solidarity with the people of the Global South and reaffirm our mission to helping the world’s most vulnerable.”
May 4, 2017, Victoria, British Colombia—Today, Development and Peace—Caritas Canada was delighted to announce the receipt of a $4 million donation from the Sisters of St. Ann of St. Joseph Province, which will be invested in a Solidarity Fund supporting the organization for many years to come. The donation is the single largest private contribution that Development and Peace has received to date.
“We are extremely grateful to the Sisters of St. Ann for their very generous contribution to the long-term vision and mission of Development and Peace,” said Serge Langlois, Executive Director, “It is especially poignant to receive their support in our jubilee year, as we celebrate 50 years of solidarity with the people of the Global South and reaffirm our mission to helping the world’s most vulnerable.”
The announcement of the donation was made at St. Patrick’s Parish in Victoria, British Colombia, where the Sisters of St. Ann joined Serge Langlois and other supporters and members of Development and Peace and the Parish of St. Patrick’s for a small recognition ceremony.
With the interest generated from the capital in the Solidarity Fund, Development and Peace will support education, advocacy and international development projects: 75 per cent of the interest will be directed to projects focussing on four main goals: peace and reconciliation, equal rights for women and men, ecological justice and democracy and citizen participation; and 25 per cent will be allocated to international aid to mitigate humanitarian crises.
“From the beginning of our congregation, the Sisters of Saint Ann have worked to alleviate poverty through education and health care both in Canada and elsewhere. From its beginning 50 years ago, Development and Peace has been a valued partner as our members became part of local, provincial and national initiatives. Today more than ever, the goals of Development and Peace need to be pursued and we are pleased to be able to provide a lead donation to the Solidarity Fund, ensuring its work continues into the future,” said Sister Marie Zarowny, Province Co-leader, Sisters of Saint Ann.
Development and Peace is one of the most important international development organizations in Canada. It was founded in 1967 by the Canadian Catholic Bishops as a means of inspiring Canadians to act in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in the Global South who are suffering the injustice of poverty. Over the past 50 years, Development and Peace has invested $600 million in more than 15,000 projects in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
Development and Peace is a strong and diverse movement that brings together Canadians from all over the country working for justice to enable that the poorest people to live with respect and dignity. Development and Peace is also Caritas Canada, official member of the Caritas Internationalis confederation, an international network of more than 160 Catholic development organizations.
The Sisters of Saint Ann is a congregation of religious women founded in Vaudreuil, Quebec, in 1850 by Blessed Marie Anne Blondin. The Congregation was originally formed to educate children in rural Quebec.
After their arrival in Victoria in 1858, the Sisters set up schools and hospitals throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Gay Decker; Development & Peace, Montreal