Twenty-five years after the Grey Nuns handed over their works in our communities, Réseau Compassion Network has grown and evolved to continue to respond to needs with a spirit of love and compassion, from the heart. As we celebrate this quarter-century of care and service all year long, we’re so encouraged by what we’ve been able to accomplish together, and are truly grateful for all of those who have said “yes” to be part of this journey with us.
We were initially created as a solution to take over certain governance responsibilities for the organizations that the religious sisters had created, when they realized they would no longer be able to fulfill that role into the future. As the torch was passed, it quickly became clear that a new movement was forming that would evolve with time and experience.
Along the way, Réseau Compassion Network has used this experience to discover and fine-tune the particular gifts we can offer to be of service to our Network organizations and to our community.
Today, we now have a better understanding of how to add value to our Network organizations by supporting a focus on organizational culture. One that is inspired by a contemporary expression of the Catholic faith-tradition that upholds and advances the principles of dignity, justice, equity, and compassion. Our Network organizations need to remain beacons of hope and trust for the people that we support, the staff, and the broader community with each encounter, fostering environments where every individual feels valued, respected and can reach their full potential.
We invest in capacity building and processes to support our volunteer boards and management teams, enhancing their decision-making and stewardship of day-to-day operations in their respective Network organizations. This include support for board governance training, leadership succession, strategic planning and other areas where they may be in need of some expertise to think through a particular problem.
Most recently, we have been exploring ways with which we can go beyond our Network and into community to see how we can play a part in developing new solutions that respond to the needs of people who continue to face many barriers that contribute to their ongoing oppression, marginalization, vulnerabilities, and that are deterrents to their well-being. We focus on projects that align and reflect the experience of a deeply interconnected human family, where love and respect for each person’s dignity are paramount.
We’ve invested and developed new deeply affordable housing with supportive environments for people living with mental health concerns, with developmental disabilities and for new Canadians who have chosen a new life here in our community. We’ve invested and worked along side our Network organizations, the United Way and other funding partners to help launch Huddle/Rassembler, a bilingual walk-in hub providing medical, social, and mental health supports for youth in our community.
We were invited to support the Clan Mothers by facilitating a transfer of land so that Indigenous women elders can pursue their vision of building a Healing Village to support women, girls, two-spirit and transgender persons who have been victims of multi-generational trauma, sexual violence, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
We have introduced Inspiration Grants to support the aspirations, talents, and creativity of front-line staff in our Network organizations. These funds are allocated to implement the innovative ideas proposed by dedicated staff members on the front lines to better serve individuals who utilize our services. They understand the people they support well and often see clear solutions but lack the funds to act.
Father Gerry Arbuckle, a Cambridge University trained social anthropologist and a priest, said that it takes 25 years for a culture to form, and we here, at Réseau Compassion Network, feel the momentum building since we’ve been given the opportunity to forge a new path forward from our founding women religious congregations. We are grateful to have been given the responsibility to do so and are looking forward to the road ahead – with curiosity, an open heart, and our sights on the needs of our community today.
Please keep an eye out for special events, social media content and website additions that will tell our stories and celebrate our journey. We’ll be sharing and celebrating all year long, and we hope you’ll join us along the way.