Solidarity quilt starts cross-country journey
The B.C. Catholic
A Canadian aid group has begun to celebrate its golden jubilee with a wish for solidarity, and with a patchwork quilt.
“Reaching our 50th anniversary offers a great opportunity to show how CCODP has faithfully persevered in its mission of solidarity,” said Danny Gillis, one of the head organizers of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.
It’s a chance “to reflect on how we can strengthen our organization and a chance to invite people to join our movement.”
CCODP will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017. Gillis hopes the celebration will inspire others to “join in the fight for social justice.”
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, celebrated Mass in Holy Rosary Cathedral Feb. 29 for members of CCODP, past and present. The celebration included a commemoration of the group’s beginnings and the unveiling of a piece of a quilt representing Vancouver.
“The quilt was made by a religious artist, Tilly Milton, who is a member of CCODP,” said organizer Pinky Pascual. “The way she depicted Vancouver … really shows the solidarity we have with our partners on the global scale.”
The patch of the quilt came alongside a piece from Victoria, the Western starting point of the quilt’s travels. “Tomorrow I will be sending these two quilts to Nelson, where they will have their own celebration and add their own quilt patch. Eventually this will become a big quilt of solidarity when it reaches our head offices in Montreal.”
Attendees mirrored the solidarity the quilt represented, Pascual said. Members of CCODP since its inception in 1967 were present in the crowd.
“I’ve only been with CCODP for five years,” Pascual exclaimed, “but these people made me question what made them stay. What made them carry on for years and years? They just believe in the work that they do.”
“Pope Francis has been a source of inspiration for us in all his teachings, and because of his charism to work with the poor,” Pascual noted. “It’s really important to uphold the dignity of human development, and CCODP gives me an opportunity to do so.”
“It is not just about knowing the teachings of Jesus, but actually acting on them.”
