THE SISTERS of ST. MARTHA CONTINUE to ‘CHANGE THE WORLD’

A strong foundation is important for any relationship and the one between Coady Institute and the Congregation of Sisters of St. Martha is historic and remains significant. Today, the Institute housed in what was the original Motherhouse of the congregation on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University and the order continues to offer support in various ways.

The relationship began with Catholic social teaching and the work of Rt. Rev. Moses Coady and Father Jimmy Tompkins and the Antigonish Movement. The people’s movement promoted adult education and cooperatives to improve economic and social circumstances for rural, resource-based communities throughout the Maritimes in the 1920s. Much of the work took place through St. Francis Xavier University’s Extension Department.

Sister Joanne O’Regan is a member of the Congregation of St. Martha’s leadership team who as a novice spent one day of the week working at Coady Institute.

Joanne says while Coady and Tompkins were seen as the founders of the Antigonish Movement, there were far more people involved on the periphery. This includes Sisters Marie Michael MacKinnon and Irene Doyle and other Marthas who were a part of the Extension Department and later Coady International Institute which was founded in 1959 following Coady’s death.

Marie Michael organized study clubs, edited the Extension Bulletin, wrote and gave speeches, and assisted with the Extension Department library. Her role in the library continued for many years and she welcomed hundreds of Coady participants throughout the years. In 1974, the Institute named the library in her honour.

Irene was the unofficial co-director of the Women and Work section of the Extension Department where she provided and distributed study materials, taught short courses and organized conferences and exhibits. She later pushed for legal rights for female cooperators.

“There was a real simple approach to the work,” Joanne says. “Their call was to be of service and they were hard workers.”

Joanne says Coady saw the value of the Sisters beyond the university noting Coady once said, “give me 50 Martha's and I could change the world.”

Sixty four years later, the Institute and the Marthas continue to partner to promote social change. As part of the lead up to the congregation’s 100th anniversary in 2000, the Martha’s wanted to focus on Catholic social teaching and engage the entire StFX campus.

The Coady Chair in Social Justice began as a joint venture between the Marthas and the Diocese of Antigonish with the first talk focusing on peacebuilding. Over the last two decades, the Chair has seen various formats including sponsored talks and fellowships. Currently, an advisory group is evaluating how the Chair will continue.

Recently, the Marthas made a significant financial commitment to support the Institute’s peacebuilding programming for two years.

“We just felt it was time in this world today, with what's going on in the world, we need people focusing on this again,” Joanne says noting that Coady Institute is a part of the Marthas DNA.

“The more we can bring people together to kind of tear down those barriers and see the humanity of each other, the more successful we'll be moving forward and solving the issues together.”

For the Marthas the commitment is not just supporting education programs, but it's supporting the partnerships and helping other groups grow and be successful, no matter where they are. This includes Indigenous people of this land but also around the world.

“We want to grow understanding and deepening of what it means to be treaty people and what does reconciliation really mean.”

Joanne says the Martha’s will continue to support participants, particularly women to come to Coady.

“It's a strong relationship and it may not be something that's day to day, but it's certainly there and we take it very seriously. It is about being a change agent, you know, how do we support people to be agents of change in the context that they live in?”

Joanne says there is a lot of the value of having a human connection and bringing people together from around the world in person. She says her own experience at Coady is an example.

“It was just such an incredible experience … I mean, it, it changed me. I had conversion after conversion.”

She notes this can apply to peacebuilding as well and creating a world that is inclusive with people growing together, living in peace, and leaving no one behind.

“When we talk about peace and just seeing the differences that people have and the approaches and working it out together. You can't replace that. Can you do some stuff online? Yeah, you can. And the more familiar we become with online, I think it's easier, but I don't think you can replace the in-person and having people in the room talking it out and learning from one another.”

Joanne says throughout the years the Marthas have served as teachers, nurses, and administrators who focused on justice and social work. At the core those called to the congregation were called to be homemakers.

We just can't help but try to make people feel home where they are. I think that's what Coady tries to do is help people find home and build home wherever they are. I love this place.