Engaging with our World > Our Ministries
"Imagine a world in which people would face the situation that we are in and ask the question: 'Isn't there something we can do?' ... Surely we could do something if enough people were asking the question."
- David Steindl-Rast, OSB
From their founding in 1926, the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception followed in the tradition of St. Marguerite d’Youville in responding to the changing needs of the world in which they live.

Expanding rapidly beyond their roots in Ottawa, Pembroke, Sault Ste. Marie and Eganville, Grey Sisters travelled throughout Ontario (Timmins, Kirkland Lake, Englehart, New Liskeard, Thunder Bay, Moosonee, Windsor, Midland, Penetanguishene, Victoria Harbour, Waubaushene, Toronto, Whitby, Oshawa, Port Credit, Newmarket, Barrie, Deep River, Arnprior, Renfrew); to Quebec (Farrellton, Montreal); Manitoba (Brochet, Churchill); Saskatchewan (Lestock, Esterhazy, Stockholm, Ile-A-La-Crosse); British Columbia (Agassiz, Atlin, Burnaby, Mount Currie, Vancouver); the North West Territories (Fort Smith, Yellowknife, Rae-Edzo, Wha Ti, Rae Lakes, Tuktoyaktuk) and the Yukon (Whitehorse).

Grey Sisters' ministries have been as varied as their geographic locations – education, health care, care of seniors, pastoral care, prison ministry, music education, work with a focus on social and ecological justice and numerous other areas of service. Like their founding Sisters, they combined a spirituality of trust in God’s providence with a practical wisdom born of engagement with the world in a wide variety of settings.

Grey Sisters also undertook ministry overseas in China (1929), Japan (1951), the Dominican Republic (1951), the Bahamas (1960), Ireland (1998) and Thailand (1998). In addition, Grey Sisters are involved with a number of initiatives which they sponsor:

Marguerite Centre in Pembroke provides contemplative space for those who desire spiritual and personal growth through spiritual direction, retreats, community gatherings, educational programs and workshops to challenge and influence the spirituality of our culture and promote social change.

Kairos Spirituality-for-Social Justice Centre opened in 1998 in Ottawa, offering spiritual direction, small group reflection and prayer experiences as well as workshops on spirituality, social justice, and ecology. For more information, contact kairos@bellnet.ca

The Canada/Dominican Republic Experience offers young adults (ages 17-26) the opportunity to experience the Canadian reality as well as that of the Dominican Republic.

THRESHOLD Players, an amateur theatre company, focuses on presenting plays that give voice to people on the margins of society and on a new vision of relationships between persons and the planet. For more information, contact Connie Goulet, gsic or Mary Ruddy, gsic.