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Being an Associate has an impact on my life

Deirdre Pike

After 14 years of parish ministry in several parishes in Southern Ontario, I took a different path in my ministry recently when I became a Social Planner with a Social Planning and Research Council. 

In this new position, I have been able to take my experience of community building at a parish level and apply it to community development work in various ways throughout the city.  I am currently working on building a Hepatitis C Network through Health Canada funding, as well as with the Khmer (Cambodian) Association, the Chinese Community and various geographical neighbourhoods in the city.

This work is very much about education in the broadest sense, something Blessed Theresa directed much of her life's work toward.  Since many of the groups I work with are marginalized and face issues of accessibility, I feel my work is bound to that aspect of Blessed Theresa's charism that led her to constantly widen her vision to include more people in need.

Being an Associate has a big impact on my life in terms of keeping me spiritually grounded.  Our local cluster meets monthly and engages in prayer and reflection.  The time spent there often stays with me during the rest of the month and helps me to be faithful in deepening my daily prayer.

As an Associate I am socially connected with some amazing people who provide great examples to me of how to live a life rooted in love.  I am now a part of the Associate team and enjoy that aspect of ministry as well.