Vancouver Mission of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence - Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe

2012-02-21T16:10:00.004-08:00

Hey Vancouver!! Local Artist and friend to the Sisters of Vancouver is celebrating a new show with a big opening on March 1st from 6pm-9pm. The Sisters will be attending and rumour has it they have a surprise fror John. Will you join us?

Past, Present Future

2011-12-31T12:22:00.000-08:00

As one year ends and another begins, it's important to remember where we have come from, who we are and where we are going.

Here is a Link to some fabulous pictures of where we came from. Members of the first Toronto House of the Sister of Perpetual Indulgence ice skating in front of Toronto's City Hall.

As for the present, the Abbey is thrilled to welcome Novice Sisters Sweet Cheribum and Gaye Shafan as our newest novice members.

In looking ahead, the members of the Abbey are very excited by our plans to raise money for projects addressing homelessness among queer youth and continuing our work of becoming a Fully Professed House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. We hope you will join us in these efforts and may the new year be filled with joy.

One Joy! More Joy! Always Joy!

Busy busy Sisters

2011-12-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

The Abbey would like to welcome our newest Postulant Foxy G. Love.
Foxy declared her aspirantancy this Fall and jumped in with enthusiasm. Along with Postulant Gaye Shafan, the two sold merchandise at the John Ferrie portrait unveiling on November 17th.
Foxy stretched her vocal range by joining some of the Abbey members for Safer Sex caroling to promote AIDS Vancouver Red Ribbon Gala. On November 26th the carolers roamed along Davie street, in and out of businesses and pubs to spread joy and wisdom on safer sex practices through song.
Foxy also accompanied Novice Sister Petunia and Cadet Paladin SirCumStance to a Read Dating event at the Vancouver Public Library on December 1st. This was a fun event where participants between the ages of 19-35 met with individuals for a four minute discussion where music or literature were the focus of the conversation.

Postulant Gaye joined the Abbey members in the caroling and helped sell balloons at the AIDS Vancouver Red Ribbon Gala on November 30th at the Vancouver Museum. Along with Novice Sister Merry Q Contrary, Cadet Paladin Bamm Bamm and Postulant Sweet Cherribum, the members were able to charm the crowd and raise funds for AIDS Vancouver.

Novice Sister Alma Bitches was totally inspired when she lead the Abbey members in a song to honour artist John Ferrie at the portrait unveiling. Alma's energy captivated the audience and the members enjoyed a chance to support her as she embodied the joy of Macy Gray's song 'Beauty in the World'.

Postulant Sweet Cherribum gave a makeup workshop for some of the Abbey members as part of the on going Novice Teas. Postulant Sweet has been immersed in makeup school and was able to spark ideas for new creative ways to put on white face.

The Sisters have a way of bringing more beauty in the world and having people see the beauty they bring to the world.

Positive Change

2011-11-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, the Members of the Abbey are heading to the Museum of Vancouver to support AIDS Vancouver at their Positive Change Red Ribbon Gala.

Come on out and support the great work of AIDS Vancouver. For more information Click Here

Ferrie's Sisters:Unveiled

2011-11-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

Come on out Thursday November 17th at 8pm and celebrate with the Sisters of the Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe as they unveil the colourful and creative portraits of local queer artist John Ferrie.

The Junction (1138 Davie Street) has graciously offered to host this fun event.

There will be merchandise to purchase as John's portraits have been turned into greeting cards, magnets, stickers on novena candles and 13X13 reproduced prints.

All monies raised from the sale of merchandise will go to the Abbey's granting fund where the Sisters support local HIV/AIDS awareness groups, homelessness issues and Queer youth incentives.

Get a head start on Christmas shopping by gifting these graphic and fun representations of four of the Abbey members.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Conclave-Portland August 2011

2011-09-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

Into the Heart of the Conclave - Nuns & Roses

The 2011 Conclave of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – Portland, Oregon

By Novice Sister Petunia Encarnata

I was a bit scared yet filled with excitement when I arrived in downtown Portland on Monday August 15^th, 2011 all by myself. This was to be my first event (ever!) with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence outside of Vancouver, BC. I had an idea of the event schedule, but I had butterflies in my stomach as I knew nobody in this gathering of North American nuns and guards.

“Welcome, dear Petunia,” were the first words I heard after I knocked on the door of my Portland hosts. I was led into the Convent, the unassuming and inviting house shared by my the amazing and generous Guards Noah Shame & his partner Lance Boyles and Sister Mona Little More. I felt immediately at home and soon we were all involved in the art of putting on our sacred white faces, out on the deck in the backyard, getting ready for the Conclave opening ceremonies.

Surrounded by roses and a beautiful water fountain, the Conclave’s participants, after a short ritual, started dancing and singing ‘We Are Family’ declaring the Conclave open. The Portland Sisters named two saints and we shared delicious cocktails, mingled and introduced ourselves to one another. To my delight, I ran into our Abbey’s Mistress of Novices, N.Sr. Ethica Slüt.

All apprehension on my part was gone by the time we arrived at the next venue where the Portland Sisters delivered checks to the grant recipients of this year’s fundraising efforts. Any reservation I had was replaced with a sense of camaraderie and joy. The Portland Sisters gave away about $6,000 U.S. to community organisations!

The next three days were filled with educational workshops where we shared the dynamics and particulars of being Sisters. Some of the topics included ‘The Sacredness of the White Face’, ‘Elements of Rituals’ and ‘HIV / AIDS Prevention Education’. Soon into the heat of the workshops, I realized what really impressed me most about this community of nuns. It was the seriousness of their commitment and the generosity with which they give back to their communities. The Sisters embrace diversity very well and I was thrilled to meet among the members bio-women, transsexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, gay men and everything in between (I have yet to find a straight man among them!). There are smokers, drinkers, addicts and people in recovery. Some who were religious and non-religious, spiritual and non-spiritual, atheists, agnostics, Christians and non-Christians, those who like rituals and those who don’t.

Thursday evening was particularly special for me. During the day we applied everything we learned to create a public blessing ceremony for the City of Portland and a renewal of our vows and commitment to the Sisterhood. After the blessing, in which we invoked the elements and read aloud the poem “Ode to Portlandia”, we faced the people present in Pioneer Square and renewed our vows. Some of the citizens were moved to tears. Then we dispersed to mingle with the community giving and receiving hugs. Some moved on to do bar ministry, dancing our hearts and heels away till well past midnight.

I came back to Vancouver renewed and refreshed from the love and energy of my encounters and re-commitment to my universal vows. This experience taught me that no matter how others see us or how mainline religions perceive us, the Sisters are here to stay. We’ll continue to spread our wings to the ends of the Earth flying in the space and time of compassion, joy and a guilt-free world. God save the Sisters!

Constancy Amidst Change

2011-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

It is often said that “the only constant is change,” and this is true. Our plans change, our bodies change – even our identities evolve and transform over time. Yet, if you gaze at a photograph of yourself taken as a child, and then at yourself in a mirror, I will wager that you will be convinced you are seeing the same person. So what is it that stays constant?

I believe that there is a consistency of being which remains with us always – the uniqueness of what makes you you, and what makes me me. I see this as a profound gift – whether we characterise that gift as coming from the universe, from god(s) or goddess(es), or simply the fortuitous blend of our DNA and life experiences. And the way I respond to being given a gift is through gratitude, and through enjoying the gift I have been given.

Service is the expression of gratitude for the gift of one’s being. In other words, it is a tangible demonstration of love. Our motto – “One Joy! More Joy! Always Joy!” – articulates this impulse perfectly. When I have been out with members of the Abbey in the community, I experience and see the joy of loving service as it is both offered and received. This reaching out toward one another is what makes us human and humane – a mutual giving and receiving of gifts that intensifies the gratitude we all feel to the creator/universe and to one another.

In the past several months, the Sisters have been busy attending local Pride festivities. I’ve been to the celebrations in Vancouver, in Surrey, and in New Westminster. When the Sisters appear, light happens, faces beam, eyes glow, hands and arms extend in embrace, there is joy. I’ve seen this with leather dudes in the West End, with extended Indo-Canadian families in Surrey, with high school students in New Westminster. Very different lifestyles and backgrounds, one single reaction to our ministry – a concrete expression of our shared humanity, our grateful natures, our common love.

As the Abbey begins looking forward to our activities this fall – our second Tenting for Homelessness event, helping with the AIDS Walk and events around World AIDS Day, and many others – I am looking forward to experiencing more of this. May the gratitude I feel touch those whom I meet, looking forward to the day when it ignites the whole world with loving, mutual service. Let this be the constancy amidst the change we see in ourselves, and in the world.

--Cadet Paladin Bamm Bamm

Pride Parade 2011

2011-08-08T15:20:00.000-07:00

It was a full day of festivities at the Pride Parade.

The makeup’s been rubbed from my face, my feet are bare after kicking off the heeled boots I wore tromping on the pavement and I put on shorts after peeling off the leather chaps... ahhh...

It was a good day to be with the Sisters. As a Cadet Paladin my getting ready takes a fraction of time it does the Sisters. It’s fun to witness them swipe the white base makeup over the features of their face covering up clues to their true identities. They can sit in front of their portable mirrors meticulously applying the layers of colour, gems and whatnot for up to two hours.

I’m a supportive member to the work the Sisters do in the community, which makes my role slightly different. When I’m out with them I’m more of the behind the scenes kind of guy, but dressed in leather with grease paint on my face, I managed to squeeze into one or two pictures.

Our group has swollen this year and it was such an honour to march with our newest members Novice Sisters Petunia Encarnata and Alma Bitches. I enjoyed watching then wow the crowd, strike poses for photos and spread the joy of being a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence. Our Novice Sister Alma, saw us marching in the parade last year and here she was just twelve months later tossing her veil and smiling for the rows and rows of people as she sashayed by.

We were supported this year with the attendance of Sister Yuriko Lomein and Sister Dominé Trix from the Seattle House. Also marching with us was our newest aspirant Robbie, our naughty school boys Chris and Gordon and our Faerie Family Holly and Raspberry. But we have to give a special thanks to Marie for her continued support and the use of her convertible! Not only did the car help us look more fabulous, but there was lots of room to carry all the crap that it takes to be a Sister.

We were early in the parade line-up so we got to Sunset Beach well before the crowds descended upon it. Our newest Cadet Paladin Bamm Bamm met us with food and beverage, which were greatly appreciated and needed after our busy morning. This was another opportunity for people to coral the Sisters to take a multitude of digital images with them and of them.

There’s excitement at knowing our trip along the parade route may have sparked a fledging Sister-wannabe in the massive crowd of onlookers. Upon seeing us in all our glory they thought ‘I want to be a part of that!’. Our continued exposure to the queer communities of Vancouver and beyond helps us to grow in a good way. The goals for the Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe to bring continued awareness of HIV and AIDS, as well as shed light on homelessness in the Greater Vancouver area and help at risk queer youth, are concerns that need immediate and ongoing attention. We can better help these communities if our group of Joyful Nuns grows.

As I sit here, picking glue from my eyelids where the false eyelashes were, I’m filled with gratitude to my fellow Abbey Members and wonder who’ll be called to join us in spreading ‘One Joy, More Joy, Always Joy’!

(photos courtesy of Sergei Bachlakov. Thank you)