And they came…

Michele Nuzzo

April 6, 2009
Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. with Sr. Marie Vianney
It may have been raining all day, but the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia brought the sun with them to the Salt + Light studios. Three of them arrived on Friday from Nashville, Tennessee for Saturday’s “Meet and Greet with Toronto Youth” and the official screening of the documentary Beloved.
Sr. Catherine Marie (a member of the General Council) and Sr. Marie Vianney, two of the religious sisters featured in the film, were accompanied by Sr. Mary Emily (Vocations Director). They came bearing gifts, one of them being a painting (pictured) by Sr. Marie Vianney herself, who presented it to a very delighted Fr. Thomas Rosica. After a tour of S+L operations, they were quickly led to the studio. We kept them busy on camera, as we certainly couldn’t miss the opportunity to introduce them to our viewers in the rest of the country.
Painting by Sr. Marie Vianney
Sr. Catherine Marie joined host Alicia Ambrosio on the set of Zoom while Sr. Marie Vianney sat with Fr. Rosica to star in the 100th episode of Witness, which you won’t want to miss. Throughout the interview, I had to restrain myself from running to embrace her. The passion with which she spoke so earnestly and so simply about her love for Christ and her community brought tears to my eyes.
Sr. Marie Vianney began by recounting how she had gone from growing up in a non-Catholic family in Toronto to later become one of the most cherished members of the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Cecilia. She
shared the tremendous impact her parents had on her life and recalled her experience of how the order preserved its charism, surviving misinterpretations of the Second Vatican Council.
The Nashville Dominicans tour S+L
The Dominican Sister also discussed her love for painting and how her practice flourished during her years as a religious. Lastly, in honour of the anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II, Sr. Maria Vianney touched on the impact this Servant of God continues to have on the congregation as a whole and why World Youth Day has become "‘a staple in the fabric of the order."
Stay tuned for the premiere of this fabulous centennial episode of Witness.