We often believe that faith can sustain us in the face of any trial. However, traumatic experiences force us to look into dark corners of ourselves, to confront our notions of life, God, suffering and even death. In the end, we need to derive meaning from the experiences we weathered, and create a personal or communal culture of resilience.
Many religious communities in Canada suffered as they faced lockdown, often unable to be at the bedside of their dying sisters and brothers, and grieved them while funerals were sometimes deferred. During webinars organized for the CRC members in September and October of 2020, the theme of resilience was addressed by Fr. Daniel Renaud, originally from Quebec and currently ministering in the American province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. In this interview, he offers encompassing perspectives on the challenges of grief and isolation, especially in religious contexts, to foster resilience for those facing such situations.
This interview is taken from the Fall 2020 issue of the ad vitam webzine “Hope in Times of the Pandemic”.