One year after authorization was granted on November 25, 2024, for Montreal to be an ‘overseas’ community of the Province of Europe BFMN, Sr. Aline Bertrand reflects on their decision as a natural continuation of shared history and mission, as she describes the discernment process, expected benefits, and challenges of this new alignment.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and your community?

Sister Aline Bertrand. I am a joyful octogenarian, a member of the Congregation for sixty years. I have been the Province Leader of Montréal since 2017. However, since May 12, 2025, I have had the joy of assuming leadership of the Montréal community, now part of the Europe BFMN province.

Our community has twenty-four sisters, most of whom live at Carrefour Providence, a large inter-congregational residence for elderly sisters. Four of our sisters carry out a Good Shepherd mission outside Carrefour Providence. One of them offers support and temporary accommodation to immigrant women in a small community residence that we have kept specifically for this mission.

The Montréal community also journeys with about ten partners-in-mission and around thirty associates.

Why did you choose to associate yourselves with the Europe BFMN province?

I would say that this choice came to us quite naturally, as something evident, a logical continuation of our history. Why? First, because of our attachment to our country and our city of origin. Founded in 1642, Montréal (formerly Ville-Marie, in New France) was born from a missionary project of the Catholic Church in France. As for our own foundation in 1844, it goes back to Angers, from where our four foundresses came, bearers of the charism and mission entrusted to them by our Holy Mother. Another reason lies in the long-standing collaborative closeness developed over the years between our two entities, back when Europe BFMN and Montréal were still distinct provinces. This collaboration was particularly evident in the field of initial and ongoing formation, with each generously sharing its resources with the other.

What was the reflection process that led to this choice?

Within the broader reflection carried out across the congregation, we sought what could nourish life—both the life of our members and that of our mission—for the present and for the future. Aware as well of the demographic reality of our two provinces, we wanted to lighten our organizational structure so that we could move forward together with a lighter step. This long process of discernment, at once dialogical and synodal, led us to submit to our congregation leader the request for authorization to move from the status of province to that of community attached to the Europe BFMN province.

This authorization, granted on November 25, 2024, became effective on May 12, 2025. We are now very happy to be an “overseas” community of the Province of Europe BFMN .

What do you expect from this coming together?

We hope, above all, for a consolidation of what we have already experienced in our collaboration with the Europe BFMN province: mutual support, a deepening and updating of our Good Shepherd charism, and a creative development of our mission for today and the future.

What challenges and what blessings do you foresee?

The main challenge is undoubtedly the geographical distance. But this is largely offset by the means of communication we have today and by our creative desire to maintain and circulate life among us.

The challenges and the blessings will likely be the same as those we have known in our past collaboration with Europe BFMN, but with the adjustments proper to our new status as a community. Among these are ongoing communication to nourish the living bond that now unites us with the Europe BFMN province and with our new, large spiritual family.

• This article was first published in Le Mag’, the bi-monthly magazine for the Province of Europe–Canada (BFMNM)