Communitas Montreal

It is with great sadness that Communitas announces that our beloved Margaret has passed.

Margaret and her husband Hugh were two of the early members of Montreal Southwest Community Ministries/MSCM (as Communitas was formerly named) which was founded by Peter Huish in 1999.

She was a gentle indefatigable force in our organization, a member of the Steering Committee for many years, a constant member of our weekly visits to the various Institutions (Cowansville/Federal Training “Centre and B-16 minimum -as it was then called) and a regular presence at our Open Door weekly meetings and our yearly celebrations in Summer and at Christmas. Margaret was one of the few Open Door presenters who had their very own week when she ran the Canada Day Quiz every year in July.

Margaret and Hugh first came to Communitas through “Le Mouvement vers l’Espirit Communautaire” (MEC) when they introduced us to Community Building Workshops (CBW) in Montreal.  A direct result of that introduction was the holding in 2006 of the first CBW in a Canadian prison when it was convened in Cowansville Institution – with 16 participants (8 inmates and 8 volunteers from the community).  This was such a successful event that Communitas went on to hold other CBWs in other prisons and in the Community – many of them led by Margaret.

Ever compassionate and caring, Margaret was greatly loved by the many men she encountered on the inside.  During the time when she was no longer able to attend Chapel activities we were frequently asked about her, her health and whether there was any chance of her returning.  She cared deeply about the men we met and followed over the years and this was reciprocated long after these men left incarceration and returned to society.

Communitas mourns the passing of Margaret and offers our condolences to her children and their families.

May she Rest in Peace

10 May 2026

https://communitasmontreal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SouWester2026_02.pdf

This Giving Tuesday, help Communitas Montreal ensure second chances become lasting successes.

Communitas addresses the root of re-offending by supporting people returning from prison. We foster accountable, supportive relationships that are the critical link between incarceration and a positive life back in the community.

The numbers speak to the need and our reach:

In 2024–2025, we facilitated:

• 490 formerly incarcerated persons attending Open Door meetings.
• 1,024 participants in meaningful  Table Talk conversations.
• 250+  volunteer hours invested in personalized Circles of Support.

Don’t let this vital work stop. Your contribution sustains these programs, drastically reduces re-offending, and transforms individual lives while making our entire city safer.

💙 Give today. Reintegration is community work, and lasting change starts with your support.

Donate Here

To our dear friends and supporters,

We are coming to the end of 2025, and Communitas has much to report on!

Open Door.  Open Door continues to be a successful and engaging weekly community meeting attended by many from the community, as well as men on escorted absences from various prisons in Quebec. Our Zoom attendance also increased this year as some of our members are getting older and frailer and are no longer able to attend in person. Average attendance throughout the past year numbered 28, including five on Zoom, with 13 ex-inmates.

Table Talk. Every Friday at noon, Communitas hosts a free 3-course hot meal at our offices. Attendance has been very good, averaging 20 people for lunch every week. Enthusiastic and inventive volunteers prepare meals with a variety of meat, vegetarian, salad and dessert dishes and the buzz of lively conversation can be heard as one enters
the Undercroft. Everyone chips in to do the dishes, put away chairs, and ensure that the premises are shipshape. This year, we also added an hour or two of games with fierce competition on the backgammon board every week.

Summer picnic. For the first time, our summer picnic was held at a new venue through the generous offer of Maison Joe Mell. As usual, there was an abundance of food, and the attendance was in the 50s. The location near to de l’Eglise metro was very convenient and we welcomed new faces to this much-loved annual event.

Chapel Activities. We have been blessed to have CSC Chaplains Constantin and Sabrina continue to support us, allowing evening Chapel activities to continue twice a month at Montee St-Francois Minimum and FTC Medium  Security institutions, where attendance by prisoners is frequently in the high teens. Monthly attendance at  Archambault Minimum Security during the day is also continuing.

One-on-one Pastoral Accompaniment. We have continued our one-on-one pastoral visits to incarcerated men in both Archambault Minimum Security Institution and FTC Medium Security Institution. In addition to providing pastoral support, this is an opportunity to identify men wishing to have a Circle of Support and Accountability
(CoSA) when they are released.

As we start our 2025 annual fundraising drive, Communitas welcomes your donations for our activities. This is particularly relevant as we receive no Government funding, leaving us wholly dependent on donations from our members and supporters.

Donors can choose among three ways to contribute: (1) the DONATE button on our website www.communitasmontreal.org; (2) via e-transfer to [email protected], (3) cheques can be mailed to our office at 1444 Union Avenue. We issue tax receipts for donations of $20.00 or more. Monthly donors would
also be a tremendous support.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all members, supporters and well-wishers for your financial and moral support, without which our work could not succeed.

Michele Rattray-Huish, Chairman, Board of Directors
Mouvement Communitas Inc.

1444 Union Avenue,
Montreal QC, H3A 2B8
Tel: +1 514 244 6147
www.communitasmontreal.org

Michele and Jeri made a Saturday appearance on CJAD Radio talking about how Communitas is making a difference.

Difference Makers: Episode 7 – CJAD 800 – The Latest Audio and Podcasts | iHeart

We gathered last  Saturday, the 13th of September, at Maison Joe Mell, which was a new venue for us, having convened all our previous picnics at Marie’s house in Two Mountains.

The weather was perfect September weather- not too hot and not too cold,  and the 42 attendees spread out at the picnic tables in the garden or  under the canopy, or relaxed inside the spacious and comfortable  community space to eat, chat and catch up with old friends and new
acquaintances.

The food was overflowing as usual, brought in from far and wide, and when you add to that the chicken, hamburgers, and hot dogs being barbecued on site, as well as the corn being roasted, it was in every way a feast to be enjoyed.  We were blessed with the presence of two of the oldest Communitas members – Marie and Margaret – both in their nineties, with many making sure to take the time to have one-on-one conversations with them throughout the day.

A big THANK YOU to all who participated, brought food, cooked, helped with the set-up and pull-down, and special thanks to Maris and Marc for the generous offer of the space, and to Gordon and Jean-Marc for welcoming and serving us at their impressive residence.

We give thanks as a community for the blessing of the day and trust that our Communitas Picnic will continue in the years to come.

Michele,
Chairman, Communitas Board of Directors

The Communitas Summer Edition of the Sou’Wester has just been published.   Read about Bob’s skydiving adventure, a glimpse into Communitas’ Open Door, and one member’s take on the tension between the philosophical and moral necessity of redemption and the criminal justice system’s tendency to impose indefinite stigma on certain offenders. Plus, there is art, poetry and a new Letters to the Editor section.

Read it here!

This past year (2024-2025), Communitas marked its twenty-fifth year of supporting community
in Montreal. We continue to celebrate Communitas’ mission through fostering a community in which everyone has equal status.

As we move into a new fiscal year (2025-2026), we bid farewell to two of our long-standing board members, Pauline and Donald. We thank them for the years of dedication, compassion, and leadership they have devoted to our community.

We welcome in their place two new, first-time board members – Leigh and Nicholas, and look forward to the gifts they will bring alongside our returning board members: Jeri, Michele, Rosalie, Sabrina, and Steve.

We extend a special thanks to our donors without whom we could not carry out our work and thank them for their extraordinary generosity in 2024-2025.

We extend our gratitude to all who assume leadership roles in the many activities of Communitas, and feel blessed for the continued dedication of our volunteers, members and partners. Communitas would not be Communitas without you.

The Sou’Wester Winter 2025 edition has now been published. Read about the recent successful Communitas Art Fair and the Communitas Christmas Party, a message from our Volunteer Coordinator, an interview with Jared, and Mostly Legal tackles the future of prison reform in Canada!

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