Class Notes

Virginia Heffernan signed a deal with Toronto’s ECW Press for her book on the ramifications of the multi-billion dollar Ring of Fire mineral discovery in the James Bay Lowlands. Settlers in the Wetlands: The Story of the Ring of Fire Discovery is a tale of prospectors and politics and the valuable discovery under the second-largest temperate wetland in the world in the traditional lands of the Cree and Ojibway. The book casts light on the growing global conflict among resource development, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous rights. The book is the product of Virginia’s MFA in creative non-fiction at the University of King’s College, Halifax. Publication is set for early 2023.

William Finn (aka Dohmie) Pfifer-Dohm was born Aug. 23, 2021 at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, U.K. His weight was 3.74 kilograms and rumour has it he is 55 centimetres tall already! Everyone thinks he has strong lungs and we dream he will wear his dad’s Queen’s jacket on campus 18 years from now! 

After a long and circuitous period of discernment, complicated by COVID-19, Paul Peters Derry MDiv (Vancouver), DMin (Chicago) and STM (Winnipeg), was ordained to the “transitional diaconate” by the Rt Rev Geoffrey Woodcroft of the Diocese of Rupert’s Land on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021. Ordained to the Ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Pastoral Care within The United Church of Canada (1990), Paul has wandered and wondered his way into the Anglican communion. When he was ordained the first time, he was “transferred and settled” to the Shared Anglican-United Church Ministry of All Saints’ Anglican Church and St Andrew’s United Church, Sept-Iles, Quebec. His involvement with Anglicanism actually goes back to his participation in the life and work of Canterbury House, the Anglican chaplaincy centre on the Queen’s campus, under the direction of the Rev. Sel and Joan Caradus. What a long and winding road it has been! Paul continues his work as clinical service lead - Spiritual Health Services at Winnipeg’s Victoria Hospital and to his commitment as certified supervisor-educator of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC).

I’d love to share my newest published work: my fourth oracle card deck was self-published this year. Cat Herbal Oracle Deck and I have lots more info about that new deck.

Happy to announce the publication of my fourth book in October 2021 from Dundurn Press. It builds on my research/writing on coping with modern-day complexity, but this time I take a more personal approach. Hard To Be Human: Overcoming Our 5 Cognitive Design Flaws is my attempt to examine what makes being human so hard some of the time. And along the way, I share some deeply personal anecdotes about my own struggles as they relate to the “5 Big Flaws” of the human brain/mind. I’m still getting mileage from my Queen’s philosophy degree!

Annette was recognized by Humber College as a recipient of the 2021 League Excellence Award. League for Innovation in the Community College is an international non-profit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. It has been dedicated to informing, inspiring, and celebrating innovation in learning, teaching, staff development, and student success. This award specifically celebrates outstanding contributions and leadership.