Lost in Traffic

On September 26, 2006 the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and Labrador, in collaboration with the Presentation Sisters, sponsored the play “Lost in Traffic” at Holy Heart of Mary High School auditorium in St. John’s. This was a theatre presentation, produced by Le Theatre Parminou, a Quebec-based touring theatre troupe and was made possible through the collaboration of the Canadian Religious Conference Atlantic Justice Office and the Congregational leaders of Atlantic Canada.

The play was performed by four professional actors to show the problem of human trafficking and the urgent need to take measures to counter this worldwide network of organized crime. It was directed mainly towards senior high school students and approximately 700 Grades Eleven and Twelve students from the Eastern School District and a small number of representatives from the community and various social agencies attended.

It is our hope that as a result of this performance there will be a greater consciousness of the need to come together to study and reflect on ways to end this terrible exploitation of women and children. In fact, reports from a number of those who attended the play inform us that further discussion is already taking place by the students around this important topic.

The Congregations are grateful to Sisters Mary Tee and Maureen O’Keefe of the Mercy Congregation and Sisters Marie Ryan and Emma Rooney of the Presentation Congregation for their involvement in taking care of the multiple details connected with the staging of “Lost in Traffic”. Both religious congregations were pleased to share their resources with the youth of this area by giving them an opportunity to come together and reflect and discuss this critical issue in today’s society.

For thirty years, Le Parminou has created over 400 thought-provoking and interactive plays dealing with current social themes, including addictions, AIDS, violence and human trafficking, not only in Canada, but also in the United States and Europe.

Messages to Madonna Gatherall rsm