St. Patrick's Day Reflection During a Pandemic
Last Fall, Cathe and I discovered the “Ellis Island of Canada” east of Quebec City. Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, Grosse île was a quarantine station for the port of Québec from 1832 to 1937. At the time, the island was the main point of entry for immigrants coming to Canada. We were moved by the story of Grosse Île, which stands in testament to both human tragedy and exceptional dedication. We learned of the troubling experiences of immigrants who set sail in the hopes of a better future, and those who cared for them upon arrival. There is an amazing Memorial to the Irish immigrants who arrived in 1847. More than 5000 perished on the island while in quarantine. Here is a link: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn- nhs/qc/grosseile Our forbears left famine, oppression, poverty, and hunger for a better life in America. The conditions on the ships were atrocious. When they arrived, many were isolated and never made it to their destination due to disease. In t