INNISFAIL – Minutes before the start of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Feast Day, Sister Marie Clarkin pulled out a piece of paper she brought for the annual celebration and read a special message from the 17th century French missionary.
“All I have ever desired most deeply and what I still most ardently wish is that the great precept of the love of God above all things and of the neighbour as oneself be written in every heart,” read Sister Marie.
She and Sister Paula Maher are Alberta’s two remaining sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame sisters from Montreal who are still giving their hearts to minister the town’s poor and impoverished, as well as providing vital spiritual support to Innisfailians and students and staff at Innisfail’s St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School.
“We are not nuns. We are sisters. Nuns take solemn vows and they stay in their monastery,” said Sister Marie, who has resided in Innisfail for the past 18 years while Sister Paula has been in town for 12. “(Saint) Marguerite didn't want that. She said, ‘we need to be among the people, so we're sisters.”
On Jan. 12, both enthusiastically attended the school’s annual St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Feast Day; a day that honours St. Marguerite who was canonized in 1982 by Pope John Paul II and became the first female saint of Canada.
Schools that bear the 17th century missionary’s name note her love of God and neighbour was expressed in a commitment to the mission of education.
“St. Marguerite Bourgeoys was very interested, very concerned about teaching and so our congregation has been teaching,” said Sister Marie. “And basically, she preferred to teach the Indigenous, the French, the poor and people on the margins.”
As for their mission in Innisfail, Sister Paula said they come to the local Catholic school as often as they can.
“It depends when they have certain activities or we will drop in and ask staff how they are doing but we are aging now,” said Sister Paula, whose mission in Innisfail with Sister Marie includes visiting the sick and elderly and helping families living in poverty. “We are the last two sisters that are here unless other sisters are sent."
“We continue to do what we can as we age and we work with children and help them out,” she added.
While the future of the Congregation of Notre Dame sisters in Alberta and Innisfail remains uncertain, the depth and commitment of the sisters is never in doubt. They are revered by students and staff, especially on Jan. 12 when the school honours the legacy of Canada’s first canonized female saint.
For the first time the school laid out a spaghetti lunch, prepared and served up by staff and volunteers.
“Celebrating the feast day of our patron saint is important because St. Marguerite stood for education, diversity and inclusiveness,” said school principal Stefan Labrecque, noting that after she immigrated to Canada she “set the stage” for Catholic education in this country.
“And so, we take one day out of the year, and we try to do this as often as possible, to celebrate and to reflect on her. It is really important to give thanks and to be gracious for what she has provided for us.”
