The Ministry of the Sisters of the Order St. Benedict in the Province of Alberta (1955 to 2019)

In 1955 the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict in Arborg, Manitoba responded to a call to teach in the province of Alberta in the new R.C. Assumption School in the village of Oyen. Since that grace-filled call, the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict have continued to minister to this day in other areas of the province of Alberta.

Their call came on December 20, 1954, when Fr. Stephen Molnar, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oyen, Alberta wrote a letter to Rev. Mother Dorothea, O.S.B., prioress of the  Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict in which he requested the services of two teaching Sisters for the newly established Assumption R.C. Separate School District #5- (October 1, 1954) in Oyen, Alberta. The parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish had taken a great leap in faith and courage when they had the first Separate School District established in 27 years outside the cities and towns of the Diocese of Calgary. Thus, while the school district became firmly established, and plans were moving forward for the construction of the school, the greatest need still had to be addressed which was to obtain the services of at least two teaching Sisters who would pioneer this brave venture.

To his grateful surprise, Fr. Molnar received a reply from Mother Dorothea dated March 3, 1955 which indicated that the Sisters would be willing to respond favorably to his request pending the receipt of further detailed information and a site visit.

Following this hopeful response, Fr. Molnar quickly contacted the R.C. Bishop of Calgary and plans were swiftly put into motion for the sisters to begin a canonically established branch house, known as St. Benedict's Convent in the village of Oyen, Alberta.

As in all great plans and dreams, when the four Sisters arrived in Oyen, Alberta, on August 24, 1955, they found that the new school and convent were not ready. Furthermore, neither would be ready till the following May. Sacred Heart Parish had purchased a three-story home from a local Hutterite colony and made plans to have it moved sometime in the future near the site where the school was to be built. In the  meantime, the Sisters would teach in the parish hall and church sacristy or wherever a space for a classroom was available, and they would live in the parish rectory.

The first four Benedictine sisters (as they were commonly known) that arrived in Oyen, Alberta were Sr. Cecilia Socha, superior and homemaker, Sr. Clementine Janicki, piano teacher who would provide private music lessons to pupils in the village, Sr. Mathilda Lucas, teacher and principal (grades;7-9), and Sr. Gerarda Pura, teacher (grades 1-6). Besides teaching, the latter two Sisters took care of the sanctuary and altar linens at the Parish church, prepared the children's choir for both Low and High Masses, went to the  three Mission churches (Sibbald, Youngstown & Sunnybrook, Alberta) each Saturday and Sunday to provide religious instruction to the children. For the first couple of years, these Sisters also provided the janitorial service in the school as the budget was not able to handle the salary for a janitor.

Within a few years the school population grew and soon there was a need for more teachers. By 1963 there were six sisters living in the convent and ministering where needed. In all, 26 Benedictine Sisters continued their various ministries in Oyen and surrounding areas until 1973.

Meanwhile, in 1963 Fr. Molnar was transferred to Calgary to start the new Parish of St. Cecilia in the south west area of the city. Since he was so pleased with the missionary spirit and cooperative work of the Sisters of St. Benedict in Oyen, Alberta, he dared again to send a plea to the new prioress of St. Benedict's Monastery in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mother Clothilde Kolano. This time his request was for several Sisters to teach in the two R.C. Separate Schools located within the parish boundaries, namely, St. Cecilia's and  St. Matthew's Schools. Initially, five Sisters were sent to establish a convent in Calgary — Sr. Eleanor Grzymalowski (house superior & private kindergarten teacher), Srs. Lioba Broda and Imelda Koldesk (teachers at St. Cecilia's school), Sr. Gregory Koldesk (teacher at St. Matthew's school) and Sr. Christina Wenger (housekeeper).

Following the firm establishment of the second convent in the province of Alberta, the ministry of the Sisters of St. Benedict continued to flourish over the years mainly in the area of education. Their teaching in the two original elementary schools soon expanded  to teaching religion in various elementary, junior high and senior high schools in the Calgary Catholic School system (St. Mary's community school, Bishop Grandin, Bishop O'Byrne, Bishop McNally, St. Rupert's, St. Benedict's, Bishop Kidd, Holy Cross, St. Mary’s High School) as well as working as an itinerant teacher for the Calgary Catholic School Board with special needs children in the area of visually impaired and developmentally delayed students and as a consultant for the developmentally delayed students. Additional works of the Sisters included ministering as Diocesan Liturgical Director at the Calgary Diocesan Liturgical Office; Director of Religious Education and RCIA at St. John's and St. Patrick's parishes; parish ministry as pastoral assistant at St. Patrick's and St. John's parishes; as member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission; provision of adult religious education in St. James parish, Okotoks and St. Michael's parish in Black Diamond; nursing at the Calgary General Hospital; serving as house attendant at Diakonos House South (a residential house to provide refuge for first responders during difficult personal circumstances) in Calgary and Diakonos House North in Edmonton; and providing spiritual direction, directing retreats and training new spiritual directors at Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton.

This June 2019, marks the end of an era of Benedictine presence In Alberta. After 45 years of teaching, Sister Dorothy Levandosky is retiring from teaching, returning to her home at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
​
Reflecting on the ministry of the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict in the province of Alberta over the last 64 years, one can see that their response to a call to Alberta and to the various ministries has come from their discernment to do God's will as a community and as individuals. Their mission to witness Jesus Christ is visible in their contemplative living, provision of hospitality, a daily rhythm of community and personal prayer and their reverencing ministry to all God's people within and beyond their community.

We are saddened to learn that Sister Mary Anne Mulvihill, Sister of Charity of St. Louis, was tragically killed in a vehicle collision Wednesday, April 24, near Princeton BC at 2:45 pm MST. At the moment, no date has been set for the funeral. We will keep you posted.

​Let us pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Mary Anne and for the consolation of her family, community, and friends.

Although on the inside I said, No, I don’t want to! My heart softly pondered on the thought. ‘Will Jesus want me? A nun?’ Throughout those High School and early College years – that question, now growing into a kind of song, became a strong force that led me to sneak hours after school to spend time before Jesus in the Eucharist at our church. Mom sensed my silence. Dad was confident that something beautiful was being nurtured in me.

Eventually, when I decided to leave home, it was not so easy to leave. I said Au Revoir as well as come and visit me. My dad eventually said to me, ‘why would I not offer my dear child back to God? She belongs to Him. She is ours as His gift and should we not offer her, to Him as our gift in thanksgiving?’ So, this has been my journey. Now I’m serving in Calgary with the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM). There were rough roads, slippery roads, lots of smooth roads—a lot marked by many blessings.” 

If you would like to know more about becoming a nun, let's chat. 

​Sr. Carmelita Cusay, FMM | Religious Sister in Calgary
Caseworker for the Marriage Tribunal at the Canonical Services Department, Catholic Pastoral Centre. 

Bishop Frederick B. Henry
A native of London, Ontario, Bishop Frederick Bernard Henry was born on April 11, 1943; the eldest of five sons in the family of Leo and Noreen Henry. After finishing high school, he entered St. Peter’s Seminary, London. He became a priest on May 25, 1968. In 1971, he earned a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, and in 1973 a Licentiate in Theology with a Specialization in Fundamental Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He was an Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at St. Peter’s Seminary from 1973 - 1986 and Dean of Theology and Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary from 1981 - 1986. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of London and Titular Bishop of Carinola and ordained to the Episcopate on June 24, 1986. He was installed as the fourth Bishop of Thunder Bay on May 11, 1995 and installed as the seventh Bishop of Calgary on March 19, 1998. Bishop Henry’s episcopal motto, ‘Dabo Vobis Pastores’ (I will give you pastors) is taken from Jeremiah 3:15, which reads ‘I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding’. This was the motto of the seminary in London, ON where Bishop Henry taught before coming to Calgary. As Bishop, he was passionate about addressing abortion, euthanasia, the disregard of the poor, and the education of young people. He was motivated by his love for the priesthood and by the growing population of Calgary. On January 4, 2017, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Henry, and has appointed the Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of the Diocese of Peterborough, as his successor. 

Rev. John Maes  
Fr. John Maes was born in Antwerp, Belgium in January of 1943. He went to Edmonton seminary and was ordained a priest on May 18th of 1968 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary by Bishop Harrington. He served as the Assistant Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary in 1968, followed by Canadian Martyrs in 1971. He went on to serve as Pastor of a number of parishes in the Diocese of Calgary, starting with Holy Cross Parish in Fort Macleod (1973-77), St. Andrew in Vulcan (1977-80), St. Augustine in Taber (1980-84), St. Basil in Lethbridge (1984-89) and St Thomas More in Calgary (1989-95). His last pastoral assignment was also his longest. He served as the Pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, Medicine Hat from August 1998 until his retirement on July 31, 2010. 

Rev. Jaroslaw Dziuba
Father Jaroslaw ‘Yarek’ Dziuba was born in 1965 in Chrzanow, Poland. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1993 for the Society of the Divine Saviour, an order which emphasizes the universality of the Christian vocation, animating lay people to live their baptismal commitment and to be witnesses of faith in their private and social life. Within the Diocese of Calgary, he has served as a pastor at St. James, Calgary (2007-12) and St. James, Okotoks (2012-16). Father Yarek is presently the pastor of St Joseph, Calgary where he has served since August 2016 and he is also the Dean of Northwest Calgary. Among many things, Fr. Yarek is known for his theological and deep understanding of the Divine Mercy.

Rev. Paul Raj
Born in 1965 in Palayamkottai, Tirnelveli, Fr. Paul is seventh of eight children. He has five brothers and two sisters. He decided to join the Diocesan seminary after grade 10 but his parish priest then vocation director looked at him and said that he was too young. After Grade 12, he joined the Pallottines and became a priest after 11 years of studies. He was ordained on December 19, 1993 by Most Rev. Irudaya Raj, D.D., Bishop of Palayamkottai Diocese, Tamil, Nadu, South India. He completed his Masters in Pastoral Theology in the Philippines in 2001-2004. He then returned to India to continue serving the church as a pastor and shared his knowledge by guest teaching in the seminary for the next 5 years and offering Pastoral Theology classes to the lay people. His ministry highlights thus far as Pallottine Priest has the Church he built and a 27 class room high school. His first assignment in the Diocese of Calgary was at St. Cecilia in 2014 as an assistant pastor. Father Paul is presently the pastor of St. Cecilia in Calgary and has been since December 2014. He is also the Vice Superior of the Pallotines in Canada. 

Rev. Albert Sayson
Father Albert Sayson was born in 1962 in Naga City, Philippines. He studied in a Catholic school run by Chinese priests. This school provided students a venue to grow in faith and to be involved in church work as altar servers or members of the school choir. He served as an altar boy right through his high school years and continued to work as a convent boy during his first year of university. After almost a year, he was encouraged by Fr. Joseph Chen to attend a vocation campaign search. Out of curiosity he participated in the gathering and following that began to pray for guidance to take the entrance examination to enter in the seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 8, 1993 in Taytay, Rizal, Philippines. He is presently serving on his first assignment in the Diocese of Calgary as the associate pastor of Holy Family, Medicine Hat where he has been since December 2014. In his own words he said “I am so grateful to all the people who have been supportive and prayed for me. It is in the Mass that I encounter Jesus who has guided me and who I have been celebrating Mass for 25 years for. I am still encountering Jesus with all the people who attend as I celebrate the Eucharist. It was at the Chrism Mass that I renewed my promise to serve God’s people and his church as I celebrate my 25th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. I am so grateful to celebrate my anniversary with other jubilarians in the diocese of Calgary.”

Rev. Jacek Walkiewicz
Father Jacek Walkiewicz was born in 1967. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1993. One of the main motivations of his priesthood is his love for serving and being with his people. He belongs to the religious order Society of Christ. He was sent to North American province in 1995, not long after his ordination. He was in Chicago for 4 years working as the pastor for Holy Trinity Church. He then served at Sacred Heart, Guelph, Ontario, which was his longest tenure so far. After fourteen years, he served at St Cyril and Methodius in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for two years. In 2015, his Superior Provincial asked him to go to Canada. He was assigned as the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Calgary. 

​Sr. Mary Clare Bednarik, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
​Mary Clare was born in Czechoslovakia in 1928. Her family immigrated to Medicine Hat, Alberta where she grew up with one sister and one brother. It was here, while completing her education, that she met the “Louies”. Mary Clare went to Levis, Quebec to join the Sisters, soon becoming bilingual. She professed her vows in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Following the completion of a B.A. and B. Ed, Mary Clare became an efficient and well loved educator in Saskatchewan and Burnaby, British Columbia. She was later led to use her skills as treasurer in the community’s Provincial Administration. In her own words, Mary Clare stated that “there was much to do in the Kingdom” so she embraced a variety of volunteer activities, sharing with many the gifts God had graciously bestowed on her over the years. This included 12 years in Oliver, BC with the Indigenous community and parish ministry, gardening and fruit gleaning with the Okanagan Gleaners ministry before retiring to Calgary in 2014. Mary Clare recognized and acknowledge the hand of God in every phase of her life. “The Lord called me from birth,  from my mother’s womb he gave me my name”, (Isaiah 49:1)… “…even to your old age I, the Lord, am the same, even when your hair is gray I will bear you” (Isaiah 46: 4).

Sr. Dolores Blanchette | Sisters of Providence
​Sister Dolores says, ‘I was born in Girouxville, in a small town north of Peace River, where I was the second of five children. As far as I could remember, I always wanted to be a Sister Missionary. I became acquainted with the Sisters of Providence while working in the McLennan Hospital and I entered the novitiate in Montreal, in 1947. In 1949, I came back West and worked in different Missions. In 1977, I was sent to Egypt to open a mission along with two other Sisters from Quebec. In 1992 I came back to McLennan, Alberta and worked with the elderly there until my transfer here to Father Lacombe Centre in 2016.

+ Sr. Anna Stauber, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
​Sister Anna was born in 1927 and raised on a farm near Success, Saskatchewan where she loved the farm life and all its activities. At St. Joan of Arc Academy in Swift Current she first encountered the “Louies”. By the next summer she was off to Quebec to join the community so beginning her religious life. Three years later, back in Saskatchewan, she started teaching, which she loved, and continued when she moved to Calgary. Later Anna began a missionary life in Ilo, Peru. It was there that she came to love simplicity of life and the poor.  On returning to Canada, she updated her theological and scripture studies at Newman College in Edmonton before undertaking parish ministry in Regina and Edmonton. She loved sharing faith and had a heart to share the Good News. In 1989 she joined the Native Ministry Team in the Oliver, BC  region where she spent 24 years with the Indigenous people and the parish in Oliver. To round off her experiences and her desire to “be evangelized by the poor” she spent 6 months in Haiti teaching English. Anna is now retired in Calgary. Anna is grateful for all the blessings God’s has given her over these 70 years.  “I was taught that God always has special blessings when we follow his lead – and I’ve found this to always come true for me”

Sr. Marilyn Matz, FCJ | Faithful Companion of Jesus
​Sr. Marilyn Matz FCJ is celebrating 65 years of religious life in the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus. Marilyn was born and grew up in Empress, Alberta. She went to school to the FCJ sisters and entered the novitiate in Calgary. Marilyn taught Chemistry and Math in her earlier years. Subsequently she served the FCJ Society as Local, Regional and Provincial leader. Marilyn’s time in Igloolik, NWT/Nunavut was one of the happiest for her. Marilyn always liked scrabble and still plays some Saturday mornings.

Sr. Bernadette Gaetz, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
Sister Bernadette Gaetz was born in Medicine Hat in 1939, one of four girls in a family of eleven. She entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis in 1956, became a teacher, and later a Home Economics teacher during which time she had the privilege of designing the Home Economics Room at McCoy High School in Medicine Hat. She became a member of her Congregation’s Western Formation Team, and then a General Councillor from 1994 to 2006, serving first in Rome and then in Montreal. At the end of this mandate she returned to Lethbridge, where she settled into retirement. Among the blessings of her life she counts her teaching years and her twelve years as General Councillor, because they gave her the gift of visiting and meeting our Sisters throughout the world. Sister Bernadette now lives in retirement in South East Calgary, filled with gratitude for the rich life which has been hers for over sixty years.

Sr. Ria Gerritsen, SCSL | Sisters of Charity of St. Louis
“Ria” was born in Deventer, the Netherlands, immigrated to Canada with her family, and settled in Calgary. She completed her schooling there in Calgary, religious life formation in Medicine Hat, and her teaching training in Moose Jaw and Alberta. She taught for several years in Medicine Hat and Saskatchewan before launching forth for theological studies at Newman College in Edmonton. She was Directress of Novices for several years, then worked in parish ministry before undertaking further studies in Rome and sitting as a Councillor on the Generalate Leadership Team in Rome. While there she wrote the first biography of the Foundress written in English, entitled Led By Love: a Biography of Mother St. Louis. Upon her return to Canada, Ria has used her many gifts in parish ministry, translation work, archives management (both Diocesan and Community), retreat ministry and as a member of our Provincial Leadership Team. Now enjoying retirement in Calgary, Ria continues translating from French to English,  she follows  her passion for writing and has more time for quiet, contemplative life.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30-31)

Sr. Margaret Nadeau | Sisters of the Precious Blood
I was born in Medicine Hat and was baptized in St. Patrick’s Parish there. After attending school in the ‘Hat, graduating from St. Theresa’s Academy and then working for a  a few years,  I entered the Precious Blood Monastery in Calgary, near St. Ann’s Church, on October 3rd,  l955.  Part of my formation in religious life was given at the Calgary Monastery before I was transferred to the Central Novitiate of our Congregation in London, ON. I pronounced First Vows in London on April 30th, 1958, Feast of St. Catherine of Siena. In the 60 years of my religious life, I have enjoyed assignments to many Monasteries across Canada including London, Regina, Nelson, and Hamilton. I have also appreciated being  part of my home Precious Blood Community in Calgary where I presently live. It is a blessing and a privilege to  pray with and for  the Church of Calgary, the universal Church and the needs of all people.​ 

Sr. Pauline Michaniuk | Sisters of the Precious Blood
I was born in Mission, BC in 1946. When the Fraser River started flooding my parents moved to Calgary in 1948. I was raised in St. Anne’s parish and attended St. Anne’s School. There I was involved in the school field days, which I enjoyed very much. Then I went on to St. Mary’s Girls High School. By this time I was working on the weekends and was involved with the Sodality of Mary. At the parish I joined the Catholic Youth Organization and the Legion of Mary.  Our family lived a block away from the Sisters of the Precious Blood Monastery. They asked if I would pick up their mail after school and take it to the mailbox. That was my introduction to the Sisters. I entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood on October 15, 1965, and made my First Vows on October 15, 1968 in London, ON.  I am happy to be back in Calgary after being away for 25 years. I have had many transfer throughout those years, which was for my growth and understanding of life and my life in Christ. The Lord Jesus has been my Shepherd, Guardian and friend all these years, and for the years to come.

Sr. Ely Orolfo Nasol, DM | Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church Institute
Sr. Ely was born in the province of Albay in the Philippines in 1962 where she is the third of four children. For her secondary education she studied in a Catholic School run by the Benedictine Sisters where her vocation to the religious life was awakened. She wanted to be a missionary sister from an early age but the sisters told her to finish her university degree. After finishing her BS in Biology she started her teaching career but the call to the religious life became irresistible and she entered the convent in 1990. She believes that joining the Daughters of Mary was God’s will for her because she did not even know the name of the Institute when she entered in 1990. She pronounced her first vows in 1993. After finishing her years of formation she was given the opportunity to have further studies in the consecrated life in preparation for her assignment as Vocation Directress and later on as Directress of Novices. She was also given the opportunity to finish her Master’s Degree in Theology after her election as Secretary General of the Institute. In 2016, after finishing her second term as Secretary General and Councilor she received with joy her assignment to Canada. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary she wants to spend her life doing God’s will. In her own words she says, “If I have to waste my life, I will waste it by doing God’s will for me.”