Grace in Service: Celebrating 25 Years of Sr. Mary Grace Valdez, SP

With a heart rooted in faith and a life shaped by service, Sr. Mary Grace (Mae) Valdez, SP, celebrates 25 years of grace-filled commitment to religious life.
 
Born in Quezon City, Philippines, on February 16, 1975, Sr. Mae is the eldest of three siblings. She is the daughter of Pedro Valdez (deceased) from Sanchez Mira, Cagayan Valley, and Emily Salting from Rosario, La Union. Her mother now resides in La Trinidad, Benguet, which Sr. Mae calls home when in the Philippines. Her parents planted the seeds of faith, humble service, and compassion, which would blossom in her journey of religious life.

After earning a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management and working in the hotel industry, Sr. Mae left her career to answer God’s call. She joined the Sisters of Providence in 1999 at age 24, entered the Novitiate in 2000, and made her First Profession of Vows in 2002. In 2009, she took her Perpetual Vows, fully committing her life to the service of God and others.

Sr. Mae completed her initial years of formation and her theological studies in Manila and Quezon City, Philippines. During this time, she was actively involved in diverse ministries, serving as a parish catechist and working with children with physical and mental challenges, street children, and the abandoned elderly in various institutions. These early experiences profoundly shaped her compassionate heart and commitment to mission.
 
She later served as Pastoral Care Coordinator at Bahay Puso, a Home for the Abandoned Elderly, under the Diocese of Balanga, Bataan, Philippines. Accompanying residents, especially those nearing the end of life, Sr. Mae worked tirelessly to reunite them with their families, offering emotional and spiritual care and bringing dignity to their lives. In preparation for this ministry, she obtained Clinical Pastoral Education.
 
As a final professed Sister, she served in the Diocese of Balanga, Bataan, Philippines, volunteering at Klinika ni San Jose, a clinic for the poor. Initially, as a full-time patient screener, she met and assisted patients from various towns and remote areas. Later, she became the clinic co-director, continuing her screening duties. Known for her diligence and integrity, she ensured that those most in need received appropriate care and services.
 
She also worked at Bataan General Hospital as an employee, assigned to the Medical Social Services Department, where she served in the charity wards. There, she conducted bedside interviews and strongly advocated for patients who could not pay their medical bills, defending their dignity with unwavering compassion, even when it involved personal risk.
 
In 2007, Sr. Mae came to Holy Angels Province in Western Canada for a seven-month Cross-Cultural Formation Program before her final vows. After returning to the Philippines, she felt called to minister in Western Canada. In 2012, she joined Holy Angels Province and was missioned in Midnapore, Calgary. She earned her Health Care Aide certification in 2013 and ministered at Father Lacombe Care Centre. Simultaneously, she was appointed Vocation Director of Western Canada, a role she embraces with unwavering commitment.
 
Elected as Provincial Councillor in 2017, Sr. Mae has devoted her life to service, faith, and mission. Today, as one of the Local Leaders of the Sisters of Providence of Western Canada and as Director of the Congregational Vocation Ministry Committee, she continues to guide and support communities, offering a living witness of God’s call and the joy of saying “yes.”
 
“Every day is a chance to respond to God’s call with faith and joy.”

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Written by the Sisters of Providence

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Connect with Sr. Mae Valdez, SP at [email protected] or by phone (780) 237-8001 |sistersofprovidence.ca