Religious Sisters in the Diocese of Calgary

Did you know that there have been Religious Sisters present in this part of Alberta from before it was the Diocese of Calgary? It seems, however,  that the Second Vatican Council was the stimulus for the Religious women’s communities to form a Sisters’ Council so that they could work together and support each other. 

Starting informally in 1967, the Calgary Diocesan Sisters’ Council was inaugurated under Bishop Paul O’Byrne in 1969 with constitutions, election of executive members, and a mission to facilitate communication between the Diocese and the various communities of Sisters and as a forum where Sisters’ views could be heard. 

Carol Hollywood, the Archivist for the Diocese of Calgary, noticed that there seems to have been a time in the 1970’s when the Sisters’ Council ceased to exist, but in 1980, Bishop Paul O’Byrne invited the Sisters of the Diocese “once again to gather as a group of women Religious to strive for a common focus”.  As a result, the Sisters’ Council was succeeded by the Council for Religious. 
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As stated in an archival document: “The Council for Religious is an association of women Religious of numerous different communities, congregations, institutes and orders who are working or studying in the Diocese of Calgary.  It is a sign and represents all Religious who work to fulfil their role in a spirit of union.” The membership was intended eventually to include Religious men, but to start as ‘Sisters only’ until it was firmly established. 
After some years, the name of the group was changed to the Assembly of Women Religious as the group retained its ‘Sisters only’ status.  The present-day mission statement reads: To provide opportunities for the Sisters to communicate with one another for the purpose of ongoing formation, prayer, collaboration, and social gatherings and to provide a way for the Bishop and the Sisters to communicate with each other.

So, where can you see the various men and women’s communities witnessing to their Consecrated Life together? A good opportunity for this is at the celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life on February 2nd every year. Of course, there is the video we made on Consecrated Life in the Diocese that can be viewed on the Diocesan website under Consecrated Life. Just to clarify: Religious Life is the most common type of Consecrated Life in the Church, but there are other forms of Consecrated Life also present.

Other occasions for visiting with the Sisters occur at the St. Luke’s Knights of Columbus Sisters’ Night in September every year and the various vocation events presented by the Sisters’ Vocation Committee, in cooperation with the Office of Vocations. See the following poster for FIAT - A day of retreat for single, Catholic women (16+) discerning Religious Life. More info here

​Again, hopefully, we will be having another Vocations Rally in Easter season where you can meet the Consecrated persons of the Diocese along with the Diocesan clergy and seminarians.

AWR Executive Team (2024): From left to right, Sr. Dianne Turner, OSE (Chair); Sr. Njeri Kamau, ASN (Treasurer); Sr. Marianne Zimmermann, RPB (Vice-Chair); Sr. Paula Mullen, FCJ (Secretary)

At present, the Sisters of the Diocese of Calgary continue their cooperative work for the good of the local Church. A new executive for the Assembly of Women Religious was elected by the Sisters of the Diocese of Calgary on May 5, 2024.

As we continue with the Pastoral Renewal of our Diocese, the Consecrated men and women among us are witnesses to the aims of the renewal in their lives totally given over to the Lord. In your encounters with these dedicated ones, you will see that in their very consecration, they are inviting us to know Christ, they are witnessing to Jesus Christ in word and deed, and they lead others with mercy and passion. 

Please continue to pray for the Religious men and women of our Diocese and to promote vocations to the Consecrated Life in our Diocese. ​

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Written by Sr. Dianne Turner, Assistant Vocations Director. To inquire about Consecrated Life in the Diocese of Calgary, email Sr. Dianne 

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