A Day to Remember
On the warm Saturday evening of June 25th Associates, former students, co-workers, and friends gathered for a Mass of Thanksgiving which was celebrated by Bishop Douglas Crosby, Monsignor Sheridan, Father David Avila in the historic Church of St. Mary, in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 1957, Mother Angela Schwartz, Mother Anthony Garibaldi and Sister Ena Maguire came to Hamilton to meet with Bishop Ryan, who had requested sisters for the Diocese of Hamilton in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
In 1958 Sisters Angela Mannion, Josephine St. Leger, Morag Collins and Elizabeth Butler, were the first Cluny Sisters to minister in Canada. For sixty-four, (64) years thirty (30) sisters have served in the ministries of education, many of them have gone home to God. As the population of Hamilton increased, the roots of their presence and ministry began to expand. The sisters’ presence in education grew in the elementary schools of St. Joseph’s, Christ the King Parish, and Holy Rosary Parish in Guelph. Through the years Cluny Sisters have also taught in Cathedral Girls High School and later in St. John De Breuf.
The presence of the sisters was not only in the classroom, but has also been in all areas of Parish Life—Religious Education, Eucharistic Ministry to the homebound, Hospital Ministry, Parish Ministry and support for families in many difficult and challenging circumstances.
In later years, Sister Joan Van der Zyden served as Pastoral Minister in St. Joseph’s Parish and in the years following Sister Regina Brunelle began to serve with the Brothers of Good Shepherd in their ministries to the poor and marginalized.
Beginning in 1975, with large numbers of Portuguese immigrants, Sister Maria Rocha and years later, Sister Maria Mendes began to work with the new comers in Religious Education through the Portuguese language; Youth Ministry; Cultural Heritage.
With the support of the Catholic Board of Education, a Portuguese Information Center was established at St. Mary’s Parish. For 47 years, Sister Maria has been a continual and consistent presence of prayer and ministry as she served.
The Readings for the 13th Sunday were focused on the Call—Bishop Crosby in his homily reminded all of us of the call we have each received and set Sister Maria as an example how to respond to that Call.
Following the Liturgy, there was a reception in St. Mary’s Parish Hall. Over 125 guests: Associates, former students, co-workers, families joined in a meal to remember the many ways that they had been influenced, supported and loved by the Cluny Sisters who had been in their lives.
Sister Genevieve thanked the guests for their presence. Sister Maria, then thanked all those who were there and with whom she had worked so closely. There was a table with about 25 adults, who had been in Sr. Maria’s first Youth Group. They had all stayed in touch and 40 years later they came together—more experienced, with their families to thank Sr. Maria for the ways in which she had helped them navigate the experience of being an immigrant. Through her own experience of being an immigrant, she could truly empathize with their challenges and the tension of holding on to their birth culture as they integrated into their new Canadian lives.
The evening ended with emotional good-byes, and with a deep sense of gratitude on how the daughters of Blessed Anne-Marie had done “a little good” and had inspired others to continue to live with that generosity of spirit, as Jesus calls, “Come follow me” .
