A “Praying Powerhouse” Has Moved Into the Neighbourhood

This past Summer, St. Charles was blessed with 19 new parishioners. As Father Paul announced to the Parish upon their arrival, “ A Praying Powerhouse has moved to the neighbourhood”. They are members of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of Mary Immaculate.

Recently the Oblate Mother House at 601 Aulneau in St. Boniface was sold to the Manitoba Catholic Health Corporation. Over the next two years, the building which previously served as the Mother House will be renovated into individual suites. When they are completed, at least 40 of these apartments have been promised to any of the Oblate Sisters who are able to live on their own. The complex will be called Villa Aulneau.

In the intervening period, some of the Sisters who prefer not to stay on their own are residing at St. Charles Convent (formerly called St. Charles Retreat Center). It will be run like an assisted living complex. It is well suited for older residents, being on one floor and having 24 hour care with a nurse and health care aids.

The Sisters who previously lived at the retreat center have moved to apartments. This is a big change for one sister who called the retreat center home for 30 years.

Presently the convent is full to capacity with 19 permanent residents and one Sister who works out of town but uses the convent as a home base. Since moving to the convent, two Sisters who were ill have passed away.

When they were younger, the Sisters had various careers – teaching, counseling and working in food services as well as various other jobs at the Mother House.

What do retired Sisters do to fill their day? They have daily Mass and especially appreciate the French Masses at the convent on Monday at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 4:15 p.m. The Sisters who are well enough enjoy going for long walks and having exercise classes five times a week. They share the daily household chores, knit and work on puzzles. Occasionally they will receive a phone call regarding a problematic situation and the Sisters are asked to pray for the people involved. They also regularly visit the 13 members of their community who are in the Tache Center Nursing Home.

I asked them how they felt about being relocated from the St. Boniface Mother House to St. Charles Parish. Many said that it felt like they were “coming home” since they have taught at St. Charles Academy during their working years. One sister said she enjoyed seeing the children from the school running around the playground. They enjoy the quiet of their new home and feel closer to nature. The Sisters have already seen some of the wild life in the neighborhood – geese, squirrels, deer and even a fox. All agreed that the parishioners have been very friendly.

To learn more about the Congregation of the Missionary Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of Mary Immaculate, check out their website. The site tells about how the order began in 1904 up to their latest venture in Pattaya, Thailand.

http://www.missionaryoblateSisters.ca/missionary/historical.html

Thank you to Parishioner Eva Arseneault for writing this interview.