Meet Sister Ellamae
Boyer (Sister Mary Cyrilla) - A Sister of St. Joseph of Peterborough
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Sister Ellamae Boyer
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Ellamae Florence Boyer was born in Victoria Harbour, Ontario,
on October 4, 1909. Her early education was received in the
area schools in beautiful cottage country. She tells us that
she came from "Holy Ground." The Martyrs were captured
only a mile away from where she lived. She recalls walking
the four miles to the first Shrine in St. Ignace. Her home
was between both of the Shrines.
On September 8, 1927, Ellamae entered The Sisters of St.
Joseph of Peterborough and received her Habit the following
March 19th in the old auditorium Chapel. She was
then known as Sister Mary Cyrilla.
In her early Novitiate days she worked in the Dietary Departments
of Mount St. Joseph, and St. Mary's Convent, Peterborough.
She was then posted to the Orphanage in Cobourg for five years,
followed by one year at the Orphanage in Fort William.
Her longest assignment was in Parry Sound, where for seventeen
years she directed the Dietary Department at St. Joseph's
Hospital. Her many skills and talents took her to further
assignments in Honey Harbour, St. Joseph's Hospital, Peterborough,
Estevan, Marycrest, Kirkfield, Campbellford, and back to Honey
Harbour, a place close to her heart as it was near her home.
During Sister Ellamae's time at St. Joseph's Hospital in
Estevan, Saskatchewan, she volunteered in the Rehabilitation
Centre. She tells us that these six years working with the
Recovery of Alcoholics was the highlight of her mission experiences.
It had a profound effect, deepening her
sense of compassion and her prayer life. From Estevan, Sister
Ellamae returned to Ontario, first to Orillia then back to
Mount St. Joseph in Peterborough, in September of 1995.
Over the years, Sister Ellamae has participated in and graduated
from many interesting courses, which enhanced her career work.
Through the Catholic Hospital Association of the United States
and Canada, she successfully completed the required courses
for The Institute for Hospital Food Services. She received
certificates from the Saskatchewan Department of Education
in Business Management Development, Effective Supervision
and Human Relations. Most interesting was her graduation from
the Famous Artists School of Westport, Connecticut, where
she specialized in fine arts painting. Directing that course
was a faculty of distinguished artists, one of whom was Norman
Rockwell.
In 1997, Sister Ellamae celebrated 70 years in Religious
Life, a life dedicated to the works of her Congregation and
to the Church. She has recently celebrated 75 years in the
Congregation, and moves about cheerfully, visiting Sisters
and friends. When asked what Community means to her, Sister
Ellamae responds: "It means to me that I am part of a
group of persons who profess to follow Christ by our prayer
life, our union with God, our unity among ourselves and service
to those in need. This I have striven to do."
This she has surely done. Sister Ellamae is an example of
graciousness and cheer, as she goes about dedicating each
of her remaining days to her God, whom she vowed to serve
so many years ago.
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