Meet Sister Margaret Shannon, A Sister of St. Joseph of
Peterborough
A Life in Retrospect
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Sister Margaret Shannon
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On February 2nd, the coldest day of that year, Ennismore
Ontario welcomed me as a brand new citizen. I enjoyed the
first five years of my life as a happy little girl on our
farm when, as a family, we moved to Buffalo, N.Y. For me,
this was a life upheaval that all but spelled destruction;
leaving the quiet and peace of nature at its best and being
set down in the rush, the noise, the clang of a bustling big
city. On the heels of this came the next disaster. I was enrolled
in a school that housed hundreds of city ‘kids’
all pursuing an education. Lost in the long halls, alarmed
by bells, taught by other-worldly (I thought) teachers who
turned out to be Sisters, I withdrew inside and shut down.
Each year I was moved to the next grade (I think my desk was
needed.) The highlight of each day was dismissal and home
to safety.
I survived six years and a half on automation. In mid January
of Grade seven year, we returned to the farm. God was on my
side now. I was back to school the very next day with a teacher
who dared to presume some potential in spite of my report
card. I became a student overnight and the following year,
passed with honours into high school. Had this little rebel
been transformed? The Ennismore Continuation High School saw
me through the first three years and I completed Grades 12
and 13 at St. Joseph’s Academy, Lindsay.
For a few years air waves echoed sounds of a ‘call’,
I was less than enthusiastic and told God so. The echoes grew
louder. The following September, I arrived at Mount St. Joseph
with a firm intent of staying for THREE weeks only.
Having completed my Canonical year, I attended Teachers
College and began a long and wonderful teaching career. A
few years in elementary, then to OCE and I moved to High School
where I believe I belonged. I received a B.A. at Ottawa University
and Masters in Theology at St. Michaels’s College, Vermont.
For a number of years, I served as Principal of the High
School, St. Andrews West, Ontario, then to St. Peter’s
High School , Peterborough and finally a lengthy time at St.
Pius X High School in Ottawa.
I retired from teaching in 1980 and took a Sabbatical in
Denver, Colorado focusing on Spiritual Direction and Directed
Retreats. After this gracious year, I was asked to co-ordinate
Villa St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Cobourg where I took off
my shoes for twelve years...this was Holy Ground. After a
partially quiet year, I became involved in the Spirituality
Centre at Mount St. Joseph and retired after ten years.
Now I am happily involved at Mount St. Joseph with ample
time to pray, to read, to play, to prepare...for the Next
Step.
...and the THREE weeks are not up yet...
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