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I was born in Garson, Ontario, the third child in a family of four, one boy and three girls. As a young child I remember moving many times until my family settled in Bryson, Quebec where I lived until I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph. In 1947 we adopted a baby boy and that brought the number of children to five. My mother died in 1950 when I was fourteen years of age. That left a big hole in our family. My father’s sister, (Aunt) Delia, came to keep house for our family. Six years later in 1956 my father re-married and another girl was added to the family. I entered Religious Life in 1953 and stayed for five months. I was convinced at that time that God was not calling me to this life and so I returned home in February 1954. I went to summer school and started my teaching career in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. In 1956 I finally listened to a call which came once again to follow Jesus as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Pembroke. Since I was already teaching in Pembroke, I entered the Congregation on February 11, 1956 and continued to teach at Holy Name School. I received the Habit on August 15, 1956 and chose the name Sister Mary Yvonne. I recall that the next year in 1957 the Sisters bought a black station wagon. Since I had my driver’s licence before I entered, I thought I would never drive again! How soon things began to change. I spent my first ten years at the Motherhouse. My first two years were spent in Novitiate training and canonical year. At the end of that time I made my First Profession on August 15, 1958. The next month I began my year at Teachers’ College in Ottawa. There followed teaching assignments at St. Luke’s school in Petawawa (1959-61), Holy Name School in Pembroke,(1961-66) and St. Anthony’s in Chalk River (1966-68), (Teaching Principal). In the year 1968-69 I studied at the University in Ottawa and completed my B. A. Degree. Upon its completion I was assigned to Our Lady of Fatima School in Renfrew as a teaching-Principal. I had specialized in Primary Education and for the next two years I worked for the Renfrew County Separate School Board as a Primary Co-ordinator. While I enjoyed my work in this role my heart was in the classroom and so in 1972 I returned to classroom teaching. I had studied Primary Education for one summer in London, England and was anxious to implement some of the new things I had learned. I was called to work in Formation for the Congregation and so, in 1982, I left teaching in Deep River with much regret. I have fond memories of very happy years in Deep River. Attending the Intercongregational Novitiate in Arnprior with a novice, I resided with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough in Ottawa. Following that year I went to St. Louis, Missouri to prepare for Formation work. In 1985 the Novitiate was opened in Renfrew and I returned to Arnprior to work in many capacities. I was Formation Director for the Congregation along with being Assistant Novice Director for the Oblates. In addition to this I was Director of the Intercongregational Novitiate until it closed and Spiritual Director for the Sisters who came to Galilee for the Renewal Program. In 1993 I was elected to the General Council. During that time I continued to work at Galilee in Arnprior. I returned to live in Pembroke in 1996. The following year I was elected as General Superior of the Congregation and four years later in 2001, I was re-elected to this position. I enjoyed my years in formation and leadership and found it to be a privileged time. In 2005 I enjoyed a wonderful time of Sabbath, a truly resting time. In 2006 I celebrated with much joy in my heart 50 years of Religious Life. I do not know where I will go from here but I do know that God will be with me.
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