Holy Angels Province 2019 Jubilee
The Jubilee was on June 8th with Sisters celebrating 80 and 60 years as Sisters of Providence
Sister Kathleen Strain was born in Vancouver BC the eldest of fifteen children. She knew the Sisters of Providence at St. Paul’s Hospital and decided to join the
Providence Community eighty years ago. She went to the novitiate in Seattle Washington for one year of training as a novice. When she returned to Canada she was sent to New Westminster, to our Providence Orphanage to teach, which she did with grace and kindness towards the children, but only for one year as her real calling was to be a nurse and she was soon sent to St. Paul’s Hospital for nursing training.
Sister Kathleen was very skilled in many areas and was an excellent nurse and following her initial training in all the departments of a large hospital she took these same skills to the many smaller hospitals where she was sent to nurse and organize, usually in charge of a department. She was exceptional in Medical Records and Surgery where careful filing and precision was so important.
The surgeons appreciated her strength of character even though it meant they had to adhere to her fair and strict scheduling. Sister Kathleen finished her nursing career at Father Lacombe Home in Calgary where she served as the administrator and director of nursing.
She was then assigned to Edmonton to the Providence Renewal Centre where once again she was known for her skills in organization.
Sister Kathleen has remained very close to her family and is always so grateful to each of them for their many kindnesses shown her. Sister Kathleen has always been a very prayerful woman and was pleased to be able to serve in the chapel as
sacristan for several years attending to the many needs of a large active chapel.
Finally, Sister Kathleen retired from all her active ministries and with her beautiful smile is a prayer companion with the ministry of presence at Providence Centre.
Providence of God we thank you for all!
Sister Betty Kaczmarczyk was born and raised in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Her parents came to Canada from Poland to escape the volatile political situation that threatened the country at that time. Her parents were devout Catholics and raised their three children in the Catholic faith.
Their influence eventually led her to consider religious life. She was a teacher by profession prior to becoming a Sister of Providence and she continued to teach after she took vows. She was assigned to teach high school in McLennan, northern Alberta, and later in Calgary when a new high school opened. After studies in psychology, she returned to Bishop Grandin High School as a counsellor.
Besides teaching and counselling, she was engaged in vocation ministry, retreat ministry and spiritual direction. A good part of her religious life was spent in community service. In 1982, after six years on provincial council, she went to Jerusalem for a year of study. Her experiences there enriched her prayer and spiritual life.
Upon return to Canada she was asked to be Director of Providence Renewal Centre, a position she held for six years. She was granted a year of study in Rome where she studied scripture. She was elected Provincial Superior, and later was elected as a member of the General Leadership Team. She is currently Co-Director of Emilie local community and is Director of Sisters of Temporary Vows.
Providence of God we thank you for all.