After devoting half a lifetime to doing good work on the Upper Sunshine Coast, the Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth are returning to their native Malta.
Assumption Catholic School opened in 1961 and sisters from Malta arrived to teach classes. Now, just two sisters remain: Sisters Claire and Rose.
“When it got started there were six sisters teaching,” said Bridget Bigold who teaches grade six at the school and was a student in the grade four class when the school opened. “Over the years as the sisters retired or returned to Malta, they were replaced with lay teachers. We don’t have any sisters teaching at the school anymore.”
The Church of the Assumption parish is organizing a farewell dinner for the sisters on Saturday, December 1 and a lunch on Sunday, December 2 for those who cannot attend the previous night’s dinner.
“It’ll be a sad time,” said Bigold, “but we’ve got some happy things planned.”
Sister Claire arrived in Powell River in 1966 to assist Sister Agostina with teaching a grade one class of 44 students. She then taught various grades in the elementary school system before settling down to teach kindergarten until her retirement in 2008. For the past four years, Sister Claire has continued working with children teaching catechism and helping prepare them for their first communion.
In December 1974 Sister Claire returned to Malta to see her mother who was dying. “I arrived home at 4 pm on the 23rd to find my dear mother had died that morning,” she wrote in her memoir and history of the Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth. “While I was there Mother General decided to send Sister Rose to Powell River to help with the cooking and preparation of the hosts for the parish.”
Originally, the sisters’ convent was at the school, in the back behind the gym where the music room is now. However, Sister Claire recalls it as being noisy and there was never any privacy. It was with great relief that the sisters were able to move to their current convent on Marine Avenue.
“In 1969 a property came up, so the sisters wrote to the congregation in Malta to see if there could be funds to be had or borrowed to purchase it,” said Bigold.
The sisters moved into the new convent in 1970, a house that belonged to the Macken family built by former mayor Stewart Alsgard’s father.
“This property used to be Dr. Andrew Henderson’s hunting ground and then when his daughter was going to get married he gave her the property. She designed the house and had it built,” said Sister Claire. “That was her wedding gift. When she wanted to go to Vancouver she sold the place to us.”
Over the years the sisters were able to have the house renovated to better suit their needs. Bedrooms were divided up to give more privacy and a small chapel was built on the convent grounds to give the sisters a place for their daily prayer. A small cottage was also built on the grounds so visitors wouldn’t have to sleep on the living room chesterfield.
When Sisters Claire and Rose finally leave for Malta, the convent house will be sold.
The sisters will go back to Malta to live in Mother Consuella’s Motherhouse.
“In the future we don’t know what we’ll be doing,” said Sister Claire. “We’ll be helping wherever we are needed.”
The move will be a large change for the sisters as they will be living with 30 other sisters. Sisters Claire and Rose have been living alone in their convent since Sister Agostina passed away in 2009. They plan to be in Malta for Christmas.
For the last 30 years, Sister Rose has been visiting Olive Devaud Residence weekly. “So many friends you make over the years,” she said. “I’ll miss them.”
Looking out the convent’s window at a clear sky over Malaspina Strait, Sister Claire lamented she will miss her students and this beautiful place.
Being in the limelight is not the most comfortable place for the sisters who have made a life out of service to their community.
“I came quietly,” said Sister Claire, “and I’d like to go quietly if you’ll allow it.”
