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Berrigan, Elizabeth
Person · 1934-2020

Elizabeth "Betty" Berrigan was the daughter of M. J. Berrigan and Viola Sullivan, both of Chichester, Quebec. Her siblings were Eleta Crook, Joanne O'Gorman, Brian, and Michael. She was born in Timmins, Ontario on December 14, 1934. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Pembroke in 1953, had her reception in 1954, and professed first vows in 1956 and final vows in 1959. She received the religious name of Sister Mary of Lourdes.

Sister Mary of Lourdes attended Teachers' College in Ottawa, Ontario from 1958-1959. She achieved her Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 9 piano certificate in 1963 and completed two courses in classroom singing between 1960-1961. In 1969, she earned her BA from the University of Ottawa, and in 1976, her MA from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA in 1977.

From 1957-1958, Sister Mary of Lourdes taught in Pembroke, Ontario, and then from 1957-1958, in Sheenboro, Quebec. Returning to Pembroke, she taught there from 1959-1960, and then moved to Barry's Bay, Ontario to teach from 1960-1961. She relocated to Mount St. Patrick, where she taught from 1961-1963. Following this, she taught in Renfrew, Ontario from 1963-1965. She served as superior in Ottawa from 1966-1969, while a student. She then served as mistress of novices and formation director with the community in Pembroke from 1969-1970, and as formation director in Ottawa from 1971-1973, returning to Pembroke where she resumed her work as formation director from 1976-1979. Moving to Deep River, Ontario, she carried on this work from 1979-1981, and then served as formation director in El Carmen, Peru from 1981-1984. Returning to Pembroke, she was the assistant general superior in 1985, and then was elected general superior, a position she held from 1985-1997. She served as vice president of the Canadian Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada from 1987-1989, and then as president from 1989-1991. Beginning in 1998, she became the director of the Stillpoint House of Prayer in Springtown, Ontario, a position she held until 2019.

Sister Elizabeth was proud of her work as a member of the Canadian Medaille Team from 1976-1979. In 2020, Sister Elizabeth retired to Supples Landing Retirement Home in Pembroke after the Motherhouse was sold.

Sister Elizabeth was a great supporter of the fiddle contest in Pembroke. Anyone who met her was captivated by her soft, compassionate voice and her concern for the environment. She lived her life being faithful and open to meeting Christ in all those she encountered.

She passed away suddenly as a result of an accident on March 5th, 2020.

Fitzpatrick, Marjorie
Person · 1929-2024

Marjorie Teresa Fitzpatrick was born at home on Allumette Island, Quebec on October 14, 1929, to Victor John Fitzpatrick and Margaret Elizabeth Hynes. She was the second eldest of their ten children.

Majorie attended high school at St. Joseph’s, a boarding school in Chapeau, Quebec. From there she went on to study at St. Mary’s Teacher’s College. Marjorie completed her Elementary Diploma of Primary Teaching in 1948. She attained her class “B” teaching Diploma for Elementary and Junior High School in 1968. In 1967 she attained a Diploma in Catechetical and Pastoral Formation from Divine Word in London and a Certificate of Catechetical Studies from McGill University in Montreal in 1971. In 1970 she completed the first level of the Counseling-Learning Institutes. In 1974 Sister Marjorie completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theology from the University of Loyola in Montreal and her Master of Arts in Religious Education at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa.

After finishing Teacher’s College, Marjorie taught in a one-room grade school on Allument Island, followed by a year in Quinnville, Quebec. During that summer, Marjorie began working part-time in the finance department of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd and remained for the next twelve years, becoming Section Head of the Accounts Receivable Department. She then entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Pembroke on October 11, 1963, during Vatican II. She received the habit in 1964 and took on the religious name Sister M. Amadeus. She then attained her studied at Divine Word in London, Ontario, attaining her diploma in 1967. After this, she returned to Chapeau to update her teaching credentials. She professed her final vows in August of 1970.
From 1967 to 1970 she taught at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Pembroke, Ontario. After, she became the Catechetical Consultant for the School Board until she left to pursue higher education in 1972. Sister Marjorie continued to do Pastoral Work until 1977 when she became the Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Pembroke. She held the position for twelve years. Her accomplishments in this role include organizing pilgrimages to the Holy Land, sponsorship of refugees, the John Powell T.V. series “Free To Be Me,” and establishing the Ecumenical Way of the Cross, Families For Prayer, and the R.C.I. A. Program. For her efforts, Bishop Windle presented her with the Papal Medal of Bene Merenti. From 1985 to 1989, Sister Marjorie also served on the Congregational Leadership Team. She then went on sabbatical with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, California. In 1991, the Leadership Team invited Sister Marjorie to renew the Associate Movement in the Congregation. Sister Marjorie was also instrumental in organizing numerous community programs such as the sponsorship of refugees, Families for Prayer, the RCIA Program, the Ecumenical Way of the Cross, and encouraging laity to become involved in the church. She continued this work, worked with the Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada, and had a personal interest in ecological education. She was also heavily involved in Planting Seeds, a non-profit seeking to increase education in Guatemala.