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Annals Blenheim, Ont. series
CA ON00279 F01-S037 · Series · 1997-2010

This series contains a short history on the activities of Sister Beata (Jeanne d' Arc Celine) Gagnon of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario during the Blenheim Mission in Blenheim, Ontario. In 1998, Mr. Shawn Moyniham, Principal of St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s Schools in St. Mary’s Parish in Blenheim, Ontario invited Sister Beata to visit the classrooms and interact with the students. Sister Beata arrived on July 1, 1998, and assisted in the faith component of the school curriculum, teaching elements of Mass, religious terminology, the names of Saints with statues in St. Mary’s Church, and the meaning of Advent, Confession, and Confirmation to kindergarten to Grade 3 pupils. She prepared children for their First Holy Communion and provided spiritual guidance to the school staff. She also visited the Nursing Home, Community Centre, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Blenheim Basement, a place where teenagers could gather. In January 2002, she was an unofficial pastoral assistant upon the arrival of a new priest, Father Paul Duplessie, pastor of Blenheim at St. Mary’s Church. In September 2000, she handcrafted small wooden houses as raffle prizes for fundraising for an upcoming thanksgiving event. Sister Beata worked in the Parish of Blenheim until 2010, when she retired and returned to London, Ontario.

There is a scrapbook style journal written by Sister Beata from 1998 to 2004 chronicling her activities that includes newspaper clippings, printed pictures, and cards from events in St. Mary’s Parish, Blenheim, where Sister Beata worked with the students at St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s Schools. There is also correspondence to and from Sister Beata to Sister Mary Zimmer from 2001 to 2007 with general news about St. Mary’s Church. There are also several invitation cards. One is for the opening of the Capuchins of Central Canada, St. Francis Friary, Blenheim on May 14-15, 2005. Another is to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of St. Mary’s Catholic Women’s League on June 5, 2007. There is also a program brochure with printed photographs for the 70th Anniversary St. Mary’s Parish in 1997.

There are newspaper articles published and printed in the Blenheim News-Tribune, a local community newspaper. The news articles primarily feature St. Mary’s School student activities, a new Blenheim Youth Centre opening and ribbon cutting, a new Friary opening for the Capuchin Fathers of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and “View from the Pulpit” column clippings. Notably, on May 28, 1999, Sister Beata had invited over 40 students and 2 teachers to visit her apartment to enjoy snacks and sing songs, and this incident was featured in an article in the Blenheim News-Tribune with a picture on June 2, 1999. In addition, there are photographs of different rooms inside Sister Beata’s apartment on Chatham Street, St. Mary’s School, and of Father Paul Duplessie, pastor of Blenheim at St. Mary’s Church.

There are also brief summaries on the foundation and early history of St. Mary’s Parish in Blenheim and the Town of Erieau and a booklet with printed pictures and drawings of the Fathers of the Capuchins of Central, followers of St. Francis of Assisi who were involved with the area.

Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)