Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM)

The congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM) was founded by Euphrasie Barbier in Lyon, France in 1861. In 1898 Sisters came to Marieval, North-West Territories (now Saskatchewan) and in 1899 to Lebret, where the congregation served for 100 years. In 1904 Sisters went to Wolseley, and then to Regina in 1905. In Regina they began a private school, Sacred Heart Academy, taught in the separate schools, opened Sacred Heart College (affiliated with the Universities of Saskatchewan and Ottawa), and later established Marian High School. They served at St. Andrew's near Wapella in the 1940s, and in Saskatoon since 1950. Wherever the Sisters taught, they offered their students opportunities in music, drama, public speaking, art and sports, home economics, and secretarial training. Missionary work in Canada also meant teaching catechism in small towns during summer holidays, participating in the Summer School of Liturgical Music in Lebret and the Lay Ministry Program in Regina, and operating homes for mentally challenged adults. Sisters have also served in missions in India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Peru. There are currently thirty-five Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions in Saskatchewan, some in active ministry and others in retirement.

Winifred Brown