Sister Monique Thériault
On January 11, 2026, at Maison Jésus-Marie, in Longueuil,
Sister Monique Thériault (Sister Claude-de-l ’Immaculée)
went home to God.
Monique was the fourth of the six children
of Adélard Thériault, a day labourer, and Dolosa Houle, a teacher.
At the time of her death, she was 94 years old, with 71 years as a professed religious sister.
Sister Monique Thériault, a woman of commitment and a visionary, contributed greatly to the transformation of religious life that was called forth by the Second Vatican Council.
Early Years
Monique was born on May 24, 1931 in the Hochelaga district of Montreal. She was educated by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, attending grade school and high school in Montreal, and subsequently graduating from the SNJM Teachers’ College in Valleyfield. At the same time, she completed nine years of education in music.
Vocation
Her supportive family environment and the example of the Sisters who taught her inspired Monique to follow in her teachers’ footsteps. A three-year teaching experience helped her to deepen and confirm her attraction to religious life. She entered the novitiate in 1953 and, after her first profession in 1955, she taught music for fifteen years in various SNJM schools and then at Vincent d’Indy, while pursuing a Master’s degree in organ and a licentiate in music from the University of Montreal.
A Turning Point
At the time of the Second Vatican Council, a great wind of change blew through religious communities world-wide. It also marked a turning point in the life of Sister Monique who was a progressive, determined and enthusiastic woman despite the social changes tied to the quiet Revolution in Quebec. From that time on, without hesitation, she dedicated time to the formation she needed for a total commitment to wherever the SNM mission called her.
In 1971, she co-authored the revised SNJM Constitutions. She then became the first qualified general archivist of the SNJM Congregation and so became a model for other religious communities. Beginning in 1976, she faithfully exercised her leadership skills as provincial superior, Chapter facilitator in various communities, and author and facilitator of sessions on “The Future of Religious Life” both in Canada and abroad. Besides these mandates, she coordinated the restructuring of the provinces of Quebec into a single province, accepted a leadership position at the Canadian Religious Conference, and edited the magazine The Life of Religious Communities. During these years of change, and even of turbulence, Monique’s helpful contributions were recognized by many congregations.
Turning towards the Future
Since she was always interested in the future, whether religious, social, or scientific, the years at the beginning of the 21st century offered Monique the opportunity to help us embrace the technological transition.
Seeing the advantages of new means of communication, she became the webmaster of the Quebec SNJM website, while also continuing to ensure the publication of the written provincial newsletter. She also published numerous articles and accepted to be animator for several local communities. Monique summarized her years of commitment by saying, “Religious life is a call to keep an eye on the future. I have no doubt about that, because God always continues to invite people to live a particular calling … another type of religious life is taking form.”
In 2022, Sister Monique was welcomed into Maison Jésus-Marie where, right until the end of her life, she remained open to the changes taking shape in the community and in the world. The Liturgy of Thanksgiving for her life was celebrated on January 21, 2026. Her remains will rest in the Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue cemetery in Longueuil.
“Go out into the deep.”