Turning the Page on a Wonderful Adventure…

After writing some 290 obituaries for the website of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) of Quebec, Sr. Yolande Dufresne has passed the torch.

At the ripe old age of 95, she chose to put away her pen before this wonderful adventure, begun in 2009, became a “chore”. “I’ve always enjoyed doing this work,” she says. Throughout her 15-year career, Sr. Yolande has never wavered from her mission to bear witness to the contribution of the Sisters to the community, the Church and society.

As a member of the SNJM Québec Communications Committee, with Sr. Pat O’Neill (still at the helm in 2025) and Sr. Monique Thériault in charge, Sr. Yolande discovered the impact of the Internet on information sharing, worldwide.

From that time on, Sr. Yolande sought to answer questions that were on people’s minds, but not always clearly formulated. “Why did this Sister commit herself to religious life? What motivated her? What kept her going until the end?” Whether they came from people close to her or from the wider community, she was keen to provide answers.

Although there have always been SNJM community obituaries, “I suggested, at the committee’s first meetings in 2009, that we add, as content, an article on the deceased Sisters so as not to forget them.”  She adds: “With the Internet, it was different. We could now share the Sisters’ treasures and in a way prolong their apostolic action.” Her suggestion accepted, she was entrusted with the mandate.

As fate would have it, her first text was dedicated to Sr. Thérèse Rivest, a former bursar on her Council team.

The pleasures of discovery

To write articles in line with her mission, Sr. Yolande spent 75% of her time gathering information. “I need the context to inspire me and try to bring to life the environment where the Sister evolved. It allows me to connect with her,” stresses Sr. Yolande, who spent a minimum of two weeks working on each obituary.

This information gathering was fruitful in more ways than one. In addition to providing information on the time-frame and the living environment, this “research has enriched me. It broadened my horizons and developed my knowledge.”

And above all, this writing adventure revealed a few pearls of wisdom. “Each Sister has her own colors and knows how to face life” which leads her to assert “there is no such thing as an insignificant life.”

The woman who wanted to bring out the good and the beautiful in each of her deceased Sisters stresses that her hard work inspired her opening sentence. “I always had a good beginning.” However, she humbly admits, “I had difficulty coming to a conclusion.”

Under Sr. Monique’s expert guidance, she gradually developed her conclusions to bring a special touch to each of her “tribute” texts.

It was with complete serenity that she ceased this writing mission at the end of 2024. “I feel like I’m on vacation.” She is now recovering from the fatigue she has accumulated, and hopes to be able to devote herself to another of her passions: the arts.

Happy retirement, Sr. Yolande!