
Sister Monique Gemme
“Whatsoever you did to the least of mine, you did to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
On November 21, 2023, Sister Monique Gemme,
in religion M.-Françoise-Cabrini,
with hope in the resurrection, went home to God.
She was 84 years of age, with 62 years as a professed religious.
Born in Montreal, she was the last of the seven children
of Hervé Gemme and Florida Boudreau.
Monique attended Chamilly-de-Lorimier and Marie-Immaculée schools where she got to know the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM). She belonged to a study group with the Sisters of Good Counsel and became a recreation monitor in the winter and a vacation camp animator at Green Lake for two summers. After completing grade 11, Monique attended Saint Lambert Teachers’ College as a boarder. She entered the SNJM novitiate the following year, at the age of 18. After ten months, she experienced problems with her health and had to return home. After recovering, she became a cook at the Vaudreuil vacation camp. While thinking about returning to her studies, she was offered a post teaching grade 5 at Sainte-Émélie Boarding School. These multiple experiences opened doors for her.
On July 2, 1959, Monique entered the novitiate for a second time, at the age of 20. She received the name Sister M.-Françoise-Cabrini. Alternating with years of formation and studies, she taught elementary and then high school in Montreal at Madeleine-de-Verchères School and Baril School, in Ormstown, and in Saint-Chrysostome, where she was also animator of student life for a few years. During that period, she also volunteered as a camp director during the summers at Saint-François-du-Lac vacation camp.
“These experiences with homeless children inspired me to open a foster home for homeless children.” “Within six years, the ‘Maison Bel Essor’ welcomed 86 people aged three weeks to 30 years old.” In 1981, Sister Monique became the guardian for a disabled girl who was taken in by a couple a year later. After a time as the person responsible for the Collège Durocher cafeteria, she became responsible for the boarders at Saint Lambert Convent. In addition, she volunteered at the Hochelaga Family Centre, where she became director for four years. Her ongoing formation included sessions at Centre Saint-Pierre, work in the kitchen at Luc-Larrivée House for persons with AIDS, then in a collective kitchen at Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, as well as offering her services to the provincial administration of the province of Ville-Marie. Sister Monique, so capable, resourceful, and devoted, was drawn to social service, but also to the internal needs of her SNJM community.
At 53 years of age, Sister Monique accepted to be part of the leadership team at Sainte-Émélie Residence while also assuming other services: accompanying a group of SNJM Associates and helping at the provincial accounting department. After seven years, she became the local animator at Sainte-Émélie. Her dynamism, humour, and availability were greatly appreciated by her companions. Once her term was over, Sister Monique became available for various administrative services at the general and provincial levels.
After another fifteen years, health problems forced her to retire at Maison Jésus-Marie. Sister Monique, who had taken such good care of others, was now called to let herself be cared for by others, until, at the age of 84, she was more than ready to taste the peace of eternal life with her God, passing from this level of existence to the next.