Vegreville News Advertiser - November 25, 2020

Sister Doloretta Celebrates 60 Years of Religious Life

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk - MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville

It was such an honour to congratulate Sister Doloretta Shalagan of the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate, (SSMI) on her 60th anniversary of religious life!

She was presented with a scroll commemorating her 60 years of religious life as well as a congratulatory letter on Friday, November 6 at St. Joseph’s Home.

Premier Jason Kenney sent his greetings and congratulations to Sister Doloretta on her 60th Anniversary of Religious Life.

Sister Laura, right, presents a bouquet of flowers to Sister Doloretta

(Diane Lydom/Submitted Photo)

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The SSMI has such a rich history! It was founded in Lviv, in the present Ukraine, in 1845 by Sister Josaphata Horadashevska. The SSMI arrived in Edmonton in 1902 and in the Mundare area in 1929.

In 1929, the SSMI built the Mundare General Hospital the same year they arrived. The Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate also built the present-day hospital. The SSMI, as a congregation from Ukraine, served as a bridge to help the Ukrainian settlers be understood and assisted in their native tongue. The Sisters built schools where they also taught and assisted all children to learn to speak, read, and write this difficult English language. This was of enormous assistance to these students and their families in their adjustment.

Thank you, once again, Sister Doloretta, for your selfless dedication to Christ’s teachings and for so lovingly and generously sharing them in thought, deed, word, and great love. May God richly bless you and all the dear Sisters.