Sr. Sylvia MacDonald
Lieu de naissance : North Sydney
Date de décès : 20 février 2013
Sister Sylvia MacDonald, 83, formerly Sister Maria Bernadette, a Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Bethany, the motherhouse on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. She was in the 61st year of her religious life.
Born in North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, she was the daughter of the late James R. and Anne Isabelle (Gouthro) MacDonald.
Sister Sylvia entered the Sisters of St. Martha in August, 1950, pronounced her first vows two years later, and made her perpetual commitment August 15, 1955.
She ministered in the areas of household management, social work, health care, and pastoral care. In Cape Breton these ministries were carried out at St. Rita Hospital, Little Flower Institute, Catholic Charities, Child Welfare Services, and New Waterford Consolidated Hospital. Sister served in the Pastoral Care Department at the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home and St. Martha's Hospital in Antigonish. For eight years she worked at the Heatherton Activity Centre with handicapped adults. After a year of renewal at Galilee, Arnprior, Ont., she remained at Galilee as hostess of the Oblate Galilee Community for an additional two years.
Sister received her Certified Nursing Assistant qualifications from the Halifax Infirmary in 1968. She also attended courses in pastoral care at St. Paul University, Ottawa, and St. John Hospital, Lowell, Mass. She was community leader of the sisters in various convents where she lived.
Sister Sylvia was the only daughter in a family of three. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Fr. Hector.
She is survived by a brother Lloyd of Sydney, N.S.
The remains will be resting at Bethany, beginning on Friday, Feb. 22, at 1:15 p.m. A Celebration of Vigil will be held on the same evening at 7:30 p.m. Liturgy of Christian burial will take place on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. Bethany Chapel.
Arrangements are under the direction of MacIsaac Funeral Home, Antigonish, N.S.
