Early Life and Education

Sister Rose-Aimée Belisle was born in St. Victor, Saskatchewan, in 1933, the 4th child in a devout Catholic family that would later number 12 children. At that time the prairies were experiencing a great drought where crops failed year after year and there was great poverty. So in Rose-Aimee’s earliest years the family moved several times in search of a better farming area and finally settled near Elie, Manitoba.

It was there that Rose-Aimée started her education in a one room rural school and later became a boarder at the convent in Elie where she became acquainted with the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions. After discerning her vocation, Rose-Aimée went in 1950, to a suburb of Montreal to the RNDM French speaking novitiate which had been established the previous year.

Teaching Career

On returning to Manitoba, Rose-Aimée began her preparation for service in the community apostolates. She attended Teacher’s college in Brandon in 1956-57 and then began her teaching career which spanned 16 years, in both public and parish schools in Manitoba. She is remembered as a capable and strict teacher.

Love of Learning

Rose-Aimée had a love of learning and throughout her several careers she continued to educate herself – always with the goal of better serving God’s people. The educational qualifications attained range from catechetical courses in the 1960’s to sacramental and pastoral theology in the 1970’s; a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Boniface College in 1973 and a 3 year Christian Ministries Program from St. Paul’s College in the 1980’s. In 1983 she studied “Catechesis and the Bible” at Newman College in Alberta and in 1986-87 a comprehensive bible study, MESS’Age Manitoba, in Winnipeg.

Spiritual Renewal

Rose-Aimée attended a spiritual renewal course in Rome in 1973-74 and was asked to remain in Rome to do secretarial work in preparation for a General Chapter. On her return to Canada, she was missioned to Elie to be part of the team at the House of Prayer. It was there that she began to be involved in pastoral work in the parish especially in the field of catechetics. Sister’s presence is remembered as one of warmth and hospitality.

Sacré-Coeur Mission

In September 1985 Rose-Aimée was missioned to Sacré-Coeur, a large French speaking parish in Winnipeg. Her specific responsibility as a pastoral worker was to minister to the Métis people of the parish. most of whom had emigrated to the city from small town Manitoba.

As she visited the elderly, the families who were in dire need and those who were asking for baptism for their children, she became more aware of the plight of some Métis people, i.e. alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution, teenage suicides, poor housing and unemployment.

While responding to these needs she grew in her understanding that her apostolate was one of listening to their stories of struggle and oppression and responding to their need for acceptance, compassion and encouragement.

Pastoral Assistant

In 1995 Sister Rose-Aimée was called to be pastoral assistant in the French Parish of St. Jean Baptiste in Regina. Besides helping with many daily tasks her main responsibility was in the area of sacramental preparation. The challenge as Rose-Aimée lived it was

“to receive the people and gain their confidence, and discover with them their spiritual potential, and assist them to welcome the God within since their baptism”.¹

Volunteering at the Blue Mantle 

After over 21 years in pastoral ministry Sister ‘retired’ and began a 6 year career of volunteering. Sister described her ministry at Blue Mantle, a Catholic thrift shop, as one of

“reaching out to the needy, the single mothers, the elderly, the immigrants and their families, comforting the grieving, praying with the troubled ones etc.”²

50th Jubilee

On the occasion of her 50th Jubilee Sister Rose-Aimée summed up her life:

“Belonging to an international community of sisters has been a great joy and also a very enriching experience. The past 50 years have been exciting with great changes in the world, the church and in religious life. These changes that have occurred are both challenging and exciting to us. What a great time to live.”³

A deep spirit of prayer, an openness to God, and a spirit of faith have always been the guiding light in the life of Sister Rose-Aimée Belisle.

May she rest in peace.