Sister Germaine Guénette
Gérard Majella
June 10, 1930 - December 17, 2025
Introduction
Sister Germaine Guénette (Sr. Gérard Majella) lived a vibrant RNDM missionary life spanning over 30 years of teaching in Canada and another 25 years as a pastoral presence in Peru. Germaine was faithful to her students, with a particular care for those that struggled with learning, and faithful to the poor, the sick, the dying, and the discounted that she served in Peru. She was described as an “iconic missionary” and had a tremendous love for people. Germaine lived fully her 95 years of life until her sudden and unexpected death on December 17th, 2025, at the Villa Aulneau retirement residence in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Early Life
Germaine was the tenth of eleven children born to Jules Guénette and Berthe Dandeneau on June 10, 1930, in St. Boniface, Manitoba. She did her postulancy in Letellier, MB in 1949 and began her religious missionary life in 1950 when she travelled from Manitoba to Ville Jacques-Cartier, Quebec, to enter the RNDM novitiate. She professed her first vows on August 15, 1952, and her final vows on August 15, 1958. Germaine lived her 73 years of religious profession with fidelity and grace.
Religious Life as a Cook and Teacher
Germaine began her religious life as a cook for the RNDM community at Fatima, Quebec. While delighting the palates of her community, she studied toward her teaching certificate. She later completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor of Education at the University of Montreal in 1966. She also did pastoral studies at the L’Institut Supérieur de Sciences Religieuses (University of Montreal). Through out her teaching career in Quebec and Manitoba, Germaine continued her professional development, completing additional courses and earning certificates in catechetics, Scripture, and teaching English as a second language. In her teaching profession, she taught children from grades two to eleven. As a teacher, she was deeply appreciated for her professional approach, her dedication to young people, her pedagogical skills, and her collaborative spirit.
Serving in Peru
After her long teaching career, Germaine left Canada to serve in Peru in 1989. With an open and willing heart, she would put her hand to fixing anything that needed her skill; painting this and repairing that…a jack—or Jill—of-all-trades. Germaine’s love for the poor brought her to their homes with medicines, food, and prayer. While faithful to visiting the parishioners, she even more often tended to the people who could not get to the church. Germaine would also encourage those more economically well-off to take seriously their Christian responsibility to care for one’s neighbours. For example, she would negotiate for better housing materials to be given to the poor for free. Germaine saw the unjust situation and did what she could to alleviate the suffering. The apostolate of ‘presence’ and the practice of the corporal works of mercy were at the core of Germaine’s service to God and God’s people.
Her Missionary Heart and Spirit
There are many descriptors used to express Germaine’s heart and spirit. She had a wonderful sense of humour, she loved to laugh and loved a party, she was full of life, very kind and gentle, simple and humble. And she was trustworthy. The Sisters in Peru said the poor people would go to her with their secrets and heartaches which they knew Germaine would take to the grave. She spoke French, English, and Spanish. About learning the latter, Germaine quipped,
“Oh, I don’t worry about the language too much; I love the people and they love me, that’s what counts.”
This is the down-to-earth common sense Germaine exhibited in her life. She lived by her personal motto,
“Live what you are teaching.”
Return to Canada
Upon her return to Canada in 2014, Germaine took up residence at the Villa Aulneau Residence in Winnipeg. As an avid walker, she continued her missionary sojourn in walking the streets of St. Boniface, visiting the sick and dying at St. Boniface Hospital and Taché Nursing Home. Until the end, Germaine loved people. She cherished her family and loved spending time with them, she enjoyed good friendships at Villa Aulneau, and she was dedicated to the life and mission of her RNDM community.
A True Life-Long Learner
Throughout her 95 years Germaine was a ‘life-long learner,’ enjoying the adventure of new discoveries—in ministry, in community life, and in her spiritual life. She availed herself of many opportunities for personal and professional growth including two RNDM renewal programs as well as a 30-day retreat. Her relationship with God seemed real, simple in its practicality, and profound in its power to motivate her sense of service. She loved well—the poor, her students, her family, her community, her sports teams, her friends and her God, whom she served with abandon!
Thank you, Germaine, for your life and love!