Sister Rose-Aimée Gamache

Sister Rose-Aimée Gamache, s.g.m. (1877-1957) Coming from a farming family in Témiscouata, Rose-Aimée Gamache is originally a teacher in the Rivière-du-Loup region where she is inspired to create school gardens. Entering the Grey Nuns in 1920 at the late age of forty-two, she obtains the following year a diploma in agriculture from the École Supérieure […]

Sister Marguerite Hudon

Sister Marguerite Hudon, s.g.m. (1918-1974) Marguerite Hudon is born on November 1st, 1918 into a large family in Rivière-Ouelle, county of Kamouraska. After entering the Grey Nun novitiate in 1940, she works for seven years as a cook at the Motherhouse and the Saint-Charles Farm. Assigned to the Châteauguay farm in 1949, she dedicates herself […]

Sister Laurette Rivard

Sister Laurette Rivard, s.g.m. (1913-2009) Originally from farming parents in Nicolet, Laurette Rivard joins the Grey Nuns of Nicolet in 1931 and is first assigned to the Métairie farm. Already working the land and caring for farm animals from a young age, she consolidates her agricultural knowledge with a four-year correspondence course from the Union […]

Sister Fernande Dumont

Sister Fernande Dumont, s.g.m. (1922-1998) Born to farming parents in Bécancour, the young Fernande leaves school at the age of 14 to work on the family farm. After joining the Grey Nuns in 1944, she is a gardener at the  Saint-Joseph during the summer and spends the winter months spinning and weaving. Over the years, […]

Sister Claire Ménard

Sister Claire Ménard, s.g.m. (1922-1998) Claire Ménard is still seventeen years old when she joins the Grey Nuns, whom she knows well from two elder sisters who preceded her and from her studies at the congregation’s École Ménagère. Throughout her life she puts her cooking talents to good use, starting at the Motherhouse kitchen (1942-1955), […]

Sister Alma Grégoire-Colin

Sister Alma Grégoire-Colin, s.g.m. (1885-1970) Born into a farming family in the village of Saint-Esprit (in the Lanaudière region north of Montréal), Sister Alma is immersed from the beginning in the world of agriculture. Entering the Grey Nuns’ novitiate in 1904, she begins her apostolic life as a caregiver and educator at the Saint-Joseph Hospice […]

Métairie Saint-Joseph, In the Fields

In the Fields Workers in the field, 1939. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet) Fonds, L054-I- Album 1-page 14B. 1-Jean-Louis Genest, 2-Louis-Georges Dufresne, 3-Laurent Lemire, 4-Almanzar Lamothe, 5-Roland Dufresne, 6-Wilfrid Gélinas Mister Bourgeois, employee working in the field, 1940. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet)’s […]

Saint-Charles Farm, Animals, Women and Men

Animals… An impressive number of livestock is raised on the farm. In 1946, there are 150 Holstein cows including 90 dairy cows, 300 Yorkshire pigs, 3,000 chickens, 1800 hens and 60 draft horses. Sister feeding hens, 1945. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Saint-Charles Farm (Montréal, Côte-de-Liesse)’s Fonds, L071-F Hen, undated. Photography: author […]