Prince of Peace Parish bids farewell to two Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, marking the end of an era
“Everything is for a time and in God’s time, and when it has seen its completion, we give thanks to God for it all. And that is what we do today.”
With those words, Father Daniel Greenleaf, pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, joined with parishioners in saying goodbye to the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, who have faithfully served the community for nearly 100 years.
The two remaining sisters serving in the area, Sister Marie May Lausier, PM, and Sister Cecile Mondor, PM, are retiring and moving out of state.
“We thank the sisters for giving their best to us and our Catholic community here. In a special way, we thank Sister Cecile and Sister Marie May because they gave tirelessly during their many years of service. No one would have faulted them for retiring years ago, but they continually gave of themselves to the parish many more years than we deserve,” Father Greenleaf said.
“Sister Cecile and I are going to retire. I think we’re of age. But we will pray for this parish and for the Church,” said Sister Marie May, who is 92. “It doesn’t matter where we are. This is our work: to bring Jesus through our faith, through our prayer, through our devotion.”
Although she started out as a teacher, much of Sister Marie May’s work has been as a Rivier Retreat facilitator and as a spiritual director. She has traveled around the world, served on the provincial leadership team, and recently helped to facilitate the establishment of a Widows of Divine Mercy ministry at Prince of Peace Parish.
Sister Cecile’s work was primarily in teaching. She taught for 57 years, including 24 years as a third grade teacher at Holy Cross School in Lewiston. She called working with children “God’s gift.”
“I loved every minute. And I'd come back if I could. But I have to move on, so I move on,” she said.
A Mass in honor of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary was celebrated on Sunday, August 24, at Holy Family Church in Lewiston. Nearly a dozen sisters attended the Mass and a reception that followed in the parish hall, where parishioners expressed their gratitude with hugs, kind words, cards, and cake.
With Sister Cecile’s and Sister Marie May’s departures and with the closure of the Marie Joseph Spiritual Center in Biddeford in 2023, there will be longer be Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in Maine. The congregation, however, continues to be active in many parts of the world, including countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Ghana. Sister Marie May said the congregation has more than 50 women currently in formation.
