Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sister Jerome (Helena) Slugocki, OSB
Sr. Jerome Slugocki died peacefully on January 20, 2007 at St. Benedict’s Monastery Health Care Centre. Her gentle and quiet passing, was symbolic of her well lived life. She was 91 years of age and in her 68th year of monastic profession.
Sr. Jerome was born on October 9, 1915 on the family homestead in Buchanan, Saskatchewan. Her parents Frank & Mary (Lanski) Slugocki emigrated from Poland in 1903. Sr. Jerome was the 7th of 12 surviving children, a child Ben having died in infancy in Poland.
Sr. Jerome entered the Benedictine Community in Arborg, Manitoba on October 13, 1936 and made her monastic profession on July 11, 1939. She was a very gentle, compassionate, prayer-filled person who was always ready to be of service. Her cheerful and friendly disposition as well as her sense of order and leadership ability endeared her to all whom she worked with in her many years of ministry – students, patients, the elderly, staff and sewing companions.
Sr. Jerome spent 17 years caring for students who were boarders at the convent schools in Arborg and Sifton, Manitoba and St. Benedict’s Academy in Winnipeg; 20 years as a nurses’ aide in the Winnipegosis General Hospital, St. Benedict’s Manor and Arborg District Personal Care Home and St. Benedict’s Monastery Health Care Centre, Winnipeg; 14 years in Dietary at St. Paul’s College on Ellice Avenue in Winnipeg, St. Benedict’s Convents in both Pritchard Avenue, Winnipeg, and Polonia, Manitoba, the Archbishop’s Residence for Cardinal Flahiff when he first arrived in Winnipeg and Sacred Heart Hospital, Russell, and Johnson Memorial Hospital in Gimli, Manitoba. Her final and much loved ministry was in the quilting room of St. Benedict’s Monastery, Winnipeg. Together with several women, quilts were designed and sewn for distribution to people in need. When health problems caused her work to cease, she spent her few remaining years in the Monastery’s Health Care Centre.
Sr. Jerome was predeceased by her parents Frank and Mary Slugocki, sister Rose and brothers Julius, Joseph, Ben, Albert, Walter, and Bernard. She is survived by brothers Edwin, Weyburn, SK, Eddie (Rose) and sister Jean Sakundiak of Yorkton, SK, and sister Elizabeth Clampett of Lethbridge, AB, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and members of her religious community.
A Vigil Service will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7:00 p.m., at St. Benedict’s Monastery Chapel, Winnipeg, presided by Sr. Irene Burzynski, Prioress. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. presided by Msgr. Louis McCloskey with interment in the Monastery Cemetery.
The Sisters wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Bronislaw Gorski and the staff of the Monastery Health Care Centre for their loving care and support of Sr. Jerome.
May she rest in peace.
Flowers are gratefully declined. Should family and friends so desire, donations may be made in Sr. Jerome’s memory to the Memorial Fund, St. Benedict’s Foundation, 225 Masters Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R4A 2A1.
Cropo Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements, 586-8044.
