Struggling to recruit, Sisters of St. Martha prepare for future after they're gone

Four Catholic womenformed the Sisters of St. Martha on P.E.I.in 1916.In the late '60s the congregationnumbered 160 members. Now, 41remain.

Sister GemmaDunn joined the Marthas when she was 19. She said it pains her to think of the order's inability to recruit new members.

"Oftentimes I feel very sad. But I also realize times are changing," she said.

Sister Rosemary MacDonald, in her 35thyear of service,said the Marthas numbers began to decline in the early '70s.

Despite the realization that the congregation will one day reach its end, both women are proud ofthe Martha's legacy on the Island.

Pioneers in the province

"The Sisters went where the need was. In our constitution,we talk about meeting the signs of the times. And I think over the years, we have done that," MacDonaldsaid.

"We, without a doubt, were pioneers in education, in health care, in social services in the province."

Dunn echoedthat sentiment, pointing to themany schools the Marthas started.Especially in ruralP.E.I. where the group often providededucation beyond what was being offered by local officials.

"The parish priest and the parish council would come and say 'After Grade 8there's no education in our community,'" she said.

And so we always tried to give.To meet needs where people are really needy. And our earth is veryneedy right now.- Sister Rosemary MacDonald

Dunn runs the Spirituality Centre indowntownCharlottetown and gets emotionalwhen recounting storiesfrom the 1930s.

"I remember as a little girl, the sisters at ourparish church begging that's how they collected money for the hospital," she said.

"They had nothing. They just worked with what they had. It's quite touching."

'It's who we are'

These are the kindsof good deedsMacDonald hopes Islanders remember the Marthas for.

"Our goal really was to care forthe people. It was never for profit," she said.

"And so we always tried to give. To meet needs where people are really needy. And our earth is veryneedy right now."

For MacDonald, heridentity in being a Marthais greater thanthecongregation.

"I guess in some ways it feels kind of natural.It's who we are. It's a real gift to be part of it, to be part of this community," she said.

As the congregation grows smaller, the Marthas have startedlegacy planning, to decide where and how their work will be carried out.

'Peaks and valleys'

MacDonald said she looks back at the history of the Church and sees this as a natural step forward incompletingtheir mission.

"There have been the peaks and valleys of religious life. And Ithink of it in a way, are we completing our mission that we wereasked to do? The Martha spirit and our motto is love and service," she said.

Both are hopeful the work will carry onintheir memory.

"You have to have the right people," said MacDonald.

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