St Ann's Academy | People

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Foundress

Venerable Marie Anne Blondin

Mother Mary Anne
Foundress

n 1850, the Institute of the Sisters of Saint Ann was canonically established in Vaudreuil, Quebec. The Foundress, Marie Esther Sureau Blondin, took the religious name of Soeur Marie Anne (Marie Anne being the Francophone spelling, favoured in the East and Mary Ann being the spelling used in the English-speaking West) of the Sisters of Saint Ann.

Esther was born in Terrebonne, Quebec, on April 18, 1809. She grew up on her parents' farm, and was involved with the many chores of farming life. The cost of attending school at that time was more than most could afford, even with the sponsorship of religious orders and the parish schools. It was not until the age of 20 that Esther began lessons in reading and writing, under the direction of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. She entered the Novitiate, but was forced to leave because of poor health.

Mother Mary Ann
Bust overlooking St. Ann's entrance

In May, 1833, Esther began teaching in a parish school in Vaudreuil, Quebec, to try to help the children of the area who, like herself, would otherwise have had little opportunity for formal education and literacy. The community founded in 1850 proceeded to develop from six women, initially, to 45 members in 1857. The Sisters faced difficulties in their relations with the chaplain, and Mother Mary Ann was instructed by the Bishop to step down as Superior of the Convent. In spite of obstacles, the women continued on their path of religious observance and community work, dedicating themselves to the education of the poor and the needy, and Saint Ann, patron saint of teachers, acted as their inspiration. In 1856, Mother Mary Ann wrote, "My daughters, let us be teachers worthy of our models the good Saint Ann instructing her Virgin Daughter, Mary full of grace!"

In 1857, Bishop Modeste Demers, Bishop of the Diocese of Victoria between 1847 and 1871, went on an extended journey in search of an order of teaching Sisters to establish a mission in Victoria. The Sisters of St. Ann had been considering taking on such a role since 1851; as a young order, they were not already involved with setting up schools in other parts of the world and readily accepted Bishop Demers' invitation to come to Vancouver Island. It is said that every single member of the Sisters of Saint Ann willingly volunteered to make the journey and endure the hardships that would surely be in store for them in the Vancouver Island Colony, but only four Sisters and one lay woman were chosen. They arrived at their destination in 1858.

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