Holland, Sister Kathleen, 92, a Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Mary’s Court on Monday, August 5th, 2019 in the 68th year of her religious life.
Born in Saint John, NB, Sister Kathleen was one of twelve children of the late Leo and Margaret (Wisted) Holland.
Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha on August 15, 1949, pronounced her first vows on August 15, 1951 and her perpetual profession of vows on August 15, 1954.
After her profession of vows, Sister Kathleen served as Assistant Director of Novices at the Motherhouse, Bethany, for eleven years.
Sister Kathleen spent most of her years ministering in various institutions operated by the Congregation and she was Community Leader in several convents where she lived.
In Nova Scotia, she served at the Motherhouse; St. Martha’s Convent on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University; Holy Heart Seminary in Halifax; Little Flower Institute in Sydney; Villa Madonna in Bras d’Or. Outside of Nova Scotia she served at St. Augustine’s Seminary, Scarborough, ON, and Martha Centre, Lethbridge, AB.
Sr. Kathleen had a hearty laugh that demonstrated her love of a good joke. She had a love and deep care for young people, as well as her Martha sisters who suffered long illnesses. She could knit anything, anywhere, at anytime, and usually from a pattern she made up as she went. She had to let go of this much-loved ministry due to her declining health, but not before she knit a number of pairs of special mittens with the St. Francis Xavier University "X" knit into them.
Sister Kathleen was the last member of her immediate family. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by sisters Claire Taylor, Margaret Shannon, Helen Morris, and Constance Cooper and brothers Clifford, Francis, Harold, Raymond, Ronald, Vincent, and Leo. She is survived by many devoted nieces and nephews.
The remains will be resting at Parkland Antigonish, beginning Wednesday, August 7th at 1:15 p.m., where a Celebration of Vigil will be held on the same evening at 7:00 p.m. Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, August 8th at 1:30 p.m. in St. Martha Chapel, Parkland Antigonish.