Sr. Agathe Dorge

November 24, 1912 – December 11, 2008

On Thursday, December 11, 2008, Sister Agathe Dorge (Sr. Josaphat-de-Marie) died peacefully at Taché Center, in St. Boniface where she lived since April 2007.
Agathe, daughter of Alexina Campeau and Josaphat Dorge was born on November 24, 1912 in St. Agathe, Manitoba, the eldest of a family of fourteen. She went to school in St. Agathe and then completed her secondary studies at St. Joseph’s Academy, in St. Boniface. On July 24, 1930, Agathe entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, in Outremont, Quebec. Two years later, on August 26, 1932, she made her religious vows.

Upon her return to Manitoba, Sister Josaphat-de-Marie began her career as a music teacher. She taught at Sacré-Coeur, in Winnipeg, St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Mary’s Academy, St. Jean-Baptiste, Flin Flon, St. Agathe and Holy Cross. While teaching, she pursued her studies and obtained her L.R.S.M. from the School of Music, London, England, her A.R.C.T. from the Toronto Conservatory of Music, certificates in Gregorian Chant and Composition from the Universities of Chicago and McGill. She also followed courses in Liturgical singing and organ playing. During her teaching years as a piano teacher, Sister Josaphat-de-Marie was choir director at school and at the parish church. Under her direction, her students participated at recitals and music festivals where they excelled. Sister was often invited to be adjudicator at music festivals in the province and in Saskatchewan. She was called upon to give workshops and to accompany various choirs on special occasions.

Sister Agathe worked for many years at the diocesan level in St. Boniface and at St. Boniface Cathedral. She served on committees, helped and gave support to liturgical committees in various parishes. Sister Agathe composed music for Sunday psalms and sent them to many parishes on a regular basis. Two books of her composition, Psaumes et acclamations and Psaumes de tous les jours, were published. She also wrote texts and music for Community events. Sister Agathe remained active until the last few years. While living at Résidence Despins, she still enjoyed playing the organ or the piano and playing cards.

To mourn her passing, Sister Agathe leaves her sisters, Agnès Péloquin, Yvonne Lemoine and Marie Rajotte; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Léon and Léa, Marcel and Yolande, and Richard and Laurence; her sisters-in-law, Lorraine and Rita; numerous nieces and nephews, her Sisters in the Congregation and many friends. Sister was predeceased by her parents; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Juliette and Arthur Vermette, Irène and Ernest Bourbonnière, Léonie and Léopold Lemoine and Marie-Thérèse; her brothers, Denis, Elie and Edouard; a sister-in-law, Anne, and her brothers-in-law, Elphège Péloquin, Roland Rajotte, Pierre Lemoine and Alphonse Loiselle.