Sister Bonnie MacLellan graduated as a registered nurse and initially worked for the International Nickel Company as an Industrial Nurse. After entering the convent, she worked in nursing supervisory and administrative roles in hospitals throughout northern Ontario. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master of Public Health. She later studied in Santa Barbara, California and received a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems. After her first two terms as General Superior, Sister Bonnie studied Canon Law at Saint Paul University, Ottawa, ON where she earned her JCD and received the Governor General's Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. Currently, Sister Bonnie is again serving as General Superior and works with her own and other congregations throughout the US and Canada as they consider canonically appropriate congregational governance options to support consecrated life into the future.
Marlene Roy’s life with The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie began in June 2006. Following a career in administrative support, primarily in schools in North Bay, Ontario and Plymouth, England, she joined the staff at St. Joseph’s Motherhouse as the Executive Assistant to the General Superior. She says the experience of coming to work for the congregation was like coming home and much to her surprise changed her life dramatically. Responding to God’s call, she entered religious life in August 2009 as a not so young novice bringing her experiences of being a mother and grandmother with her. Love of family and friends has grown to include the wonderful women of this religious community.
Work and ministry since entering religious life has included providing administrative support to the Executive Director of the Family Enrichment Centre in Sudbury, Ontario, active engagement with our Associate Program, and a return to the position of Executive Assistant to the General Superior. Equally important is continuing to be actively involved in loving, caring and sharing life with family and friends.
Sister Mary Jo Radey, Councillor
Sister Mary Jo Radey has been with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie since 1984. During these years she has been living in Sault Ste. Marie and has been engaged mostly in the ministry of education…beginning by teaching Kindergarten, and moving into secondary education for the next thirty years. The gift of teaching has been enhanced with summer courses leading to a Masters of Divinity and the opportunity to teach Religious Education to teachers. As well, Mary Jo was asked to share Vocation ministry for nine years and enjoyed travelling throughout Northern Ontario to share the gift of Religious Life in schools, parishes and university classes. These days, she can be found still teaching teachers, giving programs for Shalom Place, actively involved with our Associate Program, ministering at St. Jerome’s parish in a variety of ways and now serving on the Leadership Team.
Sister Costanza Romano, Councillor
Sister Costanza was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, the eldest of three children. Her parents were Italian immigrants, a heritage S. Costanza dearly loves. She attended St. Veronica’s Elementary School and then Mount St. Joseph College, followed by Sault College. She was an Associate of The Sisters of St. Joseph in Sault Ste. Marie. In January 2006, Sister Costanza entered religious life and has not looked back. She has worked as a bookkeeper, sales agent, legal administrative assistant, and teacher. She also volunteered for several service organizations and parishes, and served on various committees for the congregation. Sister Costanza’s path then led her to studies and work in Health Care Chaplaincy. She went back to university in 2014 and obtained an Honours Bachelor Business Administration Degree with a minor in Religious Studies. In 2018, she was appointed the General Treasurer for the congregation, a role that she continues to serve in. In March 2024 S. Costanza was appointed as Acting Administrator.
Sister Linda MacIsaac was born in Noranda ,Quebec, to parents from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. At a young age, she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste Marie and became an elementary school teacher, the fulfillment of her childhood dream. After obtaining a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies in 1990, she began a new ministry in the area of adult spiritual formation.
In 2002, Sister Linda returned to North Bay to serve on the leadership team of her congregation for a period of eight years and consequently remained in North Bay. During this timeframe and beyond, she was involved in retreat work, spiritual direction, the New Evangelization program for the parishes in North Bay, and she volunteered at the Family Enrichment Centre, a program designed to support young mothers and children.
In May 2023, Sister Linda was re-elected to serve for another six-year term on the Congregation’s Leadership Team.
Sister Priscilla Solomon, Councillor
Priscilla Solomon was taught by Sisters of St. Joseph in both elementary and highschool. She was greatly influenced by their faith, compassion, commitment and joyous spirit. She taught in elementary schools in the Thunder Bay and Sudbury Catholic school systems, then worked at Avila Retreat Centre in Thunder Bay. She trained as a spiritual director and later earned a Masters degree in Pastoral Counselling from Loyola University in Chicago. An Ojibway woman, she has worked for years on inculturation and interculturation of faith with Indigenous people. For twenty plus years she has worked in the Faith and Justice Office of her Congregation. Most recently, the focus of her ministry is reconciliation with Indigenous people, and supporting the development of Indigenous Catholic leadership.
Sister Josie McKechnie, Councillor
Sister Josie entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1982. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, she ministered for most of her religious life in Sudbury. She spent many years working as a registered nurse, educator, manager, and board member in the Health Care ministry at the Sudbury General Hospital.
In 1995, Sister Josie responded to the growing need for mental health and addiction care services. She completed a Ph.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy, U.S.A., in 2005 and is a registered Clinical Psychologist. Sr. Josie served as psychotherapist and Executive Director of the Family Enrichment Centre in Sudbury until its closure in 2015. In addition to her clinical work, she provided a diversity of support and care, including mentoring social work/psychology students for clinical placements, serving as clinician and consultant for substance use issues through various E.F.A.P. programs, facilitating spiritual and clinical workshops, and journeying with couples in the Diocesan marriage preparation program. Sister Josie maintains her clinical interest in addressing the needs of religious and clergy experiencing Addictions, Trauma and Mood Disorders by serving as an Advisory Board member for the Women's Religious Treatment Program at Guesthouse, Inc. From 2017 to 2024, S. Josie served as Administrator at St. Joseph's Motherhouse.