2011.157.200

Portrait of two sisters,Bertha Cormier andTheresa Therrien on their occasion of their Golden Anniversaries as Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sister Theresa Therrien and Sister Bertha Cormier, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, celebrated their Golden Jubilee of Religious profession in a beautiful ceremony held on Sunday, June 12 at the sisters' chapel of the Bay View convent in Saco, Maine.

Sister Lucille Gamache, Provincal Superior, welcomed everyone and congratulated the jubilarians. The main celebrant at the Eucharistic Liturgy was the Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Portland Diocese, with Reverend Monsignor Marc Caron as Master of Ceremonies. The homily was given by Reverend John W. Keegan, S.J. The singing was provided by the Sisters' choir with Sister Pauline Lamirande as organist. A meal followed the ceremony.

Sister Theresa Therrien, born in Lowell, MA taught elementary school in Biddeford, Grand Isle and Hamlin, Maine; and in Lawrence and Methuen, MA. She was Principal at St Joseph's School, Biddeford and at St. Gerard School in Grand Isle. She also served as Superior at St. Gerard Convent in Grand Isle and at Marie Fitzbach Convent in Biddeford and for a period if time as Director of Novices. As a social worker she worked at St. Andre Health Care Facility in Biddeford, Borderview Manor in Van Buren and at the Diocesan Human relations Bureau in Caribou. She presently is the Adoption Casework Supervisor at St. Andre Home Inc. in Biddeford. She resides at Marie Fitzbach Convent in Biddeford.

Sister Bertha Cormier was born in Lille, ME. She taught in the elementary schools of Biddeford, Van Buren and Grand Isle, Maine as well as in Lawrence, MA and Donelson, Tennessee. For several years Sister Bertha also served as school librarian. She has since been working within the community as a bookkeeper, receptionist and in various other capacities such as community driver. She now resides at the Bay View Convent and is a hostess for Bay Villa.