Sister Cécile Mailloux

List of Deceased Sisters

Date of Death 10/01/2024

  Born: 28 September 1924

  Professed: 2 February 1948

  Deceased: 10 January 2024

Sr. Cecile Mailloux was born in Lowell, MA, into a family of 10 children, 5 died in infancy. All her siblings predeceased her. Her mother, Marie and father, Hector were FrancoAmerican. She was brought up a strong practicing Catholic with its strict observance, and Jansenist view of the day. She was a shy, timid child, who discovered her artistic talents in her family gifted with artistic ability. 

Cecile entered the Marist Missionary Sisters on August 2^nd, 1945, after failing the medical for the Holy Union Sisters because of a heart murmur.  Weren’t we the lucky ones? Cecile was Professed on February 2, 1948 in Bedford, MA. 

Cecile did a teacher training program at St., Joseph’s in Maine. and was missioned November 22, 1950, to Tanagai, Guadalcanal, South Solomons. She would teach Primary school, and even do nursing at the dispensary.  She learned the local languages and felt one with the people. Cecile worked tirelessly to require education for boys and girls beginning at age 7 and to continue for 8 years. 

1978 she returned to the US for a Renewal and attended Assumption College to obtain a BA in Liberal Arts and a Masters in Religious Studies before returning to Papua New Guinea, to teach at the Teacher’s Training College.

Cecile spent over 30 years in the Solomons, Australia, and PNG.  She taught in every grade from primary to high school, to Seminary, Novitiate, and Catechetical school, and teacher training college and was a founder of the technical training school, DIVIT, in the Solomon Islands.  Her approach to teaching every subject would include some creative application or drama. She felt that this helped the students discover themselves and learn the subject. Her outstanding talents as artist, musician, story teller and crafts person were always utilized. 

Cecile was the Australian Province Financial Administrator for 5 years. In 2001, she, would return to the US and be assigned to Rocky Creek Village. There she would tutor special needs children at Park Hill Children’s Home. 

In 2006, Cecile would leave Florida and come to Belmont MA as she was assigned to work in the archives. In 2009, she would move to 62 Newton St. in Waltham, due to some health issues.  She continued working in the archives where she catalogued all the photos from the beginning of the province and recorded names and places with great precision. While in MA, she was also grateful to be able to assist her elderly mother and 2 sisters until they died. She still grieved the deaths of her father and 2 brothers who died while she was overseas. 

In 2014 Cecile went to Marillac assisted living and was able to retire there pursuing her handiwork and crafts.  She moved to St. Patrick’s Manor in 2023 as needed assistance due to her memory loss.  At age 99 she was up and about and looking good astonishing everyone.  Cecile would often be “blue”.  In her own autobiography she refers to being lonely, even as a child.  She had a melodramatic temperament and maybe that is the other side of her creativity, I don’t know, except it was a source of emotional suffering for her.

In Cecile’s writing, she mentions often her passion for mission: “over the years, I consolidated my idea of ‘mission’ which is to accept where you are sent.  My conviction is that being a true missionary is being true to yourself as SMSM anywhere you are, anytime or with anyone, because where you are, Christ is already there. “

Thank you. Cecile, for contributing so much beauty and creativity to life.  May you bask now in God’s Beauty and remember us. 

Gratefully, 

Sister Helen Muller, smsm and Sister Judith Sheridan, smsm