Sister Margaret Liethen
December 1,1930 - November 28, 2024
Born in Dusseldorf, Germany, Renate, was the youngest of three children. She had an older brother, Gertfrieder and her sister, Angelika. At the time of her birth Germany, like other countries, was suffering from world-wide depression.
After Easter in 1937, Renate entered primary school. Shortly afterward the German government abolished all denominational schools and Renate and most of her friends had to move to another school. With war breaking out in 1939 and the consequent evacuation of children, her school life was unsettled. In 1942 she was evacuated to a farmer’s family. On returning home in September of that year she learned that her father had been killed in the war.
When she entered secondary school in Dusseldorf the school was evacuated to Black Forest. While enjoying being with her friends and playing in the forest, she was also very homesick. Because of this her mother took her home after a year despite the frightening air raids night after night.
For many nights her family slept in the woods for safety. Due to the stress, her mother suffered heart attacks and was frequently ill. Food was scarce. Renate and her sister worked on a farm to secure vegetables for her family. She would line up for ½ pint of skim milk per person. Often, she returned home, saying “nothing again.” When schools had reopened, she attended the school taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
In 1948 she entered the candidature in Munich. During this time, she pursued teacher training at Munich University. One of her subjects was English. The university required that she live three months in the country of the language she studied. In 1954 she moved to Woolwich, England.
Sister Margaret decided that the formation program in England was more to her liking. With permission from Mother Almeda, Superior General, she made her novitiate in Lingfield, England and professed her vows in 1957.
In 1960 she received her teaching certificate from Coloma College, West Wickham, Kent, England. Then, Sister Margaret taught at Notre Dame School in Lingfield until 1968. She also taught at Notre Dame School in Woolwich and at St. Paul’s School, Plumstead, London, England.
In 1968, Sister Margaret attended St. Jerome’s College, Waterloo University, Ontario to complete her university degree. The university recognized some of her German credits. She received her B.A. honours degree in 1970.
From 1981-1988 she engaged in pastoral ministry at St. Thomas More Parish in Dulwich, England. She wrote “Our mission is to proclaim the Good News!” Together, with lay catechists, she prepared children for the sacraments, instructed converts, visited the home bound and those in hospitals.
In 1989 in preparation for ministry in Peru, Sister Margaret studied in Comas, Lima, Peru and Cochabamba, Bolivia. After five years in Peru, she moved to London, England where she was with the Latin American Chaplaincy program.
Sister Margaret then moved to Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Although in her mid- 80’s, she volunteered as a teacher’s aide at St. Francis School. In 2013 she returned to Germany to care for her sickly sister until she passed away. Sister Margaret moved back to Waterdown, Ontario in 2017.
For years Sister Margaret served as a translator for our congregation at General Chapters and other international meetings. She valued these experiences and the opportunity to go to Brazil, Ghana and Hungary.
Being fluent in Spanish, Sister Margaret volunteered to assist the migrants from Mexico crossing the border to the United States at El Paso, Texas.
Sister Margaret was generous not only with her language skills but also in assisting others in various ways.
Several of her relatives from Germany visited her during her last months. Her nephew, Wolfgang Hess and his wife Angela, returned from Dusseldorf, Germany to attend her funeral liturgies.
May Sister Margaret enjoy eternal happiness.
