Sister Valentia Leibel
May 29, 1935 – January 22, 2025
Valentia passed into eternal life on January 22, 2025, at the age of 89 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington, Ontario.
She was the second child born to Valentine and Anastasia (Klotz) Leibel. She had eight brothers and five sisters. They lived on a farm one mile south of Denzil, Saskatchewan.
She would often recall the fun times she and her siblings had and the chores they did in the house, garden and farm. Valentia went to Denzil School where the Ursuline sisters taught. In winter, they drove horses and sleigh to school. One blizzardy day they drove the sisters home in a bobsleigh.
After Grade 9, she helped at home for a year before attending boarding school in Leipzig, Saskatchewan for Grade 10. Living with the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND), she felt drawn to religious life.
At age 17, she decided to enter the candidature and embarked on a three-day train trip to Waterdown, Ontario. What a culture shock! It was extremely hot and humid. There were so many trees wherever she looked that it made her feel claustrophobic. She made her first profession of vows as a School Sister of Notre Dame in 1952, as a member of the SSND Province of Canada.
After completing Grade 13 at Notre Dame Academy, she went to Hamilton Teacher’s College. In 1966, Sister Val received her qualification from the Department of Education as a teacher in Alberta.
During most of her years she was involved in religious education serving as a Consultant for the Edmonton Separate School Board in Alberta, the Halton County Separate Schools in Ontario, and Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Regina in Saskatchewan. She ministered to indigenous communities when serving in Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas, Manitoba located in northern Saskatchewan. The missionary diocese covers a large area that required her to have various modes of travel. While there, she lived in the bishop’s house with other congregations, men and women.
In 1971, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta, and in 1975 she received her Master of Education degree in religious education from the University of Ottawa. From 1974-1975 she an instructor for Divine Word Program on Scripture Studies in London, Ontario. For the following five years she was pastoral assistant at St. Patrick Parish in Burlington, Ontario. From 1980-1982 she was chair of an international committee revising the Constitution of SSND - “You Are Sent” at the Generalate in Rome.
After a year of sabbatical, Sister Valentia was pastoral assistant at Blessed Eugene de Mazenod Parish in Luseland, Saskatchewan. She was elected in 2000 as Provincial Councilor for the Canadian Province for four years.
For several years Sister Valentia was involved in pastoral ministry at St. Peter Parish located in Unity, Saskatchewan. She gave a moving presentation on Eucharist to the parish and was asked by a group of teachers from St. Vital School in Battleford, Saskatchewan to give her talk on Eucharist to them.
Sister Valentia wrote a weekly column for the Herald a Catholic paper in Unity. Later her articles were compiled into a book titled, “The Heart of God”. She also wrote reflections on the liturgical seasons published in periodicals.
When she moved to Heritage Manor in Unity in the summer of 2005, Sister Val began a Bible Story Time for the residents. Women from the nearby St. James Parish in Wilkie, Saskatchewan asked her to form an evening Bible Study group, which she did until the difficulties of winter driving at night caused her to discontinue. While in Unity, the Grade 4 class at St. Peter’s School, invited her to share stories about her ministry in the Keetwatin- Le Pas diocese.
The Leipzig Serenity Retreat, now known as Prairie Sky Recovery Centre, a residential addictions treatment and recovery centre in Saskatchewan that purchased the property of an SSND school, frequently asked her to journey with someone during the Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) program.
Sister Val wrote, “My best ministry is affirming people: a pastor, a mom, a child, a teacher, even a stranger. I believe and hope I make a difference in how people view their life and situation.”
Her sister, Theresa and her husband Ralph Winterhalt came from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for Sister Val’s funeral. Her funeral liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Michael McHugh, chaplain. During his homily, he stated that Sister Valentia’s ministry was affirming people.
