Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 29/99) - A caring chapter in Kivalliq history comes to a close this month.

The two remaining sisters of the Grey Nuns of Manitoba will be leaving Chesterfield Inlet for the final time after more than 68 years of service.

Mother Superior Faye Wiley says the Grey Nuns membership is getting older and there are not enough younger people joining to look after all their placements.

"We have to look at gradually closing down many of the places we used to work in, simply because we don't have any more sisters to go," says Wiley.

"The sisters in Chester right now are in their 70s. And, Sister Isabelle, who was in her 60s, died this month of cancer."

Wiley decided the nuns were no longer able to provide the kind of care the residents of St. Therese home for the mentally-challenged are entitled to.

She said it was time to terminate the relationship so the bishop could put people in place for the service to be adequately staffed.

"In all justice to the people, we have to think about the service they need and whether we can provide it.

"When you get into your 70s, you realize it takes a little more energy than perhaps you have."

The Grey Nuns have a storied history in Chesterfield running the home and teaching at the Joseph Bernier school.

Between 1954 to 1969, many children attending the school stayed at the nuns' residence.

Wiley says the Grey Nuns have always been made to feel like one of the family in Chesterfield and appreciate the hamlet's understanding of the situation.

"Chesterfield has become part of our lives and it will always have its place."

Bishop Reynald Rouleau was in Chesterfield this past week to honour the sisters' contributions with a plaque and officially take over the facility for the Churchill/Hudson Bay Diocese.

The bishop says his diocese has signed a one-year contract to maintain St. Therese, but he hopes it will be longer.

Rouleau has already hired a head nurse, administrator and core group of five workers.

"My visit is to officially thank the Grey Nuns for their contributions in my diocese, especially the hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet" says Rouleau.

"We have a new core group in place, which you need to keep a home working that is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year."

Rouleau says if he can't keep a core group on staff, he wouldn't be able to maintain the home.

"If that were to happen, hopefully the government will run it.

"Although not full time, you have 12 local jobs here and more than $140,000 in salaries goes into the community every year.

"I would like to see the home stay open and continue to be a good service for the people of Kivalliq."