Sister Marie Theresa Belanger Remembered

It is important to let you know that one of St. Mary’s Clinics most staunch and committed team members passed away earlier this week. Sr. Marie Theresa Belanger died on Tuesday, July 14 after suffering a stroke earlier this spring.

Sister Theresa started volunteering with St. Mary’s in January, 1992, at the first clinic in north Minneapolis at the Northside Child Development Center, serving as an admitting volunteer. During that first year she then moved from Northside to Catholic Charities, Ascension Church and then to St. Matthew’s in St. Paul. Sister Theresa trained volunteers and helped with start-up work at each new site.

By the end of the first year, help was needed in the office to support the rapid growth of the clinics. While she loved being a volunteer, she assumed the position of clinic coordinator after much prayerful discernment. That role involved much detail work and organization, making sure that each clinic site had the supplies and medications needed and that inventory supported those needs. She was well suited for this position and with her attention to detail, and knew exactly what each clinic needed from day to day. She excelled and was meticulous with organizational details!  Sister Theresa interacted with the volunteer drivers in her kind way, and many thought that she was the reason so many of the drivers continued volunteering many years.

Sister Theresa continued to volunteer in the office until recently, and helped in any role that was necessary, focusing especially on supply and medication stocking. The present St. Mary’s staff looked forward to her weekly ‘work’ days, and hold warm memories of her gentle and loving presence, her laughter, and her excellent organizational skills. She loved the outdoors and was a friend to many squirrels who call the campus their home.

A former twenty-year employee of St. Mary’s noted that during her twenty years of employment with St. Mary’s, Sr. Theresa never missed a day of work and was a significant spiritual influence to those around her, as she lovingly lived the mission, offering every day to God.

Sister Marie Theresa will be missed, although her legacy lives on and her spirit remains ever present.

Thank you Sister Theresa, rest in peace.