Sister Mary Eileen (Madeleine) Ghesquiere, 96, died on November 14, 2020, at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, Minn.
Madeleine Ghesquiere was born on October 27, 1924, in Detroit, Mich. She was the second of four children born to the late Alois and Anna (Catteau) Ghesquiere, both of whom emigrated from Belgium. She attended Guardian Angel School all eight grades and graduated from Edwin Denby High School in 1942. She did secretarial work at Arthur J. Stock Insurance Company for six years. She was very active in her parish and became a Third Order Franciscan. When, as a young woman in her early 20s, she was considering entering religious life, her spiritual director, Father Thomas Weier, OFM Cap, suggested that she contact the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls. Madeleine did just that and entered as a postulant in January 1948. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on August 12, 1948, and given the name Sister Mary Eileen. She made her first profession on August 12, 1950, and final vows on August 12, 1953. She was a Franciscan Sister for 72 years.
Sister Eileen worked in medical records at St. Gabriel’s Hospital as a postulant and continued to work there after making profession. She became a registered medical record librarian administrator and was a medical records consultant and assisted medical records departments in smaller hospitals in the area. She also ministered in Medical Records at St. Ansgar in Moorhead and Trinity Memorial in Cudahy, Wis. From 1969–1972 she was the secretary for the Franciscan Sisters. Later she served the community as Motherhouse Administrator and had a significant role in planning retreats as well as in developing the Motherhouse as a retreat center.
Sister Eileen obtained a certificate in Formation and Spirituality from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. Later she obtained a master’s degree in Theological Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She also studied Christology at St. John’s University, Collegeville, and Spanish at the Mexican-American Center in San Antonio, Tex. In addition, serving as a pastoral assistant, she accompanied several Franciscan Sisters who were missionaries in Ecuador and Nicaragua.
She was a core member of the Franciscan Sisters House of Prayer, was a retreat director, spiritual director, hospital chaplain and a pastoral associate, serving in Minnesota in White Bear Lake, Minneapolis, Wayzata and Sauk Rapids, and in Albuquerque, N. Mex., and Tucson, Ariz.
She had a probing mind and an energetic spirit that carried her through various ministries. She was enthusiastic about living her life. She had a way of helping people connect with one another on a faith level and grow spiritually. She found Saint Francis’s challenge to “rebuild my Church” stimulating. She said, “The grace to live among so many holy, beautiful, committed women, and the many opportunities for spiritual, personal, professional and intellectual growth provided by her Community were some of her blessings.”
Sister Eileen was preceded in death by her brother, Maurice. Survivors include sisters: Sister Kateri Ghesquiere, CSJ; Irene Adams; nieces, nephews and her Franciscan Community.
A private burial service was held on November 17, 2020. A Memorial Mass was celebrated September 15, 2021 with family and friends.
