Mary Frances June Bergin

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada announces the death of our dear Sister June Bergin at Mount St. Joseph, Peterborough, on December 8, 2024. June was born in Nepean, Ontario in 1924.

Sister June was the daughter of the late James F. Bergin and his wife Frances Redmond of Ottawa, Ontario. Along with the members of her religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada, she leaves to mourn her several nieces and nephews and other family members, Gerry Bergin and Joan (Michael Crutchlow).

She is predeceased by her brothers Owen (Shirley), and Bill and her sisters Marie (Louis O’Brien), Helen (Gerard Hammill), Monica (Kenneth Gallagher), Eva, Claire (Gaston LaFrance), Isobel (Norman Petersen)

June entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough in 1948, after working for the government and the Royal Bank of Canada and was known as Sr. Francis Clare in those days. Sister June’s first taste of mission work was at St. Vincent’s Orphanage. She then attended teacher’s college and taught at St. Mary’s, Kirkfield, and St. Anne’s in Peterborough until she was assigned to teach in Almonte and Ottawa. Sister was Sacristan for the Church in Almonte during her stay in Ottawa and was happy to be assigned to a place close to her family home. After five years in the Ottawa Valley, Sister June returned to Peterborough where she taught at St. Peter’s Junior School and then in Lindsay.

From 1965-68 Sister June was missioned to Marycrest Home for the Aged in Peterborough. In 1968 Sister returned to the Mount where she tutored students and became Sacristan. She also worked as a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Peterborough until 1990.

In 1990 Sister June moved to Ottawa and assisted with Hospitality in the Sisters’ houses for 9 years. Upon her return to the Mount in Peterborough she ministered with the Holy Family Community and St. Joseph’s Community as Sacristan and providing support in the Care Centre.

Sister June celebrated her 75th Jubilee of religious life in 2023. She is remembered for her laughter, her good sense of humor, love of hockey and for her beautiful needlepoint craftwork featuring cardinals., while cheering on the Blue Jays team. In June 2024 she planned her 100th birthday party, declaring that “it was the best party!”. She was a woman of deep faith and love.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Mount St. Joseph Chapel, Peterborough. This will be followed by interment at Highland Park Cemetery, Peterborough.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Sr. June can be made at www.csjcanada.org Donate.

The Mass will be live streamed at https://www.csjcanada.org/jberginfuneral-2024