Ruth Frances Wasylenko
Sept. 5,1953 - April 16 2017 (Easter Sunday)
Born in Regina, Sk. and raised in Calgary, Ab., Ruth was the eldest of 6 children in a busy and faith-filled family. There she was nurtured in the Roman Catholic tradition that would be the touchstone of her entire life. She served as a youth minister, teacher and chaplain. Ruth pushed many edges, becoming a bus driver while a young nun and riding a Vespa. She developed interests in sports, music and wood-working. Ruth loved learning and achieved two Master’s degrees. She always delighted in children and never really left behind her role as teacher. Illness, first fibromyalgia and then cancer, invited her to find her value simply in being rather than in what she could do.
Ruth was esteemed by many people, who witnessed both her love of the Gospel and her radical choices to live that Gospel. She challenged the hierarchical and patriarchal structures of the Church she loved so much by heeding the call to be ordained as a Roman Catholic Woman Priest.
She will be mourned by her soul friend, Jocelyne Roy; her sisters Joanne Mercier and Carolyn (Robert) Mercier; brothers Michael (Sharon); Eric (Louise); Tom (Teresa); numerous nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces; many friends; members of Emmaus Inclusive Catholic Community and her sister priests. She was predeceased by her mother Loretta (Ehman) on Dec. 4,1997 and her father Alex on Jan. 20, 2005.
Celebration of Life
Friday April 21, 2017, 2:00PM
Trinity Funeral Home Chapel
10530-116 Street NW, Edmonton.
Memorial donations may be made to Doctors without Borders, an inner city ministry of your choice, or the Cross Cancer Institute.
I knew Ruth from way back in the 1980s when she worked at Our Lady of Victory Camp. She was a great woman who brought the gospel alive to many young people. I will always be grateful for the impact he had on my life during those formative years. I am sorry to hear of her passing and will pray for her.
Our heartfelt condolences to Ruth’s family and Soul Friend, Jocelyne. May God’s love be with each and every one of you at this time.
Jocelyne:
I am sorry to hear about the death of Ruth. Indeed she loved the gospel. May you be comforted by the hope that she will dine at the heavenly banquet table and that you shall see her again in God’s own time. I shall remember Ruth in a special way at the Eucharist.
My husband and I met Ruth at OLVC, she touched our lives in an amazing way. When we got married 28 years ago, we were very honoured to have her say the homily at our wedding mass. We felt so connected to her and knew that she would speak perfectly about our relationship and the love we shared… To this day her homily is one of the things we remember most about that day.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends as they mourn her loss. She touched many lives and will never be forgotten. We will remember always the special way she touched our lives.
I remember Ruth as a vibrant woman of life and faith when living in Edmonton. My heartfelt condolences to you Jocelyn on the loss of your dear soul friend. Remembering you and the family
in prayer as you say goodbye. Blessings of peace
I had the great pleasure of getting to know Ruth 20 years ago. She blessed me with her presence at my ordination as a United Church minister. I am so sorry to hear of her passing. My condolences to all.
Dear “Wasylenko” friends, and all,
Have been away from email and just learned from Jocelyn (thank you) of Ruthie’s Easter transitus … Below is a recent note I sent to Ruth; know of my love going northward and to-God-ward for all of you …
Trish
Ahhh, fifty-eight years later … so many the memories:
Spring 1959, Calgary Alberta … A small golden-haired girl standing in the front row of Mrs. Badry’s St. Anthony’s kindergarten class photo … accompanied by: Lise, and Gail, and Michael, and Kevin, and Trish, and others. And later, the baseball games and basketball tourneys, the spelling bees, those dread-filled junior high dances: Beth, Cathy, Brenda, Marsha … 255-7238 …
On to St. Augustine’s and Bishop Grandin and University of Calgary among teachers and travelers: Haggerty, Oborosky, Gibbons, Bragg, Fontaine, Annette Marie, Joan Therese, Cholka, Vanetti, Bresssanuti, Gibson, Mary Wheeler, Elizabeth “K”, Reitzel, Mary Clare, Aurora, Delia …
Our siblings: Joanne, Michael, Eric, Carolyn, Tommy and Barb … our parents and grandparents …
Traveling adventurous routes together at Cadicasu, at the cabin at Exshaw, at the SSCA, and in Edmonton … oh, the dreams and darings of LSOJAM … Then I wandered off to the Franciscans, and you to the Ursulines, to the priesthood, and into loving companionship and partnered life.
Such a journey, so much grace and goodness! Thank you, Ruthie … God-speed … Do pray for us still, please ‘til we meet again “on the other side”. Know that from a little yellow house in Spokane, you and Jocelyne, and the kitty are being thought of, tenderly. You are being loved still … and the two pups and I are praying you home:
(Cut and paste into your browser, for a song) http://youtube/Sgm9lkTNQmc
Pace e bene, dear and good friend,
Trish
May the Angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem. May the choir of Angels greet you and like Lazarus, who once was a poor man, may you have eternal rest.
– In Paradisium, in the Gregorian Missal
Ruth gave me my first job as a teacher- she had to be away on a 3 month leave and she asked me to take on the challenge of teaching inner city kids. I leaned so much from that experience and from her. I know it’s been a long time Ruth- but thank you and may you Rest In Peace. 💛
I remember Ruth – she was a substitute teacher in the mid 70s at St. Edmund School – I was in Junior High. She was so full of verve and energy. She had an expression, “warm fuzzies and cold pricklies”!