Dulaska, Josephine

• Sister Josephine Dulaska, SOS

Born 4 November 1913 in Rochester, Alberta; daughter of Anthony Dulaska and Veronica Pylypas; entered 12 January 1933; first vows 15 August 1934; final vows 15 August 1940; died 18 February 1978.

Born in the rural Athabasca village of Rochester, she was the daughter of immigrants - a Polish father and Eastern Slavic mother. Baptized and confirmed in the Greek rite, Jessie attended the public school for nine years in Rochester and then remained at home to help with the family. In January 1933 at the age of 20, she travelled east to join the Sisters of Service. A dilemma arose about her Eastern Rite baptism. The Apostolic Delegate decided that she did not require a dispensation from the Eastern Rite for first vows, which she made on August 15, 1934 and final vows in Halifax six years later.

Fluent in eight European languages, including Polish, Ukrainian and Slovak, Sister Dulaska was assigned immediately to the Halifax mission to assist and welcome the newly-arrived immigrants at the city’s Pier 21. When she arrived in the 1934, immigrants were arriving from Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Greece before the Second World War (1934-1942) and after the war (1947-1962). She also met immigrants at the port in Quebec City during the summer of 1949.

In Halifax for more than two decades, she worked with newcomers, waiting for the ships to arrive, welcoming and helping the European immigrants, perhaps remembering the experience of her parents. Through her languages and dedication, she acted as a bridge between the unfamiliar Canadian customs and old-world conditions, offering sympathy and kindness, often in their native language. . Assistance involved finding baggage, sending telegrams, making telephone calls, procuring food, distributing Catholic literature in appropriate languages, visiting the detention quarters, immigration hospital, giving rosaries, medals, religious cards, prayers books, newspapers and magazines.

During the Second World War, Sister Dulaska returned to Western Canada from wartime Halifax to resume her education under Sister Catherine Donnelly in Edson (1942-1943) and in Sinnett, Saskatchewan (1943). After an illness, she was assigned to the catechetical mission in Regina (January-June 1944) and the Winnipeg residence for the summer of 1944 before returning to Edson (1944-1947) for hospital duties.

After the Second World War, immigration increased. In September 1948, the sisters assisted 12,373 Catholic passengers landing in Halifax. By December 1954, the numbers rose to 28,113 Catholic passengers from 183 ships. Off the port, Sister Dulaska was much in demand to interpret for Displaced Persons seeking employment under a federal government program.

With the declining numbers of immigrants, she departed Pier 21 in 1962. Back in Western Canada, Sister Dulaska as the housekeeper at the teaching mission of Rycroft, Alberta (1962-1972), also visited non-English-speaking Canadians, enjoyed the pleasures of gardening and baked a generous supply of cookies for the altar servers. When the Rycroft mission was closed in 1972, she served in Regina and Edmonton (1973-1974) and in Spirit River, Alberta (1974-1977) with Sister Madge Barton. The pair visited many pioneer families and assisted in the research in the history of this Northern Alberta area. Diagnosed as a diabetic in 1947, she underwent a foot amputation in fall of 1977. Back at the community's Edmonton residence, she died from an insulin shock on February 18, 1978 at the age of 67. A funeral Mass was held in St. Joseph’s Cathedral with Fr. John Spicer, C.Ss.R. concelebrating with Archbishop Anthony Jordan, OMI., Frs. C. Landrigan, J. Holland and J. Hesse. Her body was buried in the community’s plot in St. Joachim’s cemetery in Edmonton.

Created by F Rousselle March 11, 2026.

Biographical sketch adapted for brevity from complete biography written by SOS congregational archivist MC Havey.