Sister Agnette Bengal

Sister Agnette died on Nov. 17, 2021, at Sacred Heart Convent in Wilmette, Ill. She was 107 years old.

Regina Bengal was born on February 4, 1914 in Westphalia, Michigan. On September 27, 1929 Regina entered our Congregation. She was Invested on June 29, 1931, and given the name Sister Agnette. Sister made first vows on June 29, 1933 and pronounced her perpetual vows on August 20, 1938.

In 1935 Sister Agnette was sent to teach 3^rd grade at St. Augustine School in St. Louis, Missouri. Assignments to teach in the grade schools continued: St. Henry School, East St. Louis, Illinois; St. Mary Magdalen in Hazel Park, Michigan; St. Elizabeth in Detroit, Michigan and St. Elizabeth in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sister’s first assignment in the Southern states was to St. Raphael School in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1952. She remained in Louisiana for several more years, teaching at St. Anthony in Gretna and St. Francis in New Orleans.

From 1958-1960 Sister Agnette was a student in the Social Work program at St. Louis University. From 1960-1966 she served as superior at St. Vincent Home in Normandy, Missouri. In 1966 Sister Agnette returned to Chicago as superior and principal of St. Gregory School.

Already in 1965 Sister was named as Provincial Assistant. She continued this work at the Motherhouse in 1968, then moved to Prospect Heights, Illinois to serve as superior and substitute principal. In 1971 Sister moved back to the motherhouse. In 1980 she was appointed superior of the house.

In 1982 Sister Agnette returned to St. Louis, this time to Resurrection Convent. She served as superior and treasurer, and helped at the Senior Center. In 1984 Sister was back at the motherhouse, working at Mallinckrodt College as Assistant Academic Dean and teaching Sociology. Two years later she moved to Josephinum in Chicago where she was Assistant Bursar and continued teaching at Mallinckrodt.

Her assignment to Sacred Heart Convent in Wilmette came in 1987. Sister Agnette was named Local Treasurer, and supervised the maintenance workers. In 1993 – just for one year – she served as superior of St. Francis of Assisi Convent in New Orleans. Sister was back at Sacred Heart Convent the next year. In addition to supervising the housekeepers she was working in the sewing room with her sister, Sister Marina. In 2007 Sister Agnette moved to doing light duties around the convent and writing feastday letters to the Eastern Province local leaders. Sister Agnette retired in 2010 at the age of 96!

The wake for Sister Agnette took place at Sacred Heart Convent on Sunday, November 21. On Monday the funeral Mass was held in the convent chapel with burial in our Sisters’ cemetery in Wilmette.