Sister Philomena Josephine Dobmeier

Josephine was born on November 6, 1934, the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Worms) Dobmeier of Pilger, Saskatchewan. She grew up there with six brothers and seven sisters. She received her early schooling at Colorado School in Pilger, Saskatchewan.

She was introduced to religious life by her older sister, Sister Regina, and by working with the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth at Saint Michael’s Hospital in Cudworth, SK. On April 2, 1951, Josephine entered St. Elizabeth Convent in Humboldt, SK. She was given the religious name of Sister Mary Philomena as a novice in 1951 and made her temporary profession of religious vows on October 27, 1953, and her perpetual profession of vows in 1956.

Sister Philomena continued her education through correspondence courses, completing Grade 12 at Saint Ursula’s Academy in Bruno, Saskatchewan, and one year of home economics at the University of Saskatchewan. From there, she went to Saint Francis University in Antigonish, NS, where she received a Master of Household Science and a teaching certificate for home economics. After a year of internship at University Hospital in Saskatoon, she received her certificate in dietetics.

Thus began her service as a dietitian at Saint Elizabeth Hospital, teaching dietetics in the School of Nursing in Humboldt, as well as home economics at the collegiate in Humboldt. She continued her studies in hospital organization and management, including a three-week course at the University of Manitoba, receiving certificates in both 1975 and 1977. Subsequently, she served as a consultant dietitian for the Saskatchewan Hospital Association in southern Saskatchewan.

Sister Philomena’s management skills served her well as she served on numerous boards associated with hospitals and dietetics. She was a founding member of the Catholic Health Corporation of Saskatchewan, now called Emmanuel Care. At the request of Bishop Charles Halpin, she served as administrator of Saint Joseph Hospital in Ile-à-la-Crosse and Saint Martin’s Hospital in La Loche in northern Saskatchewan. From 1985 until the time of a devastating stroke in 2016, Sister Philomena served the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth in administrative roles—as a general councillor, Superior General, and General Treasurer.

Sister Philomena was very much a people-person and loved being with others, especially in future planning and administration. She loved the sisters of the community and served them with a generous heart her entire life. She celebrated her 25th and 50th anniversaries of religious life in 1978 and 2003 with great joy. According to her, her most joyous experience was hosting the sisters from the founding house in Aachen, Germany, between the years of 1986 and 2011—the year the congregation celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding in Humboldt, SK—and her four-month sabbatical with the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth in Europe.

Left to mourn her loss are the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (Sr. Viola Bens, Sr. Diane Turner, Sr. Justina Wirachowsky, and Sr. Louise Krupka); her siblings Raymond Dobmeier and Margaret Clendanan; and in-laws Donna Dobmeier and Loretta Dobmeier; as well as many nieces and nephews. Sr. Philomena was predeceased by her parents Adam and Elizabeth (nee Worms) Dobmeier; brothers Martin (Katie), Herman (Rose), Andrew, Sylvester, and Tony; sisters: Sr. Regina, Bertha (Ken) Szautner, Veronica (Steven) Horacki, Francis (John) Masse, Marie, and Loretta (Pete) Harms.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at St. Francis Xavier Parish (222 Willow Street, Saskatoon) with Archbishop Don Bolen as Celebrant.

For those unable to attend, you can view the service via livestream: https://youtube.com/live/RPuJPXgHNdE?feature=share .

Interment to follow at St Elizabeth Convent Cemetery (Humboldt, SK).