By Patrick Jamieson, Victoria

Esther Jedynak, one of the four founding members of Island Catholic News in 1987, died here on February 15 at Mount St, Mary Nursing home, where she had lived since suffering a stroke in 2018.

Esther, Born Aster Jedynak in Dearborn, Michigan on April 16, 1932, was employed at St. Andrew’s Cathedral when approached to help get ICN’s office management procedure established during its initial period.

She did a superb job, as she had in many of her earlier manifestations of pastoral ministry since she went to Combermere, Ontario in her mid 20s to join Madonna House. There, she was swiftly placed in the position of confidential secretary to the Foundress Catherine Doherty. She served in this capacity for 15 years, during which she also had a year’s sabbatical in England, living as a guest in a convent to further her lay-centred spirituality

After leaving Madonna House, she served for a time with L’Arche in Burnaby in the 1970s. During her time in Victoria she was responsible for establishing and maintaining the Downtown Churches Association and the Charismatic Prayer Group at the Cathedral. She was a devoted enthusiast for the Diocesan Synod process 1987-92, which corresponded with the opening years of ICN.

She served as part of the team at the Cathedral that worked on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults at the Cathedral under Sister Patricia Brady, the process by which people join the Catholic Church.

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Esther was also a member of Prayer Companions, a Jesuit spiritual exercise program adapted to the needs of Victoria Diocese under the astute leadership of Bishop Remi De Roo, a Council Father at The Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

Given her vast experience, spiritual wisdom and tempered attitude to the quotidian of church life, Esther was the perfect choice to establish the newspaper on proper footing. She joined my father James Easton Jamieson and me along with Bishop De Roo’s representative Father Ken Bernard.

Esther was able to draw from her parish contacts to elicit and train capable volunteers from throughout Greater Victoria and put in place an administrative mechanism that even survived my first six years at the helm. When Marnie Butler took over in 1993 for twelve years, things were in safe hands as she too had administrative training that served the paper well. As a valued alumni of the earliest period of ICN, Esther was sought out on occasion for advice and counsel.

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Aster Julia Jedynak was born to Mary and Edward Jedynak, and is survived by her brother Donald, and his daughters. During her twenties she worked as the confidential secretary to a clinical psychologist in Detroit, a woman who greatly influenced Aster, an experience which equipped her with an outlook and invaluable life and secretarial skills that served her all along.

In the late 1980s she served in a volunteer capacity for Tony Walsh of Montreal, founder of Benedict Labre House for low income veterans of that city particularly in Pointe St. Charles. After retiring from that work, Tony would winter here under Esther’s care and coordination. She edited and produced his regular newsletter. Tony was much sought out as a wisdom figure for personal consultations. He spent one winter in my accommodations, proving an extraordinary guest as an early Catholic lay leader. His disciples included Father Dan Berrigan, the Vaniers and many others.

This was very typical of the interface with Esther in my experience, creative, inventive, helpful and devoted. She was at once typical of many lay women from the post Vatican II period. She was entirely unique in her blend of gifts and firm but respectful manner. She and my father often shared an accurate but almost futile perspective on what and how I should be performing in my role as editor.

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From a personal perspective, Esther seemed more of a sort of spirit guide, a reliable testing source who kept one foot in the institutional church and an eye open to movements of the Spirit of God. She was a trusted amulet figure who could be relied upon to talk straight and present the other side of the ledger on developments and tricky questions. She earnestly and honestly worried about one’s spiritual direction and well being.

There has been no one else in my experience so suited to this invaluable role. A completely unique individual, part American realist, also Canadian adventurer; a radical Christian who would never let anything or anyone interfere with her clinging to her lifelong pursuit of the Gospel in her life.

Her funeral at St. Andrew’s Cathedral was private under the COVID-19 protocols. Ten mourners were present representing all her past main avenues of endeavour and spiritual paths taken.
She is buried at Hatley Park Colwood across from Royal Roads, in the area of burial plots normally reserved for Sisters of St. Ann, who were often her companions on the journey this last four decades of her earthly stay.