“Life teaches people, gives them opportunities to develop and be useful to their country. I think every person should be open. Work on yourself, try without doubt what you have dreamed of, because it can turn out to be a very interesting experience.” — Sister Helen Hengel
Helen Hengel was a woman who shared her spiritual strength, compassion, and skill with those struggling with addictions, as well as people from all walks of life who needed help or sought positive changes in their lives, writes edmontonka.com.
Childhood and Youth
Helen was born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, on August 27, 1923, into a family imbued with the pioneer spirit common to many farming families in Western Canada. She was the middle child of three girls. Helen and her two sisters learned the values of hard work, patience, and perseverance from their parents, Anthony and Kathleen, who encouraged their children to read, valued education, and supported them in following their life passions and aspirations. Thus, despite the financial struggles caused by the Great Depression, they sent Helen to study at the private St. Joan of Arc Academy in Swift Current, which was taught by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis. There, the girl realized that her calling in life was not limited to a passion for learning. She began to delve into her spirituality and understood that joining a religious order and serving people through faith was her true path in life.
Finding Her Calling
In 1939, Helen moved to Quebec to train to become a Sister of Charity of St. Louis and to learn French. Two and a half years later, she returned to Saskatchewan and enrolled in Teachers College. By 1943, Helen arrived in Swift Current, where she taught elementary grades at the very school that had inspired her career choice. For the next five years, she continued teaching at schools in Swift Current and Radville. In 1948, Hengel moved to Medicine Hat, where she once again took a school position and was appointed principal. During this period, Helen began serving as a mentor to young women.
During her teaching years in Medicine Hat, Helen also pursued what became her lifelong work—continuing education. By 1955, she had earned a Bachelor of Education degree in history and languages. Later, in 1964, she took a one-year sabbatical to study theology at Regina Mundi College in Rome. She arrived in Italy during an exciting period of growth and change for the Catholic Church and returned to Canada with a strengthened desire to serve the needy. Sister Helen decided to channel her teaching and mentoring skills in a new direction, beginning graduate studies in counselling psychology at the University of Calgary. She worked as a part-time student counsellor during the university’s summer sessions before moving to a full-time position in 1969. A year later, Helen earned a Master of Education specializing in psychological counselling. By 1972, she received her certification as a psychologist in Alberta.
While Helen was refining her counselling skills at the University of Calgary, she was also working for the benefit of the broader community. She joined the team at the Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre in Cochrane and co-founded the national Marriage Encounter program for Calgary, aimed at helping people seeking to enrich their spiritual lives and build stronger, more meaningful relationships.
Helping Those with Addictions
After 11 years of counselling at the university, Helen realized there was vital work to be done helping those suffering from addictions. In 1978, she moved to Minnesota and completed a year of training at the Hazelden Foundation’s centre for chemical dependency treatment. By 1982, she was ready to offer her counselling services to the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) and dove headfirst into her new work with addicts and their families. She also served as director of the Serenity Retreats Association in Calgary, where she worked with Alcoholics Anonymous participants, helping those interested explore the spiritual aspects of their recovery. Helen also served the community as a co-founder of a Calgary chapter of Anonymous. In 1987, Sister Helen began private practice as a certified psychologist and continued to assist addicts in their recovery process.
Throughout her career as a counsellor and psychologist, Hengel had a positive impact on thousands of recovering addicts and their families in Alberta. Through workshops, seminars, and individual counselling, she helped people find the hope, faith, and strength needed for healing, earning a reputation as an open-minded mentor and clinician who willingly accepted all faiths and lifestyles. Her compassion and care inspired many people to change their lives for the better.
Final Years
In 2003, a tragic turn of events forced Helen to devote all her strength and mental energy to her own recovery. It was Easter Sunday, and Helen and her sisters from the order were planning a drive through the countryside followed by dinner in Bragg Creek. While stopped at a traffic light, a truck crashed into their car, killing everyone except Helen. She faced a long recovery after losing dear friends and colleagues. Hengel’s stubbornness, her faith, and the unceasing support of her Order allowed her to regain her strength and return to her work helping those in need. Over the years, Sister Helen was honoured as a YWCA Calgary “Woman of Distinction” in education and received a special award for her service to the Serenity Retreats Association.
Sister Helen passed away on October 25, 2023.