Marion Penna

MARION HILDA PENNA

June 8, 1939 - December 6, 2025

Prayers Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/UlDEmjnXOv8 

Funeral Mass Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/C3Yh7zKBwvA 

Dr. James V. Penna and his family lift their voices in gratitude to God for the gift of a gentle calling of our beloved Marion to the Father’s House, as she died in her sleep in the morning of December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas. Mom’s was a life-long journey in love with Jesus the Good Shepherd and Mary, Our Lady of Tenderness. Now her longing to see the Face of God is fulfilled.

God gave her the gift of 65 years of marriage to her beloved Jim. She leaves her children, Fr. Stefano, Daniele (Corinne), Gabriele (Karin Tate), Phillip (Brennain Lloyd), and Angela & Robert to follow her example of love and patience. Her Grandchildren, Chiara Tate-Penna, Jewels (Scott) Sigfusson, Antonio Fernandes (Anaty), Dorian (Nina) Penna, Enzo (Cosima) Break, Ugo Break, Beatrice Lloyd, Daniela Fortugno, Antonio Fortugno, and Daniel James Cram treasured Nonna and their Nonna treasured them. Such gifts were lavished on her by her great-grandchildren: Dwante, Paul, Kiamy, Mika, Olivia, Samuel, , Jameya, Vienna and several Godchildren. How she loved singing, “Welcome to our Family” at baptisms and weddings! A special grace was hers (and Dads) to be called “Mom” and “Grandma” by Dr. Anthony and Justina Nwakama and their Minnesota-clan. Our family praises Jesus for Mom, such an instrument of God’s strength and love.

Mom was born in Weirdale, Saskatchewan on June 8, 1939, as the eldest of Elden and Fern McLachlan’s family of eight (the famous M’s: Marion, Marilyn, Marvin, Melvin, Manley, Morris, Marlene, and Michael) and thereby became the ever-attentive aunt to forty nieces and nephews. She was the eldest of a throng of McLachlan cousins, and dearly loved by her Skapple and Smythe families. Marrying Jim brought Francesca and Rosario’s Fortugno family under her wings as Aunt –to all thirty-four nipoti e nipotini. She knew everybody’s name as Mom was the story-keeper of the clan, leading the song “McLachlan’s are We” in her tartan at reunions.

But “family” by blood was only a part of Mom’s indefatigable openness to servant leadership and collaboration in a wider family. Her brief career as teacher in a one-room schoolhouse ended when she wed the dashing Italian city-boy she met at a dance at St. Thomas More College. Her young years were given to raising her family and supporting Dad as his studies led him to his tenure as the first graduate of STM to become faculty. She was a super-mom, remarkable gardener, attentive cheerleader, and fantastic cook (though it was not her favourite thing to do). Still during these early years, she became a mentor of a generation of Girl Guides. With the children growing older she was out in the community – Birthright, teaching Natural Family Planning with Serena, environmental activism with the Inter-Church Uranium Committee, causing a beautiful uproar as a Raging Granny against the provincial nuclear agenda and Co-Chairing the National Catholic Study of Women in the Church. She was also the President of St. Mary’s CWL, Chairperson of the Holy Spirit Parish Council and was very active in the Funeral Vigil Ministry at St. Mary’s with Jim. Through all this she became a loving friend and “parent” to countless persons. What a strong, brilliant group of women were her companions – hardly a “Silent Generation.”

There are two strong streams in this story: Mom’s faithful witness as a Roman Catholic and her marriage to Dad. Their spiritual foundation was the source of everything. Through their parishes, the Diocese, St. Thomas More College, the Charismatic Renewal, and the Focolare, the Holy Spirit gave them joy and passion. For thirty years they were Oblates of St. Benedict associated with St. Peter’s Abbey.

Seventeen years ago, came a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease and with it the gradual ebbing of Mom’s bottomless energy. It is a cruel disease but with Dad’s attention to nutrition, the aid of great physicians, Mom outlived the prognosis expectation. While her earthly body struggled to keep up with her soul, her patient love never ceased to give us her gifts of prayer, humour, and a beautiful smile. She was a compassionate defender of life from birth to natural death; her suffering was her service of love and her death a model for her family, “It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church” (Col. 1:24). She and Dad particularly prayed for peace through the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. We saw how exhausting this journey was for her and Dad, but aided by really wonderful care-givers (God reward you!) she was able to die at her home.

Mom was predeceased by her still-born daughter Chiara, her precious granddaughter Anna Magdalena Cram, and four great-grandchildren too early born. Her parents, Elden and Fern McLachlan & Stefano and Angelina Penna, a brother-in-law Rosario Fortugno, nephew Vincenzo Fortugno, and recently her sister, Marlene Gotell, all are departed to await the great day of Resurrection. 

Marion’s Funeral Prayers (with eulogy) will be celebrated Friday, December 12, 2025 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish (211 Ave O South). Her funeral Mass will be Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Holy Spirit Parish (114 Kingsmere Pl.) presided over by Bishop Mark Hagemoen, celebrated by Archbishop Murray Chatlain of Winnipeg, with the priests of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and Deacon Rudy LeMaitre of Winnipeg.

Blessed are you, Mom, who have died in the Lord, rest now from your labours for your good deeds follow you.

Donations may be sent in her honour to the Focolare Haiti Foundation ℅ Andre Weis, 2680 Nantel St., Montreal, Quebec, H4M 2T8 (email: aweis@focolare.ca) or Interchurch Uranium Committee Educational Cooperative, PO Box 7724, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 4J2.