You Don't Know Jack...about Advent

TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT. HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW ABOUT ADVENT? HERE IS A LITTLE REFRESHER FROM FATHER JACK COLLINS.

SISTER ROSE MULALLY P B V M

Venerable Nano Nagle, foundress of the Presentation Sisters

November 21st, is PRESENTATION DAY.

On this Presentation Day 2016, we remember another, long ago Presentation Day, and pay a humble tribute to a very special Presentation Sister, SISTER MARY ROSE MULALLY.  Why is Sr Rose special?

Sr Mary Rose Mulally was the first Newfoundlander to become a Presentation Sister!  Born in Bonavista in 1824 to Edward and Eliza Mulally, she was baptised Catherine. Catherine entered the Presentation Convent, St John’s, on Presentation Day, 21^st November, 1851.  (Sr M Francis Mulally, a founding member of the Harbour Main Convent, was her sister.) 

On 24^th September 1853 Sr Rose Mulally, under the leadership of Mother Bernard Kirwan, was part of the group of five Sisters who founded Our Lady of Mount Carmel Convent in Admiral’s Cove, Fermeuse. 

Three years later, Sr Rose was again a member of a founding group.  On 10^th January 1856, she joined Sr M Clare Waldron, Sr M Ignatius Quinlan and Sr M Regis Halpin in establishing the new community at St Patrick’s, Riverhead. 

At some point, Sr Rose returned to the Fermeuse Community, which relocated to Renews in 1876.  Sr Mary Rose Mulally died at Renews on 3^rd March 1903.  She is buried in the Presentation Cemetery, Renews.

The grave of the first Newfoundland born Presentation Sister

Earlier this year, on a cold and windy day, my sister, my husband, and I climbed the hill to the Presentation Cemetery in Renews to find the grave of Sr Rose. Though cold and windblown, we felt privileged to be able to stand at her grave and honour this Newfoundland girl who played such an integral part in the founding of St Patrick’s Convent.  Surely, as the first Newfoundland born Presentation Sister, Sr Mary Rose Mulally holds an important place in the history of the Presentation Sisters as well as in the history of Newfoundland.

Two very cold St Patrick's 'girls' pay their respects at the grave
of one of the founding Sisters of St Patrick's Convent 

HAPPY PRESENTATION DAY EVERYONE!

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2016

POPPIES PAINTED BY HEATHER

Today, Remembrance Day 2016, we remember two priests with a connection to St Patrick’s Parish who served as chaplains in WWI and WWII.

Earlier this week, on 8^th November, Padre Thomas Nangle was recognised as a person of significance across Canada when a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Canadian Forces Station, Pleasantville.

Thomas Nangle was born in St John’s in 1889.  In 1913, after studies in Ireland, he was ordained a priest by Archbishop M F Howley at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in St John’s.  Father Nangle served St Patrick’s Parish from 1914 to 1916.  He enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment and was its respected and well loved chaplain.  After the war, Padre Nangle supervised the exhumation of known graves and was responsible for the erection of the five Caribou Memorials across Europe.  Four are in France and one is in Belgium.  

NEWFOUNDLAND BATTLEFIELD MEMORIAL, GUEUDECOURT, SOMME, FRANCE

He was also the driving force behind the building of the War Memorial in St John’s. 

WAR MEMORIAL, ST JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND

Regarding Memorials, Padre Nangle was quoted as saying that they were “monuments to our glorious dead and to our just as glorious survivors.  They are monuments to the mothers that bore such brave sons and the land that bred them”. Padre Thomas Nangle rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In the 1920s he left the priesthood and settled in Rhodesia where he married and had four children.  He died there in January 1972.

I knew nothing of Fr Francis James Jackman until recently when Eleanor Dalton sent me a photo taken at St Patrick’s Convent more than 70 years ago.  Among a group of Presentation Nuns was a smiling priest in military uniform.  Eleanor didn’t know who the priest was so she sought the help of Frank Galgay. 

 

FR FRANCIS JAMES JACKMAN

Frank was able to tell Eleanor that the priest in question was Fr Francis James Jackman.  Fr Jackman was born in 1903.  During WWII, in 1941, he moved his residence to St Patrick’s. Around that time, Fr Jackman enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy.  He served as a Naval Chaplain for the duration of the war.  On 31^st December 1945 Fr Jackman was demobilised with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. 

After the war Fr Jackman returned to Newfoundland where he again took up duties as a parish priest.  From 1948 until 1977 he was parish priest of St Edwards Parish, Kelligrews.  He retired in 1977 and died four years later, in 1981.  The Knights of Columbus Fr Francis Jackman Council 9303 was formed in 1986 and is named in his honour.

PRESENTATION SISTERS' PARTING GIFT

On 3rd November the media was full of the news that the Presentation Sisters have donated St Patrick's Convent to the City of St John's for use as affordable housing for senior citizens. Sister Betty Rae Lee pointed out that through their various ministries they learned that elderly people are experiencing great difficulty finding comfortable, affordable places to live. Sadly, the Presentation Sisters, a caring presence in the West End for 160 years, have gone from our Parish, but through their magnanimous  gift, their generous spirit will live on.  The City of St John's, particularly the  people of the West End, owe much to the generations of Presentation Sisters who have graced our corner of the world.  May God's richest blessings be theirs.

ST PATRICK'S CONVENT, WHICH THE SISTERS HAVE GIFTED TO THE CITY

Our thanks go to Katrina who has kindly sent us a copy of a recent Sunday Bulletin from  St Patrick's Parish.  

ST PATRICK'S PARISH BULLETIN

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BULLETIN

ALSO FROM THE BULLETIN