FIRST COMMUNION 1911

This time of the year seems to be when, in Parishes all over the world, children are making their First Holy Communion  and receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.  For this reason, I am going to do a couple of posts on that theme.

 

This post is, I think, very special and a really beautiful slice of our School and Parish history.  I hope you enjoy this 102 year old photo and, if you would like to share a  First Communion or Confirmation photo, certificate or story  on this blog, you would be most welcome to send it to us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com

 

This is the First Communion picture and certificate of Mary Margaret Williams.  She was born in August 1900 in Petty Harbour.  When she was very young, her family moved to St John's and became parishioners of St Patrick's, Riverhead.  Mary, always know as May, attended the old St Patrick's Convent School on Convent Square.  Here she came to know such distinguished teachers as Mother De Sales Walsh and Mother Rose Reddy.  At that time, Mother Rose was a  Novice, still with her white veil. 

 

On 29th April 1911, May received her First Holy Communion.  The certificate states; "Mary Margaret Williams Baptised in the year 1900 received First Holy Communion in the church of St Patrick on the 29th of April 1911 and the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation in the same year".  She was 11 years old.

 

Mary Margaret Williams,
First Holy Communion, April 1911

 

 

First Communion and Confirmation Certificate
of Mary Margaret Williams,
St Patrick's Church, April 1911

 

SR COLUMBA'S BUDGIE, AGAIN

I am greatly indebted to the good people at PRESENTATION CONGREGATIONAL ARCHIVES for this beautiful photo. It certainly brought back memories for me as I am certain it will for many of you. In an earlier post, Marie O'Brien Burkhart had a lovely story about Sr Columba's Budgie (click here for link) so it is with the greatest pleasure I add this photo along with the writing which is on the back of it.

 

Sr Columba was my grade 1 teacher at the Deanery Avenue School but she didn't have a budgie then.  Well, if she did, she never brought it into the classroom or mentioned it.  Later, when the 'new' school opened on Patrick St, Sr Columba taught Grade 4 there and I think, later again, Grade 5.  It was during her years at the 'new' school that Sister acquired her budgie.  Marie, can you remember the bird's name? 

 

Mother Rose was also a very popular and well loved teacher at St Patrick's.  In the late 1950s, she  taught Grade 7 in the Patrick St School.   Long before the opening of the school on Patrick Street, Mother Rose had taught at St Patrick's so it was a return to the West End for this gentle Nun.  Some of  our grandmothers remembered Mother Rose as a young Novice in a white veil in the early part of the 1900s.   Mother Rose had three nieces who became Presentation Sisters.  Sr Mary Aquin, Sr Mary Isadore and Sr Mary Stephanie were the daughters of Frances Reddy Walsh, the only sister of Mother Rose.  I have a dim recollection of Sr Stephanie teaching at St Patrick's in the early 50s and I think that Sr Aquin was at some point a member of the St Patrick's community.

 

Again, my thanks to the  kind folks at Presentation Congregational Archives for the use of this valuable photograph.  It is such a pleasure to recall these wonderful teachers and their contribution to St Patrick's Convent School.  God rest their souls. 

 

Sr M Columba Hannon, Mother M Rose Reddy and
Sr Columba's Budgie (Presentation Congregational Archives)

The writing on the back of the photo
(Presentation Congregational Archives)

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