HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Today, 10th January 2025, marks the 169th Anniversary of the founding of St Patrick's Convent.  

On 10th January 1856, four Presentation Sisters came from the Community at Cathedral Square to establish a convent at Riverhead in the Westend of St John's. They were Srs M Clare Waldron, M Ignatius Quinlan, M Regis Halpin and M Rose Mullally.  Sr Clare was appointed Superior.  

Three of the Sisters were courageous Irish Women. Their foundress, Nano Nagle, had said "If I could be of service in saving souls in any part of the globe, I would be willing to do all in my power."  True to Nano's ethos, the three had left kith and kin and crossed the Atlantic to do just that. However one sister, Sr M Rose Mullally, was different!

Grave of first Newfoundlander to become a Presentation Sister

Sr Rose made history on Presentation Day, 21st November 1851, when she joined the Presentation Sisters at Cathedral Square.  Born Catherine Mullally in 1824 at beautiful Bonavista, she was the first Newfoundlander to become a Presentation Sister.  Sr Rose died at Renews on 3rd March 1903.  She rests in the Presentation Cemetery in Renews.

On a cold, windy day, two staunch St Patrick's girls pay their
respects at the grave of one of the foundresses of
St Patrick's Convent

I think that on this anniversary we should be thankful for the four young women who dedicated their lives to the children of Newfoundland.  Thankful that they gave us the opportunity and happy privilege of being St Patrick's Girls, I wish all of you, in whatever part of the globe you are, a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

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CAPTAIN WILLIAM JACKMAN

Renews, on the beautiful Southern Shore, was the birthplace of William Jackman.  William, born on 20 May 1837, was the eldest of the four children of Captain Thomas Jackman and Catherine Johnson.  At an early age, William, like his father before him, went to sea.

Birthplace of Captain William Jackman, Renews

About 1858, when William was 21, he married Trepassey native, Bridget Burbridge.  William and Bridget had six children, four sons and two daughters.  One son, William Henry, became a priest. Fr Jackman died on 16 July 1908 at the age of 44 years.  At the time of his death, Fr Jackman was serving in St Patrick's Parish.

October 1867 found the 30 year old William Jackman, by now Captain, at Spotted Islands on the coast of Labrador. That October night, a fierce gale was raging and Captain Jackman and some friends were on the Headland looking out to sea. Different accounts of this story give differing reasons for Captain Jackman's presence on the Headland at that time but it was certainly fortuitous, whatever the reason. 

Looking out to sea Jackman saw that a small schooner was being battered on the rocks by the raging gales.  Captain Jackman was a vigorous man and, luckily, a strong swimmer.  He immediately stripped off most off his clothes and dived into the maelstrom.  His companions raced back to the community for ropes to aid in the rescue.  Reaching the stricken boat, William took a man on his back and swam to shore  with him.  Again he plunged into the icy waters and swam back to the vessel.  By the time his fellow rescuers returned with ropes, Captain Jackman had already rescued eleven men in this manner.  They then tied a rope around his waist and, with the men on shore helping by pulling the ropes, the brave Captain battled his way through the treacherous waves to rescue fifteen more men.  He had saved the lives of twenty-six men but, upon being told that there was a dying woman still on board in the cabin, William Jackman struck out once again for the battered ship.  He brought the ailing woman safely to shore.  The woman, said to be one Myra Batten, did not live long and died a day or two later. The whole rescue operation took just over two hours and the schooner, named either the 'Sea Clipper' or 'Sea Slipper', broke up about an hour after that.

Captain William Jackman, 1837-1877

In 1868, Captain Jackman and his fellow rescuers were awarded medals by the Royal Humane Society. Jackman received a silver medal and a diploma and his companions received bronze medals.

William Jackman was a founder member of the Star of the Sea, a social organization for Roman Catholic seamen, which was founded in 1871. Heroic Captain William Jackman passed away in St John's on 25 February 1877. On 28 February, his funeral was conducted at  St Patrick's Church. The church was still unfinished but Captain Jackman's funeral was immense. He was laid to rest at Belvedere Cemetery, St John's.  Captain William Jackman was just 39 years old.

I return now to William's father, Captain Thomas Jackman and to a direct link to St Patrick's Convent.

Thomas Jackman's wife, Catherine Johnson, died and Thomas eventually took another wife, **Catherine White.  Catherine White was born in County Wexford, Ireland circa 1820/21. 

On 19 July, 1870, Captain Thomas Jackman passed away at his home on Brine Street. Two years later, on 1 August 1872, his widow, Catherine White Jackman, entered the Presentation Congregation at St Patrick's Convent.  She was received on 1 August 1873 when she was 52 years old and received the name of Sr Mary Monica.

Sr Monica Jackman spent the whole of her religious life at St Patrick's Convent.  On 4 September 1897, two Wexford newspapers carried short articles about Sr Monica. Both the 'Enniscorthy Guardian' and the 'New Ross Standard' reported that "a day of great rejoicing had taken place at the Presentation Convent of St Patrick's, Newfoundland", as Sr M Monica Jackman celebrated her Silver Jubilee.  Catherine White/Sr Monica Jackman had not been forgotten in her native County Wexford.

Captain William Jackman's stepmother, Sr Monica, passed away at St Patrick's on 27 December 1899.  She was laid to rest in the Nuns Cemetery behind the Convent.

Captain William Jackman's stepmother, Sr Monica Jackman

**I owe this interesting little snippet about Catherine White Jackman/Sr M Monica, to the lovely little book, "KEEPING THE BOND ALIVE, SHARING THE MEMORIES", Renews-Cappahayden Come Home Year 2008.

FIRST NEWFOUNDLAND BORN PRESENTATION SISTER

Sr Mary Rose Mulally was the first Newfoundland born Presentation Sister.  She was also one of the four founding Sisters of our own St Patrick’s Convent.   On 3^rd March 1903, Sr Rose Mulally died at Renews and was laid to rest in the Presentation Cemetery there.  Sr Rose was 79 years of age.

Grave of Sr Rose Mulally, the first Newfoundland born Presentation  Sister

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!