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| Venerable Nano Nagle, foundress of the Presentation Sisters |
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,
21st November, 1851. (Sr
M Francis Mulally, a founding member of the Harbour Main Convent, was her
sister.)
On 24th 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 10th 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 3rd
March 1903. She is buried in the
Presentation Cemetery, Renews.
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| 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.
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| 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!