MARYLOU'S TRIBUTE

Those of you who know the Mallard girls will also know what a talented family they are musically.  It seems they have other talents as well. Marylou Mallard Tucker  is also a gifted poet.  We have posted several of Lulu's poems previously and we are proud to post this special poem written by her on the occasion of St Patrick's Convent and the leaving of the Presentation Sisters.  The Sisters' leave taking ends 160 years of their presence at St Patrick's but the memories they have left us with and the loyalty which they have inspired in us will be here for many, many years to come. Here is Marylou's loving tribute.       

St. Patrick’s Convent  

A beautiful Mass was held in the Presentation Sisters honour

With Archbishop Currie, Father Beresford and Father Wayne,

To celebrate one hundred and sixty years

“Love” was Sister Nano Nagle and her Sisters’ claim to fame.

I was asked by my sister Rosemary

To attend a very special Mass,

It was in honour of the closing of the Convent Home

As our memories kept flowing back to the past.

Prayer beads were received when doing messages for the nuns

As we brought back packages to their sacred place,

Piano at this convent was taught to us by Sister Stephanie

We always carried a happy smile upon our face.

A celebration was held at the parish room

Food and drink was so meticulously prepared,

Seeing fellow students from so many years ago

The gathering showed how much everybody cared.

The highlight for me was seeing Sister Brendan

Sitting there to my surprise,

I went over to her and held her hand

With heartfelt tears that glistened in my eyes.

She remembered me when I told her who I was

As it has been over 45 years,

“The Mallards, Oh yes, I think of you often,

Beautiful singers", the words I did hear.

Sister Catherine had introduced us to Sister Brendan.

Rosemary, Helen, Elizabeth and I,

We sang in harmony, “Come Home Newfoundlander”

They smiled, nodded their heads and sighed.

As I stood there, still holding her precious hands

My heart was lit on fire,

Memories flowing back to when we were little kids

Singing in her fabulous and outstanding well know choir.

Love you always, and think of you fondly when we sing!!!!

Mary Lou (Mallard) Tucker and the Mallard family

SR MARY BRENDAN 

This is a lovely tribute to the Sisters who served us so well and particularly to Sr Brendan. Thank you so very much Marylou.

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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