YVONNE'S PROUD EVENING

Happy Presentation Day, to all.  On this Presentation Day 2019, I am pleased to bring you this lovely little post.  I think it  will bring back happy memories of our small, but important, share of Presentation life. 

Venerable Nano Nagle

I have to thank Yvonne Dionne for the memories and photos. The photos and reminiscences are so nice to receive and they certainly reawaken half forgotten memories of our younger selves.

Yvonne writes:

"While at St. Patrick’s, around grade 5, age 10, in 1971, I joined the Girl Guides. The investiture was held in the school gym. My patrol leader, standing behind me, was Ellen Walsh."

Little Yvonne, A Proud Girl Guide

Thanks Yvonne.  This is a sweet little look back at life at dear old St Patrick's.  If anyone has photos, stories, or memories they would like to share, please just send them along to  us  at mcallistersmith@gmail.com.  It would be a pleasure to post them.  I have a bit of a backlog at present but I am working my way through it and I am slowly catching up.  Please keep the news coming!

A momentous night

ANNIVERSARY OF NANO NAGLE'S DEATH

PBVM Symbol

Worn out by long days and nights of ministry, Nano Nagle collapsed in Cross Street, Cork, on her way to one of her schools. The Foundress of the Presentation Sisters died on Monday, 26^th April 1784.  She was 65 years old.   In 1994 Pope John Paul II declared Nano Nagle a ‘Servant of God’, the first of four steps to canonisation.  The next step came in 2013 when Pope Francis bestowed the title ‘Venerable’ on Nano Nagle.

  

Venerable Nano Nagle

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!