The Presentation Sisters, officially the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, are a

religious institute A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrat ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

women founded in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

, by the Venerable Honora "Nano" Nagle in 1775. The

Sisters A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...

of the congregation use the postnominal initials P.B.V.M. The Presentation Sisters' mission is to help the poor and needy around the world. Historically, the Sisters focused their energies on creating and staffing schools that would educate young people, especially young ladies. Most of these schools are still in operation and can be found across the globe. As of 2021, the Presentation Sisters are located in 24 countries: Antigua, Australia, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Slovakia, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

History

Beginnings

Honora (Nano) Nagle (1718–1784) was born in Ballygriffin, Cork, Ireland. Her wealthy Catholic family provided her the advantage of an education in France, at a time when Ireland's Education Act 1695 precluded the less advantaged from education. She quietly began teaching Irish children in the trading port of

Cork City Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

, and her reputation spread widely. In a 1769 letter, she wrote: "I often think my schools will never bring me to heaven, as I only take delight and pleasure in them... I can assure you my schools are beginning to be of service to a great many parts of the world." In 1775, Nagle entered with some companions on a

novitiate The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...

for the religious life. With them, she received the

habit A habit (or wont as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.

on 29 June 1776, taking the name of "Mother Mary of St John of God". They made their first annual vows 24 June 1777. The foundress had begun the construction of a convent close to that which she had built for the

Ursulines The Ursulines, also known as the Order of Saint Ursula ( post-nominals: OSU), is an enclosed religious order of consecrated women that branched off from the Angelines, also known as the Company of Saint Ursula, in 1572. Like the Angelines, they ...

, and it was opened on

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

, 1775. They adopted as their title the Society of Charitable Instruction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was changed in 1791 to that of "

Presentation A presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product. Presenta ...

Order" (''Ord na Toirbhirte''). Their habit was similar to that of the Ursulines. Ireland honored the Presentation Order with a pair of postage stamps for the 1975 bicentennial. The Roman Catholic Church declared Nagle a

Servant of God "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in ...

in 1994, and

Venerable The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism. Christianity Cat ...

in 2013, on the path toward possible

canonization Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of ...

as a Saint.

Institutional development

The second superioress was Mother Mary Angela Collins. Soon after her succession, a set of rules, adapted from that of

St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

, was drawn up by Bishop

Francis Moylan Francis Moylan (1735–1815) was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cork, having first served as Bishop of Bishop of Ardfert and Aghadoe in Kerry. Life He was born on 17 September 1735 in Cork, Ireland, second son of John Moylan, a well-to-do merchan ...

, and approved by

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799. Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...

in September 1791. This congregation of teaching Sisters itself was given formal approval by

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...

in 1805. Communities branching from Cork were founded at

Killarney Killarney ( ; ga, Cill Airne , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Ross Cast ...

in 1793,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

in 1794, and

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

in 1798. A second convent at Cork was established in 1799, by Sister Mary Patrick Fitzgerald; and a convent at

Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...

in 1800, by Sister Mary Joseph McLoughlan. The schools, regulated at the time by a United Kingdom Government board, had for their first object the Catholic and moral training of the young, which was not interfered with by the government. The secular system followed was the "National", superseded, in many cases, by the "Intermediate", both of which ensured a sound education in English; to these were added domestic economy,

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

, Irish,

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

. The average attendance of children in each of the city convents of Dublin, Cork, and

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...

was over 1,200; that in the country convents between 300 and 400, making a total of 22,200 who received an excellent education without charge. For girls who needed to support themselves by earning a living, workrooms were established at Cork,

Youghal Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long and narrow layout. ...

, and other places, where Limerick lace, Irish points and crochet were taught. In 1802, the Sisters' example inspired the formation of the Presentation Brothers. In 1833 a house was founded by Mother Josephine Sargeant from

Clonmel Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Drogheda and Wexford. With the exception of the townla ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

, England, from which sprang two more, one at

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Matlock St Joseph's. The schools were well attended; the number of children, including those of an orphanage, being about 1,400. The year 1833 also brought the Presentation Sisters to

Newfoundland Colony Newfoundland Colony was an English and, later, British colony established in 1610 on the island of Newfoundland off the Atlantic coast of Canada, in what is now the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. That followed decades of sporadic English ...

, establishing their first convent in the Americas. India received its first foundation in 1841, when Mother Xavier Kearney and some Sisters from Rahan and

Mullingar Mullingar ( ; ) is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. It is the third most populous town in the Midland Region, with a population of 20,928 in the 2016 census. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 proclaimed Westmeath ...

established themselves at

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

. Soon four more convents in the Madras presidency were founded from this, and in 1891 one at

Rawal Pindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...

. These schools comprised orphanages, and day and boarding schools, both for Europeans and local children. The Presentation Sisters entered the Southern Hemisphere in 1866 with a convent and school in

Tasmania, Australia ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. In the 20th century, foundations were established in Africa (Zimbabwe, 1949; Zambia, 1970) and New Zealand (1951). The first of a new wave of foundations from Ireland in the USA began in Texas (San Antonio, 1952), followed by foundations in the Philippines (1960), South America (Chile, 1982; Ecuador, 1983; Peru, 1993); Slovakia (1992); and Thailand (1999).

Organization

Communities of Presentation Sisters exist throughout the world. However, historical and legal factors caused these communities to develop and operate as autonomous groups. Each community is independent of the motherhouse, and subject only to its own superioress and the bishop of its respective diocese. A large proportion of these communities are today more closely united within the Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, created by papal decree on 19 July 1976. Today, more than 1,600 Sisters pursue work in education and relief of the poor on every continent.

International Presentation Association (IPA)

The International Presentation Association was established in 1988 as a network of the various congregations of PBVM women, including the Union of Presentation Sisters, the Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America, and the Australian Society. The goal of the IPA is to foster unity and to enable collaboration for the sake of mission. The IPA has NGO consultant status with the

UN Economic and Social Council The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; french: links=no, Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, ) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields ...

Union of Presentation Sisters

The Union of Presentation Sisters is a congregation of 1,300 women working internationally in thirteen Provinces or Units. Each Unit takes responsibility for its own life and mission in response to the direction of the congregation. (The United States Province is also a member of the Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America.) Presentation Sisters in the Pakistan Province founded several notable schools, including

Presentation Convent School, Jhelum Presentation Convent High School, Jhelum, was founded by the Presentation Sisters and is regulated by the Catholic Board of Education under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore. History On 13 January 1950, four sisters arrived in Jhelum ...

;

Presentation Convent High School, Murree Founded in 1917 by the Presentation Sisters ,Presentation Convent High School in Murree, Pakistan, stands as evidence of a century-long dedication to education. This institution is regulated by the Catholic Board of Education under the Roman Cath ...

;

Presentation Convent School, Peshawar Presentation Convent School, Peshawar, was founded by the Presentation Sisters and is regulated by the Catholic Board of Education under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi. It is located is 144 kilometers west of the capital Islam ...

;

Presentation Convent Girls High School St. Ann's Presentation Convent High School, Rawalpindi, is a private Catholic missionary school located in Lalkurti area of Rawalpindi Cantonment, Pakistan. In spite of its name, the school caters for students seeking an elementary and high scho ...

, Rawalpindi; and

Presentation Convent High School, Sargodha Presentation Convent High School, Sargodha, Pakistan, was founded by the Presentation Sisters and is regulated by the Catholic Board of Education under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi. History On 8 September 1895, the first ...

. The Indian Province includes

Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School is a selective K-12 independent day school for girls in Rajbagh, on the banks of Jhelum River, Srinagar. It was started in 1936 and run by the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as Pr ...

, Srinagar. Presentation schools in Ireland include

Cashel Community School Cashel Community School is secondary school in Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north- ...

(formerly Presentation Convent, Cashel); Our Lady's College, Greenhills;

Presentation College, Athenry Presentation College, Athenry is a voluntary secondary school which is predominantly Catholic in character located in the town of Athenry, County Galway, Ireland. It is under the trusteeship of Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust (CEIST). ...

;

Presentation College Headford Presentation College Headford is a secondary school for boys and girls in Headford, County Galway in Ireland. The school serves the town of Headford and its hinterland. It is partnered with Dundonald High School, Belfast, in Northern Irelan ...

;

Presentation Secondary School, Clonmel Presentation Secondary School, Clonmel is a secondary school established by the Presentation Sisters for the education of girls in Clonmel, County Tipperary in Ireland. History The foundation of the schools at their present site to the west of th ...

; and Killina Presentation Secondary School.

Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America (CPS)

The Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America began in August 1953 under the title of the "North American Conference", when several Presentation communities in North America began to collaborate and communicate on issues of ministry, spirituality and social justice. All of these communities claim their origins from Nano Nagle. In 2002, the North American Conference included eight communities, and changed its name to CPS. Together the eight communities established a collaborative ministry project in New Orleans called "Lantern Light".

St. John's, Newfoundland

The first Presentation Convent in the Americas was founded in

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

in 1833 at the request of Bishop

Michael Anthony Fleming Michael Anthony Fleming, O.S.F. ( – July 14, 1850) was an Irish-born Friar Minor who served as the Roman Catholic Church bishop of the Diocese of St. John's, Newfoundland. He was principally responsible for changing a small mission wit ...

Vicar Apostolic A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

of the island. The convent and a neighboring school were established in

St. John's, Newfoundland St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...

, by Mother Mary Bernard Kirwan accompanied by Sisters Mary Xavier Molony, Mary Magdalen O'Shaughnessy, and Mary Xaverius Lynch. The motherhouse was established adjacent to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. As of 2019, the congregation was serving twelve ministry locations in Newfoundland.

San Francisco, California

In November 1854, five Presentation Sisters arrived in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

from Ireland at the invitation of Archbishop

Joseph Sadoc Alemany Joseph Sadoc Alemany y Conill, O.P. (Spanish: José Sadoc Alemany y Conill; July 3, 1814 – April 14, 1888) was a Spanish Catholic clergyman, who served most of his career in California. He served as the first Bishop of Monterey (1850–53) a ...

. Mother Mary Joseph Cronin was appointed as the community's first superior; but due to unforeseen circumstances, she returned to Ireland in 1855 with two other members of the small community, Sisters Clare Duggan and Augustine Keane. The remaining Sisters were Mother Mary Teresa Comerford, who assumed the role as new superior, Mother Xavier Daly, and their first

postulant A postulant (from la, postulare, to ask) was originally one who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate. The use of the term is now generally restricted to those asking for admission into a Christian monastery or a religious order for the p ...

, Mary Cassian. The Sisters had great difficulties in their early founding years, but succeeded in interesting prominent Catholics of the city in their work. By 1900, the San Francisco Presentation foundation established two convents and schools within the city limits named Presentation High School, San Francisco, and one in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

named Presentation High School, Berkeley. They also staffed schools in Gilroy and Sonoma, California. The Presentation Sisters opened San Francisco's School of the Epiphany in 1938, and Menlo Park's Nativity Catholic School in 1956. Presentation High School San Francisco was an all-girls school. The main building was constructed in 1930 at 2340 Turk Street. In 1991 the building became

University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. The university's main campus is located on a setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is nicknamed "The Hil ...

's Education Building. In nearby

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

, the Presentation Sisters opened

Presentation High School Presentation High School is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school for girls established in 1962. It is owned and run by the Sisters of the Presentation, and operates within the Diocese of San Jose in California. The school is located i ...

in 1962. The school still operates as an all-girls Catholic high school. In

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

, the Sisters staffed a pair of

K–8 school K–8 schools, elementary-middle schools, or K–8 centers are schools in the United States that enroll students from kindergarten/pre-K (age 5–6) to 8th grade (up to age 14), combining the typical elementary school (K–5/6) and junior high ...

s for 30 years each: Presentation School during 1961–1991, and Saint Mary School during 1969–1999.

Dubuque, Iowa

The congregation was introduced into the Diocese of

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...

by Mother Mary Vincent Hennessey in 1874. By 1913, the congregation had established ten branch-houses in neighboring

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

Staten Island, New York

The Presentation Convent of St. Michael's Church (New York City) was founded on 8 September 1874, by Mother Joseph Hickey of the Presentation Convent,

Terenure Terenure (), originally called ''Roundtown'', is an affluent, middle class suburb of Dublin in Ireland. It is located in the city's D6W postcode area. Location and transport Terenure lies primarily in the administrative area of Dublin City ...

, County Dublin, with two Sisters from that convent, two from Clondalkin, one from Tuam, and five postulants. Father Arthur J. Donnelly, the founding pastor of St. Michael's Church as its school building neared completion, went to Ireland in February 1874 to invite the Presentation Sisters to take charge of the girls' department. Upon the Sisters' agreeing,

Paul Cardinal Cullen Paul Cardinal Cullen (29 April 1803 – 24 October 1878) was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and previously of Armagh, and the first Irish cardinal. His Ultramontanism spearheaded the Romanisation of the Catholic Church in Ireland and ...

, Archbishop of Dublin, applied to the Holy See for the necessary authorization for the Sisters to leave Ireland and proceed to New York, which was accorded by

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

. In 1884, Mother Mary Joseph Magdalen, Mother Mary Teresa Reynolds, and four other Sisters from the New York group took charge of St. Michael's Home,

Greenridge, Staten Island Greenridge or Marshland is a name sometimes used to denote the western part of Eltingville, a neighborhood on Staten Island's South Shore. The area's earliest settlers were French Huguenots, who are also responsible for a nearby South Shore ...

, where soon over two hundred destitute children were cared for. This became the home of the newly established Sisters of the Presentation of Staten Island, which became its own congregation on 1 May 1890. (Others from the early New York community developed into today's Presentation Sisters of New Windsor.) In 1921–1922, the Staten Island congregation began educating young local students at St. Ann's Church, St. Clare's Church, and

Our Lady Help of Christians Mary, the Help of Christians ( la, Sancta Maria Auxilium Christianorum) is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, based on a devotion now associated with a feast day of the General Roman Calendar on May 24. John Chrysostom was the f ...

. By the 1950s, a dozen locations were served by more than 125 Presentation Sisters of Staten Island, larger than any other Presentation community in their first two centuries. In the 1960s, they were instrumental in establishing Countess Moore High School. Founded in 1962 as an all-girls school, in September 1969 it became co-educational and later changed its name to

Moore Catholic High School Moore Catholic High School is an American private, Catholic school in the Bulls Head neighborhood of Staten Island, New York. It was founded by the Presentation Sisters of Staten Island in September 1962 and named for Mary Young Moore, a benefic ...

. In 1945, the Staten Island motherhouse moved from St. Michael's Home in Greenridge to the former " Horrmann Castle" atop Grymes Hill, and finally in 1965 to a new convent next to the old Greenridge property. As their numbers later dwindled, the Sisters downsized the convent and property in 2010, and began moving toward a long-term partnership with the New Windsor community.

Fargo, North Dakota

The

Fargo, North Dakota Fargo ( /ˈfɑɹɡoʊ/) is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 125,990, making it the most populous city in the state and the 219th-most populous city in ...

community was established in 1880 under Mother Mary John Hughes, and took charge of a free school, home, and academy. Fargo's Presentation Sisters merged into the Union (U.S. Province) in 2013.

Aberdeen, South Dakota

In 1886 some Sisters from Fargo went to

Aberdeen, South Dakota Aberdeen (Lakota language, Lakota: ''Ablíla'') is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, Brown County, South Dakota, United States, located approximately northeast of Pierre, South Dakota, Pierre. The city population was 2 ...

, and, under the guidance of Mother Mary Joseph Butler, took charge of schools at Bridgewater, Bristol, Chamberlain, Elkton, Jefferson, Mitchell, Milbank, and Woonsocket, as well as two hospitals. In 1922, what is now called Presentation College opened in Aberdeen. The college primarily educated nurses for the northern portion of South Dakota.

New Windsor, New York

In 1886 Mother Mary Magdalen Keating, with a small group of Sisters, left New York at the invitation of the Rev.

Philip Joseph Garrigan Philip Joseph Garrigan (September 8, 1840 – October 14, 1919) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City in Iowa from 1902 to until his death in 1919. Biography Early ...

(later Bishop of Sioux City, Iowa), to take charge of the schools of St. Bernard's Parish,

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private e ...

. The mission flourished and established other foundations in West Fitchburg and

Clinton, Massachusetts Clinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,428 at the 2020 census. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton (CDP), Massach ...

;

Central Falls, Rhode Island Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,583 at the 2020 census. With an area of only , it is the smallest and most densely populated city in the smallest state, and the 27th most densely ...

; and

Berlin, New Hampshire Berlin ( ) is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coös County in northern New Hampshire, United States. It is the northernmost city in New Hampshire. The population was 9,425 at the 2020 census, down from 10,051 at the 2010 census. It ...

. In 1997, the Sisters of the Presentation of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and the Sisters of the Presentation of Newburgh, New York, united to form one congregation, now based in

New Windsor, New York New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. History The region was originally inhabited by the Munsee The Munsee (or Minsi or Muncee) or mə́n'si·w ( del, Monsiyok)Online Lenape Talking Dictionary, "Munsee Indians"L ...

Union of Presentation Sisters (U.S. Province)

A new wave of foundations from Ireland began in 1952. In 1976, in response to the invitation of Vatican II, a number of autonomous Presentation congregations came together as one congregation. This new congregation was established by papal decree on 19 July 1976. Its full title is: The Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As of 2015, member communities were those of: * Robertsdale, Alabama (1979) * Phoenix, Arizona (1989) * Cypress (1963), Huntington Beach (1966), Los Angeles (1978), Montclair (1959), Oakland (2003), Orange (1965), San Bruno (1970), Upland (1955), California * New Orleans, Louisiana (1991) * DeGraff, Minnesota * Long Beach (1994), and Shaw (2010), Mississippi * Fargo, North Dakota (three: starting 1880) * San Antonio, Texas (two: 1952, 2001) * Chimbote, Peru

Presentation Society of Australia and Papua New Guinea

In 1946 the major superiors of the seven Presentation congregations in Australia agreed on common constitutions. In 1958 Pope Pius XII approved the formation of the Society of the Australian Congregations of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Tasmania

On 20 July 1866, four professed Sisters and five postulants set out from

Fermoy Fermoy () is a town on the River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2016 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,500 people. It is located in the barony of Condons and Clangibbon, and is in the Dái ...

, Ireland, to

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia. They boarded ''The Empress'' at

Queenstown, Ireland Cobh ( ,), known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. With a population of around 13,000 inhabitants, Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour and home to Ireland's ...

, and arrived at

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

three months later to open, at

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, the first Presentation convent and school in the Southern Hemisphere. The group was led by Mother Francis Xavier Murphy, whose brother Daniel Murphy was Bishop of Hobart and later its first Archbishop. The convent was added to over the following years. In 1871 the Presentation Sisters opened St Mary's College, Hobart, the first Catholic boarding school in Australia. In 1873 Hobart established its first foundation in Launceston. Led by Mother Francis Xavier Beechinor, the founding sisters were four Irish born and two born in the colony. Gabriel (Sister Teresa) Horner was the first Australian to join the Sisters. After copper was discovered in Queenstown on the west coast of Tasmania, Archbishop Murphy wanted a convent and school to be set up there. In January 1899, four Presentation Sisters from the Hobart Community sailed to Strahan, then by train to Queenstown. On 16 January 1899, St Joseph's School was opened with 65 children attending. The sisters were led by Mother Mary Paul Boylson. In 1911 the Convent houses of Launceston and Hobart amalgamated, led by Mother Mary Xavier Dooley. She was born in Tasmania to Alice and James Dooley, and she was educated at St Mary's College, Hobart. The Launceston foundation saw the development of a school at

Invermay Invermay () is a diffuse settlement in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is situated approximately 2 km southeast of Forteviot on the Water of May, some 8 km southwest of Perth. Before the mid 15th century, it was known as ''Innermeat ...

, and St Finn Barr's Church School was opened on 14 January 1894 under the leadership of Mother Mary Patrick Hickey. The Launceston community made four more foundations,

Beaconsfield Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...

, Karoola, Lilydale and

Longford Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...

. St Francis Xavier's School at Beaconsfield was opened on 23 April 1899 led by Mother Mary Paul Boylson and three other sisters. Hearing of the successful work of the Presentation Sisters, the Irish settlers of Karoola petitioned the Sisters to open a convent and school. In 1902 Sister Magdalen Riordan and novice Aquin Darling started St Margaret's school with 50 children in attendance. In 1953 a new convent dedicated to the Sacred Heart was built. In 1891 Archbishop Murphy laid the foundation of St Anne's Church, Lilydale, which was opened in January 1892. In 1903 St Monica's convent was opened at Longford. Attached to the convent was a large classroom that closed in 1911. In 1929 a holiday house was purchased by the Sisters at

Blackmans Bay Blackmans Bay is a coastal suburb of Tasmania, Australia, part of the Kingston-Blackmans Bay urban area and a satellite town of Greater Hobart. Etymology Blackmans Bay was named after a James Blackman who occupied land there in the 1820s. A ...

. The original farmhouse later became Maryknoll, a prayer House set up by Sister Betty Bowes in 1979. In 1935 a new parish was established in Bellerive and the Presentation Sisters were asked to make a foundation there. By the end of 1935, Corpus Christi Church-School and convent had been erected. In 1938 the sisters taught at St Cuthbert's Church-School. On 13 March 1949, Archbishop Tweedy offered the Presentation Sisters a foundation at

New Norfolk New Norfolk is a town on the Derwent River (Tasmania), River Derwent, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2011, 2011 census, New Norfolk had a population of 5,543. Situated north-west of Hobart on the Lyell Hi ...

. St Brigid's School was opened on 4 January 1926 and taken over by the Presentation Sisters in 1950. In 1956 Archbishop Young approached the Presentation Sisters to open a convent and school at George Town. In 1957 Sisters Gabriel and Bernadette opened Stella Maris, a Church-School with 64 pupils. In February 1959 the Presentation Sisters accepted the invitation to open St Anthony's school at Riverside, a suburb of Launceston. The Presentation Sisters were in charge of the school from its inauguration with Sister Clare the first principal. In 1961 the Poor Clare Sisters arrived and in 1962 a new school block was completed. When the Poor Clares withdrew in 1971, the Presentation Sisters agreed to return. Sister Mary Vincent Shelverton was Head Teacher from 1972 to 1981. In 1961, Our Lady Help of Christians school was begun at Newnham with 52 children. The first off-shore foundation was made in 1963 on

King Island King Island, Kings Island or King's Island may refer to: Australia * King Island (Queensland) * King Island, at Wellington Point, Queensland * King Island (Tasmania) ** King Island Council, the local government area that contains the Tasmanian is ...

. By the end of the year, the sisters were giving religious instruction to 200 children all over the island. In 1962 a request was made by the

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

missionaries to make a foundation in the Aitape Vicariate,

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

. In 1988 the Presentation Sisters requested to minister on

Flinders Island Flinders Island, the largest island in the Furneaux Group, is a island in the Bass Strait, northeast of the island of Tasmania. Flinders Island was the place where the last remnants of aboriginal Tasmanian population were exiled by the colon ...

and

Cape Barren Island Cape Barren Island, officially truwana / Cape Barren Island, is a island in the Bass Strait, off the north east coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is the second largest island of the Furneaux Group; Flinders Island lies to the north, with the s ...

. In 1981 Sister Mary Ursula Grachan received the

Order of Australia Medal The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for "service to education", personally awarded by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

at Albert Hall, Launceston.

Victoria

On 21 December 1873, six Sisters and a postulant arrived in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

from Limerick to found a convent and school at St Kilda, the summer resort for the growing capital of the newly established colony of Victoria.

Western Australia

The party of Presentation women who arrived in

Geraldton, Western Australia Geraldton (Wajarri: ''Jambinu'', Wilunyu: ''Jambinbirri'') is a coastal city in the Mid West region of the Australian state of Western Australia, north of the state capital, Perth. At June 2018, Geraldton had an urban population of 37,648. ...

in July 1891 was made up of three Sisters and one postulant from Sneem, one Sister from Mitchelstown, one postulant from Tipperary and three from Cork. This group formed a union with the Geraldton Congregation in 1969.

New South Wales

In May 1874, five Sisters arrived in

Wagga Wagga Wagga Wagga (; informally called Wagga) is a major regional city in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, with an urban population of more than 56,000 as of June 2018, Wagga Wagga is the state's la ...

from Kildare; and in August 1886, three Sisters and seven postulants from Lucan arrived in Lismore. Sisters from Wagga Wagga established new foundations in

Elsternwick Elsternwick is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Elsternwick recorded a population of 10,887 at the 2021 ...

(1882),

Hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticat ...

(1883) and

Longreach Longreach is a town and a locality in the Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Regional Council, which was established in 2008 as a merger of the former Longreach, Ilfracombe, and Isisford s ...

(1900). From Hay, a group travelled in 1900 to the goldfields of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

Australian Presentation Schools

* Assumption Catholic Primary School, Mandurah, Western Australia *

Avila College , motto_translation = Daughters of the Church , established = 1965 , type = Independent, single-sex, day school , denomination = Roman Catholic , slogan = , principal = Michelle Cotter , city = Mount Waverley , state ...

in Melbourne * Domremy College, Five Dock, New South Wales * Holy Cross Convent, Daylesford, Victoria (now, The

Convent Gallery The Convent Gallery is located in the Spa region of Daylesford, in Central Victoria, Australia. The Convent Gallery's origins date back to the 1860s gold rush, home to the Gold Commissioner, and then known as 'Blarney Castle'. The Catholic Ch ...

) * Iona Presentation College, Perth * Iona Presentation Primary School, Perth * Marian College, Myrtleford * Mary Immaculate College, Sutherland (merged into the former Christian Brothers College, now St Patrick's College, Sutherland) * Mt St Patrick's College, Murwillumbah, New South Wales *

Nagle Catholic College Nagle Catholic College commonly known as Nagle or NCC, is an independent Roman Catholic co-educational secondary day school, located in the coastal town of Geraldton in the Mid West region of Western Australia, Australia. The college was founde ...

, Geraldton, Western Australia * Nagle College, Bairnsdale, Victoria * Nagle College, Blacktown, New South Wales * Presentation College, Moe; and Presentation College, Newborough; now merged into

Lavalla Catholic College Lavalla Catholic College is a dual-campus independent Roman Catholic co-educational secondary day school, located in the towns of Traralgon and Newborough in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Currently, the school has approximately ...

, Victoria *

Presentation College, Windsor , motto_translation = Everything for God , established = 1873 , closed = 2020 , type = Independent, day school , gender = Girls , denomination = , slogan = , principal = Filina Virgato (at closure) , key_people ...

, Victoria * St Anthony's School, Riverside, Launceston, Tasmania * St Carthage's Primary School, Lismore, New South Wales * St John's Regional College, Dandenong, Victoria * St Joseph's Primary School, Como/Oyster Bay, Sydney, New South Wales * St Mary's College, Hobart, Tasmania * St Mary's College, Lismore, New South Wales (now, Trinity Catholic College) *

St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic School St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic School is an Independent co-educational primary and secondary day school, located in Carnarvon, a coastal town located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, approximately north of Perth. St Mary's ...

, Carnarvon, Western Australia * St Patrick's College, Sutherland, Sydney, New South Wales *

St Rita's College, Clayfield St Rita's College is an independent Roman Catholic single-sex secondary day school for girls, located in Clayfield, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The school was founded in 1926 and follows in the tradition of the Presentation Sisters, founded ...

, Queensland *

St Ursula's College, Yeppoon St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, is the only all-girls, Catholic day and boarding secondary school (years 7-12) in Central Queensland, Australia. History The school's history began in 1915 when Bishop Joseph Shiel proposed a Branch House for the ...

, Queensland * Star of the Sea College, Brighton, Victoria * Star of the Sea College, George Town, Tasmania

Watervliet, New York

The Presentation Sisters of

Watervliet, New York Watervliet ( or ) is a City (New York), city in Albany County, New York, Albany County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The population was 10,375 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Watervliet is north of Albany, ...

established their community in 1881. They elected not to join the Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America, and Watervliet remains an independent congregation.

References

{{Reflist

External links

International Presentation Association (IPA)
*
Union of Presentation Sisters
*
Conference of Presentation Sisters (CPS)
*
Presentation Society of Australia and Papua New Guinea
Catholic religious institutes established in the 18th century Catholic teaching orders Catholic female orders and societies