Feb 23, 2021
Presentation Sisters celebrate 70 years of Ministry in New Zealand
by Father Patrick O'Shea - Lower Hutt
On February 21, there was a celebration to mark the arrival in Taita, Lower Hutt, of the first group of Presentation Sisters from Ireland 70 years ago. They had come at the invitation of Cardinal McKeefrey. They were also responding to what their founder Nano Nagle had said “if I can be of service in any part of the world, I would do all in my power…”.
There was a packed church with many former pupils of St Michael’s School coming back for the occasion. Cardinal John Dew was faced with the challenge of reflecting on this joyful celebration on the first Sunday of Lent with its penitential focus. He began his homily with a story of a little girl who got lost and was found by a policeman. He suggested they drive around in the hope that she would see something familiar. Suddenly she said “stop – that’s my church and I can find my way home from there”. If Lent is about finding our way home to life with God, the celebration yesterday was about people finding a home in a place a long way from their country of origin by becoming immersed in the local church and in the lives of the local people. Acknowledgment was made of the support given to the first group by the Mercy and Mission Sisters and to the welcome given by the local community in the fast-growing Taita area of the 1950’s.
Several significant symbols were carried forward at the beginning of mass. For me, the most evocative was a lantern. Nano Nagle was known for taking a lantern and going out at night in Cork looking for people in need. Her exhortation to “take down your lantern and go out” is one that Pope Francis has echoed in various ways and on many occasions in reflecting on Christian mission.
There was a memorial card given to all who attended. It was designed by Sue McGregor and includes the image of Nano and her lantern along with an Image of our Lady of Knock and the 5 sisters in a boat coming to land in New Zealand.
Memorial card of the celebration
With reduced numbers these days, the Presentations Sisters are involved in various forms of ministry that continue to enrich the New Zealand Church.
I had the privilege of being part of a retreat team with the Presentation Sisters at Mt St Anne’s in Killenard (Ireland) from 1980 to 1984.
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