Presentation Sister

The Presentation Sisters, also known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary are a religious institute of Roman Catholic women founded in Cork, Ireland, by Nano (Honora) Nagle in 1775. The Sisters of the congregation use the postnominal initials of P.B.V.M.

The Presentation Sisters are located in 24 countries including Antigua, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Commonwealth of Dominica, Ecuador, England, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Slovakia, Thailand, United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Presentation Sisters have helped people worldwide, mainly the poor and needy.

In the past, the Sisters dedicated their time to creating schools that would help to educate young people, especially young ladies. Most of these schools are still in operation and can be found worldwide.

Honora (Nano) Nagle, was born in Ballygriffin, Cork, Ireland in 1718, into a wealthy, Catholic family and had the advantage of an education in France, at a time when the law precluded the less advantaged from education in Ireland. In 1775, Nano Nagle entered with some companions on a novitiate for the religious life. With them, she received the habit 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 erection of a convent close to that which she had built for the Ursulines, and it was opened on Christmas Day, 1777. 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 Sisters". Their habit was similar to that of the Ursulines.

As the schools of the Presentation Sisters developed, Nano Nagle is quoted as having said of them: "I can assure you my schools are beginning to be of service to a great many parts of the world... I often think they will not bring me to heaven as I only take delight and pleasure in them."

The second superioress was Mother Mary Angela Collins. Soon after her succession a set of rules, adapted from that of St. Augustine, was drawn up by Bishop Moylan, and approved by Pope Pius VI in September, 1791. This congregation of teaching sisters itself was given formal approval by Pope Pius VII in 1800.

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