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Presentation Sisters and their commitment to the poor

by Thomas C. Fox

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Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary around the world are celebrating the life of their founder, Mother Nano Nagle.

It was 228 years ago today, April 26, 1784, Nano, ended a life of service to the poor in Ireland. On her deathbed she was to have given her daughter sisters the following injunction: “Love one another as you have hitherto done. … Spend your lives among the poor.”

According to Presentation Sisters, Nagle was born in County Cork, Ireland in 1718, during a period in Irish history when the English had imposed oppressive penal laws, upon the Irish, denying them access to basic human and economic rights. It was a crime, for example, punishable by death, to educate the Irish -- and it was forbidden to practice the Catholic faith.

Nano’s parents sent her to be educated in an Irish community then living in Paris. During that time she began to see how the poor lived in Paris. The story is told that late one night, at age 22 and riding in a carriage she saw a small group of poor working people waiting in front a church for early morning mass. It was an awakening moment, impressing her with the distinction between the pampered rich and the needy poor.

Returning to Ireland, she began to consider ways to help the poor. Distressed by the ignorance of the Irish in both faith and academics, she opened a school in 1754 with an enrollment of thirty-five girls in a two-room cabin.

That was the beginning. She taught during the day and attended to the sick by night, becoming known in Cork as the Lady with the Lantern, which today continues to be the symbol of the Sisters of the Presentation worldwide. Eventually, realizing the need for a group to continue her work after her death, Nano founded the Sisters of the Presentation on December 24, 1775.

Given the misperception remotely possible by some who happen upon the April 18 Vatican doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, of which the San Francisco Presentations are a part, it might be helpful to reread the group’s mission statement adopted in June, 1995. It reads

“We, Sisters of the Presentation, (San Francisco) are a community of Catholic women religious committed to living and transmitting the message of Jesus Christ through prayer and service. In the tradition of our foundress, Nano Nagle, we seek to promote a society which respects the dignity of all persons with emphasis on compassion and justice for the poor and oppressed.”

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Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation

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VENERABLE NANO NAGLE

The birth of a baby girl, honora nagle, better known as nano nagle, in county cork in 1718 changed the course of irish history and subsequently the history of many parts of the world. the wilful young girl from ballygriffin was educated as a child in a local hedge school, and later in paris and ypres (french territory, now belgium). nano was a wilful and spirited young girl. her parents sometimes despaired of her free-spirited nature. yet over time, she gave up a life of comfort and privilege to minister to those on the margins of society..

The daughter of a society family, Nano opened her eyes to the poverty of body and soul and inequity that she saw around her. She searched her own heart and responded with a course of action that has, over time, changed thousands of lives across the globe.

She responded in the most challenging of circumstances – educating children in secret schools when Penal Laws forbade the setting up schools for Catholics, ministering to the wretched and the dispossessed and sharing everything with them till she had scarcely enough resources for herself. Working at times through illness and often through adversity, Nano gave her ‘all’ to the poor and needy of Cork.

From a project of small beginnings in a mud cottage in Cork city, Nano created a legacy that continues to thrive almost 250 years later.

A pioneering Spirit-led woman in every way, Nano had the foresight to set up a religious congregation, now known as the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to ensure her legacy.

Since the Congregation’s founding in 1775, Sisters have worked to secure the breadth of Nano’s vision — crossing geographical, political, religious and social frontiers, bringing her vision to life with deeds, embodying her dream through a variety of ministries, especially education, faith and spirituality, social and pastoral, health care and healing. Her vision is captured the words that she wrote, “If I could be of any service in saving souls in any part of the globe I would willingly do all in my power.”

The world has changed radically since Nano circumvented the Penal Laws by providing schools for the education of poor Catholic girls and boys in Cork city. Yet her lantern light lives on through the world-wide network of Presentation Sisters, Presentation Associates and Friends of Nano (who form part of an international lay movement for mission), co-workers and colleagues in Presentation schools and centres, and wherever those inspired by her are seeking to make the world a better place. Of the Presentation family it may truly be said there are, “Many lamps, [but] one flame” . . . the flame of the Divine (Rumi).

In 2013, Nano was declared Venerable by Pope Francis – fitting recognition of her role as a woman of heroic virtue.

Venerable Nano Nagle has touched the lives of millions and her courageous pioneering spirit continues to inspire through the ages. With this evolving website we hope to connect those who walk in the footsteps of Nano Nagle and creatively grow a location for sharing stories and resources with all those who seek a connection to Nano. Nano Nagle 1718-1784, courageous champion for those on the margins of society, educator, social innovator and founder of the Presentation Sisters.

DISCOVER AND INSPIRE

We are called to follow christ in the spirit of nano nagle, bringing the good news to the poor by promoting god’s kingdom of truth and goodness, justice, love and peace..

We would love you to share your wishes, experiences, ideas and stories of walking in the footsteps of Nano so that we can share them with others. Send them to [email protected]

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The Presentation Sisters

The society of australian congregations of the presentation of the blessed virgin mary (pbvm).

The Presentation Sisters were founded in 1775 by Nano Nagle to meet the needs of the poor in penal Ireland. Founded from Ireland, Presentation Sisters came to ‘the ends of the earth’ in Australia in 1866. Traditionally, Presentation Sisters in Australia have reached out to families in need through education in Primary Schools, Secondary Colleges and Tertiary Institutions.

Today Presentation Sisters and Associates are in every continent across our globe and work to address the ‘cry of the poor and the cry of the earth’ through a variety of social justice initiatives.

The Society of Australian Congregations of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) is a federation of six autonomous Presentation Congregations in Australia and a group of Australian and Melanesian Presentation Sisters in Papua New Guinea.

Presentation Sisters are called to encounter God in the heart of the world and to continue the mission of Jesus in the spirit of our founder Nano Nagle. Like Nano we are called to keep our hearts open to the voices of those who are poor and oppressed, voices which challenge us to conversion and action both personally and communally.

For more information on the Presentation Sisters visit their website.

St Mary's College is located on the traditional lands of the muwinina people of the South East Nation. We acknowledge and deeply respect the palawa people, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, and all Elders past and present. We are committed to learning alongside our students and community in this place, nipaluna, and support the continued sharing of knowledge and culture.

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What Nano could not see in the future was that her zeal and contemplative spirit would extend beyond the winding lanes of Cork. In the 1800s, Nano’s Presentation congregation grew and spread to locations outside of Ireland, including North America where separate congregations were founded such as our Dubuque congregation. Today, the daughters of Nano, numbering nearly 2,000 from 24 countries, are carrying the Gospel of Jesus to the uttermost parts of Earth. There are no boundaries to the ministries that ignite when we work in union, honoring the rich legacy Nano entrusted to us. Together, with clarity of purpose and passion of heart for those made poor, our mission is to educate, advocate and serve.

The Presentation congregations in North America create the Conference of Presentation Sisters . These congregations are connected to international Presentations through the International Presentation Association .

Presentation foundress, Nano Nagle encouraged her sisters to work together for the greater good. Thus, we work in partnership with other congregations of Presentation Sisters around the globe. Although congregations are all independent communities, we are all connected in ensuring the light of Nano burns brightly in the world today.

We partner with other Presentation congregations in North America who make up the Conference of Presentation Sisters. Together we are almost 500 vowed Presentation Sisters, as well as thousands of additional associates and Presentation people. Moving beyond our borders, we are a part of the International Presentation Association with around 2,000 Presentation Sisters and many more partners serving around the globe, carrying the mission of Nano to those in need. Each of these partnerships provides an opportunity to do more in our world together than we could possibly do alone.

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New residence near Mother Jo will give Presentation Sisters better access to health care

The Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary are planning new residences in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls.

The plans came after more than two years of careful deliberation and prayer, according to the sisters.

Presentation Place, planned for Aberdeen, will be adjacent to Mother Joseph Manor, where some sisters already live.

“We do have a health care office in the convent now. When they need more care they come to Mother Jo. This (plan) provides more of a continuum of care. We’ll all be on one campus. Our community life will be enhanced. We believe it will help our mission to continue ministries we’re doing now and also have others,” said Sister Lucille Welbig.

The cost is anticipated to be about $5 million per facility. They are being planned in cooperation with Avera Health.

Presentation Place will have 16 rooms, including those for traveling sisters.

Presentation Center in Sioux Falls will have 20 rooms and will be constructed south of the Walsh Family Village near Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center. The facilities will also include a group dining room, sacred space, and office and meeting rooms.

Presentation Place will replace Presentation Heights, which has housed the sisters since 1952. The current building has room for 100 residents. Currently, 27 sisters live in the facility. Reduced numbers, continuing care needs and wanting to get away from such a large carbon footprint are all reasons the sisters cited for the move.

“We have sisters in the nursing home (at Mother Joseph Manor). This allows easier access to them to celebrate Foundation Day, ... (and) St. Patrick’s Day. They can more easily join us, and it provides for them a continuum of care,” said Sister Mary Thomas.

Although they might be a little farther away than adjacent to the campus, the sisters’ presence will continue to be felt through Presentation College’s halls and activities.

“We’re an apostolic community. We really like staying close to the people and our ministries. We’re focused on continuing our close relationship with the college. It’ll just be done in a little different way than it is right now,” said Sister Janice Klein, president of the Presentation Sisters.

They are brainstorming a schedule of transportation between Presentation Place and the campus. They’ll continue to offer support as they always have as prayer partners with students and by attending Wednesday Mass in the chapel, among other activities.

Technology will be another boon to the facility, keeping sisters better connected. They anticipate video conferences for better communication and less travel, especially for those who find travel more difficult.

The facilities are being designed by Avera architects. A contractor has not been chosen. The plan is to start preliminary construction in spring, to break ground by mid-summer and to have the facilities completed by late summer or fall 2020.

The Presentation Sisters have been a fixture in Aberdeen since 1886.

"As apostolic women the Sisters say, 'Where one Sister is, we all are.' As technology has advanced and the desire to age in place is more feasible, the congregation has chosen to build for this new reality in two locations for two primary reasons — to enhance community life and to forward their mission to alleviate oppression and promote human dignity as they remain committed to their life-giving ministries."

Source: Presentation Sisters news release

Foundation Day is celebrated Oct. 4 and St. Patrick's Day, March 17. The Chapel Motherhouse was built near Avera St. Luke's Hospital. That information was incorrect in a previous version of this story. 

Our Beginnings The Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary were founded in Ireland in 1775 by Nano Nagle. She felt she was called by God to bring the light of faith to the poor children of Cork.  The Penal Laws of the time forbade any form of Catholic instruction in Ireland, but Nano Nagle was willing to risk imprisonment and disgrace for the sake of the Gospel. Visiting the sick and homebound by night along Cork’s cobbled streets, she became known as the “Lady With the Lantern”. In time she gathered other women to form a new society of women religious dedicated to the service of the poor. Nano Nagle’s small band of women, originally named the Society of Charitable Instruction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, later became known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

New York City On September 8, 1874, 12 Presentation Sisters from Ireland arrived on the shores of New York City. They came at the invitation of Father Arthur Donnelly to staff St. Michael's School on the West Side of New York City. On Monday, September 28, 1874, the sisters greeted 600 children who were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Irish sisters who crossed the ocean to teach them. Ten years after the arrival of the sisters in New York, Saint Michael's Parish purchased Frost Farms in Staten Island as a permanent vacation house for the sisters. The summer home for the children was converted into a permanent orphanage for the children in St. Michael's Parish. The sisters then had to split as sisters were needed to staff the orphanage and the other sisters had to return to teaching in the school. On August 10, 1884, the archdiocese declared that some sisters needed to remain in Staten Island and care for the growing concerns of the orphanage. Mother Joseph Hickey appointed Sister Magdalene Keating superior of the small group that remained on Staten Island. This was a very short arrangement as a request for Presentation Sisters to staff St. Bernard's School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, arrived at Staten Island. Mother Magdalene Keating accepted the new foundation and left with a few sisters and postulants to take up the challenge. Sister Theresa Reynolds was then appointed superior of the Staten Island community. On May 1, 1890, the New York City community became an independent congregation. The spread of the sisters on the East Coast was a blessing as the three congregants were growing with new members arriving every year. In 1921, Presentation Sisters from St. Michael's Convent purchased property in Newburgh, New York. With time, this site became the motherhouse for the Sisters of the Presentation. Over time the congregation opened missions in New Jersey, Queens, New York City and the Bronx. As the congregation spread, the ministries of the sisters widened beyond education of children to pastoral care, health care and social service. In 1991 the congregation began the canonical process of unity. The Newburgh, New York, congregation and the Fitchburg, Massachusetts, congregation were reuniting and becoming one. After six years of work, the unity of the two congregations took place in July 1997 and the name remained the Sisters of the Presentation.

• The courage to commit
• I have seen the Lord!
• Pilgrims of hope, builders of peace
• What do we know of Patrick?
• Dream me, God

Presentation Sisters Union North East Ireland Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Our Presentation Day Novena

The Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple takes place on Sunday, 21 st November 2021.   This is a Feast that is celebrated with great joy throughout the world, wherever there are Presentation people.

The content of this year’s novena has been prepared by Sisters from the Conference of Presentation Sisters* who have put together these inspiring reflections.  Together with them, we extend an invitation to you to walk with Mary during these days and to listen to the stories of our ‘foremothers’ .

“For decades we have delighted in the many images of Mary’s presentation as she walked up the steps of the temple. During this novena, let us walk with Mary up the steps and into the temple. With her we listen and are enriched by the stories of the biblical women who have come before her and have made societal changes during very challenging times. Let us call upon our foremothers to help us discover the power within ourselves to bring about justice and peace as we continue to meet ‘the signs of the times’ in our day”.

For each day of the 9 days of the novena (starting on Friday 12th November) we will be sharing a brief reflection on that day’s particular theme, alongside the intercessions and prayer focus  particular to that day.

Should you wish to, you can download the full content of the novena text in a pdf document at this link: Presentation Day Novena 2021 , offering a ‘prayer service’ format.

Day 1: St. Anne – The Mother of Mary

(According to apocryphal Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus).

There are some parallels with Anne’s life and Mary’s such as angel’s appearing to Anne and Joachim separately to announce the birth of their child who will be blessed, dedicated to God and part of God’s plan for our salvation as the mother of Jesus. The response of each is a faith response of “yes” to God. Saying yes in a time of uncertainty takes tremendous faith.

What can Anne and Mary teach us about faith?

Intercessions

• For health and safety of all families who are preparing to welcome a new child.
• For the children who are being born into a world of conflict and violence, and for women and mothers who suffer needlessly.
• For all news networks and news casters that they are committed to truth telling and guide us in learning how to respond with the truth.
• For victims and perpetrators of injustice that justice and peace will prevail for all.
• For all those who have been forced into unemployment, who long to return to work.
• For all those who struggle to support their families. 
• For our Presentation People in Africa.

Loving God, hear our cries for mercy and peace.

Closing Prayer

We pray to God with St. Anne for the needs of our times especially for justice and peace in  our world. Be with all who suffer, struggle and are caught in the midst of unjust systems.

We pray for protection and support for all families, mothers and women who are soon to  be mothers.

We pray in the name of Jesus!

Day 2: Eve – the Mother of Cain & Abel

The story of Eve has many elements to consider. (Genesis 1:27, 2:18, 21-22, 4:1-5; 8). It is a story of a woman birthing two sons and how, because of jealousy, one brother kills the other. I wonder how Eve and Adam dealt with their son Cain after they learn that Cain has killed his brother. Their shared sorrow must have consumed a lot of time and energy.

We have heard the story of how Mary as a young child was taken to the temple to be raised there.

How have we lived out our role as mother, whether that be physical or spiritual mothering?

• Loving Creator, help all mothers to be compassionate with their children as they witness behaviours that go against what they would want for their children.
• Merciful and gracious God, give patience and courage to parents as they deal with the growing pains of their offspring. 
• Thank you, God, for gifting us with the parents and models of motherhood that have influenced our lives in a positive way.  
• For our Presentation People in Canada and the West Indies. 
• For your intentions.

Strengthen us, loving God.

May God give us wisdom, understanding and courage as we deal with the persons in our care. May we trust that we will be guided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Day 3: Hagar – a trafficked Woman Child

Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Sarah, was given to Abraham’s embrace, since Sarah could not bear a child. This action caused tensions between the two women causing Hagar to run away for her own safety. (Genesis 16:1-6).

Have you ever experienced being mistreated as Hagar was for things beyond your control?

• For the grace to respond with nonviolence when an injustice is happening in your life.
• For God’s healing touch to be felt by those who have experienced injustice in their life.
• For the strength to speak boldly and truthfully to those who continue to harm others through their injustice.
• For the grace to seek God’s help in making difficult decisions that may cause us tension-filled moments.
• For our Presentation People in New Zealand and Latin America.

Give us a compassionate heart.

Loving God, I have many thoughts and feelings in praying through this scripture story. Help me to prayerfully consider the whole of situations in which I find myself. There may be times when I react rather than respond to events in my life.

I pray that I will be open to your guidance when I am filled with many conflicting feelings and responses. I want to make the best decisions and with your help and guidance I can do that.

Day 4:  Shiphrah and Puah, The Midwives

Shiphrah and Puah were two midwives who prevented a genocide of children by the Egyptians. (Exodus 1:15-21)

The story of the midwives in Exodus is placed just before the story of baby Moses being rescued by his sister Miriam. The action of the midwives is a strong example of courageous women who stood up to the evil king and spoke truth to power and God protected and blessed them.

What parallels can you see from your own life story? What parallels can you see to today’s challenges of equity and social justice?

• For a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor.
• For a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them.
• For a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect.
• For a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love.
• For our Presentation People in the United States of America.
• Gift us with inspiration and courage to build a more just and peaceful world.

God have mercy on our world!

O God, you have given all peoples one common origin. It is your plan that we be gathered together as one family in yourself.

Fill the hearts of all of us with the fire of your love and with the desire to ensure justice for all. By sharing the good things you give us, may we secure an equality for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world.

May there be an end to division, strife and war.

May there be a dawning of a new society built on love and peace.

We ask this in the name of Jesus.

Day 5: Miriam, Protector of Baby Moses

Miriam saved her brother Moses’ life when she caused the Pharoah’s daughter to notice baby Moses floating in a basket on the river. She became a prophetess who danced after Moses led the people out of Egypt.  (Exodus 2: 1-10).

Despite the low regard for women at that time in history, the story of Moses’ sister would have taught Mary that one person, even a girl like herself, could impact history through a simple caring action.

In what ways do your actions and your presence convey compassion and support for the vulnerable people in your family or community, just as Miriam watched out for her baby brother?

• For children who live in unsafe conditions or suffer from hunger and disease.
• For children separated from their parents due to violence or tragedy.
• For parents, childcare providers, and teachers to respond to children’s needs with love.
• For government leaders to make wise decisions about policies and budget allocations to protect and serve children’s needs.
• For Presentation People around the world to be courageous in their acts of kindness, especially those in India and Pakistan.

God of mercy, hear our prayer.

O God, you teach us to care for our brothers and sisters in need through the example of Miriam. Open our eyes to the sisters and brothers in our homes and our neighbourhoods for whom we can be a compassionate presence. Call us to prayer and action for the vulnerable people in our midst. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Day 6:  Ruth, Stranger in a Strange Land

Two widows Naomi and Ruth, two countries, Israel and Moab, are bonded, and lasting repercussions ring throughout history. (Ruth 1-4)

In faithful caring Ruth left her homeland and journeyed with Naomi. Summoned by love she set aside all that defined her and came into a new land. Summoned by love she left her house of origin and became a house of origin in Bethlehem.

As Ruth discovered the power within herself to move “faith into action”,  how might I continue to do this today?

• For all people in our global family facing hunger and oppression today as did the people of Israel.
• For women throughout the world, that they may know the strength, the faithfulness and love exhibited by Ruth as she followed her star.
• For acceptance of all peoples as they travel across borders on land and water seeking freedom and peace.
• For our Presentation People in England, Ireland, Slovakia and the Holy Lands.

  God of mercy, hear our prayer.

We stand where they once stood, Listening … hearing in our own world, New-born this day Life’s insistent cry, the Spirit’s voice.

Let us rise up and follow, For though the cross hang in our stars Resurrection shouts in the sunrise, And the tree of a hundred rings, deep-thrusting Out of warm darkness lifts to the light Branches vibrant with song. 

Day 7: Hannah, Woman of Prayer

Hannah, although barren, was the preferred wife of Elkanah. Peninnah, his other wife had children. Peninnah would constantly torment Hannah causing her to weep and refuse to eat. (1 Samuel 1:9-18)

In ancient Israel children, and especially sons, were regarded as gifts of God, often as the reward for a righteous life. A woman who could not bear children seemed marked with divine disapproval and might well be divorced or pushed aside in disdain by a rival wife. It is striking that so many important mothers in early Hebrew history are described as originally barren. In each case, however, God intervened miraculously to give a son who was destined to preserve or aid his people.

Has there been a time in your life when you have misjudged someone and only later found out the truth about that person?

• May we be seekers of truth and not misjudge others.
• May we learn from Hannah that God always knows the answers to our prayers.
• For our Presentation People in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

God hear us, hear our prayer.

Let us pray Hannah’s Magnificat. (Samuel 2: 1-10)

My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted by my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in your victory. There is no Holy One like the Lord; there is no rock like our God. Speak boastfully no longer, do not let arrogance issue from your mouths.

For an all-knowing God is the Lord, a God who weighs actions.

The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry no longer have to toil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes. The Lord puts to death and gives life, casts down to Sheol and brings up again.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich, humbles, and also exalts. He raises the needy from the dust; from the ash heap lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he has set the world upon them.

He guards the footsteps of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall perish in the darkness; for not by strength does one prevail.

The Lord’s foes shall be shattered; the Most High in heaven thunders; the Lord judges the ends of the earth.

May he give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Day 8: Abigail – peacemaker

Closing prayer – prayer of saint francis:, day 9: esther, speaker of truth to power.

In the 6th century BC, the Jews were an oppressed people scattered in an early diaspora and living at the whim of a King. At peril of her own life, Queen Esther advocated for her people. (Book of Esther 1-10).

Esther, at first obedient and compliant, joined the harem and later assumed the crown of queen. But learning that all her people would be killed in a genocide (such as we see happening still today), she turned to fasting and prayer before appearing before the king and facing the possibility of her own death. While speaking “truth to power” she saved the entire people of Israel from death

What can we do to combat the evils of systemic racism, of gun violence, of blatant injustice?

• For all who are threatened unjustly from whatever cause.
• For all those people in power who close their minds and hearts to the truth.
• For the grace to listen and truly hear those in our midst who are moving with the Spirit.
• For all members of the Nagle and Rice family though-out the world.

Closing Prayer:

We call on the holy women who went before us, Channels of your word in testaments old and new, To intercede for us so that we might be given the grace To become what they have been for the honour and glory of God.

( A Litany of Women for the Church, Joan Chittister OSB )

Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in communion with thousands of Presentation People and Friends of Nano around the world. This feast day story is not found in the Bible, but it helps us imagine the ways Mary prepared to respond to God’s call.

Through the prayers of this novena, we celebrated some women in the Hebrew scriptures whose life stories likely informed Mary’s faith and helped her offer a courageous “Yes!” to God’s call.

Even as we celebrate Mary’s call to bring Christ to birth, we are mindful of the needs of all of creation for restoration to wholeness: people, living creatures, Earth, the entire natural universe. The injustices and sufferings on our planet can seem overwhelming. We need each other to bolster our sense of hope. We need to celebrate the stories of heroes like Nano Nagle & Presentation People who have gone before us. These inspiring people boost our resilience in our efforts to share hospitality and persevere in justice work to restore right relationships in our world.

The angel went to (Mary) and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” In a loud voice (Elizabeth) exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!”  (Luke 1:28, 42).

In what ways is God calling you to deepen your commitment to Christ and say “Yes!” again today?

Faithful God, you create us in your image and draw us ever closer to you through our vows, promises, and commitments. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our foundress Venerable Nano Nagle, help us grow in communion with all Presentation People and Friends of Nano around the world as we courageously respond together to the needs of our times.

Bless the next generations of Presentation People and Friends of Nano with inspiration to rejoice in your call to say “Yes!” as Mary and Nano did. Be with us in our joy today as we celebrate our connections with the global Presentation family on this Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Presentation Day Blessings to each and all!

Additional post content will be added as we go through the week together.  Abundant blessings for the journey.

Note:   This Novena text has been prepared by the Sisters from the Conference of Presentation Sisters * : Sr. Rita Jovick (San Francisco), Sr. Marilyn Medau (San Francisco), Sr. Mary Jaeger (Aberdeen), Sr. Elaine Garry (Aberdeen), Sr. Vicky Larson (Aberdeen) and Lisa Olson, (Conference of Presentation Sisters).

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Inspired by Venerable Nano Nagle

Honoria ‘Nano’ Nagle (1718-1786) was a compassionate and forward-thinking woman who worked among the poor and marginalised in Ireland, providing education, food and medical support. On Christmas Eve, 1775, she founded a religious order of sisters, who later became known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM).

Nano Nagle performed a lot of her work at night, travelling from hovel to hovel along the dark lanes of Cork city, carrying a lantern to light her way. This is how she came to be known as ‘The Lady with the Lantern’.  

The lantern remains a symbol of how the Presentation Sisters follow her light today through our work in education and global advocacy.

“We are Presentation People who share the charism of Nano Nagle. We reach out in faith, in a spirit of hospitality, compassion and simplicity to all of creation. The cry of Earth and people made poor calls us to continue the mission of Jesus to bring forth a sustainable society founded on respect for Earth, universal human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace.” 2017 IPA Assembly

We are located in 19 countries.

We are comprised of the Presentation Sisters Union , the Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America and the Presentation Society of Australia and Papua New Guinea , and together we have a presence in nineteen countries, shown in this map.

Our History and our Future

These featured resources go into detail about the history of the International Presentation, and the plans for the future which arose from the IPA Assembly in 2017. Click on the cover image to download your chosen document in pdf format.

The International Presentation Association is the global advocacy mission of the Presentation Sisters and Presentation People today. We are a network of over 1,400 religious sisters and Presentation People in 19 countries.

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The 18 orders: what they do now

Orders at the centre of the abuse controversy are involved in running schools and hospitals

SOME OF the 18 religious orders that signed the indemnity deal with the State are still involved in education in a significant way, with the Irish Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy accounting for a large number of schools. However, the numbers of religious in the 18 orders have fallen greatly in recent years and the majority are now reaching or have passed retirement age.

Sisters of Mercy

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy ran 26 industrial schools during the period investigated by the commission, making them the largest providers of care by nuns at that time. The order was founded by Catherine McAuley in 1831.

The Sisters of Mercy are still one of the key providers of education with involvement in more than 60 pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools around the State. The order has associations with four community schools and has had a long involvement with the third-level Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.

The Sisters are also involved in working with educational bodies such as the National Centre for the Liturgy in Maynooth, An Tobar Resource Centre in Marino, Dublin, and the Education in the Prison Service scheme run by the VEC.

The order is also involved with hospitals such as the Mater, Temple Street Children’s Hospital and the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Through Sr Consilio Fitzgerald, it founded addiction centres all over Ireland, the best known of which is the Cuan Mhuire centre in Athy, Co Kildare.

The Sisters of Mercy is an international congregation, with 2,750 members in Ireland, South America, Africa, and the US. Some 2,283 of these are working in Ireland, while 90 are in the US and 32 in South Africa.

Christian Brothers

Some eight chapters in the Ryan report were devoted to the Christian Brothers, the largest provider of residential care for boys in the State at that time.

The order had its beginnings in Waterford city in 1802, when Edmund Ignatius Rice opened a school for poor children. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse described the growth of the order as “remarkable”. In 1831, there were only 45 Christian Brothers but by 1960, that had increased to 4,000.

Today, there are about 250 Christian Brothers in Ireland. Like most religious orders, the majority of the Brothers are aged over 60.

The Edmund Rice Schools Trust, set up last year, is responsible for 96 Christian Brothers schools in the State. Some 59 are second-level and 37 are primary schools. About 35,000 students attend these schools and are taught by more than 2,700 teachers.

The Christian Brothers trustees formally handed on its network of nine schools in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Edmund Rice Schools Trust in January. The Northern Ireland trust has operational responsibility for 5,500 students and more than 320 teachers.

Irish Christian Brothers can also be found all over the world, particularly in Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the US.

Presentation Brothers

The Presentation Brothers, which ran St Joseph’s Industrial School in Greenmount, Cork, is currently involved in numerous primary and post-primary schools around the State.

There are six in Cork city as well as schools in Cobh, Co Cork, Birr, Co Offaly, Bray, Co Wicklow, and Miltown and Killarney, Co Kerry. The Brothers are involved in a range of other activities, including the Immigrant Support Unit at Mount Sion, Waterford, and the Glór na hAbhann ecology and spirituality centre in Waterford.

The order was set up by Edmund Rice in Waterford in 1808 and was first known as the Society of the Preservation.

The Institute of Charity, known as the Rosminians, was praised by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse for its acceptance of responsibility for what happened in its schools.

The order was founded in Italy in 1828 and came to Ireland after it was invited to run a new reformatory school in Upton, Co Cork in 1860. It opened a number of other houses in the following years, many of which have since closed. The order has about 30 members in Ireland, with 300 worldwide.

The Upton reformatory school closed in 1966 and later reopened as a centre for adults with mental disabilities. The order has handed the school to the State, but it continues to have a pastoral role there.

It also ran St Joseph’s Industrial School in Ferryhouse, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. The order also transferred ownership of the property to the State, but retains a pastoral presence there.

The order is probably best known today for the Rosminian House of Prayer in Glencomeragh. It has scaled back on its involvement in education for the visually impaired in Drumcondra, Dublin, but it is represented on the board of St Joseph’s School for the Visually Impaired.

Its members run parishes in Clonmel, Co Tipperary and Faughart, Co Louth and also serve as missionaries, most notably in east Africa.

Daughters of Charity

The Irish province of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul has almost 30 houses around the State and in Kenya.

It came to Ireland from France, in 1855 and operated industrial schools, orphanages, centres for people with an intellectual disability, a hospital and a mother and baby home during the period investigated by the commission.

It is still involved involved in education from pre-school upwards as well as services for people with intellectual disability and services for older people.

The order runs St Vincent’s Trust, a community education service in the north inner city. This includes a nursery, a high support school and adult education.

The order has a presence in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Belfast, Drogheda and in Carnew, Co Wicklow.

Good Shepherd Sisters

The Good Shepherd Sisters, which originated in France, ran four industrial schools in the south and a reformatory school in Limerick.

Today, the Irish Sisters are primarily involved in activities such as working with women involved in prostitution.

It has strong links with the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge and in 1989, the orders jointly founded Ruhama, which works with women involved in prostitution.

It also provides sheltered accommodation, supports victims of domestic abuse and does parish and youth work.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate ran Daingean Reformatory School in Co Offaly and a detention school at Scoil Ard Mhuire in Lusk, during the period investigated by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.

Founded in Ireland in the 1850s, the Oblates are now best known for their missionary work in countries such as Sri Lanka and Congo. They also run some parishes in Dublin and work with community groups in disadvantaged areas. There are about 50 Oblates in Ireland, with some 4,000 internationally.

Hospitaller order

The Hospitaller Order of St John of God contributed to the redress fund because it ran a day and residential school for children with learning disabilities at St Augustine’s in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

The order still runs this school and also provides mental health services, care for older people and services for children and adults with disabilities in Ireland. Up to 3,000 individuals receive support every year through services operated by over 2,000 staff and volunteers, including 36 members of the order. Worldwide, the order runs more than 250 hospitals and centres in 48 countries.

Sisters of Charity

The Religious Sisters of Charity ran five industrial schools, including St Joseph’s and St Patrick’s in Kilkenny and a group home, Madonna House, in Dublin.

It was founded by Mary Aikenhead in 1815 “to give to the poor what the rich could buy with money”.

The order now has almost 150 communities in Ireland, England and Scotland, North and South America, Australia, Nigeria, and Zambia. It has 264 sisters here, with an average age of 74 years.

It is probably best known for its hospice work and its work with marginalised people such as homeless people, prisoners, immigrants and those with addictions.

Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, president of Focus Ireland, is one of its most prominent members.

The order founded St Vincent’s Hospital and St Vincent’s Private Hospital and took over St Michael’s Hospital in Dún Laoghaire from the Sisters of Mercy in 2001.

It also has a presence in a large number of healthcare facilities including convalescent and nursing homes, where it provides chaplaincy and pastoral care and does voluntary work.

De La Salle Brothers

The De La Salle Brothers had long experience of residential care in England before getting involved in residential care here in 1972 when St Laurence’s School in Finglas, Dublin, was opened. They ceased involvement in that school in 1994.

The De La Salle Brothers now runs two primary schools in Waterford and Dublin and about 10 post-primary schools around the country. It also runs two retreat centres in Dublin and Portlaoise. There are about 80 De La Salle Brothers in Ireland with a further 20 doing missionary work abroad.

Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge

The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge ran an industrial school in Drumcondra and a reformatory school in Kilmacud during the period investigated by the commission. It is a relatively small order with an aged profile in Ireland.

It was founded in Normandy, France in 1641 and invited into Ireland in the late 1800s to provide a refuge for fallen women. Like the Good Shepherd Sisters, it got involved in the Magdalene laundries, most notably, in High Park in Drumcondra. It later went on with the Good Shepherd Sisters to found Ruhama, which works with prostitutes.

Sisters of St Clare

The Sisters of St Clare ran an industrial school in Cavan and an orphanage with an attached school in Harold’s Cross during the period investigated by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.

The French order’s presence in Ireland started in 1629 when a convent was set up in Dublin by a number of Irish women who had entered a Poor Clares convent in Belgium. In 1973, it was decided that the order would become known as the Sisters of St Clare to avoid confusion with the enclosed Poor Clares.

The Sisters closed the Harolds Cross Orphanage in 1981. The majority of the 24 sisters are now retired but a small number continue to work in the community in areas such as voluntary counselling and early school leaving projects.

Sisters of St Louis

The Sisters of St Louis ran St Martha’s Industrial School in Bundoran, Co Donegal and Sisters also worked in St Joseph’s Orphanage in Bundoran, which was under diocesan management. Today, the order is best known for its work in primary and post-primary education, but its involvement has been scaled back greatly in recent years. However, it has retained trusteeship of schools in Monaghan town, Carrickmacross, Dundalk and Rathmines. Care for aged Sisters has become a large part of its work.

Presentation Sisters

The Presentation Sisters ran St Francis’s Industrial School in Cashel and St Bernard’s Industrial School in Dundrum, Co Tipperary. The sisters still have strong involvement in dozens of primary and post-primary schools around the State. It also works with students with special needs, including pre-school children. Sisters also do work in areas such as counselling, palliative care and hospital chaplaincy.

There are 726 sisters in 123 communities around Ireland.

Dominican Fathers

The Dominican Fathers have a long tradition of education in Ireland. They ran St Saviour’s Boys Home in Dominick Street, Dublin and decided to participate in the redress scheme after receiving some complaints from former residents.

The order is still involved in education and it supplies friars to hospitals, prisons, schools, universities and the Defence Forces. A large number of friars conduct retreats at home and abroad.

Daughters of the Heart of Mary

The Daughters of the Heart of Mary ran St Joseph’s Orphanage in Dún Laoghaire from 1860 to 1985. It also ran a school, retreat house and two guest houses for retired women.

The order was founded in France during the revolution in 1790. Mary Ann O’Farrell from Co Kildare joined the order in Paris and in 1856 she set up the orphanage in Dún Laoghaire. The Sisters have been involved in education in Ireland since 1860 and the order is patron of St Joseph’s Primary School in Dún Laoghaire. It is also involved in social work and prayer groups.

Brothers of Charity

The Brothers of Charity ran two schools for children with learning disabilities, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota in Cork and Holy Family School in Renmore, Co Galway, during the period investigated by the commission.

The Brothers of Charity Services was founded in Belgium in 1807 by Canon Peter Triest. The brothers opened their first services in Ireland in 1883 to provide for mental health needs. Today the congregation is the largest provider of services for people with an intellectual disability in the State, with facilities in the west and south of the country.

Sisters of Nazareth

The Sisters of Nazareth ran Nazareth House, a residential home for children in Sligo town and also provided services for the elderly at the time under investigation by the commission.

Some 1,851 children passed through the home between 1910 and its closure in 1993. It later became a nursing home.

The Sisters of Nazareth, which is a small order in Ireland, is now involved in care of the aged, including care of its own members. The order was founded by French woman Victoire Larmenier in London in the 1850s to care for the aged poor and it later extended its remit to children.

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times

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"The Almighty is all sufficient" - Nano Nagle

"It is a good sign of our future success that we should meet with crosses in the beginning" - Nano Nagle

"There is no greater happiness in the world than to be in Union" - Nano Nagle

"I am confident that the great God will direct you to what is most to His glory" - Nano Nagle

"We must leave it to the Almighty; He will do everything for the best in it" - Nano Nagle

"The Almighty makes use of the weakest means to bring about His works" - Nano Nagle

"I hope the increase of the charities you get, will enable you to daily add to the good you do" - Nano Nagle

"Love one another as you have hitherto done" - Nano Nagle

"The best works meet with the greatest crosses" - Nano Nagle

"God is all we need His divine hand will support us always" - Nano Nagle

"If I could be of any service in saving souls in any part of the globe I would willingly do all in my power" - Nano Nagle

"By degrees with the assistance of God we may do a great deal" - Nano Nagle

"You see it has pleased the Almighty to make me succeed" - Nano Nagle

"We do not know what is best for us, so we ought to accept what God sends us" - Nano Nagle

"Whoever we live with we must expect to have something to suffer as this world is not to be our paradise" - Nano Nagle

"Spend yourselves for the poor" - Nano Nagle

Back L-R: Sharon Fagan, Aurea Dias, Neneth Robledo, Julie Watson (Leader) and Anne McDermott

The Union Of Sisters Of The Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary has members all around the globe.The Congregational Leadership Team was elected by the delegates of the Congregational Gathering in 2018. The five members of the Leadership Team, which represents approximately 1,100 sisters worldwide, serve a six-year term of office. They exercise leadership collaboratively in a spirit of service to the Gospel in the charism   of Nano Nagle, and in fidelity to Our Way of Life and the vision and direction of the Congregational Gathering. (Our Way of Life. C61).

The Congregational Leadership Team is based in Monasterevin, County Kildare, Ireland.

To find out more about each of the team click here .

A Unit Community, which is a Province, Vice Province or Region, is composed of a grouping of local communities. Each Unit has a Leadership Team that is established by either election or appointment, which is confirmed by the Congregational Leader with the consent of the Congregational Council. Among the responsibilities of the Unit Leader and the Unit Council are: to promote the unity and animate the life and mission of the Unit Community … to support Local Communities and animate Local Leaders … to collaborate with the leadership team of the Congregational Community in the implementation of directions, decisions, and recommendations of the Congregational Gathering … (Our Way of Life. D.53.2).

L-R: Srs Judith Habasune, Judith Bingura (Leader), Sandra Ndingwa and Numba Mukeya

They are currently serving a five-year term of office that began in November 2018 and will continue until November 2023.

Back L-R: Srs Mary Rossiter, Betty Rae Lee (Leader), Róisín Gannon Front Row L-R: Clo Martin, Anita Mansingh

They are currently serving a four year term of office which began in December 2020 and will continue until November 2024

L-R: Srs Mary Deane, Eileen Keating (Leader), Bernadette Healy and Eleanor O’Gorman

They are currently serving a four year term of office which began in August 2021 and will continue until July 2025.

India North

L-R: Srs Cleetus Rani Lenadimai, Lizzy Mathew (Leader), Regi Joseph Ottaplackal, and Nisha Thomas

They are currently serving a five year term of office which began in June 2020 and will continue until May 2025

India South

L-R: Srs Silvia Francis, Preethi Chacko, Sheila De Sa and Fatima Rodrigo (Leader)

Ireland North East

L-R: Srs Anne Marie Farragher, Frances Murphy, Mary Hanrahan (Leader), Lillie O'Reilly, Grace Redmond and Concepta O'Brien

They are currently serving a five year term of office which began in August 2020 and will continue until July 2025.

Ireland South West

Srs Grace McKernan (Leader), Pauline Casey and Eileen Clear.

Philippines

L-R: Srs Anna Lee Vista, Jancy Delvaraj, Joy Puerta(Leader),

They are currently serving a four year term of office which began in June 2021 and will continue until May 2025.

L-R: Srs Nargis Shamim, Teresa Younas, Shahnaz Barkat and Riffat Sadiq (Leader),

They are currently serving a five year term of office which began in August 2019 and will continue until July 2024.

L-R: Srs Jocelyn Quijano, Marilyn Omieczynski (Leader), Annette Figueiredo and Lois Byrne.

They are currently serving a four year term of office which began in August 2023 and will continue until July 2027

Click on a country on the map below to learn more!

Hover over a country!

Julie Watson – Congregational Leader

The eldest of three girls, I was born in the seaside town of Youghal, Co Cork.   Thus far I have enjoyed a very interesting life filled with many blessings, joys and sorrows.  I first came to know the Presentation Sisters when I went to school in Dungarvan.

While there my father died.  His death had a huge impact on my life.

However, the Sisters were very understanding and encouraged me a lot.  Their interest, not just in me, but in all the students set the first seeds of the call to religious life in my heart. When I look back I realise the great influence they had on my life and on my journey since.  It was from them that I first heard about our Sisters in Pakistan and India.  Meeting the Baileboro Sisters in the mid-70s deepened my desire to go to Pakistan.  Even though it took many years to arrive in Pakistan, the intervening years of initial formation, training, experience of community in the South West Province and getting to know many Sisters enriched my life in numerous ways.

I joined the Congregation in Fermoy in 1977, from there I joined 13 other novices at the interprovincial Novitiate at Castleconnell.  Those early years were times of newness and learning – I learned a lot about myself, about religious life and the joys and struggles of living with others in community.   It was there that I first heard of stillness prayer, introduced to us by Fr Paddy Cususk, S.J. a regular visitor to Castleconnell.  After the novitiate I spent 9 years in the South West Province in the communities of Milltown and Listowel.   I trained as a Primary School Teacher and on completion of my training I taught in Listowel.  While there I had many opportunities to be involved in different aspects of ministry, within the community as well as outreach in the parish and surrounding areas… it was a time of richness, learning and searching, a time to develop a real sense of belonging and rootedness in Presentation. From there I went to Pakistan in 1988 and lived and ministered there until I was elected to the CLT in 2012.

I spent 24 very fulfilling years in Pakistan living in three different communities – years that were filled with many experiences which stretched and enriched me in numerous ways.  As education is one of the greatest needs in Pakistan, teacher training and principalship were my main areas of ministry, besides carrying other responsibilities in Finance and Unit Leadership.  Prior to returning to Ireland I was fortunate to live in the novitiate community in Rawalpindi which was a life giving and challenging experience.

In 2012 I was elected to the CLT – suddenly I found myself in very new and unfamiliar situations!  These past five years have been very privileged ones – with many opportunities to meet so many Sisters from different parts of the Congregation, visit many Units, communities and places of ministry.

Listening to others share their own vocation story has deepened my own call.   Through Contemplative Dialogue I have come to a stronger sense of how God is at work in our lives in community and across the Congregation.  I feel challenged by the fragility of life all around us and at the same time the call to live in the present moment as that is all any one of us has; by the call to be a prophetic presence in today’s world, continuing to say ‘yes’ as we reach out from our own brokenness and fragility. I feel challenged to be a woman of hope, of faith, grounded in the Divine and present to the ordinary reality of everyday life.

Sharon Fagan

I was born in St. John’s, NL, as the first of five children to Gerald and Audrey Fagan.  I entered the Congregation of the Presentation Sisters in 1967.  During my years as a member of the community I was educated as a teacher and a nurse.

I completed a registered nursing diploma program at St. Clare’s School of Nursing, a BS Nursing degree from the University of Windsor, Ontario and a Masters degree in Theology and Pastoral Counselling from Boston College, Boston.

My experiences in ministry in Newfoundland include teaching elementary school, nursing as a medical staff nurse at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, nursing as community health nurse in rural Newfoundland, nursing supervisor in Central Newfoundland, administrator of Presentation Emergency Shelter for Children, Director of Nursing at Presentation Motherhouse and as Director of Associates for the Presentation Sisters in Newfoundland.

I also served twelve years as a councillor on our Congregational Leadership Teams and eight years as Congregational Leader.  Following the fusion of the Newfoundland Congregation with the Union, I served one year as Provincial Leader.  I have also served as a member of the International Presentation Association executive team.

As a member of the Congregation, I have a passion and energy for living the mission of the Gospel and the charism of Nano. I am grateful for the honour of walking the journey of life with many people.

Becoming a member of the Congregational Leadership Team is a challenging invitation to grow in relationship with my sisters and to work together in bringing forth the best of who we are for the life and mission that we share.

Anne McDermott

I’m an elder sister, with a few younger Sisters in Ireland but most of my younger Sisters live in Africa, India, Pakistan and The Philippines. Since I returned to Ireland to live after 28 years in Zambia, I miss the life and energy of our younger Sisters.

Before I was elected to the Congregational Leadership Team I was previously in ministry in Mount St. Anne’s Retreat and Conference Centre, Killenard, Co Laois, Ireland, a place that provides over a period of time, a good picture of who the religious life community in Ireland are——–my senior Sisters and brothers generally. They’re an inspiration, in the gracious way they continue to be open to the evolving calls of the Divine in their lives, continuing in ministry when health and energy allows, but also graciously accepting the loss of energy and ability to be involved as they used to. Ministry here is allowing me to touch into a sense of deep gratitude within for these lives that are daily given in quiet ways with no fanfare, but it also brings me to a well of grief. I see these women who were wonderful life companions, who opened up possibilities for those of us coming after them even when we disagreed with them, their frailty, struggles with ill health, and eventual deaths can be heart breaking. I’m reminded of Cohen’s song- ‘there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’ I’m trusting that these heart-breaking experiences are opening up spaces in me that allow the divine light to radiate warmly.

Neneth Robledo

I am from the Visayas area, the middle part of the Philippines. I came from a very small island called Camotes Island. I met the Presentation Sisters when I was in college and I joined them in 1996 after 6 years of teaching in the public schools.

Before being elected to the Congregational Leadership Team I was in transition. After my 7 years in Leadership Ministry of our Unit, I planned on joining a Renewal Program at the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila, Philippines. The journeying back into the different milestones of grace in my personal life, in the life of our Unit and the Congregation in general, the deep reflection and sharing of our different experiences, energises me. Speaking about our journey going forward is very challenging for me. It asks so much of our imagination in the midst of the pressing realities we are in.

I joined the North India Province on 15th August 2016 from the Africa Unit. After leaving Zambia I took a home holiday and a six month sabbatical in India. I felt I needed some quality time to get back into the Indian ethos/psyche as I was away for almost twenty five years.

I also needed time to come to terms with my choice of leaving Zambia so as to enable me to let go (as much as possible) of the way we lived, ministered, thought and governed ourselves there. This would then help me to re-enter PBVM India with an open mind and expectant heart. Since I returned to India I have been involved in the facilitation ministry. I have worked with our own Sisters in the South and North Units, the Christian Brothers and the Missionaries of Christ Jesus. I had the privilege of accompanying a few brothers and sisters during their time of retreat. I also had the opportunity to animate groups of teachers and pupils in our schools. In 2001 I was a delegate at the Congregational Gathering which was an “AH” moment for me! It was the awesome sense that I belong to a world-wide family of Sisters whose spirit is alive with the passion and person of Nano Nagle held my spirit captive! Today, the same spirit calls me to touch the person of “Nano Aflame” who is tirelessly “Stoking our Passion” so that the whole Presentation People can catch the fire anew and become the radiance of love wherever we are and beyond. The process of Contemplative Dialogue which was the hallmark of our preparation for CG2018 is also a meaningful and inclusive energiser because it embraces all Presentation People and others into a Spirituality of Being in Communion. While all the above energises me it also poses a huge challenge for everyday living. Another challenge is as a Congregation to be able to listen together to the Spirit of God urging us and listening we move One Pace Beyond into the Unknown where life calls to new needs. Am I ready for such kind of collective daring – to go and do what the Spirit calls us to, NOW – that Nano lived in her time? Another simple challenge is will I be able to live what I/we propose or will it stay as a beautifully worded document only! I have hope! I see so many new shoots already sprouting: our vibrant Sisters, young and not so young, co-workers, Associates, Friends of Nano and many others. Above all we are held and energised by the spirit of the Universe, held by the heart of Mother Earth and the Presence permeating everything and everyone.

The Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a registered Charity. Charity Registered Number: 20002190

We are active, apostolic, Catholic women religious participating in the mission of Jesus in the United States of America.

Our Sisters

Born in Ireland Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Agatha spent many of her active ministry years as a nurse, helping in many of the hospitals in the area. She has always had a strong faith knowing that “God brought us all here for a reason,” making the best of all things she has encountered and continues to encounter throughout her life.

Born: Ireland

Current: Orange, CA

Sister Angela is a part of our Vocations Team! If you are discerning or looking for some guidance, Sr. Angela might be the person you have been looking for. She also serves in the Development Office and organizes Gala events in Southern California.

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Sister Anne O’Leary is a part of our Vocations Team! If you are interested in Religious Life or in need of someone to help you discern, Sr. Anne is a great person to talk to.

Born: Goa, India

Current: Cypress, CA

Sr. Annette ministers with the bereaved as the Funeral Director at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress. She is also the contact sister with Regina Residence for our five sisters residing there and thus, she's able to visit with each of the sisters in their own bedrooms, walk with them in the grounds, and do whatever else is needed every Thursday.

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sister Bernadette has been a part of countless ministries. Today she offers music lessons, sharing her gift of music with others. Through her Presentation Music Studio, she is an independent Music Teacher teaching students of all ages private and group piano instruction.

Current: Regina Residence, CA

Sr. Breda left Ireland in 1953 to join the Presentation Sisters in the USA. While her main ministry was education, she also did active ministry in working with the homeless, drug addiction patients, visiting those in prison, doing what she could to help the people she came across “get their lives back.” Sr. Breda loves to garden and finds great peace in nature

Current: Los Angeles, CA

Sr. Catherine Burke was born in Galway, Ireland. She joined the Presentation Sisters in Baliboro, Ireland for the mission in Pakistan where she lived & taught for four years. She was then sent to the United States where she ministered in Orange, Huntington Beach, Cypress, Whittier & Upland, California. She lived and ministered in San Antonio, Texas for six years. She lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 10 years serving the Sisters on the Unit Leadership Team. She has lived in Los Angeles, California for the past 21 years serving as Co-Director of Presentation Learning Center.

Current: LA, California

Sister Debbie works in hospitals as a social worker in the Pediatric unit. She tends to those throughout the hospital and offers her compassion and guidance to all those she encounters daily.

Sr. Fidelma felt the call to be a Presentation Sister at a young age. However, she was certain that she would NEVER come to the USA and leave her home country of Ireland but God had different plans for Sr. Fidelma. She ended up coming to the USA to live out the mission of the Presentation Sisters. To this day she remains living in the USA, regretting nothing and knowing that God called her where she was supposed to be. She has continued to touch many people throughout her time as a Presentation Sister through the numerous ministries she has been a part of.

To watch a video on Sr. Fidelma's journey to the USA CLICK HERE.

Born: North Dakota, USA

Current: Fargo, ND

Words from Sr. Francine, “The general public might not know who we are, but the poor knows who we are.” Sr. Francine currently works on our Acorn Update, using her gift of writing to share the news of the Presentation Sisters.

Sister Immaculata came over on the boat from Ireland to the USA to continue the mission of the Presentation Sisters in the USA. She has had great trust in the Lord, always saying yes to the call of religious life, as well as the ministries she has been a part of.

Born: Philippines

Sister Jocelyn is a member of our Unit Leadership Team and serves as liaison to Vocations & Formation, Justice, and Communications. Sr. Jocelyn likes hiking, dancing, and listening to music. She keeps her favorite scripture verse, “Abide in me as I abide in you” (John 15:4),  close to her heart and feels greatly blessed as a Presentation Sister.

Born: Sligo, Ireland

Sr. Josepha is a wonderful baker and loves to play cards. When you eat one of her baked goods, you'll be licking your lips!

Sr. Josephine came to the USA at a young age to be a Presentation Sister. She was drawn to the mission and ministry of the congregation. Throughout her time as a sister she has been a part of many different ministries, but one she holds close to her heart was her time as a teacher.

To watch a video on Sr. Josephine's story click HERE .

Sr. Katherine is our Unit Leader. With a collaborative effort she works with the leadership team, making sure all aspects of the congregation, no matter the location, are in communication with one another.

Sr. Kathleen was a teacher and a Principal in various elementary schools in Southern California. She also served in the leadership team in Zimbabwe for several years.

Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Lorraine is a part of our Vocations Team. She has been part of numerous ministries throughout her time as a Presentation Sister. She currently offers spiritual direction, helping people from all different backgrounds grow in their spiritual lives. She is also a Baby Cuddler for hospitals in her area. Sr. Lorraine finds great joy in all the work she does.

Sister Marcelline’s main ministry was through nursing. She was involved in many different ministries, but always felt most at peace helping those in the hospitals. She tended to all kinds of patients, always brought them comfort and love through her unwavering faith.

Born: County Cork, Ireland

Current San Antonio, Texas

Sr. Margaret Mary served in Faith Formation particularly Catequesis Familiar (Family Catechesis), Home Visitation Evangelization Team, and in the leadership team. She speaks Spanish and also taught English as a Second Language. She and Sr. Jocelyn "opened" the house on Arbor Place in San Antonio to live with the immigrants and the marginalized. Sr. Margaret Mary loves talking with people and playing cards. There's no person that would be a stranger to Margaret Mary!

Born: Tipperary, Ireland

Current: Huntington Beach, CA

Sr. Maria Kelly taught Junior High, particularly Math, at St. Bonaventure's School in Huntington Beach.

Sr. Marie left her home and came to the USA to be a Presentation Sister. She, like many of the sisters, participated in countless ministries, but a time of her life that stands out is her time as a nurse. She spent many years comforting families and praying with them as their loved ones were in surgery, etc. Her compassion has touched countless people over the years. She has always found her love and strength through God, but also her strong devotion to St. Joseph.

Click HERE to watch a video on Sr. Marie and her ministry!

Current: San Antonio, TX

Sr. Marilyn is creative and artistic. She does ceramics, knows how to make candles, and the list goes on! She used to do youth retreats; as well as spent time as a teacher. Sr. Marilyn is a trained spiritual director and ministered at the House of Prayer in Tucson, AZ, before being missioned to Fargo.

Sister Antonio is a member of our Unit Leadership Team. She was involved in education, pastoral ministry, catechesis, and RENEW (small faith communities). Before beginning to serve on the leadership team in the early 2000's, she ministered at the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Sr. Antonio also loves cats, currently owning a cat named 'Rosie' and she knows how to knit!

Sr. Mary Dunlea served in Formation ministry for several years - as Novice Directress and as Temporary Professed Directress. She also ministered as a teacher and in RCIA.

Sr. Peggy’s trust in God has brought incredible adventures throughout her time as a Presentation Sister. She spent numerous years living in Peru, starting schools, teaching students, and changing the world. Sr. Peggy has left a life long impact on all the people she’s met, especially those in Peru.

C urrent: Ireland Province

Sr. Philippa Wall was born in Laois, Ireland.  She joined the Presentation Sisters in Mount St. Anne’s, Killenard, Laois.  Following graduation as an Elementary Teacher she taught for fourteen years in Ireland before coming to the United States where she continued teaching in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas until retirement.  Currently she serves as the Unit Archivist.  She catalogs the historical records of the life and mission of the Presentation Sisters and preserves them in a designated place called the archives.  They tell the story of God’s grace in action in a group of people.

Born: Dublin, Ireland

Born: India

Sr. Roselima is our Peace and Justice contact for the Presentation Sisters. She is a part of the IPA (International Presentation Association), which focuses on the mission of working for global justice for all creation.

Born: Cork, Ireland

Sister Sharon is a part of our Vocations Team. Sr. Sharon is regularly taking part in conferences and other events to help people of all ages understand what the Presentation Sisters encompass. She is a great resource and contact when it comes looking for guidance of any kind, especially discernment of religious life.

Born: Oklahoma

Like many of us, Sister Shawna found herself in her mid-twenties searching for her life calling. Yet, her strength and courage led her right where she was supposed to end up. She let God guide her, and after much discernment and living with different orders of sisters, she found what she called "home" with the Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since then she has done numerous ministries including working in hospitals, prisons, vocation work, working with youth and many others that have positively influenced the lives of more people than she will ever know. Now, Sr. Shawna lives in a community of Presentation Sisters in Fargo, ND with her furry companion, Candy.

“I am a mother of four, grandmother of eight, great grandmother of two with a third on the way and now a Presentation Sister.” Before Sr. Stella’s time as a Presentation Sister she was married and created a beautiful family. Sr. Stella always had a strong devotion to her faith that helped her through difficult times in her life. After many hardships, her 24 year marriage ended in divorce. But not to worry, God had great plans for Sr. Stella and led her to the Presentation Sisters. Delicately letting her children know she was going to join the convent, it came to them as no surprise. They knew she was called to religious life and found it to be a great blessing for not only Sr. Stella, but the entire family. One of her children even said to her “Mother I understand that completely, that is who you are!” Sr. Stella explains “the journey with God is sacred and holy; and enlightening in so many ways.”

To watch a video on Sr. Stella's story click HERE .

Sr. Winifred comes from a large family, having five sisters and five brothers. Throughout her time as a Presentation Sister she spent many years of her active ministry teaching in the schools, even starting some of the first schools with Presentation Sisters in areas of California. Keeping a close relationship with her siblings, she was also able to help minister at a hospital where her brother worked. Sr. Winifred, like all the Presentation Sisters, has been a part of numerous ministries and continues to live out the mission of Nano Nagle.

Born: Texas, USA

Sister Wiona Engel is the youngest of six children, born and raised in Luckenbach, Texas.   After High School at the age of 18 she entered with the Presentation Sisters in San Antonio, Texas.   She has had various ministries which included Elementary and Junior High teacher; Principal of an Elementary School, K-8 th grade; Development Director for the U. S. Unit; serving on the U. S. Unit Leadership Team for 5 years, assistant Congregational Leader for 5 years, and Congregational Leader for 10 years which involved visiting all the Units of the Congregation throughout the World. Leadership was a great privilege in that one saw how the charism of Nano was alive and active all over the world.   S he was Co-director of a Learning Center in Shaw, Mississippi. Her guiding light and what inspired her to continue on the journey was Christ’s saying, “I am with you always” and Nano’s, “The Almighty is All Sufficient”.

Sr. Agnes Walsh

Sr. Andrea Arendt

Sr. Anne O'Brien

Sr. Cabrini Foley

Sr. Catherine Gleitz

Sr. Carmel Lynch

Sr. Eileen Cannon

Sr. Georgiana Sprunk

Sr. Gertrude Massine

Sr. Lois Byrne

Sr. Maris Stella Korb

Sr. Maureen Nolan

Sr. Mary Beauclair

Sr. Mary Kealy

Sr. Mary Margaret Mooney

Sr. Niamh Kelly

Sr. Olivia Scully

Sr. Paula Ringuette

Sr. Pauline Egan

Sr. Rosario Ryan

Sr. Therese Gleitz

Sr. Jane Bonar

Sister Jane Bonar died peacefully on March 11th, 2024. Sr. Jane touched the lives of so many throughout her life, especially the Watts community in Los Angeles, California where she was Co-Director of Presentation Learning Center for 24 years. You can view her full Funeral Service and Eulogy by following this link: https://youtu.be/ySvc4JHcXTA?si=T2NanY3EfVlWZAat

Sr. Vianney Buckley

Sister Vianney Buckley died peacefully on Monday, July 17, 2023, at Villa de San Antonio, San Antonio, TX.  You can find Sr. Vianney's Obituary here: http://pbvmunion.org/obituary-notice-for-sister-vianney-buckley/

Sr. Carmel Lynch 

Sr. Carmel Lynch died peacefully on November 16, 2022 at Regina Residence in Orange, CA. She is fondly remembered by many schoolchildren and their parents as well as parishioners of St. Bonaventure Church in Huntington Beach, CA. Please see her memorial at https://youtu.be/fw0Fxwj4_cY

Sr. Joan O'Sullivan

Sr. Joan O’Sullivan died peacefully on April 16, 2022. She was an active member of our Friends of Nano. Inspired by the mission of Nano Nagle, men and women from across the globe work together in ways to keep the spirit of Nano alive within our communities. Sr. Joan was passionate and emphasized the importance of caring for the whole Earth Family.  Tribute to Sr. Joan here: https://youtu.be/Ci8EnRlB8OM?si=956r3eZXJvRnHSkg

Tributes to Presentation Sisters and Associates who have passed away between 2013-2021 can be found here: https://youtu.be/W-MhV4qOauM?si=CI7GZZiwJfkJWnzs

Partner with Us

You can contribute to the mission of the US Province of the Sisters of the Presentation in a variety of ways including prayer, volunteering or financial contributions.

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Kennedy family members endorse Biden over RFK Jr.

More than a dozen members of the Kennedy family endorsed President Joe Biden for a second term Thursday, passing over family member Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

"We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years," Kerry Kennedy said in remarks announcing the endorsement at a campaign event in Philadelphia. 

She made the endorsement on behalf of 15 Kennedy family members at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center alongside five of RFK Jr.’s other siblings: Rory Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy II, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Christopher Kennedy and Maxwell Kennedy Sr.

The Kennedy family has stepped up its involvement in the Biden campaign, working to lift Biden's odds as Democrats worry that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid could pose a spoiler risk that could hand the election to former President Donald Trump.

Former Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, the independent candidate’s nephew, said in an interview that he believes his uncle’s “candidacy poses a threat to the country that I love and the values that I hold.”

“I believe that his candidacy is likely to divert support away from President Biden and end up increasing support for Donald Trump,” he said.

The endorsement has been “months in the making,” according to a source familiar with the Biden campaign’s planning, who added that family members came forward to “do something to show they’re united by the president."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on X : "I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active — it’s a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other."

Kennedy claimed that "many of my family members are working on and supportive of" his presidential bid but did not specify which ones.

Joseph Kennedy III, who now serves in the Biden administration as special envoy to Northern Ireland, said the family endorsement is intended to blunt third-party support that could “siphon votes” from the president.

“We want to be able to make that case not just for the risk that Bobby’s candidacy shows but because of who Joe Biden is, what Joe Biden has done and what Joe Biden will do with four more years in office," he said.

Joseph Kennedy III acknowledged “challenging” feelings involved in the endorsement while noting that “it’s something we believe has to be done.”

“Bobby knows that we stand by him as a family member, while also being able to clearly communicate that his candidacy poses a risk to the country that we love,” the younger Kennedy said.

Kerry Kennedy appeared to echo that sentiment in her speech Thursday.

“We can say today, with no less urgency, that our rights and freedoms are once again in peril,” she said. “That is why we all need to come together in a campaign that should unite not only Democrats but all Americans, including Republicans and independents who believe in what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.”

Kerry Kennedy directly attacked Trump and invoked her father, Robert F. Kennedy.

"I can only imagine how Donald Trump’s outrageous lies and behavior would've horrified my father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as attorney general of the United States and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country," she said before she compared her father's commitment to equal justice and human rights to Biden's.

In his own remarks, Biden called it an “incredible honor to have the support of the Kennedy family.”

Biden also joined members of the Kennedy family at a grassroots organizing event where he was introduced by Joseph Kennedy III. The president delivered remarks to local supporters and volunteers.

The campaign said members of the Kennedy family are also taking part in voter outreach by making calls and knocking on doors.  

Members of the Kennedy family have prais ed Biden and boosted images of family members posing with him, such as a St. Patrick's Day photo depicting three generations of the Kennedy family with him.

Likewise, Biden describes Robert F. Kennedy as a political hero "who inspired him early in his career to leave corporate law to become a public defender, and then go on to run for public office," the Biden campaign said. Biden also has a bust of the elder Kennedy in the Oval Office.

Some members of the family have been more direct in their criticism of Robert Kennedy Jr., such as when Stephen Kennedy Smith referred on social media to what he called his cousin's "misguided stands on issues, his poor judgement, and tenuous relationship with the truth.”

Rory Kennedy said in an MSNBC interview this month: "I love my brother, and it pains me to come out against him. But I am very concerned with the stakes in this election."

"I'm concerned that his campaign and running for office as an independent is going to lead to Trump's election," she added.

Robert Kennedy Jr. responded to family members' criticism of his campaign this month, tellin g CNN's Erin Burnett, "I don't know anybody in America who's got a family who agrees with them on everything." He has reiterated that he loves his family and that he understands "why they don't like me running."

The campaign intentionally kept the event to immediate family members, such as several of the candidate’s siblings, a member of the large political family said.

The family member referred to how RFK Jr. has previously deflected questions about his family’s criticisms of his campaign.

“The message is crystal clear that Bobby’s own brothers and sisters are endorsing the president,” the person said.

Joseph Kennedy III was sympathetic to the security concerns that his uncle has raised regarding his denied request for Secret Service protection. The younger Kennedy said he was not aware of the specific threat assessments, but “I would want my uncle, just like anybody else that’s running for office, to make sure that they have the safety and security that they need to be able to run a campaign.”

Polling indicates that Biden and Trump are headed for a neck-and-neck race — and a high-profile third-party candidate, such as Kennedy, could further shake up both candidates' prospects. If the presidential election were held in March and the candidates were Biden, Trump and Kennedy, Kennedy would get about 16% of the vote, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Kelly O’Donnell is Senior White House correspondent for NBC News.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Zoë Richards is the evening politics reporter for NBC News.

When is National Siblings Day? Why is it on April 10?

Putting up with your brother or sister can be hard sometimes but there are only a few days to celebrate them.

This includes National Siblings Day.

National Siblings Day is one of the few days—besides their birthday—when you can share the love you have for your brother or sister, maybe through an Instagram story or by spending time with them.

The idea for the holiday was born out of the love and loss Claudia Evart experienced after both of her siblings died. She created the holiday in 1995 to honor her siblings and help others recognize the bond within their own families, according to NPR .

So, spend this day hugging your sibling, taking them out for ice cream or maybe watching your favorite movie together. Find a way to do something together and cherish the relationship you have as was Evart’s goal.

What national day is it today?

It is National Siblings Day today.

What holiday is today?

Although not a federal holiday, April 10 is National Siblings Day. The holiday has been recognized by past presidents, including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, according to the Siblings Day Foundation.

Memorial Day weekend: When is Memorial Day 2024? Here's what day it fall on this year and why we honor it

When is National Siblings Day?

National Siblings Day is April 10.

Why is National Siblings Day on April 10?

National Siblings Day is on April 10 because that’s when Evart’s sister Lisette’s birthday was. She created the holiday to honor her siblings, Lisette and Alan, who tragically died years prior.

She thought it was important to have a day recognizing your brothers and sisters, similar to Mother's and Father's Day. When celebrating her own birthday, Evart realized her siblings wouldn't be there for it ever again and losing them was hard for her.

"It's the most powerful relationship you ever have in your life," she said to NPR.

Reach the reporter at   [email protected] . Follow   @dina_kaur  on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Support local journalism.   Subscribe to azcentral.com today .

Watch CBS News

RFK Jr. siblings endorse Biden as their brother pursues independent bid against president

By Aaron Navarro

Updated on: April 18, 2024 / 8:00 PM EDT / CBS News

Over a dozen members of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s family, including six of his siblings, endorsed President Biden in Philadelphia Thursday , even as he pursues an independent bid for Mr. Biden's job.

"The Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president," said Kerry Kennedy, a sister of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as she stood alongside the president. 

"We want to make crystal clear our feelings that the best way forward for America is to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years," she added. 

Kerry Kennedy praised Mr. Biden as a "hero," and she referred to him as a leader in the mold of her father, Robert F. Kennedy, who "stood for equal justice, human rights and freedom from want and fear — just as President Biden does today." 

Her father served as attorney general in John F. Kennedy's administration and was running for president himself when he was assassinated in 1968.

Speaking for the family members who are endorsing Mr. Biden, Kerry Kennedy had harsh words for presumptive Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.

"I can only imagine how Donald Trump's outrageous lies and behavior would have horrified my father," she said, and she accused Trump of "running to take us backwards, attacking the most basic rights and freedoms that are at the core of who we are as Americans." She accused Trump of planning to "use his power to punish his enemies, silence his opponents and incite more chaos."

She did not mention her brother's presidential run. On Thursday, RFK Jr. qualified for the ballot in Michigan, as the nominee of the Natural Law Party, the office of the secretary of state confirmed. He is now on the ballot in two states, having qualified in Utah, too.

Joseph P. Kennedy II, a former congressman and a brother of RFK Jr., replied, "Of course," when asked by reporters if he would encourage his brother to drop out of the race. 

"We cannot do anything that in any way, strips even one vote from President Biden. You put the name Kennedy on the ballot and Democrats are going to feel torn. We are trying to make them understand that this is an issue that they do not have to feel torn about," he told reporters while attending a post-rally meet-and-greet with Philadelphia voters. 

During the rally, Mr. Biden called the endorsement by the Kennedy family members "an incredible honor" and throughout his speech, he spoke of about how Robert F. Kennedy had been a hero to him. He cited a speech Robert F. Kennedy delivered in Indianapolis the night that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Mr. Biden also mentioned that in the Oval Office, he has busts of both King and Robert F. Kennedy. "I keep looking to remind myself of what they would do in tough calls," he said.

He also said he spoke recently with Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, to wish her a happy 96th birthday. 

"Your dad, I never got to meet him," Mr. Biden told the Kennedys, but recalled a visit by Robert F. Kennedy to Syracuse while he was in law school. "But he inspired me. And his passion and clarity inspired a generation." 

Several of RFK Jr.'s family members have already expressed their opposition to their brother's independent candidacy. When he announced in October that he would drop his campaign for the presidency as a Democrat and run instead as an independent, four of his siblings — documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, former Rep. Joe Kennedy II and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend — called his decision to oppose Mr. Biden "dangerous to our country." In a statement at the time, they said, "Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment." The four said of his decision to run as an independent that, "We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country."

In addition to Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s siblings, Rory Kennedy, Joe Kennedy II, Christopher Kennedy, Maxwell Kennedy and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, as well as several other relatives, endorsed Mr. Biden Thursday.

Kennedy said in a social media post Thursday morning that he's "pleased" his family is being politically active, calling it a family tradition. He added that they are "divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other," adding that the sentiment could also be shared by Americans to "restore civility and respect to public discourse."

"My campaign, which many of my family members are working on and supportive of, is about healing America — healing our economy, our chronic disease crisis, our middle class, our environment, and our standing in the world as a peaceful nation," he said. 

Last month, on St. Patrick's Day, Mr. Biden gave members of the extended Kennedy family a private tour of the Oval Office and West Wing and celebrated with them and hundreds of guests at a holiday reception. Kennedy family members posted photos with the president, signaling that they stand with him rather than with the Kennedy running against him.

Several of the Kennedys joined Mr. Biden for a grassroots organizing event and helped with voter outreach, according to the campaign.

Gabrielle Ake, Kristin Brown, Allison Novelo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter covering Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign and the 2024 election. He was previously an associate producer for the CBS News political unit in the 2021 and 2022 election cycles.

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Why Your Big Sister Resents You

“Eldest daughter syndrome” assumes that birth order shapes who we are and how we interact. Does it?

By Catherine Pearson

Catherine Pearson is a younger daughter who still leans on her older sister for guidance all the time.

In a TikTok video that has been watched more than 6 million times, Kati Morton, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Santa Monica, Calif., lists signs that she says can be indicative of “eldest daughter syndrome.”

Among them: an intense feeling of familial responsibility, people-pleasing tendencies and resentment toward your siblings and parents.

On X, a viral post asks : “are u happy or are u the oldest sibling and also a girl”?

Firstborn daughters are having a moment in the spotlight , at least online, with memes and think pieces offering a sense of gratification to responsible, put-upon big sisters everywhere. But even mental health professionals like Ms. Morton — herself the youngest in her family — caution against putting too much stock in the psychology of sibling birth order, and the idea that it shapes personality or long term outcomes.

“People will say, ‘It means everything!’ Other people will say, ‘There’s no proof,’” she said, noting that eldest daughter syndrome (which isn’t an actual mental health diagnosis) may have as much to do with gender norms as it does with birth order. “Everybody’s seeking to understand themselves, and to feel understood. And this is just another page in that book.”

What the research says about birth order

The stereotypes are familiar to many of us: Firstborn children are reliable and high-achieving; middle children are sociable and rebellious (and overlooked); and youngest children are charming and manipulative.

Studies have indeed found ties between a person’s role in the family lineup and various outcomes, including educational attainment and I.Q . (though those scores are not necessarily reliable measures of intelligence ), financial risk tolerance and even participation in dangerous sports . But many studies have focused on a single point in time, cautioned Rodica Damian, a social-personality psychologist at the University of Houston. That means older siblings may have appeared more responsible or even more intelligent simply because they were more mature than their siblings, she said, adding that the sample sizes in most birth order studies have also been relatively small.

In larger analyses, the link between birth order and personality traits appears much weaker. A 2015 study looking at more than 20,000 people in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States found no link between birth order and personality characteristics — though the researchers did find evidence that older children have a slight advantage in I.Q. (So, eldest daughters, take your bragging rights where you can get them.)

Dr. Damian worked on a different large-scale study, also published in 2015 , that included more than 370,000 high schoolers in the United States. It found slight differences in personality and intelligence, but the differences were so small, she said, that they were essentially meaningless. Dr. Damian did allow that cultural practices such as property or business inheritance (which may go to the first born) might affect how birth order influences family dynamics and sibling roles.

Still, there is no convincing some siblings who insist their birth order has predestined their role in the family.

After her study published, Dr. Damian appeared on a call-in radio show. The lines flooded with listeners who were delighted to tell her how skewed her findings were.

“Somebody would say: ‘You’re wrong! I’m a firstborn and I’m more conscientious than my siblings!’ And then someone else would call in and say, ‘You’re wrong, I’m a later-born and I’m more conscientious than my siblings!” she said.

What personal experience says

Sara Stanizai, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Long Beach, Calif., runs a virtual group with weekly meet-ups, where participants reflect on how they believe their birth order has affected them and how it may be continuing to shape their romantic lives, friendships and careers.

The program was inspired by Ms. Stanizai’s experience as an eldest daughter in an Afghan-American family, where she felt “parentified” and “overly responsible” for her siblings — in part because she was older, and in part because she was a girl .

While Ms. Stanizai acknowledged that the research around birth order is mixed, she finds it useful for many of her clients to reflect on their birth order and how they believe it shaped their family life — particularly if they felt hemmed in or saddled by certain expectations.

Her therapy groups spend time reflecting on questions like: How does my family see me? How do I see myself? Can we talk about any discrepancies in our viewpoints, and how they shape family dynamics? For instance, an older sibling might point out that he or she is often the one to plan family vacations. A younger sibling might point out that he or she often feels pressured into going along with whatever the rest of the group wants.

Whether or not there is evidence that birth order determines personality traits is almost beside the point, experts acknowledged.

“I think people are just looking for meaning and self-understanding,” Ms. Stanizai said. “Horoscopes, birth order, attachment styles” are just a few examples, she said. “People are just looking for a set of code words and ways of describing their experiences.”

Catherine Pearson is a Times reporter who writes about families and relationships. More about Catherine Pearson

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