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SISTERS OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BD VIRGIN MARY |
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| HISTORY | FOUNDATIONS |
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| HISTORY |
| IN 1884 DEAN DOYLE, PARISH PRIEST OF LISMORE AND FUTURE BISHOP OF GRAFTON, ISSUED AN INVITATION ON BEHALF OF BISHOP TORREGGIANI OF ARMIDALE TO THE SISTERS OF THE PRESENTATION AT LUCAN TO MAKE A FOUNDATION IN HIS PARISH. FOR TWO YEARS THE PEOPLE OF LISMORE PREPARED FOR THEIR COMING, BUILDING A CONVENT AND BOARDING SCHOOL NEXT DOOR TO THE PRO-CATHEDRAL. THEN IN 1886 MOTHER STANISLAUS D'ARCY, TWO PROFESSED SISTERS AND EIGHT POSTULANTS ARRIVED TO BEGIN THE NEW FOUNDATION. WITHIN TWO WEEKS SHE HAD OPENED ST MARY'S COLLEGE AND WITHIN A MONTH ST CARTHAGE'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. IT QUICKLY BECAME EVIDENT TO M. STANISLAUS THAT THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED FOR SISTERS IN A WIDE RANGE OF TOWNSHIPS ON THE NORTH COAST AND SO SHE MADE THE CORAGEOUS DECISION TO BREAK WITH PRESENTATION CUSTOM AND ESTABLISH BRANCH CONVENTS RATHER THAN AUTONOMOUS FOUNDATIONS. BY THIS MEANS SHE ALLOWED FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF PERSONNEL AND THE COMING TOGETHER OF SISTERS FOR RETREATS AND CHAPTERS WHEREBY THE SISTERS COULD MINGLE AND STRENGTHEN EACH OTHER AFTER THE OFTEN LONG PERIODS OF ISOLATION IN SMALL BUSH SETTLEMENTS. THE WORK OF THE LISMORE PRESENTATIONS QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE WHEREVER THERE WAS A NEED FOR EDUCATION. LATER THEY WERE TO EXTEND THEIR APOSTOLATE EVEN TO SYDNEY. DURING THE LATER 1900's THE SISTERS BEGAN TO WITHDRAW FROM EDUCATION AND TURNED TO OTHER NEEDS, ESPECIALLY SOCIAL JUSTIC ISSUES. TODAY THIS SMALL CONGREGATION CONTINUES TO SERVE THE POOR AND OPPRESSED JUST AS THEIR FOUNDRESS DID. |
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| FOUNDATIONS | |||||
THE LISMORE CONGREGATION WAS UNUSUAL AMONG THE PRESENTATION CONGREGATIONS IN OPTING FOR BRANCH CONVENTS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THEIR FOUNDATION. THE FOLLOWING LIST REPRESENTS ALL FOUNDATIONS MADE FROM LISMORE. | |||||
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ANNANDALE |
BALLINA |
CLOVELLY |
CORAKI |
CROYDON | |
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EAST LISMORE |
KINGSCLIFF |
LISMORE |
LISMORE HEIGHTS |
MURWILLUMBAH | |
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TUMBULGUM |
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TWEED HEADS |
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PRESENTATION SISTERS INFORMATION
