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Who We Are
The Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women. We carry out our mission of love and service through our many ministries with God’s people, especially poor women and children.
In 1997, the Sisters of the Presentation of Fitchburg,
Massachusetts, and the Sisters of the Presentation of
Newburgh, New York united to form one congregation now based in New Windsor, New York. Today our Sisters work in education, pastoral ministry, health care, and social services in California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C. We are part of a worldwide network of 3000 Presentation Sisters and Presentation Associates through the International Presentation Association.Nano Nagle Mural, Dingle, Ireland
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Our 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.
Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and Newburgh, New York In September, 1874, twelve brave Presentation Sisters from Ireland, led by Mother Joseph Hickey, responded to an invitation to teach the children of poor Irish immigrants at Saint Michael’s parish in New York City. Because many of the children’s parents had died, St. Michael’s soon opened an orphanage on Staten Island, also staffed by Presentation Sisters. In 1884, this became the home of the newly etablished Sisters of the Presentation of Staten Island. In 1886, Mother Magdalen Keating set out from Staten Island with a small group of Sisters to begin a new foundation in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The Sisters eventually opened schools and other ministries in other areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. In 1921, Presentation Sisters from St. Michael’s purchased property near the city of Newburgh, New York. Later this site, Mount Saint Joseph, became the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Presentation of Newburgh. In July, 1997, after six years of study and preparation, the Fitchburg and Newburgh Presentation congregations became one.
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News and Current Events
I'm providing health care, and prayer, during COVID-19
Sr. Mary Catherine Redmond, PBVM
Exactly two weeks ago at the time of this writing, I sat with two other New York City emergency medicine colleagues as part of an interfaith sharing at Fordham University, "Where Faith and Medicine Intersect." A Jewish physician, a Muslim physician assistant and I, a Roman Catholic religious sister and physician assistant, shared on the moments where our faith intersects in our medical practice. Our hospital in New York City serves the underserved. We spoke of the importance of prayer and how important it is in our work every day. A cycle of prayer, ministry, prayer kept us grounded in the cases we encountered.Over the past two weeks, our lives and medical practice have changed drastically. Experiences, where human touch was used in respect, compassion, assurance, and healing, were tempered as the threat of the coronavirus (the cause of COVID-19) loomed. In the days that followed I thought, "At least if people can't feel my touch, they can see the warm, compassion, concern and regard in my face." And so, I worked at really being present and letting my facial features act in the physical way. Now, I wear a mask that is suffocating and muffles my voice as it covers both my mouth and nose — over half of my face — and I pray to God that the compassion, regard, and concern I hold for my patients at this time is expressed in my eyes. That is all I have now.In midst of my own physical limitations of healing — my touch and facial expressions — I am being asked to see patients who may very well have COVID-19 but are not "sick enough" to get tested. I talk with them, hear their fears and validate their concerns for their health and the health of their family. I examine them and try to reassure them as much as I can before I give them very strict instructions as I send them home to "be" with others. We are now far enough into the experience of the virus to know that most of these patients will get better, but some will get worse, needing to be intubated, and some may even die. Patients that I have sent home, may come back and die.This is a new reality for me in medicine as I have always prided myself on doing the very best for my patients and really going the extra mile. I have advocated for patients who have nothing. Now there are times I feel like I have very little to offer. The reality of shortages of tests, resources and the deep desire for people to get out of the hospital if they are not sick enough to be there has brought me to a different level of medical care.The guilt is overwhelming. Have I provided the correct treatment? What if I bring this home to the people I live with? What if I am the reason people get sick? Then there is the guilt I feel when reassuring my family and congregation members that I am doing everything I can to protect myself when I live with the reality that protective materials are not always available. I feel guilty for assuring people I will be all right.The reality of health care during this virus is that treatments that have saved lives in the past cannot be used because they would spread the virus. Breathing treatments that have saved people's lives in the past cannot be used because these very same treatments would spread the virus. Now the only option for patients who need help breathing is to put them on a respirator. That protects their airway, helps them breathe and protects those around them after they are intubated.Families may come to the hospital with the patient, but they are encouraged to turn away at the door and wait to hear by phone about their loved one. If they do stay — under a big threat for their own safety, sitting amidst other patients waiting for treatment — we can give updates, but they are not allowed to see the patient. This is heart wrenching. Admitted patients are sent upstairs and can only connect by phone. Those who are intubated can only listen. The loss of physical touch and presence is now overwhelming. I know deep in my heart the days ahead will require dire need and difficult decisions.I pray with deep desire these days. I pray all day. My prayer is like it has never been before; real and dire, filled with petition for those I have treated and for those I love. Prayers for those who will die alone and prayers for those who love them. I pray for my family's safety and my religious congregation — for time to be with them all again. My prayer also includes prayers for me and my co-workers as we battle each day. We battle a war we never signed up to fight and an enemy we are learning small bits about each day with every new patient.I echo and remember the words we spoke that day as we presented on Faith in Medicine — the Jewish Shema — "Hear, O Israel the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" and the gift of a Mitzvah (a good deed). The Quran and the belief that a good deed done for one affects all, and the Gospel of Matthew in Chapter 25:40: "Whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me." These words all have new meaning as we hold them at the very core of our being and our medical practice. Hoping and praying that we will heal in a new way blessed by our Creator and steeped in our tradition of prayer.The life of those I treat is very much mine these days. There is little that separates us. We all have the desire for health and life. I pray for the time when we can take off our masks, gowns and gloves, the time when it is safe to reach out and hug another person without fear; I pray we will do so in a new way. A way that speaks of understanding and acceptance. A way that offers peace to our world. A way that lets us all know WE ARE ONE. -
If you wish to see all of our Vocation Videos, please click here.
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Welcome From
Sr. Patricia Anastasio, President -
Conference of Presentation Sisters - Sparks from the Past
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Legacy of Nano Nagle
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Calendar
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Links
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Contact Us
Administration Office
84 Presentation Way
New Windsor, NY 12553
Tel: 845-564-0513
Mount St. Joseph
64 Presentation Way
New Windsor, NY 12553
Tel: 845-564-6620
Presentation Convent
99 Church St
Leominster, MA 01453
Tel: 978-537-7108