sisters of the presentation new windsor ny

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Mission and Ministry

General chapter statement.

The focus of the Chapter of Affairs was to decide our direction statement for the next six years. We prayerfully discerned and decided on the following commitment: In the spirit of our foundress Nano Nagle, Presentation sisters and associates commit ourselves to address the needs of women and children, especially as they are impacted by economic, environmental  and racial inequity.

Read updates on our work to meet our Chapter Commitments.

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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

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Leadership Team Elected for Presentation Sisters

Sister Mary Catherine Redmond, P.B.V.M., has been elected president of the the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in New Windsor.

Sister Mary Catherine is joined on the leadership team by Sister Catherine Cleary, P.B.V.M., vice president; Sister Dorothy Scesny, P.B.V.M., councilor; and Sister Laura Urbano, P.B.V.M., councilor. All were elected to their positions and they assumed their roles on the leadership team Oct. 3.

They replace the leadership team of the past 12 years of Sister Patricia Anastasio, P.B.V.M., president; Sister Martha Otterstedt, P.B.V.M., vice president; Sister Mary Byrnes, P.B.V.M., councilor; and Sister Barbara King, P.B.V.M., councilor.

Sister Mary Catherine Redmond has ministered at North Bronx Central Hospital as a physician's assistant for 22 years. Sister Mary Catherine, who was raised in Kingston and entered the congregation in 1987, previously worked as an audiologist.

Sister Catherine Cleary has served as vicar for religious in the archdiocese since her appointment by then-Archbishop Dolan in 2009. She also served in congregational leadership, and as a teacher and principal in parish schools in the archdiocese and the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Sister Dorothy Scesny serves as the justice promoter for the congregation and works for the International Presentation Association. She previously ministered in pastoral care in New England.

Sister Laura Urbano is pastoral assistant at St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta parish in Newburgh, which includes the churches of Sacred Heart and St. Francis of Assisi. She previously ministered in Bolivia for 23 years.

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Sisters of the Presentation

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 theBlessed Virgin Mary.

Motto The motto inscribed on the Nagle family’s coat of arms is Non Vox Sed Votum, Not Words But Deeds. It sums up more than two hundred years of active service, the legacy of Presentation Sisters throughout the world. Wherever our Sisters went, they opened schools, hospitals, orphanages, and places of refuge for the poor and powerless.

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. Today the Sisters of the Presentation of New Windsor, New York, celebrate thirteen years of shared history. We look ahead to a future full of hope.

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Sister Joan Marie O’Neill, PBVM

By: the good newsroom.

Sister Joan Marie served Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at various schools in the Archdiocese of New York for 68 years

Sister Joan Marie (Mary Alphonsus) O’Neill of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, entered eternal life on December 30, 2023, at 64 Presentation Way, New Windsor. She was 92 years old.

Sister Joan Marie O’Neill was born on June 16, 1931, in Astoria, and joined the Sisters of the Presentation on September 8, 1949. She professed first vows on April 17, 1952, and final vows on April 17, 1955. She graduated from St. Michael’s Academy, New York City, in 1949. She earned a bachelor’s in education from Fordham University in 1960 and a master’s in English from Catholic University in 1965.

Her ministries included teaching at Our Lady of Solace and St. Frances of Rome, The Bronx, and St. Michael’s Elementary and St. Michaels Academy, Manhattan. She served the congregation as the mistress of novices and concluded her teaching career at J.S. Burke High School, Goshen. Sister then worked in Paterson, New Jersey, for the Paterson Diocese, Catholic Family Community Services, Center Bridge Senior Housing and Our Lady of Mt. Virgin Parish. She also worked for the congregation in the development office before retirement.

In addition to her family at the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Joan Marie is survived by her brother Thomas J. O’Neill and sister-in-law Eileen, nieces and nephew, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Sister Joan Marie was predeceased by her parents, Mary Eileen and Milton O’Neill.

Visitation will be held January 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. at Mount St. Joseph Chapel, 64 Presentation Way, New Windsor. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at Mount St. Joseph. Burial will follow in Mount St. Joseph Cemetery, New Windsor.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sister Joan Marie’s name to the Sisters of the Presentation, 84 Presentation Way, New Windsor, NY 12553.

For any further information please contact: Administration Center, Sisters of the Presentation, 84 Presentation Way, New Windsor, NY 12553 (845) 564-0513 ext. 101.

To send a personal condolence, please visit www.Brooksfh.com or call 845-561-8300.

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Our History

Nano Nagle Founds Presentation Order

The Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary were founded by Nano Nagle in Cork, Ireland, for the purpose of educating poor children.

Presentation Sisters Expand into North America

Four pioneering sisters carried Nano Nagle’s vision and spirit to the shores of Newfoundland, the first Presentation congregation in North America.

Presentation Sisters Respond to Call in North America

Ten communities of Presentation Sisters were founded in North America over a 57-year period.

Invitation to Collaboration

Pope Pius XII invited the North American religious communities to converge at the University of Notre Dame, Inidiana, with the intention of encouraging stronger connections within and among them.

Beginning of Conference of Presentation Sisters

The Conference of Presentation Sisters began under the title of North American Conference. A meeting was held at Mount Loretto Motherhouse in Dubuque, Iowa and ten Presentation communities began to communicate on issues of ministry, spirituality and social justice.

Meeting of Presentation Superiors General

Presentation Superiors General met in Rome to discuss ways to promote a worldwide concept of Presentation life and mission and to establish more visible links between Presentation Sisters throughout the world.

First International Assembly

Collaboration went beyond North America with the first international assembly of the Presentation Sisters in Melbourne, Australia.

The International Presentation Association is established

After many meetings and the establishment of a coordinating team, each congregation indicated their willingness to be a prt of the International Presentation Association. IPA was ritually established at a liturgy, prepared by the Indian Sisters and celebrated in every community on April 26.

First IPA Assembly is held in Perth, Australia

New Windsor Congregation Forms

Fitchburg, Mass. and Newburgh, NY congregations merged to create New Windsor Presentation Congregation. With this merger, the Conference now consisted of eight congregations. Watervliet, NY chose not to belong to the Conference.

NAC Becomes CPS

North American Conference (NAC) became Conference of Presentation Sisters of North America (CPS). The new structure included executive director and executive team, consisting of three members of the Conference. Sister Monica Miller (San Francisco) served as executive director.

Monica Milled Hired as Executive Director

Monica Miller was hired as the first Conference executive director. Her role was to build relationships, set up and office and prepare for the Convergence. She would leave this position following the Convergence of 2006.

Collaborative Ministry

The eight congregations of the Conference began a collaborative ministry project. The common values of living among the poor and living simply lent themselves to a collaborative ministry in New Orleans, Louisiana called Lantern Light.The collaborative aspect of this ministry meant all the congregations shared funding responsibility and sisters serving in ministry there. Hurricane Katrina shifted some of the ministry focus, but the sisters were able to adjust their ministry presence to meet the immediate needs of the area.

Convergence in St. Paul, Minnesota

The Convergence gathering was held in St. Paul and brought together over 400 Presentation Sisters and their lay associates. Time was spent in meetings, prayer, music, conversations and general rejoicing.The gathering ended with renewed enthusiasm and commitment to carry on the mission of Jesus as it was exemplified in the life of Nano Nagle, foundress of the Presentation Sisters. Over 125 recommendations for further collaboration were presented to the leaders of the Conference for consideration.

Executive Assistant Hired

The Conference added Fargo Associate Julie French as executive assistant to support the executive team of the Conference. The leadership structure now includes a three-member executive team and the executive assistant.

Lisa Olson Hired as Conference Coordinator

Lisa Olson was hired as Conference coordinator to replace Julie French. Lisa had previously worked with the Aberdeen Presentation Sisters.

Eco-Spirituality Retreat

In 2014 the Conference sponsored an eco-spirituality retreat in Los Gatos, California. Every Conference congregations was represented in participants.

Gathering of Presentation Sisters, Brookings, S.D.

A Gathering of Presentation Sisters was held in Brookings, S.D. The purpose of this gathering was to bring together younger members to explore possibilities for the future. Over 50 sisters attended.

Hilton Grant for Online Formation

The Conference secured a three-year grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for the development of a collaboration online formation program for Presentation People.

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