Celebrating 250 years of Life & Legacy
On the 24th June 2026, Presentation Sisters from the North East Province joined together in person and online for a ‘Eucharist of Thanksgiving' in Mt. St. Anne’s Retreat and Conference Centre, Killenard, Portarlington, Co. Laois, as part of the 250th Anniversary Year of the Foundation of the Presentation Sisters.
It was a day of celebration, meeting old and new friends and above all remembering the wonderful legacy of Nano Nagle as the Presentation Sisters continue her mission of Prayer and Service throughout the world. One of the readings during the liturgy was this writing below by Maya Angelou.
“Continue” by Maya Angelou
My wish for you
Is that you continue
Continue
To be who and how you are
To astonish a mean world
With your acts of kindness
Continue
To allow humour to lighten the burden
Of your tender heart
Continue
In a society dark with cruelty
To let the people hear the grandeur
Of God in the peals of your laughter
Continue
To let your eloquence
Elevate the people to heights
They had only imagined
Continue
To remind the people that
Each is as good as the other
And the no one is beneath
Nor above you
Continue
To remember your own young years
And look with favour upon the lost
And the least and the lonely
Continue
To put the mantle of your protection
Around the bodies of
The young and defenceless
Continue
To take the hand of the despised
And diseased and walk proudly with them
In the high street
Some might see you and
Be encouraged to do likewise
Continue
To plant a public kiss of concern
On the cheek of the sick
And the aged and infirm
And count that as a
Natural action to be expected
Continue
To let gratitude be the pillow
Upon which you kneel to
Say your nightly prayer
And let faith be the bridge
You build to overcome evil
And welcome good
Continue
To ignore no vision
Which comes to enlarge your range
And increase your spirit
Continue
To dare to love deeply
And risk everything
For the good thing
Continue
To float
Happily in the sea of infinite substance
Which set aside riches for you
Before you had a name
Continue
And by doing so
You and your work
Will be able to continue
Eternally
A little bit of our history:
Following in the footsteps of Venerable Nano Nagle, Mary Ann Collins, Mary Fouhy and Elizabeth Burke, since 1775, Presentation Sisters (Union) minister in the areas of education, social and pastoral care, justice, peace and the integrity of creation, faith development and spirituality, healthcare ad healing. We are present in Africa (Zambia & Zimbabwe), Canada (Newfoundland & Labrador), England (the mission area in the Holy Land falls under this Unit), India, Ireland, Latin America, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, and United States of America.
About Mayu Angelou
Maya Angelou was an essayist and poet who won three Grammy Awards for her spoken-word albums. She also had a diverse career as a streetcar conductor, composer, restaurant cook, principal dancer in an opera company, political magazine editor, literature professor, secretary, civil rights activist, Tony-nominated musical actress, and a television personality who played a significant supporting role in the TV drama Roots (1977).
Image: Presentation Sisters in the grounds of Mt. St. Anne’s with Fr. Fintan O’Driscoll Missionary of the Sacred Heart who was the celebrant at the Eucharist of Thanksgiving.
You can watch the Liturgy and Eucharist of Thanksgiving on the YouTube Link below.
