Lismore Presentation Sisters came from Lucan, County Dublin in 1886 to a little bush town in the Big Scrub, the red cedar country in Northern New South Wales. Already extensive areas of cedar had been cleared for mixed farming - dairying and agriculture. All congregations have a recognisable "character" derived from the charism of the foundress. This develops into an intangible quality described as "the spirit of the Congregation". In addition, beginnings and localities leave their impress. It is not surprising that the Lismore Presentation Sisters have a kind of "country" flavour which persisted even after the Congregation extended to the Sydney Archdiocese.

For two years before the arrival of the Sisters, the citizens of the Richmond River had made preparations. They built a two-storey timber building next to the church to serve as a Convent and boarding school.

The community consisted of Mother Stanislaus D’Arcy, Superior Mother Berchmans Barnewall and Mother Ignatius Barnewall aged respectively 36, 34, and 31, together with eight postulants whose ages ranged from 16 to 22 years. The sisters had come in answer to an invitation from Dean Doyle acting on behalf of Bishop Torreggiani of Armidale. Soon after the arrival of the sisters the unwieldy Armidale Diocese was sub-divided and after a short interval Dean Doyle became bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Lismore. He too was 36.

The words Mother Stanislaus wrote of Bishop Doyle were equally applicable to herself: "He had eminently the creative spirit and a wonderful way of getting people to do things with him and for him." As leaders, both Bishop Doyle and Mother Stanislaus were innovators. They shared a long-term vision of the Catholic faith expanding in this part of Australia. Not even the complete destruction of the convent, boarding school and pro-cathedral in a disastrous fire in 1905 could weaken their faith and determination to re-build.

Bishop Torreggiani had mandated a High School for day-girls and boarders, a Middle School for junior "better class" children who would not go to the parochial school, and a "parochial school for girls and young boys".

Mother Stanislaus, in touch with local needs, opened St. Mary’s College two weeks after the nuns arrival, included a few juniors of "better class" and a number of young ladies as old as some of their teachers who wished to continue their studies after an interrupted education. Probably these older girls accounted in no small degree for the high academic, musical, artistic and dramatic standards which prevailed from the beginning.

St. Carthage’s Primary School "planned and built in less than a month" catered for both boys and girls wherever this was necessary.

It soon became clear that other parts of the Diocese were crying out for Presentation Sisters. Mother Stanislaus made a decision which was unique at that time. It had been the custom for all Presentation foundations to become autonomous. Mother Stanislaus introduced a new structure with Branch Houses attached to the Mother House, allowing for interchange of personnel, coming together for retreats and chapters, a mingling of sisters from different houses for holiday communities and an unwritten understanding that each sister would write to every other sister for her festdays. This practice of Branch Houses was not adopted by other Presentations of Australia until 1907 and not until the 1960’s in Ireland. Perhaps this practice of "everybody knowing everybody else" added another difference to the Lismore Presentations.

Sisters reached Branch Houses at first by horse-drawn carriages or by river and coastal steamer. Later, part of the journey was made by train. The convents and schools of country areas were similar to those of other Religious Congregations. The convent was parish-owned, the local church was the school, being transformed from classroom to church for Sunday Mass.

The Sisters were responsible for the cleaning of the church and sanctuary and for all that had to do with the liturgy - preparation of the altar, training of the altar boys and choir for Mass, weddings and baptisms - and often for cooking "Father’s breakfast"!

How did the sisters manage financially? Sisters received no stipend until about 1967. The music teacher was the main source of income. Pupils of all denominations came for music lessons, many in later years attributing their success to beginnings in some obscure country music room. School fees were minimal and often waived for poor families which often had up to nine children.

Sisters too taught Shorthand, Bookkeeping and Elocution out of school hours. "Trained by the Sisters" was often a scoring point for those applying for positions in offices, banks and nursing institutions. Many successful church speakers, politicians, lawyers and others owe their eloquence in no small measure to the tuition of some unknown Religious sister. Later on when the government offered bursaries at the end of primary schooling, the Sisters would give promising pupils extra tuition after school in the hope of them gaining a bursary to continue their education.

Most of all the sisters survived because of the generosity of neighbours, tradesmen, farmers, bakers and butchers. Many professional people e.g. doctors, dentists, solicitors gave their service free of charge.

Some Government funding in the late sixties enabled schools to employ lay teachers and as the number of religious personnel became less and the sisters felt called to ministries in areas of greater need, the schools eventually were staffed by lay teachers who carried on the traditions of the Congregations which established them.

Any page references in the list of Sisters of this Congregation refer to the book "As Gentle as Rain" by M.M. Raphael & S.M. Celestine.

Further Suggested Reading:

Salter, Anne Mary Stand firm: Mother Stanislaus D’Arcy, 1850-1934 Lismore NSW: PBVM, 1979

Hale, L. Presentation Sisters in Lismore 1886-1956.

A history & evaluation of their educational policy. B.Ed. Thesis University of New England. 1973

If further information is required about individual Sisters the following address is given:

The Archivist

Lismore Congregation Presentation Sisters

100 High Street

LISMORE HEIGHTS NSW 2480

In writing to the Archivist, it would be appropriate that a financial contribution be made for the Archivist’s time and expertise.

Religious Orders or Congregations have released the details on their members. It is understood that the copyright of any material (including the listing of the names of the Sisters) relevant to a particular Order or Congregation in this publication remains with the relevant Order or Congregation.