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Aotearoa-NewZealandandSamoa
Whoweare
Nineteenthcenturydevelopments
Ourfounder
OnChristmasDay,1861,FrenchwomanEuphrasieBarbier(1829-1893)foundedareligious
congregation, Religieuses de Notre Dame des Missions (RNDM). Euphrasie, a courageous
and determined French woman from Normandy, was from a young age, attracted to the
foreignmissions.Shefirstjoinedanewlyestablishedmissionarycongregation,theSistersof
CalvaryinCuves,France,butpolitical,historicalandreligiouseventsinthatcountrymeant
the Sisters went to London to work with the Fathers of the Oratory. However, Euphrasie
was concerned that the Sisters of Calvary were becoming too involved in supporting the
Oratorians'rapidlyexpandingministryandwereforgettingabouttheforeignmissions.She
also believed that their busy apostolic lives meant little time left for prayer and
contemplation.
When Euphrasie learnt that the French Marist Bishop Philippe Viard, (1809-1872), of
Wellington was looking for religious sisters to teach in his diocese, she responded
positively to this opportunity. She and a young English novice companion left London and
arrived in Lyon on 15 August 1861 where the Marist priests encouraged her to begin a
religiousformationprogrammeforFrenchwomenwhowantedtojointheMaristmissionin
the Pacific. Euphrasie enthusiastically began this work, hoping to found a congregation of
womendeeplycommittedtoprayerandcontemplation,toapostolicworkwithwomenand
children, and to community life. A great love for contemplation, community and mission
weretobecomedefiningfeaturesofthenewly-foundedcongregation.
HerdreambegantoberealizedwhenEuphrasieandhercompanionbegantheirnovitiatein
Lyon on 25 December 1861. The new congregation was registered with the Sacred
CongregationofPropagandainRomein1862,Euphrasiemadeherperpetualvowsonthe
FeastoftheSacredHeart,3June1864,andon18August1864,justthreedaysaftertheir
firstprofession,thefirstfourRNDMsistersleftFranceviaEngland,fortheirmissioninNew
Zealand. It is apparent that the Institute de Notre Dame des Missions was committed to
foreignmissionsfromitsbeginnings,andwithinashorttimeyoungwomenwereattracted
tothenewcongregation.
EuphrasieBarbier,(MèreMarieduSacreCœurdeJésus),bornin
Caen,Normandy,Francein1829,anddiedinSturry,England,1893
1
SSWalterHood,thewoodenclipperonwhichfour
FrenchsisterstravelledfromEnglandon2October1864,
arrivinginNapieron25February1865.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/MaritimeHeritage/researchcentre/wrec
kwalterhood.htm
SoonaftertheirarrivalinNapier,theSistersinvolvedthemselvesinteachingtheEuropeanchildren
of the rapidly growing settler population and Maori girls, the latter at the school which was first
known as the Providence and renamed St Joseph's Maori Girls' College, when it was relocated to
Greenmeadowsafterthe1931Napierearthquake.
L-RSistersMariedesAngesMarieSteAnneMarieStJean
FoundersofNapierin1865
MarieStMadeleine
Before the end of the nineteenth century, convents had been established in Christchurch, Nelson,
New Plymouth, Ashburton, Hamilton, Pukekohe, Opotiki, Leeston, Stratford and Rangiora. RNDMs
weresoonteachinginparishprimaryschoolsandincongregation-ownedsecondaryschools.More
oftenthannot,theyalsocaredfororphans.
EarlydaysinOpotiki
Christchurch1882,demolishedin
2012afterthe2011earthquake
2
RNDMsinOceaniainthenineteenthcentury
In1871RNDMsfromFrancejoinedtheSocietyofMarypriestsandbrothersandlaywomenknown
asTertiarieswhoworkedwithMaristFathersintheislandsofOceania.SoontheRNDMsalongwith
Tertiaries,someofwhomjoinedtheyoungCongregation,wereinvolvedinvariousworksinTonga,
SamoaandWallisIslands.
Buttherewereproblemsahead.Euphrasie'sinsistenceontheneedforacloisteredlifestyleforher
community and the difficulty other missionaries working in Oceania had with that position meant
thattheRNDMslefttheIslandsin1878,andwouldnotreturnuntilalmostacenturylater.
TwentiethCenturyDevelopments
Aotearoa-NewZealand
1900-1965ThecongregationexpandedrapidlyinthetwentiethcenturyintheyearspriortoVatican
II(1962-65),withRNDMsstaffingmorethanfiftyparishprimaryschools,andteachingintheirown
secondary schools which usually had boarding schools attached. Vocations to religious life were
plentiful.
FinalProfession,Hamilton,1956,SistersM.GenevievePunch,M.LawrenceO’Toole,M.Philippa
Reed,M.CatherineCurry,M.CorneliusCrowley,M.RoseMalone,M.BeatriceHammersley,M.
PhoebeHassan,M.ChanelO'Donnell
1966-2000VaticanIImeantextraordinarychangesfortheCatholicsallovertheworld.Catholic
SisterseverywherewereamongthefirsttorespondenthusiasticallytotheCouncil'scallforrenewal.
ThiswasmostapparenttootherCatholicswhenSistersbeganchangingtheirhabitsordress!!But
otherchangeswereafoottoo.
ChangingHabits,1974.M.BénédicteOllivier,M.AloysiusMcCormick,M.HenryHudd
3
The call to change and renewalsawmore RNDMsbeing sent on mission outside of Aotearoa-New
Zealand,andembracingnewministriesathome.Thisperiodofchangealsocoincidedwithadecline
in the number of young women seeking admission to religious life. Ministries undertaken by the
Sisters in the decades after Vatican II included chaplaincy work in hospitals, prisons, educational
institutions, ethnic, youth and refugee communities. Other RNDMs were involved in adult and
tertiaryleveleducation,spiritualdirectionandcounselling,andparishministry.
Samoa
In1970,theRNDMsreturnedtoSamoa,totheislandofSavai'itoteachintheprimaryschoolatFusi,
and in 1971 began to build a co-educational secondary school at Logoipulotu, where they taught
until 1996. Between 1970 and today, more than 38 Mission Sisters have worked in Samoa in a
varietyofministriesthatincludededucation,theestablishmentofanagriculturalprojectthatwould
provide young Samoan men with practical skills for working on the land, pastoral ministry and
workingwithyoungwomeninterestedinjoiningtheSistersofOurLadyoftheMissions.
EarlydaysinSamoa1972
L-RSarahGreenlees,JoanRobertson(lay
missionary),BishopPioTaofinu'u,Patricia
Barrett,CynthiaKearney,PusaFonoti,Mary
Jerome
4
LosaTofilauworkingwithStVincent
dePaulvolunteersinApia,Samoa
AnImportantTwenty-firstCenturyDevelopment
RNDMsfromVietnam,Bangladesh,MyanmarandIndiaarrivetostudyinAotearoa-NewZealand
One of the more significant developments in the twenty-first century was the arrival of younger
RNDMssistersfromMyanmar,Vietnam,andBangladeshtostudyEnglishinAotearoa-NewZealand
andifpossiblegainprofessionalqualificationsthatwouldbeusefulintheirdifferentministrieswhen
theyreturnedhomeortooverseasministry.NotonlydidthedifferentSistersappreciatetheirtime
inNewZealand,sotoodidolderRNDMsenjoyhavingstudentsisterssharingtheircommunitylife.
PetoneCommunity2008BackRowL-RM.PaulHodgson,ThịMinhTrangNguyễn,M.Philomene
Walsh,TheresaGalvin,ThịBíchThuPham,FrontRowThanHtay,M.Epiphania(BenedictineSister
fromSouthKorea),SuchitraRozario
ThanHtay,RNDM,Manila
L-RDungTranandMinhTrangNguyenwithmigrants
inaTaiwanesedetentioncentre
CarmelColeandEmilySoeSoeLinRNDM,Myanmar
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ProvinceofAotearoa-NewZealandandSamoatoday
ProvincialLeadershipTeam
AotearoaNewZealand/Samoa2015
FrontRowBarbaraHenley,Colleen
Edgecombe,CarmelCole(Leader)
BackRowSusanSmith,ChristinaCathro
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Pentecost,Ellerslie
BackRowAleiLeilua,GeraldineDonovan
FrontTwoMoyraFoster,RoseMalone ElizabethBeeler
MoanaKingiandSusanSmithRNDM,
TeHotuManawaoRangitaaneo
ManawatuMaraeforNZBudgeting
Conference
PentecostEllerslie
ElizabethBeeler,ChristinaCathro,
LeoneMarkham,GeraldineDonovan
ElizabethBeeler
MaryMaitlandRNDMwithparishionersBeeDanks
andCathyTorvik,McLeodBay,WhangareiHeads
•
AleiLeiluaRNDM,CatholicChaplain,AucklandPublicHospital
InWaikatothereareseventeensisterslivingindifferenttowns–Cambridge,Hamilton,
Kiwitahi,Morrinsville,Opotiki.FivesistersliveattheAtawhaiAssisiHomeandHospital
7
RaewynHoganRNDMandElizabethWoodhouseatMaryKatarina'stangi
After15yearsinPeru,BarbaraCameronRNDMreturnedto
NewZealandwhereshededicatedherself,herlittlehome,
andgardentopeaceandcontemplationfortheindividual,
thecommunityandtheworld.Barbarawrites:"ThePeace
Sanctuaryoffersawayofmakingtangiblethecontemplative
dimensionofourlifestyle.Calledtobecontemplativesatthe
heartoftheworld,wearechallengedtomaketangiblethe
contemplativedimensionofourlifestyles.”
Theflockofwhitedoves,universalsymbolsofpeace,which
liveattheSanctuaryareaconstantandbeautifulreminder
ofourdesireforandcommitmenttopeace."
•
InTaranakieightRNDMsliveinNewPlymouth,fiveofthemintheMissionRestHome.Two
sistersliveatOpunake,whileanotherlivesatWaverley
PentecostinTaranaki
MaryLidwinaVanBeers,MaryWyss,Patricia
MaryFord,JuneWalsh,PatriciaBarrett,
MargaretMonaghan,VeronicaKeaveney,
MargaretMullin
OrianaDriver,residentatMissionRestHome,
andMargaretMonaghanRNDM
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InHawkesBaythereis
onesisterlivingin
Dannevirke,onein
Gisborne,andonein
PalmerstonNorth.There
aresevenRNDMsin
Napier.
RNDMscelebratingwithEllenMahoneyRNDM
BackRowMaureenDuncan,MurielKivell,RosaleneHoban,MaryPeterChanelHoban,Carmel
Cassin,JeanetteMcRae,MargaretMaryHunter
FrontRowCarmelCole,MaryJohnBosco,EllenMahoney,SarahGreenlees,ColleenEdgecombe
RNDMsrelaxingatAhuriri,Napier
JeanetteMcRae,CarmelCole,Maureen
Duncan
WellingtonThetwofull-timemembersofthe
ProvincialLeadershipTeamliveinLowerHutt,
anothersisterlivesinWaikanae,whiletwolivein
PetonewhichalsohousestheProvinceArchives
andtheProvinceOffice.Anothersixsisterslivein
LowerHutt,andbothPetoneandNelsonoften
haveyoungAsianstudentsisterslivingin
communitywhiletheystudyatWeltecorthe
NelsonMarlboroughInstituteofTechnology.
RNDMsintheWellingtonRegion
BackrowTheresaGalvin,ValerieLawson,PaulineLeonard,ColleenEdgecombe,MerleHiscock,
MoiraRoss,MaryPaulHodgson,ConnieHurley
FrontrowThiBichVanDangVietnam,NguyenVuKieuVanVietnam,EmilySoeSoeLinMyanmar,
AnnetteYoung,CarmelCole
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Nelsoncommunity
SpiritualDirectorsKarenMoynagh,Ilene
BackRowJosephineMoses,MariJosefPark,AllenmeetwithMariaJosefParkRNDM
RosaleneHoban,
toplanretreatdays
FrontRowHelenNewNiOo,RosyWin
InChristchurchthemajorityofthesistersliveindifferentpartsofthecity,whileGaelHenrylives
inKaiapoiandisaparishworkerintheWaimakaririPastoralArea
BarbaraHenleyatWaikanaeBeach
whereshewalksregularly,swimsin
summer,collectspipiforthepastaor
driftwoodforart
ClareMurphyRNDMandMargaretPurdie
RNDMwith"RosaryGroup"parishionersfrom
theFerrymeadPastoralArea
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KathleenPrendergastRNDMwithpupilsatStAnne'sSchool,Woolston
GaelHenryRNDM,parishworker,
StPeterChanelParish,Kaiapoi,
Waimakariri,PastoralArea
Anna-MariaPersicoRNDM,
teachingmusic,Christchurch
RNDMsfromAotearoaNewZealand/Samoaworkingoverseas
EuphrasieBarbier'sdreamforherSisterswasthattheyweremissionaryeverywhere–intheirown
countriesandinthe'foreignmissions'.ContemporaryRNDMsarefoundworkinginAotearoaNew
ZealandwithotherPakehaandwithpeopleofdifferentcultures.TwoSamoanRNDMs,LosaTofilau
andMonikaVaipunabothworkinApia,Samoa,LosaattheTheologicalCollegewheresheteaches,
andMonikaattheVictimSupportSchool.
CurrentlytwelveRNDMsareworkingoverseasalthoughnotasmanyareinvolvedinmissionoutside
ofone'scultureandcountryaswasformerlythecase.NeverthelessitispossibleforRNDMswiththe
necessaryaptitudes,qualificationsandskillstoworkoutsideofAotearoa-NewZealandifrequired.
AustraliaFrancesWilson,MaureenDwan,ColleenKing-Turner
FrancePatriciaBoyd,Mary-RoseHolderness,MaureenMcBride
IrelandHelenO'Sullivan
ItalyJosephineKane,CongregationalLeader
KenyaElizabethMolloy,SalotaAimalefoa
SouthSudanMargaretScott,DorothyDickson
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RNDMsaroundtheworld
MargaretScottreportsfromSouthSudan
In 2007, RNDMs became part of the UISG (International Union of Major Superiors) initiative,
Solidarity with South Sudan an NGO set up to work with the world's newest nation South Sudan,
struggling to recover from years of civil war and famine. Today, two RNDMS from New Zealand,
MargaretScottandDorothyDicksonworkintheareasofeducationandhealthinSouthSudanalong
withRNDMs,otherreligiousandlaypeoplefrommanypartsoftheworld.
Margaret Scott, a past pupil of Sacred Heart College, Napier, is Principal of Solidarity Teacher
Training College in Yambio, Western Equatoria, South Sudan. The College provides a two year
programmefortrainingprimaryschoolteachers.StudentscomefromalloverSouthSudan,including
the Nuba Mountains and Abyei. The staff come from USA, Ecuador, Ireland, Australia, Ghana,
Nigeria, Kenya, South Sudan, and New Zealand. Margaret writes that the Teacher College "is a
wonderfulinitiativeandwearepleasedtobestillrunningiteventhoughthecountryisatwar.The
warcontinuesthoughthenewsdoesnotimpactmuchontherestoftheworld.Millionsarestarving,
thousandshavebeenkilledandtheSouthSudanesepoliticalclassesarefightingamongthemselves.
Weprayforpeace".
MargaretScottRNDM,withHenryScott
theirSolidaritybaby.Hewasbornwhile
hismotherfromtheNubaMountainswas
studyingattheTeacherCollege
HelenO'Sullivan,RNDM,whoisstudyingin
Irelandpreparingforherministryinthe
RNDMInternationalMissiondevelopment
Office
12
SusanSmithRNDM,Manila2014,with
studentsfollowingtheDuquesneUniversity
MastersinLeadershipprogramme
BackrowAdrienneDunlopRNDM,PatriciaBoydRNDM,
FrontrowReginaTripuraRNDM,MaryRoseHoldernessRNDM
PatriciaBoydandMaryRoseHolderness,two
RNDMsfromAotearoa-NewZealand, liveat
Charenton,Paris, wherePatriciaisinvolvedin
schoolministryandprovinceleadershipwhile
MaryRoseisinvolvedintranslationworkforthe
congregation.Bothofthemarealsoinvolvedin
offeringlovinghospitalitytothemanyvisitors
whocometoParis.
MaureenDwanRNDMofChristchurch, currentlyworkinginInternationalMission
DevelopmentOffice,Melbourne
ColleenKing-TurnerRNDM,
CentreofEcology,Victoria,Australia
13
SalotaAimalefoaRNDM,Samoa,workingwith
Widows'GroupinMachakos,Kenya
TheSpiritualityofRNDMs
Spirituality is the inner strength or source that allows disciples of Jesus to fulfil the great
commandmentsofloveofGodandloveofneighbour.OneofthefruitsofEuphrasie'sgreatloveof
Godandneighbour,alovethatmotivatedhertosendhersisterstotheendsoftheworld,wasthat
shebelievedthatallmissionhaditssourceinthemysteryoftheTrinity.WhatdidEuphrasiemean
whenshetoldhersisterstimeandtimeagainthattheirmissionhaditssourceinthemysteryofthe
Trinity? For Euphrasie belief in the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit meant that she understood
thatcreationwastheworkoftheFatherwhothensenttheSon,theLogosorWordintotheworld
whichGodsoloved.AfterthedeathandresurrectionofJesus,FatherandSonsenttheSpiritintothe
world.TheideaofsendingwasinseparablefrommissionforEuphrasie.Euphrasie'ssisterswereto
growintheirloveofthismysteryatworkintheirlivesthroughcontemplativeprayer.
RNDMSpiritualitybeforeVaticanII(1962-1965)
Liturgical prayer or prayer of the church was important for all RNDMs who were usually at daily
Massintheparishchurchormorefrequentlyintheirconventchapels,andwhoprayedtheOffice
togethereveryday.MuchoftheirprayerlifeinthedecadespriortoVaticanIIwaswhathascometo
be called "devotional". This meant praying in community, or alone, such traditional prayers as the
Rosary, Stations of the Cross, novenas to Mary or the saints. Such prayerful devotions sustained
RNDMsintheirdemandinglives.
RNDMSpiritualityafterVaticanII
SincetheVaticanCouncil,thespiritualityoftheRNDMsinAotearoaNewZealand/Samoahasbeen
enriched by a growing appreciation of God's Word in our prayer life. For example, RNDMs have
beenabletoenhancetheirunderstandingofthemissionoftheSpiritintheirownlives,insociety
andinthosewithwhomtheyinteractintheirministries.Whatdoesthismean?
Euphrasie's understanding of mission as being sent was deeply influenced by her prayerful
meditationonJohn20:21"Jesussaidtothemagain,"Peacebewithyou.AstheFatherhassentme,
soIsendyou'."Theywerehappytobesenttotheendsoftheearthtobringthegoodnewstothose
wholivedindarknessandtheshadowofdeath(seeLuke1:79).
AsRNDMsturnedtotheBible,studiedandprayedmore,theygainedfreshinsightsabouttheroleof
the Spirit, and what shape their mission should take. In Luke 4:16-18 the author reveals that the
SpiritwastherewithJesusinhismissiontoliberatethepoorandoppressed:"WhenJesuscameto
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Nazareth,wherehehadbeenbroughtup,hewenttothesynagogueontheSabbathday,aswashis
custom.Jesusstooduptoread, andthescrolloftheprophetIsaiahwasgiventohim.Heunrolled
thescrollandfoundtheplacewhereitwaswritten: 'TheSpiritoftheLordisuponme,becausehe
hasanointedmetobringgoodnewstothepoor.Hehassentmetoproclaimreleasetothecaptives
andrecoveryofsighttotheblind,tolettheoppressedgofree'."
RNDMs were also challenged by texts such as Gal 3: 28 which taught that through the gift of the
Spiritreceivedatbaptism,"thereisnolongerJeworGreek,thereisnolongerslaveorfree,thereis
no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus". These and other texts helped
themtoseethattheirmissionshouldalsoinvolvethemwiththepoor,withthosewhoexperienced
discriminationorinjustice.
Morerecently,textssuchasthosefoundinGenesis1,thestoryofcreation,revealthatallthatGod
createdisgood.RNDMslearnttoofromWisdom1:7thatthe"SpiritoftheLordhasfilledtheworld,
and that which holds all things together knows what is said.” These and similar texts served to
remindRNDMstocareforGod'sgiftofcreationsoseriouslyharmedbyhumanexploitation.
RNDMEarthCommunity,Weareone,wearelove,athome
SusanSmith,caringforendangered ElizabethBeelerwithSouthernAlps
grey-facedpetrelsonMatakoheIsland,inthebackground
Whangarei
MaryMaitlandwalkingaroundNelsonLakes
Whangareigardenproduce
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2015News,Events,Photos
ProvinceYahoogroup
Atthebeginningoftheyear,itwasdecidedthattheProvincewouldbenefitfromhavingitsown
YahoogroupsothatRNDMslivinginNewZealandandoverseascouldmoreeasilyandinformallybe
intouchwithoneanother.Sistershavebeenappreciativeofthisinitiative.
150thcelebrationofarrivalofRNDMsinNapieron25February1865
150thAnniversaryoftheArrivalofthefirstfourRNDMsinNapier,NewZealand
On 26 February 2015, RNDMs gathered on the beach near Port Ahuriri in Napier to recall and
celebrate the arrival of the first four French sisters to New Zealand in 1865. These valiant women
had braved the unknown to spread the good news through their involvement in education. The
RNDMswerejoinedbymembersofothercongregations,friends,pastpupils,principalsandstudents
ofSacredHeartCollege,StJoseph'sMaoriGirls'College,andStPatrickandReignierparishprimary
schools.
Afterakarangaandsong,theassembledpeoplewenttoSacredHeartCollegetocontinuethestory
of the sisters settling into the convent home on the "Holy Hill" as it was called. Prayers of
thanksgivingfortheworkoftheSistersandallthosewhohadsupportedthemweresaid.
There were likewise gatherings to remember and to celebrate in other parts of the Province
particularly those in which RNDMs had long been an important presence, such as Christchurch,
Nelson,NewPlymouth,LowerHuttandAuckland.
Anne-MarieShineRNDM,BarbaraHurleyRNDM,
AnneGrossatChristchurch150thcelebration
16
Jubilees
RNDMsinAotearoa-NewZealand/Samoacelebratedimportantjubileesthisyear.AsSistersgathered
to celebrate the lives of those sisters–75th Marcella Roach, 70th, Ellen Mahoney, 60th Bernadette
Fletcher, 60th Veronica Keaveney, 60th Clare Turner, 60th Mary Martina Burke, 60th Mary David
Richards, 50th Clare Murphy–reaching important milestones as religious women, there was indeed
muchtorememberandforwhichtothankGod.
MaryMarcellaRoachewhomadeherfirst
professionasaSisterofOurLadyoftheMissionson
6January1940
Eco-WalkApril2015
The 2008 RNDM General Chapter document, RNDM Earth Community: We are One, We are Love,
askedallSisterstoacknowledgetheirresponsibilitytonotonlycareforthepoorandneedyofour
world but also to care for Planet Earth. There are a number of ways in which the Province has
respondedtothischallengeandoneofthemwastoinviteRNDMstospendtimetogetherenjoying
oneanother'scompany,andjustasimportantlycomingtoappreciatemoredeeplyGod'swonderful
giftofcreation.Since2009,smallgroupsofRNDMshavespentsometimetogetherintheKaweka
Range, Hawkes Bay, at Opunake exploring Mount Taranaki and its environs, at Owhango near
NationalPark,atLakeWaikaremoana,inWellington,atOtakiwhichincludedawonderfulclimbto
thetopofKapitiIslandandthisyearatRedBeachwhichmeantamongotherthings,meetingpateke,
anendangeredduck,andtakaheatTawharanui.
Such times of deeper engagement with all of creation are important. Barbara Henley, RNDM,
summed it up when she said: "Every evening we gathered to reflect on our day and praise our
CreatorGodforthegiftsallaroundus,fortheeyestoenjoythemandtheenergytoexplore.We
wereremindedagainofallthewonderfulpeoplewhotrulycareforourcreationandrenewedour
owncommitmenttopreserving,restoringandcaringforourMotherEarth.
‘MaytheGodwhodancesincreationblessuswiththegiftofseeingalltheearthasGod’stemple
andtherivers,lakesandoceansasholywater.Amen’
L-RChristinaCathro,LeoneMcIndoe,Liz
Beeler,CynthiaKearney,Geraldine
Donovan,SusanSmith,BarbaraHenley
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InJune2015AnneSklenarsRNDMflewtothePhilippines
whereshefacilitatedtheRegionalchapteroftheSistersof
theCenacle.WhentheChapterconcludedAnneflewwith
twoCenacleSisterstoMacauandthenfurthernorthinChina
tomeetwithreligiouswomenworkinginthatvastcountry.
PeoplemakingtheirwaytotheurupaaboveTapeka
Marae,Waihi,Tokaanu,toburyMaryKatarina
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RNDMsandSchools
Euphrasie Barbier saw the education of women and children as a priority for the members of the
congregation she founded. The various RNDM histories all demonstrate that within a few days of
their arrival in a new country, RNDMs were busy teaching in primary schools, and establishing
congregation-ownedsecondaryschools,faithfultowhatEuphrasiehadincludedintheConstitutions
shehadwrittenforhersisters:"[TheSisters']specialendistoaidhumblyandtothebestoftheir
abilitytoextendtheKingdomofGodinsoulsbydevotingthemselvestotheinstructionandChristian
education of children and women, above all in infidel and non-Catholic countries" (Constitutions
approvedbytheVaticanin1890).
InAotearoa-New Zealand, the integration of Catholic schools from the 1980sintothegovernment
education system meant fewer sisters and more lay people were involved in teaching. However,
RNDMs have continued their involvement in both the secondary and primary schools with which
theyhavehistoricallyandcontemporaneouslybeenassociatedinthefollowingways.
• providingprofessionaltrainingprogrammesforteachersontheethosoftheCongregation
ofOurLadyoftheMissions;
• settingupcollegearchives;
• membershipofBoardsofTrustees;
• involvement in volunteer remedial literacy and maths programmes in primary and
secondaryschools;
• BoardmemberfortheTafesilafai(Samoan)Community'sEarlyLearningprogramme;
• ensuringtheinvolvementofschools–teachersandstudents–insupportingdifferentRNDM
missionsinAsia,AfricaandthePacific;
• providingmission-awarenessprogrammesforstudents;
• organisingmeetingsfortheprincipalsandDRSpersonnelstaffworkingincollegesbegunby
RNDMs;
• responsibleforstartingtheannualMissionCup(Netball)tournamentbetweenthedifferent
secondaryschoolswhichtheCongregationhadfounded.Thisinturnencouragedthestart
of the annual Te Toa hockey tournament for the different colleges while Valerie Lawson
wasPrincipalofSacredHeartCollege,LowerHutt;
• Involvementin2006programmeinwhichprincipalsandotherstaffmembersvisitedFrance
wheretheCongregationwasfounded
• providing work experiences for teachers with RNDM secondary schools in India and
Vietnam
• the appointment of an RNDM to visit schools on a regular basis. Hamilton-based Anne
Sklenarscurrentlyisinvolvedinthisimportantworkwhichinvolvesherwithbothstaffand
students in a variety of ways. Most importantly she works with teachers and students so
that they grow in their understanding of the RNDM way of life and mission. Anne can be
contactedat07.856.6583,asklenars@yahoo.com
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SomephotosfromSchoolsestablishedbytheCongregationofOurLadyoftheMissions
ColleenEdgecombeRNDM,TheresaGalvinRNDM,
ConnieHurleyRNDM,atSacredHeartCollegeLowerHutt
celebrationoftheCollege'spatronalfeast.
BehindtheSistersaremembersoftheCollegePolynesian
ClubwhowelcomedintheBookoftheGospelswitha
culturalchant
MargaretMonaghanRNDMwithgirlsfrom
MurielKivellRNDMwithmaths
SacredHeartGirls'College,NewPlymouth studentsatHatoHohepa
PrayerGroup 60threunionatStMary's,Papakura,
CathieSorraghan,AnneCoufts,Mary
MaitlandRNDM,MaggieMcCaughan
VeronicaKeaveney,RNDM,celebrating
her80thibirthdaywithpupilsofSt
Joseph'sparishschoolatOpunake
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AnneSklenarsRNDMwithpupilsatStar
oftheSeaSchool,Sumner,attreeplantingceremony
RNDMPastPupils,AssociatesandFriends
FromthearrivalofthefirstRNDMsinAotearoa-NewZealandin1865,theSistershavealwaysrelied
onthesupportoflaypeopletohelpthemintheirdifferentministries.Ruralcommunitiesinwhich
RNDMslivedandworkedgenerouslyensuredsteadysuppliesofmeatandfarmproduce,orwood
forfires,whileschoolcommitteesensuredthatschoolswerewellmaintainedandkeptspicandspan
inthepre-integrationera.Pastpupilstoocontinuedtobesupportiveoftheschoolsandcollegesin
whichtheyhadbeeneducatedandhadcometoknowtheRNDMs.
Today friends, often enough past pupils of the schools in which the RNDMs taught continue to be
partoftheSisters'lifeinAotearoa-NewZealand.Fromthe1990sonwardsRNDMAssociategroups
were formed which met with the Sisters in places where they had been long established–Napier,
Hamilton,LowerHutt,NelsonorChristchurch.Aucklandhasalwayshadastrongpastpupils'group,
Sisters of the Mission Past Pupils and Friends Association, who see financial support of the
congregation'soverseasmissionsasimportant.
RNDMAssociatesarethoselaypeoplewhobelievethatourwayoflifeoflivingincommunity,our
commitment to contemplative prayer and our missionary outreach are realities with which they
wishbeassociated.
ContactsforPastPupils
Auckland
Napier Greenmeadows
Nelson SistersoftheMissionPastPupilsandFriendsAssociation
HelenHowley,12StanawayAve,Northcote,Auckland.ghowley@ihug.co.nz,
09.4865517
ConventPastPupils'Association
JeanetteDriebergs,driebergs@clear.net.nz,06.845.1365
StJoseph'sMaoriGirlsNationalPastPupilsAssociationInc
ThePrincipal,PrivateBag6031,HawkesBayMailCentre,Napier4142
stjomaori@sjmgc.school.nz,06.844.8461
ConventGirls'PastPupils
YolandaPersico,58WekaStreet,Nelson7010,y.s.persico@hotmail.com
03.035390011
ContactsforRNDMAssociates
Napier CarmelCassin,RNDM,carmelcas@clear.net.nz,06.843.2111
SarahGreenleesRNDM,sarahgrndm@xtra.co.nz,06.844.6085
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Nelson Christchurch
MariaJosefPark,RNDM,mjparkmaria@gmail.com,03.548.8578
MartinaBurke,RNDM,martinaburke@hotmail.com,03.389.7445
ChristchurchAssociatesandSisters,2004,
BackrowAnna-MariePersicoRNDM,
M.MartinaBurkeRNDMandBarbara
HurleyRNDM
MissionRestHome
Inthelate1980s,theProvinceLeadershipTeambegantheprocessofprovidingafacilityforthecare
ofolderRNDMs.Aftermuchdiscernmentandmanyconversationsthedecisionwasmadeto
refurbishexistingaccommodationat10PukakaStreet,NewPlymouth,sothatitcouldaccommodate
uptotwenty-threepeople.In1990theMissionRestHomewasopenedprovidingawelcoming
milieuforRNDMsandotherpeopleinneedofmoresustainedcare.
MissionRestHome,NewPlymouthJennyTodd,MissionFacilityManager,
MargaretMonaghanRNDM,Chairpersonof
BoardofDirectorsandResidents'Advocate
ContactsandLinks
Ø ProvincialOffice,POBox30-575,LowerHutt,5040
Tel.04.939.1231
Fax04.939.1233
Emailoffice@rndm.org.nz
Ø SistersofOurLadyoftheMissions,ReligieusesdeNotreDamedesMissions
http://www.rndm.org/Thiswebsiteintroducespeopletotheworld-widelifeandworkof
theCongregationofOurLadyoftheMissions
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