Venerable Nano Nagle, Foundress of the Presentation Sisters  nanonagle.org. was born into a wealthy family in Ballygriffin, Ireland in 1718. Because of the Penal law system which prohibited Catholic education she was educated in France.
Disturbed by the plight of the people in Ireland she dared to begin Catholic education in Cork despite significant personal danger. She became a pioneer of Catholic education in Ireland.
In 1775 she founded the Presentation Sisters and continues to inspire Presentation Sisters and Associates throughout the world.
The Presentation Sisters first came to New Zealand in 1950 and opened schools in Taita, Paraparaumu and Green Island. The Sisters are now involved in a variety of ministries with poor and disadvantaged people.
Nano Nagle was declared Venerable by Pope Francis on 31 October 2013 recognising her as a woman of faith, hope and heroic virtue.
​Nano Nagle Prayer
Lord God,
You raise up people from age to age
To speak anew Your Word to us
And to show us your ways.
Such is Nano Nagle.
In days when courage is needed,
You give us this woman of strength
to walk before us with conviction.
In days of great change,
You present us with a prophet
whose faith is firm.
As the light of her lantern brought hope
into the lives made wretched
by poverty and oppression,
so may she inspire us
to compassionate action
for those in need around us.​

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