Lamps that travel

Sr Maureen Moorhouse has written a  history of the Presentation Sisters’ time in Africa from 1949 until today.  In such an eventful narrative the beauty of  Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia is understated, but as Maureen herself was once heard to remark:  “… Where else would you want to be!”

There is a long, long trail from Ballygriffin in Co Cork, birthplace of the Presentation founder Nano Nagle (1718- 1784), who is often depicted carrying a small storm lantern.  Her outreaching spirituality would take her sisters east to India and later on, south to Central Africa, changing lives for the better all along the way.  These great adventures brought their joys and successes but also at times, suffering, danger and seeming failure. 

Their loved founder seems to have been consciously present to them in the remotest places, sustaining them with her inspiration; she is referred to affectionately as ‘Nano’ throughout.  And no wonder, since she wrote such stirring words for them:

“In the face of fear… choose to be daring;

in the face of anxiety… choose to trust;

and in the face of impossibility… choose to begin.”