Sisters of Mercy Centennial - re enactment of arrival of Pioneer Sisters in Hokitika.November 1978.

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DescriptionThe group of West Coast born Sisters who re-enacted the arrival of eight professed Sisters and two postulants in Hokitika 15 October 1878, from Ennis, Ireland.They are dressed in late nineteenth century habits.They were (from the left) Sr Mary Wood,Sr Clare Pierson,Sr Celestine Wright, Sr Anne Cullen, Sr M Ambrose, Sr St John Williams, Sr Veronica Paget, Sr Anselm Fitzgerald, Sr Elizabeth Kelly and Sr Margaret Flaherty. The man on the left end may be representing Fr Aime Martin SM who was Parish Priest at the time and who asked for the Sisters to come to New Zealand. The man on the right may represent Bishop Redwood. The Pioneer Sisters took over teaching in the girl's Parish School the week after they arrived. Date of PhotoNovember 1978Map^[1]ContributorClare Pierson

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Location (city or town)HokitikaPersonMary Wood Clare PiersonCelestine WrightAnne CullenM AmbroseJohn WilliamsVeronica PagetAnselm Fitzgerald Elizabeth KellyMargaret Flaherty.Organisation (eg business)Sisters of Mercy EventSisters of Mercy Centennial of arrival of Pioneer Sisters in Hokitika.November 1978.

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Date Created21st March 2023CommentsKathy Duthie
seeing these nuns here brings back nasty thoughts

Clare Pierson
Kathy Duthie all of them????

Richard Howe
Kathy Duthie The nuns that i knew in the North Island showed no mercy. And they were neither sisterly, nor motherly. I'm sure there were some good nuns, but i never met any of them. One particularly nasty piece of work actually drove us away from the school and church.

Maree Lewis
Richard Howe Tough. You must have been very unlucky, or spectacularly naughty - or both! I spent such happy years in boarding school in the north island, and had wonderful friendships with nuns that lasted for the rest of their lives - my last nun died in Waitara about five years ago, and I’d enjoyed calling in on her when I went to Taranaki.
Of course there were the odd nuns I didn’t like, and probably quite a few that didn’t like me, but that’s just life. There were other girls likewise!
No matter how badly you felt you were treated, it’s only an angry old nun - not a reason to give up on everything.

Richard Howe
Maree Lewis There was a lot to it Maree. It also involved my brother. The Priest wasn't very helpful either. And other pupils had a hard time too, but not as bad as us for some reason.

Maree Lewis
Richard Howe The mills of God grind slow but sure - those awful old people who mangled everything to do with love and charity will get their come-uppance.

Alan Beck
They were Sisters. Not in the North Island, whatever your reflexive response to religious you never knew.

Del Godfrey
Awww lovely to see Sr Veronica and Peg again

Bob Jamieson
Nun to soon.

Michael Mclauglin
Evil lot

David Coach-man
Michael Mclauglin those ones specifically? or just in general?

Nichola Black
Did they run a home for disability people

Maree Lewis
Thanks for this lovely snap of a special moment in history.

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Sisters of Mercy Centennial - re enactment of arrival of Pioneer Sisters in Hokitika.November 1978.

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