March 2014
Martin Elms
The Presentation Sisters who founded St Patrick’s school Paraparaumu are planning to have the statue of the school’s patron saint restored in time for the feast day on 17 March and painted by a professional mural artist from Ireland.
The sisters announced the makeover of St Patrick who is beginning to show signs of ageing, during celebrations at the start of a 60th jubilee year on Friday 14 February.
Archbishop John Dew presented one of our founding sisters Sr Celine with a special certificate in recognition to her years of service and dedication to Catholic Education.
We also honoured her with a special Excellence award. She is a role model to our school of excellence in action.
To celebrate the Jubilee the Presentation Sisters have given the school a new Nano Nagel icon. Nano Nagel founded the Presentation Sisters in 1754 in Ireland. Her mission was to provide food for the hungry, help for the sick and education for the poor. One of her symbols is a lamp – taking Christ’s light wherever she went.
The legacy of the original nuns continues at the school today in our Vision, Mission and Values and in our teaching staff.
Sr Celine taught Kathryn Trask who taught Joan Ashcroft. Catherine Elgar was also a pupil of Sr Celine.