Category: New Windsor

Caring for the Earth and its most vulnerable residents aligns with the missions of both the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, with whom our Presentation sisters live in Massachusetts. 

When Presentation Sister Paula Cormier came into her friend Notre Dame Sister Patricia Butler’s room to talk about Nano Nagle’s family motto, “not words, but deeds,” the idea for the garden was born. Paula shares, “A garden means you have to do something physical and real that should bear fruit.”

Patty remembers three things from that afternoon: Nano’s words, Paula saying the garden should be in memory of Sister Dorothy Stang and that the poor should be served by the garden.

The garden is named for Notre Dame Sister Dorothy Stang, who strived daily to ensure that the poor among whom she lived and labored had enough to eat. Sister’s legacy will continue as the purpose of the memorial garden is to provide nourishing food for people in the area who are food deprived.

The garden includes six raised garden beds in which a variety of vegetables will be grown. It sits near a house on the du Lac property that belongs to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the women who live there will be the official caretakers for the garden. Volunteers helped set up the beds and will return for planting.

The garden speaks to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical published in 2015. The encyclical focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions about the relationship between God, humans and the Earth. “It fits so beautifully,” Paula explains. “We are hoping the garden will bear much fruit, and not just in vegetables but also in the activity of people who realize what a gift it is. It’s all connected.”

The Presentation Sisters have a similar garden project that provides food for those in need in the New Windsor, New York, area.

A few years ago, Earth committee for the congregation raised the awareness of the newly elected leadership team about the possibility of a land trust. The property at Mt. St. Joseph includes a wooded area that features a stream corridor which feeds into Brown’s Pond. Brown’s Pond is the secondary water source for the city of Newburgh. The protection of this valuable natural resource aligns with the congregation’s commitment to economic, environmental and racial inequity, especially as it affects women and children. 

Having been alerted to the need, the leadership team was then approached last August by the Orange County Land Trust, which has helped protect nearly 6,500 acres of land in Orange County. Representatives of the group met with the team and staff members to explore options for putting 13.54 acres into a land trust. The tree-lined areas on both sides of the road down to the cemetery on the Mt. St. Joseph property will be placed into the land trust. This does not include any part of the cemetery itself and the agreement assures access to the cemetery and the commitment of the congregation to prevent further development of the area. 

On June 6, the congregation, along with the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, will be recognized for this initiative. Several members of the Earth committee and leadership team members will attend a dinner to accept the honor on behalf of the congregation.

In late August the Presentation Sisters in New Windsor, New York, welcomed over 200 guests to Mt. St. Joseph to celebrate religious life and our many friends and partners in mission. We had a beautiful afternoon of food, friends and celebration!

Visit our website for more photos!
https://sistersofthepresentation.org/photoalbums/presentation-picnic-2023

On Sunday, April 16 Sisters Yliana Hernandez, Norma Carney, Mary Catherine Redmond and Virginia Wilkinson took part in the Habitat Multi-faith House Blessings on the sidewalk facing several homes on Third Street in Newburgh. Blessings these buildings that were recently acquired by Habitat Newburgh was the first step in moving forward with rehabbing them in the coming months into safe, healthy homes.

Partners in the project, the Presbyterian Church in Cornwall blessed the houses with bubbles – breath, our first and last, breathes life into the dry bones of the house.

Sister Virginia offered one of the blessings during this event, using the words of singer Marty Hagen, “Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live, a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive. Built of hopes and dreams and visions. All are welcome.

The sisters signed a piece of wood for the homes with “Love One Another” in the spirit of Nano Nagle.

Between each blessing offered Reverend Mary Lou led all in singing “we are marching …”

The New Windsor Presentation Sisters are pleased to partner with Habitat Newburgh in serving those in need in our local area, especially women and children. This effort aligns with our Chapter commitment “to address the needs of women and children, especially as they are impacted by economic, environmental and racial inequity.”

Sister Yliana Hernandez was honored with the Presidents’ Award by Our Lady of Lourdes High School for her hard work, leadership and commitment to education and helping so many young women in the Hudson Valley out of poverty.

She was also recently featured in an article by the Times Herald-Record detailing her ministry and plans to retire and help immigrants on the United States-Mexico border. You can read this feature on their website: Catholic school leader Sister Yliana Hernandez plans new mission: It’s at the border

Congratulations, Sister Yliana, on your award and your retirement. Nano’s light is shining brightly through your works!

Presentation sisters and associates gathered in New Windsor and Leominster on Friday, April 22, to celebrate Earth Day.

At the administrative center in New York, we had the opportunity to  pray and share with one another our thoughts on the beauty and wonder of Earth. After this we were invited to go outside on a glorious spring day to enjoy the gifts of nature. A gentle breeze carried bubbles and propelled our pinwheels as we celebrated the gifts of nature.

In Leominster sisters and associates took part in a prayer service that included blessing each other by washing of hands. Through prayer, song and ritual we became more aware of the gifts of water, soil and clean air.

It was a wonderful time of celebration for God’s creation!

Sister Yliana Herandez, who will retire from Nora Cronin Presentation Academy this year, was featured in a recent article by Lana Bellamy of the Times Herald Record. After co-founding this ministry in 2006, Sister has led Nora Cronin Presentation Academy to great success. She will now focus her ministry efforts on working with immigrants at the border.

Sister Yliana Plans New Mission

We have begun to share information with our audiences regarding the environmental impact of the solar panels installed at Mt. St. Joseph last year.

Sister Virginia Wilkinson offered three opportunities for sisters and associates to attend a Lenten retreat entitled “Jesus and the Women with No Names.” The first was in Massachusetts on March 19, the second was via Zoom on March 23 an the third was at Mt. St. Joseph in New Windsor on Saturday, March 26.

In all over 70 sisters and associates enjoyed this 90-minute retreat that offered prayer, scripture, reflection and time for discussion.