Our Sisters

Born: Ireland

Current: Orange, CA

Sister Angela is a part of our Vocations Team! If you are discerning or looking for some guidance, Sr. Angela might be the person you have been looking for. She also serves in the Development Office and organizes Gala events in Southern California.

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Sister Anne O’Leary is a part of our Vocations Team! If you are interested in Religious Life or in need of someone to help you discern, Sr. Anne is a great person to talk to.

Sister Bernadette has been a part of countless ministries. Today she offers music lessons, sharing her gift of music with others. Through her Presentation Music Studio, she is an independent Music Teacher teaching students of all ages private and group piano instruction.

Born: Ireland

Current: Regina Residence, CA

Sr. Breda left Ireland in 1953 to join the Presentation Sisters in the USA. While her main ministry was education, she also did active ministry in working with the homeless, drug addiction patients, visiting those in prison, doing what she could to help the people she came across “get their lives back.” Sr. Breda loves to garden and finds great peace in nature

Born: Ireland

Current: Los Angeles, CA

Sr. Catherine Burke was born in Galway, Ireland. She joined the Presentation Sisters in Baliboro, Ireland for the mission in Pakistan where she lived & taught for four years. She was then sent to the United States where she ministered in Orange, Huntington Beach, Cypress, Whittier & Upland, California. She lived and ministered in San Antonio, Texas for six years. She lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 10 years serving the Sisters on the Unit Leadership Team. She has lived in Los Angeles, California for the past 21 years serving as Co-Director of Presentation Learning Center.

Sister Debbie works in hospitals as a social worker in the Pediatric unit. She tends to those throughout the hospital and offers her compassion and guidance to all those she encounters daily.

Born: Ireland

Current: Regina Residence, CA

Sr. Fidelma felt the call to be a Presentation Sister at a young age. However, she was certain that she would NEVER come to the USA and leave her home country of Ireland but God had different plans for Sr. Fidelma. She ended up coming to the USA to live out the mission of the Presentation Sisters. To this day she remains living in the USA, regretting nothing and knowing that God called her where she was supposed to be. She has continued to touch many people throughout her time as a Presentation Sister through the numerous ministries she has been a part of.

To watch a video on Sr. Fidelma's journey to the USA CLICK HERE.

Born: North Dakota, USA

Current: Fargo, ND

Words from Sr. Francine, “The general public might not know who we are, but the poor knows who we are.” Sr. Francine currently works on our Acorn Update, using her gift of writing to share the news of the Presentation Sisters.

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Born: Long Beach, CA

Current: Los Angeles, CA

Sister Jane Bonar was born in Long Beach, California. She joined the Presentation Sisters in Cypress, California. She then lived and ministered in Cypress, Huntington Beach, Orange & Upland, California. She also lived and ministered for four years in Globe, Arizona. For ten years she served the Sisters on the Unit Leadership Team, based in Phoenix, Arizona. She is currently living in Los Angeles, California where she has been Co-Director of Presentation Learning Center for 21 years.

Born: Philippines

Current: Orange, CA

Sister Jocelyn is a member of our Unit Leadership Team and serves as liaison to Vocations & Formation, Justice, and Communications. Sr. Jocelyn likes hiking, dancing, and listening to music. She keeps her favorite scripture verse, “Abide in me as I abide in you” (John 15:4),  close to her heart and feels greatly blessed as a Presentation Sister.

Born: Sligo, Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Sr. Josepha is a wonderful baker and loves to play cards. When you eat one of her baked goods, you'll be licking your lips!

Born: Ireland

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Josephine came to the USA at a young age to be a Presentation Sister. She was drawn to the mission and ministry of the congregation. Throughout her time as a sister she has been a part of many different ministries, but one she holds close to her heart was her time as a teacher.

To watch a video on Sr. Josephine's story click HERE.

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Sr. Katherine is our Unit Leader. With a collaborative effort she works with the leadership team, making sure all aspects of the congregation, no matter the location, are in communication with one another.

Born: Ireland

Current: Orange, CA

Sr. Kathleen was a teacher and a Principal in various elementary schools in Southern California. She also served in the leadership team in Zimbabwe for several years.

Born: North Dakota, USA

Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Lorraine is a part of our Vocations Team. She has been part of numerous ministries throughout her time as a Presentation Sister. She currently offers spiritual direction, helping people from all different backgrounds grow in their spiritual lives. She is also a Baby Cuddler for hospitals in her area. Sr. Lorraine finds great joy in all the work she does.

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sister Marcelline’s main ministry was through nursing. She was involved in many different ministries, but always felt most at peace helping those in the hospitals. She tended to all kinds of patients, always brought them comfort and love through her unwavering faith.

Born: County Cork, Ireland

Current San Antonio, Texas

Born: Ireland

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Marie left her home and came to the USA to be a Presentation Sister. She, like many of the sisters, participated in countless ministries, but a time of her life that stands out is her time as a nurse. She spent many years comforting families and praying with them as their loved ones were in surgery, etc. Her compassion has touched countless people over the years. She has always found her love and strength through God, but also her strong devotion to St. Joseph.

Click HERE to watch a video on Sr. Marie and her ministry!

Born: USA

Current: San Antonio, TX

Sr. Marilyn is creative and artistic. She does ceramics, knows how to make candles, and the list goes on! She used to do youth retreats; as well as spent time as a teacher. Sr. Marilyn is a trained spiritual director and ministered at the House of Prayer in Tucson, AZ, before being missioned to Fargo.

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Born: Ireland

Current: Fargo, ND

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Peggy’s trust in God has brought incredible adventures throughout her time as a Presentation Sister. She spent numerous years living in Peru, starting schools, teaching students, and changing the world. Sr. Peggy has left a life long impact on all the people she’s met, especially those in Peru.

Born: Ireland

Current: Ireland Province

Sr. Philippa Wall was born in Laois, Ireland.  She joined the Presentation Sisters in Mount St. Anne’s, Killenard, Laois.  Following graduation as an Elementary Teacher she taught for fourteen years in Ireland before coming to the United States where she continued teaching in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas until retirement.  Currently she serves as the Unit Archivist.  She catalogs the historical records of the life and mission of the Presentation Sisters and preserves them in a designated place called the archives.  They tell the story of God’s grace in action in a group of people.

Born: India

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Sr. Roselima is our Peace and Justice contact for the Presentation Sisters. She is a part of the IPA (International Presentation Association), which focuses on the mission of working for global justice for all creation.

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Sister Sharon is a part of our Vocations Team. Sr. Sharon is regularly taking part in conferences and other events to help people of all ages understand what the Presentation Sisters encompass. She is a great resource and contact when it comes looking for guidance of any kind, especially discernment of religious life.

Born: Oklahoma

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

Current: Fargo, North Dakota

“I am a mother of four, grandmother of eight, great grandmother of two with a third on the way and now a Presentation Sister.” Before Sr. Stella’s time as a Presentation Sister she was married and created a beautiful family. Sr. Stella always had a strong devotion to her faith that helped her through difficult times in her life. After many hardships, her 24 year marriage ended in divorce. But not to worry, God had great plans for Sr. Stella and led her to the Presentation Sisters. Delicately letting her children know she was going to join the convent, it came to them as no surprise. They knew she was called to religious life and found it to be a great blessing for not only Sr. Stella, but the entire family. One of her children even said to her “Mother I understand that completely, that is who you are!” Sr. Stella explains “the journey with God is sacred and holy; and enlightening in so many ways.”

To watch a video on Sr. Stella's story click HERE.

Born: Ireland

Current: San Antonio, Texas

Born: Ireland

Current: Huntington Beach, CA

Sr. Winifred comes from a large family, having five sisters and five brothers. Throughout her time as a Presentation Sister she spent many years of her active ministry teaching in the schools, even starting some of the first schools with Presentation Sisters in areas of California. Keeping a close relationship with her siblings, she was also able to help minister at a hospital where her brother worked. Sr. Winifred, like all the Presentation Sisters, has been a part of numerous ministries and continues to live out the mission of Nano Nagle.

Born: Texas, USA

Current: San Antonio, TX

Sister Wiona Engel is the youngest of six children, born and raised in Luckenbach, Texas.  After High School at the age of 18 she entered with the Presentation Sisters in San Antonio, Texas.  She has had various ministries which included Elementary and Junior High teacher; Principal of an Elementary School, K-8^th grade; Development Director for the U. S. Unit; serving on the U. S. Unit Leadership Team for 5 years, assistant Congregational Leader for 5 years, and Congregational Leader for 10 years which involved visiting all the Units of the Congregation throughout the World. Leadership was a great privilege in that one saw how the charism of Nano was alive and active all over the world.  She was Co-director of a Learning Center in Shaw, Mississippi. Her guiding light and what inspired her to continue on the journey was Christ’s saying, “I am with you always” and Nano’s, “The Almighty is All Sufficient”.