Diocese thanks departing Presentation Sisters for over 70 years of service

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney this month led the Paterson Diocese in bidding a bittersweet farewell to the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary who faithfully served the diocese by “not words, but deeds” for more than 70 years.

Sister Janet Brisky and Sister Geraldine Corio will be the last Presentation sisters to minister in the diocese, at the end of July when they depart St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, where they served since the mid-1980s. St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic parish in New Jersey, established in 1765.

Bishop Sweeney on July 13 celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Joseph Church for the service of the Presentations Sisters to the diocese and Sister Brisky and Sister Corio to St. Joseph’s. Several priests concelebrated the Mass.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented Sister Mary Catherine Redmond, the Presentation Sisters’ president, with an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis.

“When we think of our sisters we honor today, we think, how many little things have been done with great love over 39 years in this parish and over 70 years in this diocese,” Bishop Sweeney said in his homily. He told the sisters, “We were blessed by your presence. You will continue to be a blessing.”

In 1874, the Presentation Sisters arrived in New York City from County Cork, Ireland, where Honora (or Nano) Nagle founded the order. They lived their founder’s motto: “Not words, but deeds.”

The Presentation Sisters served many ministries in the Church of Paterson, including diocesan associate vicar for religious (Sister Eileen Kelly with Bishop Frank J. Rodimer, sixth bishop of Paterson); associate superintendent of secondary schools (Sister Mary McCarthy); parish ministries, including religious education; hospital chaplaincies; campus ministries; retreat ministries; Eva’s Village in Paterson; diocesan Catholic Charities, and the board of Straight and Narrow.

“Let us honor our sisters, honor the unique charism they received from the Holy Spirit and the gifts of faith, hope, and love that have been so generously shared — and will continue beyond space and time,” said Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious, at the Mass.

Sister Brisky has served as St. Joseph’s pastoral associate since 1985. She spent many years in education, including at the former St. Andrew School in Clifton and the former St. Mary School in Pompton Lakes.

Sister Corio served as St. Joseph’s faith formation director there since 1986. She taught for several years in elementary education, including schools in Clifton and Parsippany.

Sister Redmond told the congregation she accepted the papal blessing “on behalf of all sisters who served this diocese for the past 70 years, many on whose shoulders we stand, and the sisters who are here with us.”

“We continue to live the Gospel values of human justice, dignity, freedom, and care of Earth. I can promise you, wherever our mission calls us in the future, we will carry the light of Christ in the lantern of our foundress to those in need,” Sister Redmond said.

Father Steven Shadwell, pastor of Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, was St. Joseph’s pastor from September 2009 to June 2016.

“The glue of the parish was the sisters. I needed them. I can’t thank you enough for what you meant to me and the parish,” Father Shadwell told the two sisters publicly at the end of the Mass.

The Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary served the Paterson Diocese for more than 70 years. They ministered in many parishes and schools, including:

• St. Andrew, Clifton

• Our Lady of Consolation School, Wayne (closed)

• St. Mary School, Pompton Lakes (closed)

• Our Lady of Fatima in the Highland Lakes neighborhood of Vernon Township

• St. Virgil, Morris Plains

• St. Mary, Paterson

• St. Joseph, Mendham

• Mount Carmel, Boonton

• St. Philip, Clifton

• St. Brendan, Clifton

• St. Clare, Clifton

• St. Pius, Montville