’Ever since God became man we meet with Him in every human face’ … Book of Life 33
Scotland
A young priest from Scotland, James Gillis, met Louis-Marie Boudouin at Chavagnes in 1834 and asked for a community of Sisters to come to Scotland. He asked Louis-Marie to accept Agnes Trail and Margaret Theresa Clapperton as postulants in Chavagnes.
St. Margaret’s Convent, Edinburgh, was Louis-Marie’s last foundation before his death on 12th February 1835.
« On December 26th 1834 eleven Sisters - Ursulines of Jesus - were the first Religious Congregation - male or female - to establish a house in Scotland for over three hundred years, truly pioneers. » Cardinal Gray 1986.
Faithful to our Charism « to help priests in their work, to devote themselves to bringing up the young, to educate women ». (U.J. Constitution)
O ther foundations in Scotland answering that needs were made in :
Perth 1865 - 1910
Berwick 1913 - 1983
Selkirk 1986 - 1990
Alva 1995 -
Portobello 1920 - 1981
Port Glasgow 1975 - 2002
Wester Hailes 1986 -
Nigeria, Bauchi 1974 - 1995
This foundation in Nigeria was opened in response to a request made by the Archdiocese of St. Andrew’s and Edinburgh.
Our Sisters in St Margaret’s and Wester Hailes, Edinburgh and Alva Clackmannanshire continue responding to various needs : Parish ministry, Chaplaincy to Prison, Counselling, Complementary Therapies and L’Arche.
Wales
Eleanor Lang Mason, a Scottish convert to Catholicism was instrumental in bringing the Sisters to Swansea and its surrounding area. Following her conversion she lived in Rome where she met Bishop Brown from Wales. Later this lady entered with the Sisters in Edinburgh, moving then to the convent in La Rochelle. Sr. St. Sophie, as she became known, had a great desire to work among the poor, Catholic population in Wales. On advice from her superiors she wrote to Bishop Brown who considered her request as an answer to prayer. For some time Fr. Lewis OSB. of St. David’s Parish, in Swansea, had been pleading with the Bishop for some Sisters who would help him in the Greenhill area of Swansea which was teeming with Catholic children, but without a church or a school.
The Sisters arrived in Swansea on 12th September 1860 and began work in Greenhill five days later. A large room was built which was used as a church on Sunday and as a classroom during the week, thus laying the foundations for the new parish of St. Joseph. Fourteen years later, in 1874 Sr. St. Sophie died and was buried in Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.
Today we have six communities in the area, in ministries meeting the needs of today - Parish Ministry, Hospital and University Chaplaincy, Family Ministry, Retreat Ministry, Spiritual Direction, Bereavement, Counselling and Teaching English to Refugees.
Here too, we care for our elderly, sick sisters in Stella Maris Convent, a power-house of prayer.
O ther foundations in Wales answering the needs of the time were made in :
Swansea St Winefride’s 1877 - 1971
Llanelli 1903 - 1981
Neath 1904 - 1906
Bridgend 1911 - 1918
Clydach-on-Tawe 1911 - 1996
Cardiff 1921 - 1948
Abercynon, Mid Glam 1934 - 1943
Swansea, Stella Maris Convent 1971 -
Swansea, Stella Maris Centre 1970 - 2002
Swansea, Chaplaincy 1981 -
Port Talbot, Cwmavon 1985 -
Swansea, 39 Eaton Crescent 2002 -
Swansea, Marian House 2003 -
Swansea, Townhill 2008 -
England
In 1894 the Sisters formed the first community in England in the diocese of Westminster. Mainly educators they continued working in their first parish of Our Lady and St. Joseph’s, Kingsland until 1962 and indeed returned there in 1977.
Today we have five houses in England where we are involved in diverse ministries : Nursing, Parish Ministry, Pastoral Care, Counselling, Refugees, Justice and Peace.
A new community was formed in Jersey in 2001 where a Sister had been working since 1999 in collaboration with another congregation. The Sisters today work as pastoral assistants and in prison ministry.
The Word continues to be « Made Flesh » as new foundations are established.
O ther foundations in England answering the needs of the time were made in :
Wincanton, Somerset 1881 - 1909
London, Kingsland 1894 - 1958
Dover 1902 -
Berwick-on-Tweed 1917 - 1983
Liverpool 1931 - 1985
Malvern, Worces 1934 - 1936
London, Stamford Hill 1958 -
London, Kingsland 1977 -
Bethune Road (Formation House) 1990 -
London, Hoxton 1997 -
Ireland
In 1906 the Sisters arrived in Ireland established a boarding school and worked with the sick and poor in Coleraine.
In 1949 we were invited to form a community in Southern Ireland working with the Marist Priests in their college in Dundalk, Co. Louth. More recently in 1983 two communities of Ursulines of Jesus were founded in Ireland - one in Waterford and the other in Swords.
From 1983 to 1997 the Sisters worked collaboratively in Grace Dieu Retreat House in Waterford with Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priests forming community and giving retreats.
Since 1983 our Sisters have also worked in St. Colmcille’s Parish, Swords, responding to various needs : Parish Ministry, Teaching, Nursing, Chaplaincy and Complementary Therapies. Another Sister collaborates with the Presentation Sisters in Bandon, working in a Secondary School as Careers Guidance Counsellor.
In Ireland today we continue to be inspired by the charism of our founders Louis-Marie Baudouin and Charlotte Ranfray. We can live this because of the faith and support we constantly receive from Bishop, priests and people among whom we work.
O ther foundations in Ireland answering the needs of the time were made in :
Coleraine 1906 - 1930
Dundalk 1949 - 1960
Waterford 1983 - 1997
Swords 1983 -
Courtnicuddy 200
Webside : www.ursulinesjesus.org