Presentation Sisters

The Presentation Sisters are a female Roman Catholic religious institute founded in Cork, Ireland in 1775. The Order’s official name is the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Presentation Sisters first came to Australia in 1866 when they established themselves in Richmond, Tasmania. They followed this by establishing themselves in Victoria in 1873, New South Wales in 1874, and Queensland in 1899. In 1900, the Presentation Sisters went from NSW to the Western Australian goldfields and in July 1891, another group came directly from Ireland to Geraldton. The Sisters have six congregations throughout Australia and in 1958 formed the Society of Australian Congregations of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a federation of the six autonomous Presentation congregations in Australia and a group of Melanesian and Australian Presentation Sisters in Papua New Guinea which follows an agreed common constitution. The Order’s mission in Australia has been to help the poor and needy and to provide a Catholic education to young girls. In Australia, the Sisters have been responsible in the establishment and management of numerous schools in various states. This includes:

• Assumption Catholic Primary School, Mandurah, Western Australia;

• Avila College in Melbourne;

• Domremy College, Five Dock, New South Wales;

• Holy Cross Convent, Daylesford, Victoria (now, The Convent Gallery);

• Iona Presentation College, Perth;

• Iona Presentation Primary School, Perth;

• Marian College, Myrtleford;

• Mary Immaculate College, Sutherland (merged into the former Christian Brothers College, now St Patrick's College, Sutherland);

• Mt St Patrick's College, Murwillumbah, New South Wales;

• Nagle Catholic College, Geraldton, Western Australia;

• Nagle College, Bairnsdale, Victoria;

• Nagle College, Blacktown, New South Wales;

• Presentation College, Moe; and Presentation College, Newborough; now merged into Lavalla Catholic College, Victoria;

• Presentation College, Windsor, Victoria;

• St Anthony's School, Riverside, Launceston, Tasmania;

• St Carthage's Primary School, Lismore, New South Wales;

• St John's Regional College, Dandenong, Victoria;

• St Joseph's Primary School, Como/Oyster Bay, Sydney, New South Wales;

• St Mary's College, Hobart, Tasmania;

• St Mary's College, Lismore, New South Wales (now, Trinity Catholic College);

• St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic School, Carnarvon, Western Australia;

• St Patrick's College, Sutherland, Sydney, New South Wales;

• St Rita's College, Clayfield, Queensland;

• St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, Queensland;

• Star of the Sea College, Brighton, Victoria; and

• Star of the Sea College, George Town, Tasmania

Like many other religious orders around Australia, the Presentation Sisters have been involved in allegations dealing with child sexual and physical abuse. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has indicated that the congregations in Queensland and Victoria have each received allegations of sexual abuse against one of it members.

Moody Law has in the past represented a client who made allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the Presentation Sisters whilst he was a student at a former school run by the Order in Brisbane, Queensland.

We invite former victims to tell us confidentially what information they may have, and we will explain what options are available to help with these cases.

Call us or complete the confidential enquiry form below.