St Bernards High School - Bernardian Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

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Nano Nagle LLIS-AL5A4 Foundress of the Szslers of the resentation Jacqueline Frye’s prom dress of 1960 at SBHS may not have differed much from Nano Na- gle’s ballroom gown of 1740 in Paris.

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SBHS began its thirty-first year with two big history-making events—the entrance of its new head- master, Father Donahue, and simultaneously, the class of ‘61. This explains somewhat the closeness of the bond uniting us to our captain, who has piloted us safely through the smooth or, at times, rough waters of frosh, soph, and junior years, and now we look forward to his same loving guidance throughout Our senior year to the port of graduation. It did not take us long to overcome any timidity we may have felt in the presence of our headmaster, because he was always so approachable, kind, and patient; taking a fatherly interest in each of us, and with us morning, noon, and night in all our school activities.

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Nano Nagle lived and died during the cruel Penal Days when every effort was made to crush out the Catholic faith in Ireland. As a child she learned the sad history of her people and of the confisca- tion of large tracts of Nagle properties because her family remained faithful to their ancient faith. As a girl in her teens she was sent to France for further education. School days over she remained in Paris with her sister Ann. The girls found themselves among friends for they were related to many prom- inent France-Irish families. During her ten years in Paris, Nano, as might be expected from any high-spirited girl, entered into the gay life of the French capital. One event in Paris revealed to Nano the aimlessness of her life of pleasure. Returning from a ball in the early hours of morning, she saw a little group of people before the unopened doors of a church. While she wasted the precious gift of God’s time, they were giving the first fruits of the new day to Christ. At the death of their father, Nano and Ann joined their mother in Dublin. Here Nano was brought face to face with the miserable condition of the poor. Although both girls gave alms to the needy, Nano was unaware of her sister's intense love for Christ’s poor, as this incident proved: Nano was looking for a piece of silk which she had brought from France, when Ann confessed that she had already sold it to help a family in distress. Shortly afterwards Ann died and the grief-stricken Nano determined to devote her life from now on to God in the service of His poor. Nano’s first schoolhouse was a mud cabi n of two rooms and a garret. Prudently, Nano had her maid muster the first pupils, thirty of the poorest of little girls. The first prayer was said and the great adventure was on. When Nano’s brother learned of her school, he re- proached her angrily for being so rash and foolhardy; and that such a step would only increase the persecution of Catholics and involve her own family in difficulties. But Nano remained firm. Before long there were seven of these cabin schools with an enroll- ment of 400 children, all expenses being paid by Nano from her own funds. After a long day in the schools, Nano turned to the older girls, the aged, the sick, and the poor in the narrow lanes where pov- erty, disease, and suffering abounded. In 1775, three of Nano’s helpers shared her little cottage. The next year marked the foundation of the Presentation Order when Nano and her three companions received the religious habit. Their costume con- sisted of a plain black gown, tight-fitting cap, and a long cloak. In 1784 Nano had completed thirty years in the service of God's poor. At last the extreme of physical endurance was reached and Nano collapsed on her way to school. Five days later she was dead, leaving a little community of three to carry on her work. She never lived to see her sisters venture forth for Christ and childhood into England, Newfoundland, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and South Africa. Nano Nagle to the end of her life continued to wear the black dress, cap, and cloak. Her sisters later, when religious persecution abated, would adopt a habit similar to this worn by Mother Mary Teresa, present Superior of the Sisters of the Presentation, with their motherhouse in Fitchburg. For the past 33, years, Mother has devotedly given her all to the spiritual and material welfare of the pupils at St. Bernard’s High School.