Sisters of St Ann's Gift: Priceless
By Sandy Irvine
In a culture where remembering your manners is seen as an accomplishment, religion is more of a debate than ever, hard work has arguably been re- placed by playing hard, and community service has come to mean paying your debt to society; a shift is definitely in order. And although this was certainly not the primary intent of honouring the Sisters of St. Ann's with a permanent place in the Royal BC Museum, perhaps it's the perfect opportunity to put these lackadaisical ideals to rest.
The Sisters' history is an impressive one. It spans 154 years with accomplishments that include the opening of Victoria first hospital-St. Joseph's-in 1875. And according to records, this was none too soon, for their first patient was admitted during the ground-breaking ceremony. Unfazed and inspired to do more, the Sisters went on to open eight more hospitals, 13 schools across B.C. and Alaska, and one nursing school.
This is an outstanding achievement when you consider it all began with four nuns who boarded the SS Seabird from Lachine, Quebec to help Bishop Demers set up the first all girls school in Victoria. What's even more impressive is after arriving on a cold, damp Saturday in June of 1858; the Sisters wasted no time and opened the St. Ann's schoolhouse that Monday.
And it was in that very schoolhouse-donated to the museum in 1974- that Pauline Rafferty, CEO of the Royal BC Museum and Sister Marie Zarowny, Province Leader of the Sisters of St. Ann, signed the official agreement to have the museum house these historic artifacts.
In this issue...
The Residential Schools of Canada
A Victoria Musician's Book about One Man Bands
Common Tax Deductions and Non-Refundable Tax Credits
National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 15-21
MP Report: Volunteers are a Huge Community Resource
MLA Report: Enbridge Northern Gateway, Risk Without Reward
Bucolic Battery: Two Wheeled Travels in James Bay
The Titanic and Costa Concordia Disasters - Captains in Crisis
Making our Community Organizations More Sustainable
Poetry
Letters to the Editor
Does This Tree Need to Be Sacrificed?
Recipes by Conni Atwell
Inviting People Over for Easter Brunch?
This Month's Mystery House
March’s Mystery House is located at 143 Rendall Street.
