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. 

The agreement, several years in the making and Pauline Rafferty's swan song (she retired a few days after the announcement), stipulates that the Sisters will pay for the cost of maintaining the archives- including their own archivist-until 2027.

With over 500 pieces of art, 1000 artifacts, documents dating back to 1858 and over 100,000 photographs, it's the first religious library and largest private collection ever obtained by the Royal BC Museum, said Rafferty.

The exhibit, slated to open in 2013, will include hand-carved wooden rosaries, liturgical objects, a Bible presented to the Sisters upon arrival to Victoria in 1858, and rare photos of Mary of the Sacred Heart, Mary Luména,  Mary of the  Conception, and Sister Mary Angèle, affectionately known as the 'Founding Four'.

Over 36,000 students-mainly girls-graduated from St. Ann's Academy before the decision to close St. Ann's in 1973 was made due to high operating costs, declining enrollment, and the advanced age of many of the nuns.  

Today, the newly restored St. Ann's Academy is the centre for the Ministry of Advanced Education, yet the history of St. Ann's has been preserved in the Interpretive Centre, the gardens as well as the orchard on the school grounds. The chapel has been restored and is available for weddings, and the auditorium is available for public meetings. Traditions are still fondly remembered and a sense of history is strongly evident at St. Ann's Academy today.

Photos courtesy of the Royal BC Museum

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