Religious leaders we can be proud of

I HAVE long admired the great contribution of the many admirable women religious who have so enhanced the stature of the Catholic Church over the centuries.

Without even leaving these shores we can be proud of Nano Nagle (founder of the Presentation Sisters) , Catherine McAuley (founder of the Mercy Sisters), Sr Mary Aikenhead (convert founder of the Sisters of Charity).

These formidable women lifted Ireland out of the gutter educationally and medically without thought of or care for their personal comfort. All said, their primary motivation was a great love of the Catholic Church and all that it stood for (contrary to what some contributors have contended, a proper ordering of gender is inherent to Christ’s teaching).