Celebrating the Jubilee Launch in Ireland
Earlier in the summer, the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles in Ireland began our journey towards the 150th Jubilee in 2026 with two meaningful gatherings at Ardfoyle. These events followed the official international launch in Benin, which brought together OLA and SMA communities worldwide in a celebration rich with prayer, history, and shared purpose.
As the Jubilee was launched in Benin, we sought to create a space here in Ireland for sisters to enter into the spirit of the occasion within their own communities. On 30 April, the eve of OLA Foundation Day, we held an evening an of prayer and our archivist, Lochlann Unger, offered a quietly compelling presentation on the early life of Fr Augustine Planque. Drawing on the depth of our archives, Lochlann shared details and perspectives that brought new understanding to the life of our founder—a story many of us thought we already knew. His attentive work reminded us that remembering is not simply an act of looking back, but a way of deepening our sense of who we are today.
To ensure wider participation, a recording was shared with communities in Dublin, Balbriggan, and Rostrevor, allowing each to reflect and pray in their own time and rhythm.
Then, on 6 June, the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Apostles, all of our Sisters from across Ireland gathered at Ardfoyle, including those visiting from abroad. It was a rare moment of full presence. The evening began with the second part of Lochlann’s presentation, this time tracing the beginnings of the OLA congregation. It was held in a spirit of prayer and reflection, a time of togetherness at the threshold of this anniversary year. This Jubilee Year invites us to honour our beginnings, and the women and men who came before us. It encourages us to remember the path we have walked and the courage, faith, and deep commitment that have shaped our story since 1876. It was an opportunity to look back on our foundations with gratitude, while turning our eyes towards the milestone that lies ahead.
Here we especially remember the first two OLA Irish Sisters, Dominique O’Riordan and Felicity Kirwan, who went on mission in 1877 to Lagos and died there within a year of their arrival. We recalled all our deceased Sisters with love, inspired by their courage and heroic self-sacrifice. May they rest in perfect peace.
The following day, the Jubilee Opening Mass in Ireland was celebrated in the Ardfoyle chapel by Fr Eamonn Finnegan SMA. In her words of welcome, Sr Mary Crowley reminded us that the Jubilee in 2026 will mark three significant anniversaries:
- 200 years since the birth of our founder, Fr Augustine Planque
- 170 years since the foundation of the Society of African Missions
- 150 years since the foundation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles
She reflected on the shared history of SMA and OLA, rooted in the vision of Monsignor de Bresillac and carried forward by Fr Planque, whose recognition of women’s vital role in mission shaped our congregation from its earliest days.
The Mass was followed by a festive lunch and an afternoon filled with music, dancing, and the unmistakable sound of African song and movement, a joyful expression of our intercultural life, our missionary heart, and the love of God that continues to hold us.
Since the beginning, the OLA Sisters have responded to Fr Planque’s invitation:
“To know and love God so as to make Him known and loved.”
As look ahead toward our 150th Jubilee, we give thanks to God for our OLA missionary vocation and our daily commitment to living the OLA charism. We are grateful for the gift of every Sister here—thank you for your presence, your witness, and your commitment through the years. We remain united in prayer with OLA Sisters throughout the world, praying that all will be nourished by this Jubilee Year and continue to be faithful to our charism and mission.
We also give thanks for our SMA brothers who share this journey with us; for our families and friends who support us; for our collaborators; for the peoples of Africa and other parts of the world who have welcomed us; and for our benefactors who have enabled our mission over these years.
We are grateful to God for the road behind us and for the grace to trust in the Spirit’s unfolding journey ahead. Let us prepare for this year of grace with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. May Our Lady of Apostles intercede for us as we celebrate our feast day and launch our Jubilee Year.
Opening Words by Sr Mary Crowley
Good afternoon, and welcome. It is with great joy and gratitude that we gather here today, on this Feast of Our Lady of Apostles, to launch our Jubilee Year. A warm welcome to each one of you: to the Ardfoyle community, and to our Sisters who have come from Rostrevor, Lansdowne, and Balbriggan. A special word of welcome to the SMA Fathers, Fr. Eamonn Finnegan and Fr. Liam Brady.
Today we begin our journey into a very significant year. We are stepping into a year that leads us towards a triple celebration. In 2026, we will mark three milestones in the shared history of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles and the Society of African Missions:
• 200 years since the birth of our founder, Fr. Augustine Planque;
• 170 years since the foundation of the Society of African Missions;
• 150 years since the foundation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles.
These milestones are part of our SMA and OLA journey of love and service to God’s mission in the world, especially in Africa. We remember Monsignor de Bresillac, who founded the Society of African Missions, and whose vision and passion for mission inspired Fr. Planque to carry it forward.
Fr. Planque’s recognition that women had a vital role in mission led to the founding of our OLA congregation. From the beginning, it was shaped by deep faith and trust in God, and a willingness to step into the unknown – to take the road less travelled.