Sisters of the Presentation of Mary

Marie Rivier’s spirituality was born at the feet of the statue of the Pieta (Our Lady of Mercy) in her village church. The crippled child asked her mother to be left there to pray while her mother ran errands and worked. While waiting she begged our Lady to cure her and she promised to make Jesus Christ known and loved.

This experience fashioned in her a spirit of prayer and a heart of compassion and this she passed onto her daughters, The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary.

Inspired by the Presentation of Mary offering herself to God in the temple and the mysteries of the life, death /resurrection of Jesus; we hope to be an open gospel where every person we meet can read the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.

« I leave you as heritage, the spirit of prayer.”  Marie Rivier

Legend of the Presentation of Mary

The Feast in the Temple: Mary was 3 years old when her parents Joachim and Anne chose to bring their daughter to the temple to consecrate her to God. It is said Mary climbed the stairs of the temple with great joy, dancing and without looking back. This tradition of the Presentation of Mary originates from apocryphal gospel according to James -- writings date from the years 130-140.

And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: “Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord.”

And the priest received Mary, and kissed her, and blessed her saying: “The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel.” And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.

And her parents went down marveling and praising the Lord God because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of an angel.

This recitation is a legend to express the preparation of Mary to become the Mother of God, her total consecration to God, from the first awakening of her freedom.

The Mystery of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple is a mystery of:
-worship and self offering
-the presence of God.