Windows on a Womens World

Discover the transformative journey of the Dominican Sisters of Aotearoa New Zealand in this captivating paperback. Authored by Susannah Grant and published by Otago University Press, this book dives deep into the history of the first Dominican sisters who arrived in Dunedin in 1871. With 328 pages filled with rich narratives and insights, this educational resource explores the rapid expansion of their congregation, establishing schools across Otago, Southland, and as far north as Auckland. The book vividly depicts the sisters' evolution from secluded teaching nuns in large convents to active participants in their local neighborhoods, following the societal changes initiated by the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s. Susannah Grant meticulously chronicles this astonishing transformation, backed by exclusive access to the congregation's archives and numerous oral histories from the sisters themselves. This essential read captures the ongoing commitment of these women to education, social justice, pastoral care, and spirituality, while showcasing their adaptation to modern societal roles. Perfect for those interested in New Zealand's religious history, social changes, and the resilience of women in faith. Enhance your understanding of how tradition meets modernity in this beautifully written and moving narrative.

Author: Susannah Grant Publisher: Otago University Press
Bind: paperback
Dimensions: 200 x 240 mm
Pages: 328
Publication Date: 17-04-2017

The Dominican Sisters of Aotearoa New Zealand The first 10 Dominican sisters arrived in Dunedin in 1871. The congregation expanded rapidly, establishing schools throughout Otago and Southland, and eventually reaching as far north as Auckland. For most of their first century in New Zealand the Dominican sisters were teaching nuns, living in large enclosed convents cut off from the outside world. In the mid-1960s the Second Vatican Council ushered in a period of radical change. The sisters moved out of their convents and into small homes in their local neighbourhoods; out of their schools and into new roles in education, social justice, pastoral care and spirituality. Today they are an ageing congregation that is diminishing in size. Susannah Grant was given full access to the congregation’s rich archives in order to write this book, from the point of view of an ‘outsider’. She has also completed a large number of oral histories with the sisters. In this moving and beautifully written book she chronicles the astonishing transformation of the New Zealand Dominican sisters from a strictly enclosed body of religious teachers to a congregation of religious women who are integrated in the wider community and engaged in a range of active ministries, while still remaining deeply committed to shared Dominican ideals.