The article recounts the arrival of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, a religious order with Polish roots, to Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, in 1855, highlighting their mission to serve the poor through education, home visits, and practical support in post-Famine Ireland. It traces the life of their foundress, Frances (Fanny) Margaret Taylor - later Mother Magdalen - whose experiences in Victorian London, the Crimean War, and her compassion for Irish emigrants shaped the order’s charitable focus. The piece concludes by celebrating 150 years of the Sisters’ lasting impact in Carrigtwohill and their continued work in Ireland, the UK, and East Africa in education, healthcare, parish ministry, and social support.

PSMG is proud to reaffirm our ongoing support for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), an organisation whose courage and compassion align with our values and charism.

On 27 November 2025, we came together on Roehampton High Street for a moment that was deeply moving for us as Sisters, as a Green Commemorative Plaque was unveiled on the wall of St Mary’s Convent, our Victorian home beside our care home for people with learning disabilities.

As the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, founded by Frances Margaret Taylor – whom we know as Mother Magdalen of the Sacred Heart – we were especially grateful to Wandsworth Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for recognising the lasting contribution of religious sisters in this borough. Led by our own Sister Mary Whelan alongside the Mayor of Wandsworth, the celebration honoured our foundress’s lifelong commitment to the poor and vulnerable, and reminded us all that her mission continues today through our work in the UK and overseas.

Forty years ago, a small group of Sisters stepped into the unknown. From those humble beginnings in Mutito, Kenya, a vibrant and life-giving branch of the PSMG Congregation has grown and flourished beyond all imagining.

One of our longest-serving SMGs recently celebrated her centenary birthday.