Angela Bolster
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Angela Bolster or Mary Angela RSM (1 April 1925 – 2 February 2005) was an Irish nun who was known for her writing. She was involved in the beatification of
Catherine McAuley Catherine McAuley, RSM (29 September 1778 – 11 November 1841) was an Irish Catholic religious sister who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831.Austin, Mary Stanislas"Sisters of Mercy."''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Ap ...
and revealing the story of the nuns who served as nurses during the Crimean War.


Life

Bolster was born in
County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
in 1925 and she received a religious education. In 1950 she was named "Student of the Year" when she graduated from
University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
with a double major in history. In 1965 she published a book based on the research she had done completing her master's degree and doctorate and also on records held by the Sisters of Mercy. Her book told the story of the nuns led by
Mary Francis Bridgeman Mother Mary Francis Bridgeman R.S.M. (1813 – 11 February 1888) was a nun with the Sisters of Mercy, a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women, founded in Ireland by Catherine McAuley and a pioneer nurse during the Crimean War of 1 ...
who volunteered to work during the Crimean War. She wrote about the nuns who were nursing Crimea taking on the legacy left by
Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...
. In 1973 she was involved with the celebration of the bi-centenary of the birth of
Catherine McAuley Catherine McAuley, RSM (29 September 1778 – 11 November 1841) was an Irish Catholic religious sister who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831.Austin, Mary Stanislas"Sisters of Mercy."''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Ap ...
who was a significant figure in their religious order. Two years later she resigned her job as a tutor to work in furthering the cause of McAuley. If she was to be beatified then every piece of her writing needed to be checked and a previous investigation had found no evidence but it had not looked at all her writing. In 1978 she was involved with the celebration of the bi-centenary of the birth of
Catherine McAuley Catherine McAuley, RSM (29 September 1778 – 11 November 1841) was an Irish Catholic religious sister who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831.Austin, Mary Stanislas"Sisters of Mercy."''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Ap ...
who was the founder of their religious order. It was announced at the celebrations that McAuley was to considered as a potential saint. Bolster was appointed in 1979 as one of the first women to be a vice-
postulator A postulator is the person who guides a cause for beatification or canonization through the judicial processes required by the Catholic Church. The qualifications, role and function of the postulator are spelled out in the ''Norms to be Observed i ...
as vatican rules were relaxed to allow this to happen. Under the guidance of father Peter Gumpel she prepared work that was inspected by historians and theologians. She published considerably on the subject although the work she prepared for the reviews was confidential. In 1989 she wrote, and her community published, ''The correspondence of Catherine McAuley 1827-1841''''. Bolster died in
County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
in 2005. Bolster published under the name of M. Angela, Angela Bolster, and Evelyn Bolster.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bolster, Angela 1925 births 2005 deaths People from County Cork 20th-century Irish nuns 20th-century Irish biographers 21st-century Irish biographers Irish women biographers