The American Revolution helped usher in greater religious toleration in Massachusetts. With the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, Catholics and other religious minorities were guaranteed freedom of worship in the Commonwealth. Although the path toward acceptance was not always easy, these changes allowed Catholicism to take root and, over time, become a defining characteristic of the Bay State.
Education, long central to Massachusetts society and its Puritan founders, was also a core value shared by Catholics. In 1849, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur arrived in Boston’s North End to educate Irish immigrants. Their mission of teaching and service continued to expand, culminating in the founding of Emmanuel College in 1919, the first Catholic women’s college in New England.
Join us for a panel presentation and discussion that connects the revolutionary spirit of 1776 with the pioneering work of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and their enduring legacy in Massachusetts.
