Mother Gertrude Banahan
Father McKenna, parish priest of Masterton had a school with lay teachers. He had instructed Mother Gertrude to bring good teaching nuns for the primary school. In 1897 he requested a Brigidine foundation for his parish and asked that Mother Gertrude Banahan be the leader of the Foundation, also sanctioned by Bishop, Dr. Byrne.
![](img/origins/Gertrude8.gif) ![](img/origins/Altar12B.jpg) Mother Gertrude & Marble Altar
Mother Gertrude Banahan had earlier established a special fund for the Altar. On Sunday 15 August 1926 this marble Altar from Italy replaced the borer-ridden wooden one in the Chapel. Great was the rejoicing. Today the marble altar stands in St. Patrick’s Parish Church, Masterton and is a fitting memorial to Mother Gertrude Banahan who brought the small band of six pioneer Brigidine Sister to Mastertion in December 1898.
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Mother Gertrude Banahan died in Pahiatua on 17 March 1932.
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