Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha, Antigonish Nova Scotia

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha Archives, Antigonish, was established in 1974 with the appointment of Sister Mary Reginald (Eunice) MacKinnon as Congregational Archivist. She was tasked to collect, organize, and preserve records about the history and spirit of the congregation from its formation (1894-1900) to the present day. As other Sisters joined her over the years, their responsibilities grew to include collecting and managing photographs, oral histories, and AV material. In 1999, the Archives also founded the Heritage Department to care for artifacts and historic objects.

Today, the archive is housed in the newly dedicated CSM Archives and Bethany Resource Centre. The collection spans over a century and speaks both to the lives and work of individual Sisters, as well as the Congregation as a whole. Records and objects encompass the Congregation’s growth and development, their expansion beyond the Diocese of Antigonish, and their work in diverse ministries (such as health care, education, household management, social work, pastoral work, etc.).

Since its establishment, the CSM Archives has been instrumental in numerous historic and commemorative projects for the congregation. Today it continues to serve the congregation’s daily needs and strives to care for and promote the legacy of the Sisters of St. Martha.

Built from 1962 to 1963, the steeple stood atop the Sisters of St. Martha’s Motherhouse Chapel for more than 50 years, sheltering the bell and serving as a hillside symbol of hope.  Its construction, paired with a new chapel and wing, marked a period of immense growth in the size of the congregation. 

Composed of a steel frame and clad in copper, the steeple is topped with a stainless-steel crucifix.  This crucifix was a modern addition, replacing the original gold-leaf cross that was damaged during a storm in 2005.

When the Motherhouse was deconstructed, from 2018 to 2019, the remaining grounds were transformed into the Bethany Centennial Gardens.  The steeple was then installed amid the garden.  Refurbished, it now surmounts a granite and concrete reflective pool, and rests upon a weathered-steel base, bearing the inscriptions of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha’s “CSM” symbol, and a quotation from previous Chapters’ Directional Statements, “standing together in undaunted hope”.   Still skimming the hillside, the steeple provides a peaceful place for contemplation and continues to be a visible symbol of the Marthas’ presence and faith. 

Two linocut blocks, hand-carved by Sister Irene (Mary Anselm) Doyle in 1940.  The linocuts utilize the “multi-block” printing technique, in which each color in a print is made from a different block.  They feature thematic representations of Nova Scotian production of the era: fishing, agriculture, handcrafts, mining, and industry.  The blocks were used to print an array of material, including sharkskin drapery, posters, and notably the front and back cover for the pamphlet, The Antigonish Way.

Based on a series of radio broadcasts and published by the Extension Department at Saint Francis Xavier University, The Antigonish Way illustrates the history of the Antigonish Movement and its guiding principles.  In the early 20^th century, the Antigonish Diocese in eastern Nova Scotia experienced the dramatic decline of its resource based economy and extensive poverty.  Diocesan clergy, Dr. Moses Coady and Father Jimmy Tompkins, advocated for adult education as a means of improving these social and economic concerns.  This became commonly known as the Antigonish Movement and took the form of study clubs that would identify a community’s unique strengths and weaknesses, and then formulate collaborative solutions, such as cooperatives and credit unions. 

Then in 1928, Saint Francis Xavier University established the Extension Department, led by Dr. Coady, to teach and implement the methods of the Antigonish Movement in the wider community.  Marthas were tasked with heading the Women’s Division, dedicated to encouraging women’s involvement in the movement.  Sister Irene (Mary Anselm) Doyle, a talented artist, oversaw the Handicrafts Section which promoted traditional crafts such as weaving, knitting and other textile work, woodworking, canning, leatherwork, pottery, and printmaking.

Sisters also supplied book-keeping services, established lending libraries, arranged study clubs, classes, and conferences, and aided in the production and distribution of Extension literature, such as the pamphlet, The Antigonish Way.  It was one of many instructional publications the Extension Department offered to communities around the world that sought cooperative solutions to reduce poverty and strengthen local economies.  Sister Irene Doyle’s block prints – a handicraft that illustrated Nova Scotian production and self-sufficiency, were perfectly suited for the cover. 

The legacy of the Antigonish Movement perseveres to this day—the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University, continues to teach its principles, fostering community-based development and leadership education at an international level.

Click on the image to learn more about each object's significance.