A woman born in England to Irish parents became the first person to enter the Ursuline Order in Ireland in 14 years after she took her final vows at a special Mass in Cork city.
Sr Karen Kent made the application to take her final vows earlier this year, having joined the Irish Ursulines nine years ago.
Sr Kitty Kelly, the newly elected congregational leader, received Sr Karen's vows at a ceremony in St Michael's Church in Blackrock, Cork, on Saturday.
Karen Kent, who is originally from Stoke-on-Trent, said: "I would like to see other women take the plunge.
"There are fewer nuns but it is a stage of transition for all religions. My vocation is to help [ lay] people find their rightful place in the church as co-ordinator of pastoral development." Sr Karen was joined at Saturday's ceremony by her mother, Mary, brother, Kevin and the parish priest from her native Stoke-on-Trent, Fr Eddie Butler. She plans to return to the UK later this month to celebrate the profession of her final vows with her extended family.
Sr Karen was born to Irish parents and worked in youth ministry in Birmingham before joining the Ursulines in 1997. Since then she has studied theology at Maynooth and she recently completed an MA in the subject. She is currently co-ordinator of parish pastoral development in Blackrock in the Diocese of Cork and Ross but previously worked in Thurles, Waterford and Dublin.