LORETO SISTERS

(IBVM) 1875

The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Loreto Sisters as they are popularly known, are part of the Irish branch of the religious order founded by an Englishwoman named Mary Ward in 1609. Mary Ward desired a religious life that enabled her to work outside the walls of a contemplative convent and to educate young women, both unheard of at that time. She believed that religious women should be ruled by women and that they should be free to live an apostolic lifestyle, similar to that led by the Jesuits. Her earliest attempts were centred on opening schools for your girls throughout Europe, and later in England even in the midst of persecution. She herself had to endure excommunication briefly in 1631, closure of her houses and schools, and she died in England in 1645 believing the Institute would not survive.

Mary Ward’s charism was formed through her lived experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and stressed a spirit of freedom, justice and sincerity for the greater glory of God. Members of her order take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. Three branches of her order now exist in Europe, Ireland and Canada.

Bishop O’Connor of Ballarat asked the Loreto sisters in Dublin in the early 1870’s to send some sisters to Ballarat to begin a school. In 1875 Mother Gonzaga Barry led a small group of sisters to Ballarat where they began a boarding school at Mary’s Mount and a day school closer to the town in Dawson Street. Mother Gonzaga was an educational visionary, establishing the first free kindergarten at Mary’s Mount and the first Catholic Teachers’ College at Albert Park in Melbourne in 1906. She introduced a wide range of activities into the school curriculum, including science, astronomy, languages, maths, drama archery, a school orchestra, University Extension lectures, etc., often things that were not taught at other schools and certainly not at girls’ schools. The Loreto sisters soon ran other schools, first the parish schools at Portland and South Melbourne in the 1880’s, then Loreto schools in Sydney from 1892, Perth in 1897, Adelaide in 1907, Toorak, Melbourne in 1924 and Brisbane in 1927 with the order taking charge of St. Mary’s College at Melbourne University in 1917. Their aim was always the pursuit of excellence in a spirit of freedom, justice and integrity.

Under the 1960’si their work was almost exclusively in schools. With the Second Vatican Council in 1963-65, all religious orders were asked to go back to the writings of the foundress to discover what she was calling us to do in our modern world. Mary Ward believed strongly in education but she used a broader phrase when she spoke of pursuing her aims and the work of the gospel using all means "congruous to the times". As a result, many Loreto sisters have moved into other work, e.g. university and seminary lecturing and chaplaincy, work with Aboriginal people, parish pastoral associates, work with refugees (two sisters are in Vietnam), social work, rural assistance (in Hay and Forbes in NSW), spiritual direction and retreats, encouraging women’s groups, etc. A number, of course, still work in our schools.

In fact, Loreto sisters now do whatever work they feel God is calling them to do to carry out the ideals that Mary Ward lived and passed on hundreds of years ago.

"Women who seek truth and act for justice,

working with others

to bring the gospel to life,

promoting freedom and growth

in church and society

in the spirit of Mary Ward".

References:

Dew, M (ed.) From Ballarat to Broome: 100 years of Loreto in Australia. Ballarat: IBVM, 1975.

Aukett, Rosemary From Mary Ward to Marryatville, 1585-1985

Oliver, Mother M. All for all: biographical sketch of Mother M. Stanislaus Mulhall.

O’Doherty, M.O. All for all: biographical sketch of Mother M. Stanislaus Mulhall. Sydney: s.n. 1945.

O’Doherty, M.O. Love is a Light Burden: The Life of Mother Mary Gonzaga Barry. London 1950.

Barry, Margaret Loreto by the Lake: Mary’s Mount. 1875-1975

Albert Park, Vic. M. Barry 1978

Carter, Sr. Anne Beyond all telling: a history of Loreto in Western Australia 1897-1997

Perth W.A. IBVM 1997

Loreto Abbey. Lakeside/Loreto Abbey.

Publ. Ballarat Vic. The Abbey 1966.

Therese, Sister The Institute of the BVM in Sydney.

ACHSJ 6/1 : 8-10. 1977

Australian Catholic Historical Society Journal

Stephenson, Joyce Loreto W.A.: the first forty years (1897-1937)

Hespersan Press, Victoria Park, W.A. 1988.

Loreto Normanhurst 1897-1997: a century of memories.

Allen & Unwin: St. Leonards, NSW, 1997

If further information is required about individual Sisters, the following address is given:

The Archivist

Loreto Sisters

Loreto House

P.O. Box 74

Albert Park 3206

In writing to the Archivist, it would be appropriate that a financial contribution be made for the Archivist’s time and expertise.

Religious Orders or Congregations have released the details on their members. It is understood that the copyright of any material (including the listing of the names of the Sisters) relevant to a particular Order or Congregation in this publication remains with the relevant Order or Congregation.

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