Loreto sisters are a group of religious women founded by an English lady called Mary Ward in the 1609. The sisters are called to serve God in the church in many ways. In the Catholic Church there are many other groups of sisters. They may look different especially because of the way they dress but they all serve a certain need in the church.
The Loreto Sisters group photograph .
What is the Charism of the Loreto sisters? In other words, what do they do? Or what do they stand for? Loreto sisters are known in the world over due to their contribution in formal education. In Kenya and Tanzania for example, the sisters began many schools especially for girls. The sisters stand for the “Propagation of the Faith” or in other words “care of faith” wherever they are and wherever they work. Today, the sisters are involved in more than formal education – they are in administrative work, medicine, pastoral care and counseling, spiritual direction among other fields.
Loreto sisters follow the Ignatian Spirituality founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola the founder of The Society of Jesus(Jesuits Fathers). This spirituality is mainly what St. Ignatius saw as “Finding God in everything”. This rich spirituality is what Mary Ward the foundress wanted her follows to embrace as they serve God.
Loreto sisters are found in all over the world for instance, in Africa they are in Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Ghana, Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. In Europe they are Peru, Ireland, Spain, England and Rome (Italy). In Asia, the sisters are mainly in India. The Loreto sisters are also in Northern America and Australia as well.
The official name for Loreto Sisters is “Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Thus, Mary the Mother of Jesus is the Special Patroness of this Congregation. The ministries carried out by the Loreto sisters should refer all to God. This means that God is the centre of nature and our very being therefore, whatever we do should give glory to God, thus the motto; “All For the Greater Glory of God” AMDG.