Welcome -
to the English Province of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Loreto Sisters
We are ‘An international and multicultural Institute,
we live and work in many different lands and cultures.
Our unity and identity as apostolic women are forged
in a common mission and spirituality.
They are supported through the communion that we share
and the prayer that characterizes our way of life.’ Constitutions Volume II Chapter 1
‘We are companions of Jesus,
women at the heart of the Church,
called to follow Christ in a discipleship of love,
ready to labour
with freedom and joy,
that in all things God may be glorified.’ Constitutions Volume II Chapter 1
The first members of our group were attracted by their friend Mary Ward whose deep love of God and sincerity, gifts of listening and being with people, inspired them to be with her. Together they left everything and set off to respond to the call of God in their lives. They went all over Europe founding schools for girls, visiting the sick, the poor and the imprisoned. This was 1609, the beginning of our story. The years have gone by and century after century, hundreds and hundreds of women, members of our group, continued and developed this work according to the needs of the time. We are following on in the same spirit as those who have gone before us. Like them we take new challenges, new ways of being in ministry and new ways of being together as community.