Celebrating 400 Years of Mary Ward

Events in Australia

A range of exciting school and community based events were held throughout Australia in 2009. Some of these were held by Loreto schools while others were held by Loreto communities, friends and colleagues. New friendships were formed, sharing and laughter was in abundance, hard work and planning occured in collaboration and the common threads that link us all were realised.

Above: Julia Gillard with Sarah Vanderkley

A special thank you to all in our schools, our friends, companions and our Loreto centre staff for the extra effort that this 400 year celebration has entailed with liturgies, concerts, book launches, in-services, expos, publicity and talks. It has been a creative and collaborative effort in every state. I think we can safely say that Mary Ward is better known at the end of this year than she was at the beginning! Our friends and benefactors have given so much in time, in skill, in companionship and new insights. While we will not try to duplicate 2009, our focus over the coming years will continue to seek ways to respond to the call “Let your love at all times be rooted in God and then remain faithful to your friends”, and caring for our world - to elaborate on a saying of Mary Ward’s.

Chris Burke ibvm

Download the complete 2009 Calendar of Events that took place in Australia

Please call us on 03 9813 4023 or email us at communciations@loreto.org.au for a copy of the Loreto Celebrating Mary Ward 400 Years Calendar brochure. Overviews of some of events and news coverage are provided below.

Loreto in Australia Book Launch (August - September 2009)

When a small group of Irish nuns arrived in Ballarat in 1875, with their charismatic leader Mother Gonzaga Barry, who could have imagined the influence they would have on Catholic education in Australia?

Loreto nuns in Australia have not only founded their own schools, but have run parish schools on a shoestring, worked in indigenous and other disadvantaged communities, taught in universities and held prominent positions in public life. Their commitment to a life of contemplation in action emerged out of Mary Ward's vision for a different sort of life for nuns.

Loreto in Australia is the story of women of great strength, charm and deep spirituality fulfilling Mary Ward's prediction that 'women in time to come will do great matters'.

Pictured above at the Brisbane launch L-R: Loreto Provincial Christine Burke ibvm, author Mary Ryllis Clark, The Hon Justice Ann Lyons, Chair of Loreto History Committee Jane Kelly ibvm.

The book has been launched in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Ballarat.

'..The characters, ambitions, disputes and sheer drama involved in the Australian Loretos' evolution offers both stunning surprise and inspiration.' - Geraldine Doogue

Federation Brisbane 21- 23 August 2009

Above: Loreto teachers, past and present, at Federation 2009

As part of the Mary Ward 400 celebrations, Federation 2009 was held at Loreto Coorparoo in Brisbane. 'Federation' is the coming together of the staff, past-students, family, and friends of Loreto schools from around Australia. It is held every two years.

Our theme this year was"Creating Pathways".

Above: Choir at Federation 2009

Around 200 people attended the engaging, inspiring and entertaining conference. Some highlights included:

Claire Martin (ex student and ex Chief Minister NT) speaking about importance of empowering community to make decisions together.
The Mary Ward Panel (ex students now in science/medical careers) who spoke about creativity and inspiration, making a change in someone’s life and seeing the beauty in people and their inspiration to learn.
The Mary Ward Symposium highlighting boldness and creativity prevailing. Pat Murray speaking about social change starting from just one person and that one person can do something small to help others, and the response by Jospehine O’Reilly.
Ex-student, Aline Matta, working as a government legal advisor in Iraq, Lebanon, Israel talking about the challenges facing women and the research and policy work she has done to assist.
Coorparoo RE students and choir who performed the Mary Ward tableaux.

Read an overview of the weekend by Federation President, Martine Whitton.

For further information please contact the Martine (Parer) whittonm@bigpond.net.au

Mary Ward Backpack

A backpack containing a journal will travel to current Loreto communities in Australia and to places where Loreto Sisters have worked since 1875. People are being invited to contribute their thoughts about Mary Ward's continuing inspiration and resonance today by writing in the journal or painting/drawing on the silk. The backpack has already travelled over 1000 km! It is currently in Alice Springs, following a welcome reception in Broome and Lombadina.

Follow the journey on our online blog or refer to the map below.