page_title: Sisters of Loreto
section_title: Ireland
hierarchical_section_title: Sisters of Loreto / Development / Ireland
caption_attribution_description: Loreto Convent Darjeeling West Bengal India
context_page_description: The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose members are commonly known as the Loreto Sisters, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education founded in Saint-Omer by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609. The congregation takes its name from the Marian shrine at Loreto in Italy where Ward used to pray. Ward was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 December 2009. The Loreto Sisters use the initials I.B.V.M. after their names.
  Although education was its primary work, today the congregation is engaged in a wide variety of ministries: literacy programmes, spiritual direction, counseling, managing shelters for homeless women as well as several aspects of the movement for greater justice and peace in the world. The Loreto Sisters operate some 150 schools worldwide, educating over 70,000 pupils.
context_section_description: In the early 19th century, the Loreto sisters developed as a distinct community in Ireland. Under the guidance of Sister Frances Mary Teresa Ball, Mary Ward's Institute developed in and from Ireland. Their role in developing education was central to their work, including the advancement of women in third level education under the guidance of such superiors as Mother Mary Eucharia Ryan. In 1841 Sister Delphine Hart began the foundation in India. Foundations followed in Mauritius, England, Spain, South Africa, Kenya, Canada, USA and Peru.
  At the invitation of Bishop Michael Power of Toronto, five Loreto Sisters under Mother Teresa Ellen Dease arrived in the city in 1847 and founded their first school.  Since the 1920s their motherhouse has been at Loretto Abbey (Hoggs Hollow), which housed a girls' secondary school: Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School. In 1987 management of the school was turned over to the Toronto Catholic District School Board. The Sisters also founded Loretto College School on Brunswick Avenue in 1915 and started a college and residence for women at St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto. The sisters also established many other schools across Canada, both at the elementary and secondary levels.
  In 1880, the first community was established in the United States at Joliet, Illinois. In 1892 the IBVMs expanded their ministry into the city of Chicago and suburbs. Because of the difficulties in overseas communication and the different directions of the North American versus European education systems, the Canada and United States communities suggested that a North American Generalate would best serve the needs of the times, and as a result a North American Branch was officially created in 1881.
  The Loreto Sisters arrived in Australia in 1878 in response to a request by the Bishop of Ballarat, Bishop O'Connell. The group from Ireland, led by Mother Gonzaga Barry, set up a convent in Ballarat, Victoria and their first school, Loreto College, Ballarat, was originally known as "Mary's Mount". In New South Wales in 1892 a day school was established in Randwick, and in 1897 Loreto Normanhurst began as a boarding school.  The Randwick day school moved to Milson's Point in 1901 to begin what is now known as Loreto Kirribilli. The IBVM in Australia also has schools in Brisbane (Loreto College, Coorparoo), Adelaide (Loreto College, Marryatville), Melbourne (Loreto Mandeville Hall) and Perth (Loreto Nedlands Primary School).
  The 19th century saw the establishment of Loreto schools and colleges in India which became some of the most highly regarded places of education for women. The same century saw sisters from Ireland establishing a mission in South Africa in 1878. The first years of the 20th century (1904) saw the establishment of a convent in Spain by the Sisters who had a convent in Gibraltar.
  Mother Teresa was part of the congregation from 1928 till 1950, during which she founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta.
caption: Loreto Convent, Darjeeling India, established in 1846.
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