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Mary Wright, former leader IBVM Loreto Sisters worldwide, heads to Rome this week after accepting an invitation from the Vatican to join the team of canon lawyers in the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Mary, who has a doctorate in Canon Law from St Paul University, Ottawa, as well as degrees in Science, Education and Theology, will be working in the Vatican department which is responsible for religious orders and institutes worldwide.

This isn’t the first time her special gifts have called her to Rome. She spent eight years there as Loreto Sisters General Superior, returning to Australia only last year.

Mary said, “I am looking forward to working with religious institutes from all over the world, and especially in developing countries. I am also excited about returning to Rome, which is such a fascinating and beautiful city.”

Although confident in Italian, she will be based in the English-speaking section, which serves most of Africa and Asia, the Pacific region, North America, as well as the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Congregation deals mostly with legal questions, including Constitutions and property, to assist religious leaders in ensuring that the structures and assets of their institutes are maintained in a healthy condition, and used for the benefit of the Church's ministry.

The Congregation is one of the main departments of the Vatican administration and the offices are located just outside St. Peter's Square. The head of the Congregation is Cardinal Franc Rode` who is a Slovenian Vincentian and about forty people work in the department in various capacities, including legal and secretarial.

Christine Burke, Provincial Leader, Loreto Sisters Australia, said, “We will miss her greatly and we pray that this work calls on her many talents and provides a life-giving context.”

Mary leaves for Rome this week and commences her new role in November for a term of five years.