Embracing the Loreto Tradition
A colleague walked into my office last year and asked if I had seen a particular job advertisement; she went on to say, “That job looks like it was written for you!” I then read about this wonderful opportunity to serve the Loreto network and the more I read, the more I agreed with my colleague. As I researched Mary Ward and the work of Loreto around the globe, I became excited to apply for the position of Director, Mission & Identity at Loreto Ministries Australia and South East Asia.
I find Mary Ward’s determination to serve God, particularly by dedicating herself to the education of women so they might seek truth and work for justice, inspiring. The characteristics Mary Ward demonstrated – resilience, strength of character, faith, and creativity – are attributes for us to embrace, encourage in young people, and share with those in our networks. I am delighted to contribute to enlivening both understanding of and openness to the Loreto charism in our communities and look forward to the work that lies ahead.
I have been blessed to work in schools owned and operated by religious orders and greatly enriched by the charisms inspiring those communities. Serving on the Leadership Teams of those schools and involvement in their broader communities taught me the importance of formation in the faith tradition underpinning a community for leaders and staff, especially to ensure stewardship of mission into the future. The opportunity to participate in the strengthening of formation processes across the Loreto network and play a significant part in enlivening its mission and values is one I am already relishing.
By the time of publication, I will have visited all the Loreto schools and met with their Principals, Directors of Mission and other key staff. I have joined the Loreto Schools Australia Committee (LSAC) and enjoyed the opportunity to get to know its members. I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of boards, including those of Loreto Nedlands, Loreto Ministries Limited and Mary Ward International Australia. The enthusiasm and honesty with which the board members engaged in the formation offered was inspiring. It is a privilege to be a part of the faith journeys of others, and I look forward to continuing to work with these boards and many more!
This role also involves collaborating with each school’s Director of Mission (DoM). Re-introducing the DoM Network meetings has provided energy and support for us all. There are wonderful, talented, humorous and kind staff working in these roles, and our schools are all the better for that! These same attributes also describe the women involved in the Loreto Justice Network. Our recent visit to Portland has been a highlight of the year thus far – though it is hard to single out highlights.
Meeting so many welcoming, inspired, intelligent, faith-filled and committed people has been a highlight. Being welcomed into so many communities has been a highlight. Learning about the Loreto tradition has been a highlight, as has been preparing resources and opportunities for formation for so many people, from diverse parts of the Loreto network. I look forward to meeting so many more of you and am grateful for the warmth of the welcome and the breadth of opportunity I have received thus far.
Author: Carolyn Young, Director of Mission & Identity, Loreto Ministries