Across 2019 Loreto schools are immersing themselves ever more deeply in an understanding of the Mary Ward quality, sincerity. This spiritual lodestone was the centrepiece of Loreto Schools Australia’s Leadership Teams Conference held in Ballarat mid-March.
Members of Leadership Teams from our eight Mary Ward inspired schools were joined by delegates from Bayview College, Portland, Loreto Ministries’ staff, members of the Province Council, local IBVM Sisters and the new Executive Director of Loreto Vietnam, Mr Dung Viet Nguyen for three days of presentations and prayer, workshops and wonderings. Connections across the conference were facilitated by the creative and professional skill of Sandra Perrett ibvm, Loreto Community Leader for Sydney.
Initial inspiration was taken from the spiritual and historic heart of Loreto as delegates were blessed with a rigorous exploration by Jane Kelly ibvm of Mother Gonzaga Barry’s strategic and educational leadership. To hear this story as well as visit Gonzaga Barry’s first school at Mary’s Mount, pray in the Chapel she commissioned and visit her grave, added a very moving dimension, especially for leaders new to the Loreto mission.
Province Leader, Wendy Hildebrand ibvm, complemented Jane’s input with a presentation exploring the contemporary realities and priorities of leadership at Generalate and Province levels. There was synchronicity between the mission-focussed leadership described by Wendy and the challenges and blessings of Loreto leadership in our schools. Wendy also painted an integrated canvas of the Loreto enterprise in this part of the world, with the work of the schools in harmony with work of the Sisters, Loreto Ministries and Mary Ward International Australia. Attendance by Province Council members at Day Two of the Conference enabled delegates to dialogue with Mercia Richards ibvm, Anne Kelly ibvm and Natalie Houlihan ibvm.
Other presentations dealt with unconscious bias, updates from Loreto Ministries, Loreto Vietnam and Mary Ward International Australia and shared practice focussed on the Mary Ward Schools’ Compass Statement. The latter presentations highlighted innovations made in each school based around touchstones for Mary Ward educators discerned at an international gathering of educators in South Africa in 2017.
The opportunity to connect with other leaders in like roles, to gather for Eucharist and to pre-empt St Patrick’s Day with a festive Conference dinner all added to this unique experience of collegiality and collaboration. Personal reflection enhanced our ability to touch upon our God-gifted sincerity and the integrity of our leadership teams was truly enhanced by the shared experience to step aside to pause, pray, ponder and plan.
