It is with sadness that the CJ Sisters (Loreto) of Australia and South-East Asia announce the peaceful death of Sr Leonie Peterson CJ on Sunday, 24 May 2026, aged 88. Born in Subiaco, Western Australia, on 16 February 1938, Leonie attended Loreto Convent Claremont before entering the Loreto Sisters in 1956.
It is not often that a General Superior visits Australia, but in March Sr Veronica Fuhrmann CJ spent a month in the Province, meeting with Sisters, staff and school communities at a significant moment in our shared story. We thank Sr Veronica for her presence across the Province and hold her in prayer as she continues her leadership of the Congregation of Jesus.
The inaugural recipients of the Mary Wright Scholarship Programme have already commenced their studies marking an important step in strengthening leadership across Loreto schools. Established by Loreto Ministries, the programme supports both professional growth and formation in the Mary Ward tradition. It honours the legacy of Sr Mary Wright IBVM, whose commitment to leadership in education continues to shape Loreto communities today.
The five Loreto values – Verity, Justice, Sincerity, Freedom and Felicity – emerge from the life and writings of Mary Ward and continue to shape the spirit of Loreto communities today. Each year, Loreto school communities across Australia bring one value into particular focus, with the cycle returning to each over time. In 2026, the focus is Felicity. Across the country, schools are bringing this value to life in distinct and creative ways.
Through the Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre, flexible open-air classrooms in local brickfields are helping children like Ananya continue learning despite frequent movement between work sites and home villages. The Brickfield Schools Program is supported by Mary Ward International, the development arm of the Loreto Sisters, and the ongoing support of the Loreto network, whose generosity helps create lasting positive change.
International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to recognise the women, past and present, who continue to shape Loreto communities in the spirit of Mary Ward. Across the Loreto network in 2026, this was expressed in many ways. From alumnae leading in their fields, to students engaging with questions of justice and equality, each school community’s events reflected a shared commitment to forming women who lead with courage and purpose.
Mother Gonzaga Barry’s vision for Loreto schools began as a seed that has grown into the flourishing network we are part of today. In 2025, as we marked 150 years, Loreto school communities across Australia planted trees as part of a shared liturgy, renewing their commitment to Gonzaga’s legacy of faith, love and service. Together, these trees form a living connection between Loreto schools across Australia.
It is with sadness that the CJ Sisters (Loreto) of Australia and South-East Asia announce the peaceful death of Sr Anne McPhee CJ (Sr Magdalen) on Monday, 20th April, 2026 in St Vincent’s Aged Care Hawthorn. Anne’s keen intellect, broad interests and sharp wit with generous peals of enjoyment, brought lightness and laughter, reminding all who knew her that joy and kindness are vital acts of faith.
As part of her visit to our Province, Sr Veronica Fuhrmann CJ, General Superior of the Congregation of Jesus, recently spent time in Timor-Leste, connecting with our Sisters, communities and ministries. Her visit marked the final stage of her time across Australia and South East Asia, offering a chance to be present to the life of the mission in Timor-Leste – in its relationships, its challenges and its hope.
There was great felicity at the Loreto Centre last week, as we welcomed Sr Veronica Fuhrmann, General Superior of the Congregation of Jesus, for morning tea. After a warm Loreto Centre blessing, staff from Loreto Province, Loreto Ministries, and Mary Ward International had the wonderful opportunity to connect with Sr Veronica and celebrate her first visit to the Province.
It was a beautiful moment of connection in the living legacy of Mary Ward that continues to inspire us across the world. We are deeply grateful for Sr Veronica’s generosity of time and her warm presence with our community.
