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“That they may become completely one.” -Mary Ward  Rome, 4 November 2025. Following prayer, reflection and engagement of members, the two congregations of  apostolic women religious, the Congregatio Jesu (CJ) and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM Loreto) are merging today. The merged Congregatio Jesu, approximately 1,800 sisters worldwide, will continue  to honour the legacy and charism of its foundress Venerable Mary Ward.   The merger of the two congregations will become a canonical and legal reality at 12:00 PM CET (Rome time)  on 4 November 2025.   The merger decree will be publicly proclaimed at a special Mass in Loyola, Spain, which will be presided over  by the General Superior of the Jesuits, Fr. Arturo Sosa SJ.   “We are very happy that we can finally fulfill Mary Ward’s dream of a united congregation of women religious  with the same constitutions as those of the Society of Jesus”, states Sr Veronica Fuhrmann CJ, General Superior  of Congregatio Jesu. “Throughout history, but especially during the last years, we have journeyed in close  connection. We share the same charism, the same values and the same understanding of mission. Union of  minds and hearts, which Saint Ignatius has so aptly described and held in the highest esteem, is the bond that  deeply connects us. Seeing this union now realized not only in sisterly and spiritual but also in canonical and  legal terms fills us all with great joy and deep gratitude.”   “In a fractured world, our members have freely chosen to become one congregation as a witness to Christ’s  gospel message of peace and harmony. We have listened to the promptings of the Spirit and embark on this  journey with renewed missionary zeal”, says Sr Carmel Swords CJ, former Institute leader of the IBVM. “We  believe that together we are stronger. We move forward filled with gratitude and a desire to serve God’s people  in freedom and joy.”  “The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever.” -Teresa Ball #IBVM #Congregatiojesu #Congregationofjesus #becomingone #Maryward #teresaball #catholicfaith

Loretto Sisters were one of the sponsors for a June event held at St. Jerome's University, Waterloo. Journey of Encounter fosters the implementation of synodality in Canada in participants' own spiritual and/or faith communities. We asked two Associates (Gracie Nepomuceno and Anne Hanley) to attend. Through 'conversations in the Spirit' the synodal values of communion, participation and mission are deepened. Read more . Recently leadership met with Gracie and Anne to hear about the experience and their thoughts on how it might be shared with others.  Anne wrote: The many moving parts of the days came together to engender a true spirit of walking together as a Synodal Church during this Jubilee Year. … The theme of listening was emphasized … inclusive listening to creation, people, and sounds around and within us that we had perhaps not previously been able to be engaged with.” Gracie found it informative and enlivening and has developed three presentations: background and overview on the Synod; the Journey of Encounter event; and themes from Conversations in the Spirit. #BecomingOne #LorettoSisters #CatholicFaith #CongregatioofJesu #MaryWardLegacy #WaterlooUniversity

Sisters, Associates, Staff and Friends gathered at Presentation Manor on July 31st for the official vote of Merger with the Congregation of Jesus. In festive and solemn moments we:  Called on our foremothers, founders, history, the Spirit from north, south,         east and west  Recalled moments on the journey from 1821 – 2025, including founding (1847) and expansion in North America; keeping connections, shared events and mission, something new, steps to union   Prayed the Litany of Our Lady of Loreto  Voted: Jesus, with your love and grace, accept my choice as an offering to you of my vocation and all that I am . Enjoyed a barbecue together.  On August 8th the two Institute leaders submitted the request for Merger to the Dicastery in Rome, Italy. November 4th will mark the official day of merger. #BecomingOne #LorettoSisters #CatholicFaith #CongregatioofJesu #MaryWardLegacy # PresentationManor

Provides information about the IBVM, Loretto Sisters in Canada community including recent happenings, events, our spirituality, what we do, and how to get involved. Promoting education, justice, spirituality and pastoral care. Read more Welcome to Loretto Sisters Congregation of Jesus, Canada region Meet Mary Ward Join Us, Becoming One Latest Updates View All Updates Are you searching for a way to make a difference? Explore a life rooted in faith, guided by the Spirit, and dedicated to service. Learn how to begin your journey with the Loretto Sisters today. Learn more Spirituality Through the Ministry of Spirituality we actively encourage and support others Learn more The Loretto Sisters (Congregation of Jesus) are an active community of Catholic women seeking to spread the Gospel as ‘Contemplatives in Action’. Learn more Mary Ward (1585 - 1645) founder, an English woman who held a strong conviction “that women in time to come will do much,” continues to inspire and challenge women today. Learn more Loretto | CJ Canada has had a presence in Canada for over 175 years and continues with our mission to educate and inspire young women. Learn more CJ Events The Call of the Heart Book Launch: Reflections on Women of Faith, Courage and Vision. Tue, May 27 Toronto Details Virtual event - Seeking safety, finding exploitation Tue, Dec 10 https://bit.ly/HOPE-DANGER-MIGRATION Details The Hope of Advent Fri, Dec 06 Georgina Details Load More "Do your best and God will help." More about Mary Ward

Offers information on how the Loretto Sisters were founded and arrived in Canada. Our Story The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609. Her dream was to begin a new kind of community of women religious - an independent self-governing congregation patterned after that of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), free of the confines of the cloister, and responding to the urgent needs of her time. Though Mary Ward was imprisoned by the Inquisition and initially condemned by the Church, miraculously her charism lives on in the members of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout the world. Mary Ward’s Institute was brought to Ireland in 1821 by Frances Teresa Ball. She had established an independent foundation in Dublin since international events made it impossible to maintain ties with either England or Europe. The sisters became known in Ireland as Loret(t)o Sisters. In true Irish missionary style, Teresa sent her Loreto companions to far-flung corners of the earth, to India, to Mauritius, to Gibraltar and then to North America. On September 16, 1847, five Loretto sisters from Ireland, including Rev. Mother Teresa Dease (Foundress), landed at Cooper’s Wharf in Toronto. They began the work of educating the children of the many Irish immigrants who had come to Canada. In spite of great hardships and limited resources, this small foundation survived and began to grow, eventually spreading to the United States. By 1881 the long distance from Ireland and difficulties in communication with a distant Motherhouse warranted that the Institute in North America become an independent branch. With a common vision and spirit, and with the advent of technology to promote rapid communication, the sisters of the original “Irish” branch and those of the “North American” branch of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary were reunited in September of 2003. They now form one Loreto (Loretto) branch of Mary Ward’s Institute, with missions in every continent. Learn more: Who we are Our Spirituality Mary Ward Institute Archives Where We Are Our historical chronology 01 1. Beginnings: Mary Ward Mary Ward was an Englishwoman who was born in North Yorkshire in 1585, at a time of persecution for Catholics, into a family determined to live their Catholic faith no matter what the cost. Her greatest desire as a young woman wa s to be a religious. There were no convents in England at that time and all religious communities had been suppressed by Henry VIII by 1540. Mary travelled to Flanders in France to join an existing community of cloistered sisters. There, it became clearer to her over time that she had a different calling. She returned to London, England to seek clarity about what work God had for her to do. In 1609 she received inspiration in prayer that, whatever her call, it would be to the Glory of God. IBVM Founder Mary Ward (1585-1645) as a young woman (circa 1609). The North American IBVM story Download the presentation

Frequently asked questions you may have when considering a decision to join a religious community such as the Loretto Sisters. Frequently Asked Questions When considering something as serious as a decision to join a religious community, you may have any number of questions regarding lifestyle, finances, training and ministry, and what you can expect to encounter as a woman religious. Below you will find a Q & A section that may help to answer some of your concerns. Frequently asked questions Do I have to be a practicing Catholic to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Loretto Sisters? Most religious congregations of women are formally recognized and incorporated as officially Roman Catholic. New members must be fully-initiated Catholics, and be able to supply a letter of reference from a pastor or chaplain in the local congregation where they worship. If I become an IBVM Sister, where would I live? You would live in a community with at least one, but perhaps as many as five or six other sisters in housing rented or owned by IBVM Sisters. This housing might be in the form of apartments or houses. Who chooses where this community is located? The leaders of the Loretto Sisters in Canada would make this decision, in consultation with the Sisters whose responsibility it is to help women explore the possibility of religious life. As a sister, will I be paid for the work I do? Most sisters who are not retired receive a salary for their work from the organization for which they work. So, for example, if you were to work as a teacher, you would be paid by the school board which employs you; the same would be true of other agencies or organizations. All salaries, wages and pension cheques are redirected into a community fund that supports all of the sisters. Out of this fund, all the Sisters’ needs are provided for, since part of our commitment is to share everything as a religious community. How are my individual needs addressed in terms of food, clothing, shelter and vacation? Each month, every local community house receives sufficient money to cover the living expenses, utilities, rent, etc. of the sisters that live there. Will I have a choice as to where I work and in what areas of ministry I would become involved? Keeping the mission of the IBVM in mind, you would be encouraged to use your talents and gifts to the fullest. Every involvement in ministry is made in consultation and discernment with an IBVM advisor, and the discernment around your ‘placement’ is made in terms of where the greatest needs are and how you, with your own particular gifts, might respond. Can I maintain relationships with family and friends? Yes, you would be encouraged to continue these relationships. Do Loretto Sisters have time for vacation? We believe that making personal time, and taking time for holidays, is very important for our physical, psychological and spiritual health. We consider leisure time to be part of a balanced lifestyle. How long does it take to become a Loretto Sister? It takes about nine years from the time when you become a candidate with the community until you make Final Vows, sometimes called “Perpetual Commitment”. Can I leave at any time during the formation process? A decision to discontinue the process and leave the congregation is yours. That is true during the formation process as well as after you take vows. Can the community of Loretto Sisters decide, at some stage, not to allow me to continue in the process of becoming a member? The answer to this is “Yes”, because the process of incorporation or becoming a member in a community is always a mutual decision between the community and the new member. If it becomes apparent that a woman is having difficulty living the many challenges of religious life, there would be a lengthy discernment and discussion, and she could be asked to leave the congregation if her belonging is not a good “fit” with the community. Can I pursue higher education, and will it be funded by the Loretto Sisters? Ongoing education is possible and even encouraged. Each woman’s situation is evaluated on its own merit. “How happy a thing it is to love God and serve him in truth.” -Mary Ward