Author archive

Eleanor Craig SL

Eleanor has been a Sister of Loretto since 1963 and an educator since birth. She graduated from two of Loretto's best known St. Louis institutions, Nerinx Hall High School in 1960, and Webster University in 1967. She taught mathematics at Loretto in Kansas City, where her personal passion for adventure history inspired her to develop and lead treks along the historic Oregon Trail. From 1998 to 2010 she created an award-winning program of outdoor adventure along the Western trails for teens who are visually impaired. Eleanor claims to have conducted more wagon trains to the West than the Mountain Men! From 2012 to 2021, Eleanor led a talented staff of archivists and preservationists at the Loretto Heritage Center on the grounds of the Motherhouse. Now retired, she still serves in the Heritage Center as Loretto Community Historian.

Home » Archives for Eleanor Craig SL

Loretto Roots tours past, present and future

By Eleanor Craig SL / December 12, 2024 /

A vintage picture of a large white building with red roofs.

Last month, Interchange included an article about a recent Loretto Roots trip from Loretto Motherhouse to Maryland, following the journeys of early Maryland Catholics and the first Loretto members. Several…

Reflection on the First Sunday of Advent

By Eleanor Craig SL / December 1, 2024 /

Jeremiah 33:14-16 Thessalonians 3:12–4:2 Luke 21:25-36 I struggled with today’s readings and was relieved to find that even the scholarly have difficulties with Advent. Words of several commentators mirrored my…

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Agnes Marie (formerly Sister Mary Cordula) Hagan SL

By Eleanor Craig SL / November 7, 2024 /

Sister Agnes Marie (formerly Sister Mary Cordula) Hagan SL died peacefully at Loretto Living Center early morning Nov. 7, 2024. Community members gathered for prayers at her bedside. She was…

Loretto Roots Trip to Maryland

By Eleanor Craig SL / November 7, 2024 /

Four friends smile together for a selfie shaded by a large tree on a sunny day.

Four years ago four Loretto friends ended a driving trip to Santa Fe, N.M., with a promise that our next trip would be to explore our Loretto roots in Maryland.…

Reflection on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Eleanor Craig SL / October 27, 2024 /

Jeremiah 31:7–9 Hebrews 5:1–6 Mark 10:46–52 The combination of the three readings this morning raises some provocative questions. What is a miracle?…

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Mary Ann (formerly Sister Ann Michael) Cunningham SL

By Eleanor Craig SL / October 8, 2024 /

Sister Mary Ann (formerly Sister Ann Michael) Cunningham SL died Oct. 8, 2024, at Loretto Living Center on the grounds of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, Ky. Her niece, Sister Cathy…

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Mary (formerly Sister M. Susan Jean) McAuliffe SL

By Eleanor Craig SL / October 5, 2024 /

Loretto Sister Mary (formerly Sister M. Susan Jean) McAuliffe died Oct. 5 at Loretto Living Center on the grounds of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, Ky. She was 82 and in…

Reflection on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Eleanor Craig SL / September 22, 2024 /

stained glass window with religious theme

Wisdom 2:12-20 James 3:16-4:3 Mark 9:30-37 Have you ever been jealous of someone else’s success? I have. Have you ever grumbled about or teased someone for doing the right thing?…

Seeking Home: Commemorating 200 years at Loretto Motherhouse

By Eleanor Craig SL / September 18, 2024 /

An older white woman with white hair and a blue shirt holds a small microphone and is shown speaking to a crowd in the pews in front of the altar of a Catholic Church.

In the beginning … This story is about an unusual group of women, daughters of Maryland settlers. They were young women who came together on the Kentucky frontier in the…

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Rosemary Chinnici SL

By Eleanor Craig SL / August 20, 2024 /

Rosemary Chinnici wrote much of her own story in documents now in the Loretto Archives. In her own words, then, we follow her life: “I was born in Altadena, Calif.,…

Reflection on the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Eleanor Craig SL / August 4, 2024 /

Exodus 16:2-15. Ephesians 4:17-24. John 6:24-35 Bread is the central image of today’s readings, as…

Reflection on the Feast of Corpus Christi

By Eleanor Craig SL / June 2, 2024 /

Pencil sketch of Little Loretto in Harding Creek, KY

Isaiah 25 1 Corinthians Matthew 25 Seeking Home—Corpus Christi—Mystical Body You probably noticed: This morning’s readings are not those from the lectionary; I chose them…

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The Loretto Community consists of the congregation of the Sisters of Loretto and Loretto Co-members. The congregation of the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross was founded in rural Kentucky in 1812. Today, our Sisters and Co-members continue to live out the Loretto Community’s mission to “work for justice and act for peace because the Gospel urges us.” In the United States and throughout the world, Loretto Community members serve in many fields, including education, healthcare, elder care, environmental stewardship and advocacy.