Loretto Community

We are Sisters and Co-members who strive to bring the healing spirit of God into our world.
Archival black and white photo of a woman in glasses standing next to a framed historical document.

LOREtto blog shares stories about cool Loretto history!

Loretto Heritage Center staff preserve the papers and artifacts that document Loretto’s 200-year history; ensure that those who are interested have access to the collections, stories and resources housed at the Heritage Center; and share Loretto’s stories among the Community…

Sisters gather to promote justice and human rights

Posted by the Springfield Sun May 14, 2025 The Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine’s Motherhouse joined forces with the Sisters of Loretto/Loretto Community to host a Community Gathering near their billboard on Highway 55. The gathering was held on Tuesday,…

Operation Babylift: 50 years later

In recognition of the fifty-year anniversary of Operation Babylift, multiple news stories are being produced commemorating the event and noting the role that Loretto Community members played in the operation. “The Vietnam War: Flight to a New Future,” with reporting…

Three women, one holding a baby stand in a doorway in this black and white archival photo.

Sharing stories of saving orphans’ lives

Mary Nelle Gage and Ruth Routten captivated listeners at Regis University in Denver with their powerful stories of courage, tragedy and the remarkable rescue of orphans in Vietnam and Cambodia. Their presentations were part of the “2025 Stories from Wartime”…

Archival black and white photo of a woman in glasses standing next to a framed historical document.

Loretto and the Bicentennial

This article was republished from the Fall 1976 issue of Loretto Magazine. When available, the original photograph used in the publication was scanned. Where the original photos couldn’t be located, scans from the magazine were used. Photo captions have also…