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Mary Ann McGivern SL

Mary Ann recently moved from St. Louis to the Loretto Motherhouse in Kentucky. She is searching for entry points into Marian County, Ky., civic life — funding the day care center, improving jail services, helping stop a pipeline through Bernheim Forest. She is on the roster of homilists at Loretto Chapel’s Sunday Communion service. Mary Ann has been a Sister of Loretto since 1960.
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Reflection on the Third Sunday of Lent

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / March 3, 2024 /
The Ten Commandments (1889)

We have two complete accounts here today, the recitation of the commandments and the cleansing of the temple. They are each so familiar and so solidly constructed that I had…

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Boycotts – Shopping for Justice

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / February 14, 2024 /
a colorful banner that features an indigenous symbol in the middle with the words "Solidaridad" and "The Loretto Community" underneath it.

In the same way that boycotting grapes and lettuce in the 1970s was part of a larger campaign to support unionizing farmworkers, here are some boycotts today that have big…

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Reflection on Christmas Eve

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / December 24, 2023 /

Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. What was God thinking? I walked around the dining room several times preparing for this homily, looking at all…

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Reflection on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / November 5, 2023 /
Colorful banners reads, "Be light into darkness — The Loretto Community."

Last Wednesday, Halloween, Roberta and I carried dinner to 15 men in prison to celebrate Wicca with them. Wicca is the ancient worship of the goddess, honoring sky and trees…

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Nuns Against Gun Violence Call to Action

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / November 1, 2023 /
Large sculpture of a gun with the barrel tied in a knot, it is placed behind many flags of the world.

We stand Full of sorrow, full of tears Full of fears, Twisting in the wind, reeling in horror; We stand with mourners; We stand with first responders; We stand against…

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Motherhouse welcomes retreat on mysticism

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / November 1, 2023 /
A man and woman sitting together with assorted mics and a display screen behind them. They are smiling for a picture with papers in their laps, likely preparing to present something with the display screen and microphones.

The Motherhouse September retreat masters invited all of us participants to practice mysticism. The title of the retreat was “Mystics in the Heart; Monasticism for the World.” Mary Ellen McElroy…

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Jemez Pueblo Food Pantry

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / August 30, 2023 /
a box of canned and boxed pantry food

Loretto Co-member Karen Knoll manages a food pantry on the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico. She purchases about $450 worth of food each month, enough for 15 boxes for seniors.…

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Reflection on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / August 20, 2023 /

Midrash is expansive exposition, interpretation and explanation of the text. The facts might be a little misremembered, but the teaching is true. That’s what I remember learning in Scripture class.…

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Reflection on the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / July 30, 2023 /
Heads of grass in a field glow golden in the sun.

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. What do we treasure enough that we would sell all we have to buy that field? When I…

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People Are Dying of Poverty. Loretto Will Speak Up.

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / July 12, 2023 /

A year ago the Loretto Community marched with the Poor People’s Campaign in Washington, D.C. This year the Poor People’s Campaign met in convention in D.C. and Loretto stayed home, working…

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Reflection on the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / June 18, 2023 /
Colorful banners reads, "Be light into darkness — The Loretto Community."

Once at the St. Louis Catholic Worker the woman who had volunteered to give the homily forgot. So, at this point in the service she said, “The Gospel speaks for…

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U.S. Income, Expenditures and The Debt Ceiling

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / May 10, 2023 /
Photo of United States 20 and 100 dollar bills in a pile.

U.S. Income 2022: The income of the United States is basically what is brought in through taxes and fees on individuals and corporations plus FICA (Federal Income Contributions Act). We…

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